Former Halifax mayor and current Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Mike Savage kicks off the Echo Podcast Summit in Halifax with one of the least-stuffy, most entertaining welcome addresses you’ll ever hear.

Savage riffs on:

• Why podcasts beat traditional media for real conversation
• How storytelling builds community in Atlantic Canada and beyond
• The role of diverse voices and immigrant stories in shaping Nova Scotia
• Why Halifax is secretly one of the world’s top party cities
• Plus some classic crowd work, jokes, and a very unofficial “tell the cops I sent you” line.

00:00 – “Podcasts create space for thoughtful conversation” – cold open
00:10 – Rhys sets the stage: Echo Podcast Summit 2026 & theme of community
02:29 – Mike Savage takes the mic: jokes, intros & who’s in the room
04:30 – Land acknowledgement & treaty relationships in Nova Scotia
06:59 – Why podcasting matters: storytelling, community & diverse voices
09:40 – Atlantic Canadian stories reaching a global audience
11:48 – How podcasts replaced radio in Mike’s daily life
13:07 – Audience interaction: first-timers in Halifax & party-city cred
13:46 – Halifax tips, SailGP, and “tell the cops the Lieutenant Governor sent you”
15:35 – Rhys’ closing: thanks, sponsors, and Echo’s future plans

Recorded live at the Echo Podcast Summit (June 18, 2026) at the Halifax Convention Centre.

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