Kvetch & Release

Jon Liedtke joined The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara's 610 CKTB to discuss the controversial divestment by Stellantis from the NextStar Energy battery plant in Windsor, Ontario to LG Energy Solutions. During the segment, Liedtke and Valaitis explored several critical points regarding the state of the Canadian automotive industry: The "$100" Stake Sale: Stellantis liquidated its 49% stake in the br...

Jon Liedtke joined The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara's 610 CKTB to discuss: In the fast-moving world of international diplomacy, sometimes the biggest headlines are written in 280 characters or less. 610 CKTB's veteran host Gene Valaitis & Jon Liedtke unpacked a week of unprecedented social media activity from President Donald Trump.  From racially charged AI-generated imagery superimposing th...

Gene Valaitis and Jon Liedtke discuss Canadian unity amid Alberta secessionists "treasonously" seeking $500 billion in U.S. financing to exit confederation, comparable to the "Russian pretext" of manufactured regional grievances & security umbrellas. The conversation warns that if the federal union fails, the resulting economic "cardiac arrest" would devastate the country’s manufacturing heart...

In this episode, 610CKTB's Gene Valaitis welcomes Jon Liedtke to discuss the "horror movie" currently unfolding across the North American political landscape. From civil unrest in the United States to leadership uncertainty in Canada, the two dive into the systemic instability defining the current era.

From the gentlemanly "Whiskey War" to a nightmarish era of "might makes right," the rules of Arctic diplomacy have shattered. As the U.S. eyes Greenland and Canada contemplates a "Taliban-style" defense strategy, Jon Liedtke argues we are woefully unprepared for an asymmetric future where being an ally is now conditional.

President Trump’s statecraft is driven more by Hollywood plotlines than intelligence briefings. From the annexation of Greenland to "The Purge"-style crime policies, the "Binger-in-Chief" treats the world as a cinematic set. U.S. policy has become a dangerous feedback loop of movie tropes and "Central Casting" optics, leaving the nation trapped in a high-stakes narrative most never bought tickets...

100 years ago today, while families slept and dreamed of eggnog and wrapping paper, the Windsor-Detroit riverfront was anything but peaceful. It was Christmas week, 1925, and the frozen river had become the "Windsor-Detroit funnel"—the epicenter of a global black market for alcohol. In a recent segment, Jon Liedtke joined Gene Valaitis on 610CKTB to discuss his article,  Rumrunner’s Christmas: Whe...

Jon Liedtke joins 610 CKTB's Gene Valaitis to discuss the December 14, 2025 targeted terrorist attack at a “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration in Bondi Beach, Australia, that resulted in the murder of fifteen Jewish people, including a 10-year-old child and an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. The perpetrators—an ISIS-radicalized father and son—exploited severe systemic failures within Australia’s sec...

Why does Canada’s cannabis landscape look like a "patchwork quilt"? I recently joined the Gene Valaitis Show on 610CKTB to unpack the legal tug-of-war defining the industry. Based on my latest article, we discussed the vital distinction between Federal Paramountcy and Provincial Restrictiveness. I explained how Ottawa built the legal "floor" (decriminalization), while provinces constructed the "wa...

Jon Liedtke joins The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara’s 610CKTB to discuss the ongoing debate about speed cameras in Ontario and whether they are truly about road safety or merely a revenue generating tool. Many residents and even politicians, have long viewed them as a the latter and simply a cash grab. This perspective has been reinforced by the recent focus on “lost revenues” -millions of dollars...

Jon Liedtke joined The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara’s 610 CKTB to discuss a controversial Canadian program where Canadian universities’ medical schools, funded by foreign countries (of which Saudi Arabia currently makes up 50%), trains hundreds of international physicians annually who then return home credentialed as Canadian doctors. While this program generates an estimated millions for the uni...

Jon Liedtke joined The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara’s 610 CKTB to discuss: The US Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, demanded Canada purchase F-35 fighter jets to renew the USMCA trade deal This demand is harming Canada’s economy, causing job losses and disruptions to the 401 corridor The ambassador’s tactics are aggressive and his behaviour is unprofessional US President Trump’s focus on trade...

Jon Liedtke joined The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara's 610 CKTB to discuss Canada's Budget 2025, Brexit, and the role of PM Mark Carney. The 'I've Seen This Movie Before' moment is over. Prime Minister Mark Carney, the former Bank of England Governor known for his dire Brexit warnings, is now fighting for his political life as his own nation’s economy buckles under a catastrophic "Pincer Crisis."...

Jon Liedtke joined The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara's 610 CKTB to discuss Major Fred Tilston, VC – The Pharmacist Who Refused to Fail: Uncovering Canada's Most Incredible Wartime Feat Forget the spreadsheets and the political drama—we’re taking you to the brutal front lines of World War II. Meet Major Fred Tilston, VC, the Windsor-area pharmaceutical salesman who earned the Victoria Cross. In 194...

A new Conservative bill is sparking debate by proposing to strip judges of the ability to consider a non-citizen’s immigration status during sentencing. The Bill’s Goal: The proposal aims to amend the Criminal Code to ensure “blind justice,” arguing that all individuals convicted of a crime should be treated equally, regardless of their citizenship.  Supporters point to cases where non-citizens re...

Despite pressing border concerns like fentanyl, guns, & human trafficking, Canada is investigating Chinese paper plates. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is investigating whether China is "dumping" subsidized products—"thermofolded molded fiber tableware"—into Canada in hopes to protect jobs and a domestic industry valued at approximately $150 million annually. Jon Liedtke joined The G...

In this episode of KVETCH with Jon Liedtke, I am joined by two Canadian ex-pats who decided to leave the country in search of a new home, far away from the ongoing antisemitism that Canada has been experiencing on an unrelenting basis. Joe Roberts is the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa Oklahoma, USA. Michael Sachs is a Senior Director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa Oklahoma...

This week’s Friday Round Up dives into the headlines and hot topics shaping the nation and beyond, hosted by Shane Hewitt with panelists Jon Liedtke and Andrew Caddell. Topics discussed include: What breaks do you take to unwind? Hulk Hogan's legacy in wrestling and as a pop culture figure, and the concept of public versus private personas. Concerns about a potential trade deal between Canada and...

Adam Zivo, founder and executive director of the Centre for Responsible Drug Policy, joins Jon Liedtke to discuss his latest article, "Meth-fueled orgies are bad", published on The Line .

Adam Zivo, Founder & Director of the Centre for Responsible Drug Policy & Breaking Needles, joins Jon Liedtke on AM800 CKLW to discuss what 2024 brought to Safe Supply opioid programs in Canada and what to expect in 2025. This interview aired on AM800 CKLW

Hytt Films owner and operator Drew Hyttenrauch joins Jon Liedtke on AM800 CKLW to discuss DRONEGATE over New Jersey, what the unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) may be, and advances in drone technology. This interview aired on AM800 CKLW

Ward 3 councillor Renaldo Agostino joins Jon Liedtke on AM800 CKLW to discuss the City of Windsor axing the new Housing & Homelessness Help Hub (H4) location on Wellington due to excessive costs, the need to secure another new location (potentially outside of Ward 3), and uncertainty of funding from upper levels of government due to two expected elections and potential changes of government. T...

Phog Lounge & Meteor owner Tom Lucier joins Jon Liedtke on AM800 CKLW to discuss a Windsor Judge ordering an unexpected restitution of $13,000, but not jail, for a serial downtown window smasher, and what problems he sees that most affect the downtown and businesses. This interview aired on AM800 CKLW

City of Windsor Housing Administration and Development coordinator Kelly Goz joins Jon Liedtke on AM800 CKLW to discuss the 2024 Point-in-Time Homeless Enumeration that counts the amount of people experiencing homelessness locally. This interview aired on AM800 CKLW