On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast

This week's edition of On The Ledge – Your Ontario Politics Podcast , Dave Trafford is joined by John Wright (CEO, Canada Pulse Insights), Keith Leslie (Political Analyst, CHCH), Tim Hudak (Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC Leader), and Kathleen Wynne (Former Premier of Ontario) for a wide-ranging and deeply serious discussion. We begin with the tragic mass shooting in Tumbler Rid...

HERE'S AN ADDED BONUS FOR ALL YOU ON THE LEDGE LISTENERS!  I'm adding this week's edition of NOW&NEXT to the OTL feed BTW: We have nearly 400 episodes of NOW&NEXT and you can find them all here . Enjoy! This episode of *Now and Next* brings the C.A.S.T. (Comms And Strategy Team) back together for a wide-ranging discussion on leadership, political tone, and credibility in a rapidly shifting...

Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Kathleen Wynne (Former Premier of Ontario), Keith Leslie (Political Analyst), John Wright (CEO, Canada Pulse Insights) This episode of On the Ledge focuses on the future of Ontario’s auto sector amid shifting federal policy, global trade uncertainty, and evolving consumer demand.  The panel examines Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to move away from rigid EV mandat...

WE'RE BACK! Dave Trafford, Tim Hudak, Keith Leslie and John Wright are at the OTL table! The conversation covers a range of topics including: The premiers' meeting with the PM and it sounds like they're all playing nice. Mark Carney's leadership style is seen as a refreshing change in Canadian politics whilePierre Poilievre's leadership is under scrutiny as he faces his leadership review. Trade re...

ENJOY THIS BONUS FEED DROP EDITION OF NOW AND NEXT! THIS WEEK ON NOW AND NEXT Retired RCAF Major General Scott Clancy discusses the evolving landscape of global security, the implications of American foreign policy, and Canada's role in the new world order. He emphasizes the complexities surrounding defense spending, military readiness, and the future of NATO amidst geopolitical instability. Clanc...

Hello OTL listeners! We're planning to get the gang back around the table before the end of January. In the meantime, I thought you'd enjoy the re-boot of NOW and NEXT. David Schultz is a professor of politcal science and and a legal expert on the U.S. Constitution. He teaches at  Hamline University in Minnesota AND he's also the Editor in Chief of the Minneapolis Times. He brings a unique perspec...

We ALWAYS say, things may have changed since we recorded our latest episode of On the Ledge. And we usally leave it that. Not this week. Hours after posting our weekly roundtable with Kathleen Wynne, John Wright, Tim Hudak and Keith Leslie, news broke at Queen's Park - news we couldn't ignore. Ontario's Integrity Commissioner has responded to two separate complaints filed by the Opposition NDP and...

In the final episode of the year, Dave Trafford is joined by Keith Leslie, Kathleen Wynne, John Wright, and Tim Hudak for a wide-ranging, end-of-year roundtable on Ontario and national politics. The discussion opens with sharp criticism of the Ford government’s decision to extend the legislature’s recess, raising concerns about accountability, democratic health, and the loss of pre-budget scrutiny...

This episode finds the ON THE LEDGE panel assessing Ontario politics as the legislature heads into an unusually long nine-week winter recess. Dave Trafford is joined by political analyst Keith Leslie, former premier Kathleen Wynne, pollster John Wright, and Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley for a wide-ranging conversation about a government under strain, an opposition struggling to connect, and a...

This week on On the Ledge, Dave Trafford is joined by Keith Leslie, John Wright, Tim Hudak, and Kathleen Wynne for a wide-ranging conversation centred on the Ontario Auditor General’s annual report. The panel digs deeply into the issues revealed around Ontario’s healthcare system—particularly physician billing, outdated OHIP technology, primary-care shortages, administrative burdens, and the lack...

Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Kathleen Wynne, Tim Hudak, John Wright, Vicki, Keith Leslie In this wide-ranging conversation, the roundtable begins with a deeply personal and moving story from Tim Hudak about his daughter Miller’s extraordinary journey overcoming apraxia, culminating in her powerful return to Loretto Abbey as an honour-roll speaker. That message of courage and kindness threads into a...

This week on On The Ledge, Dave Trafford, Kathleen Wynne, and Tim Hudak dive into a true curbside controversy: the disappearance of local Beer Stores has pushed mountains of bottles into blue bins—and Ontarians want to know why the LCBO isn’t taking responsibility. With Beer Stores closing and grocery stores refusing bottle returns, residents are losing deposits, recycling systems are strained, an...

Host: Dave Trafford Guests: • Tim Hudak – Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC Leader • Keith Leslie – Political Commentator, CH Television • Kathleen Wynne – Former Premier of Ontario On this week’s episode of On the Ledge, Dave Trafford and the panel dig into what was supposed to be a quiet off-week at Queen’s Park — only to discover a flood of political controversies and policy ba...

Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Kathleen Wynne (former Ontario Premier), Tim Hudak (Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC Leader), Keith Leslie (Political Analyst, CHCH), John Wright (CEO, Canada Pulse Insights) In this week’s episode, Dave Trafford and the On The Ledge panel unpack the political and policy fallout from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget—and the Ford govern...

October 29, 2025 Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Kathleen Wynne, John Wright, Keith Leslie Featured Interview: Neil Hetherington, CEO, Daily Bread Food Bank In this wide-ranging roundtable, Dave Trafford is joined by former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne, pollster John Wright, and journalist Keith Leslie to unpack a week of political turbulence—from Premier Doug Ford’s Reagan-themed U.S. trade ad and...

We recorded this week's show about 12 hours before Donald Trump flew off his social media handle and trashed the Canada-US trade talks because of Ontario's anti-tariff ads running on US networks. For the sake of context this version of this week's show...includes commentary around Trump's antics and what Doug Ford may...or may not do about it. Otherwise...here's the show. ON THE LEDGE – YOUR ONTAR...

ON THE LEDGE – YOUR ONTARIO POLITICS PODCAST Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Keith Leslie (CH Television), Tim Hudak (Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC leader), John Wright (CEO, Canada Pulse Insights) Dave Trafford is joined by Keith Leslie, Tim Hudak, and John Wright for a lively roundtable that begins with the soaring cost of World Series tickets and quickly pivots into a sharp pol...

As Queen’s Park returns from its extended break, host Dave Trafford gathers the OTL panel — former Ontario Premier, the Honourable Kathleen Wynne,  former Ontario PC leader, the Honourable Tim Hudak, veteran pollster John Wright, and CH TV commentator Keith Leslie — to dissect a turbulent week in Ontario politics.  The conversation opens with the Stellantis decision to move Jeep Compass production...

Dave Trafford welcomes back the full panel — former Premier Kathleen Wynne, former PC leader Tim Hudak, veteran journalist Keith Leslie, and pollster John Wright — for a fall political reset at Queen’s Park. The conversation opens with reflections on the late Jim Bradley, the long-serving Ontario Liberal who embodied integrity, bipartisanship, and a deep respect for public service. The panel share...

What’s Next for the Ontario Liberal Party After Bonnie Crombie’s Resignation? Bonnie Crombie resigns after a failed leadership review. On The Ledge panel asks: why did she step down, and who will lead the Ontario Liberals next? In this bonus episode of On The Ledge – your Ontario politics podcast makes a special appearance on Newstalk 1010 with Moore in the Morning. OTL Host Dave Trafford, former...

On the Ledge - Your Ontario politics podcast - June 19, 2025 Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Tim Hudak, Keith Leslie, John Wright, Kathleen Wynne This season finale of On the Ledge dives deep into Premier Doug Ford’s tumultuous week of unscripted rants and calculated risk. The panel unpacks Ford’s inflammatory comments on bail reform and “weak-kneed judges,” his car theft anecdote, and the problematic...

On the Ledge – Your Ontario Politics Podcast - June 12, 2025 Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Kathleen Wynne, Tim Hudak, John Wright, Keith Leslie This episode of On the Ledge confronts a deeply troubling issue: the lack of accountability and transparency following a violent assault involving Anwar Knight’s son at school. The discussion focuses on Knight’s public appeal for justice, after an 18-month s...

On the Ledge - June 5, 2025 Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Tim Hudak, Kathleen Wynne, John Wright, Keith Leslie This week on On the Ledge, Dave Trafford and the panel dive deep into the fallout and implications of Ontario’s controversial Bill 5. With the legislature on summer break, the political temperature rises over Indigenous consultation, environmental oversight, and the Ford government’s legisl...

Show Notes for On the Ledge – May 29, 2025 Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Tim Hudak, Kathleen Wynne, Keith Leslie, John Wright Episode Summary: This week on On the Ledge, host Dave Trafford and the panel dive deep into Ontario’s Bill 5 and the mounting controversy surrounding its scope, timing, and lack of consultation—particularly with Indigenous communities. Kathleen Wynne calls it “a mess of this...

On the Ledge | May 23, 2025 Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Tim Hudak (Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former PC leader), Keith Leslie (CHCH political commentator), John Wright (Pollster and political analyst) In this episode of On the Ledge, Dave Trafford and guests dig into the political stories and policy debates dominating Ontario politics this week. From personal anecdotes about Catholic schools...