The Great Canadian Talk Show

Not even Spotify's 'new and improved' analytics could stop us from the annual half-year in review listing the top episodes. Episode 27 tells you the trends revealed by the choices of our listeners! Part 1- A brief of Marty's travels meeting families and fans around Southern Manitoba hosting the cards of Canadian Wrestling's Elite - on Canada Day in West St. Paul, stormy skies t...

While the bureaucrats and politicians at Winnipeg City Hall may be “following the rules” in their plan to demolish the Arlington Bridge, former city councillor Terry Wachniak says multi-million dollar risks to taxpayers are being hidden from the public.   Part 1 - Wachniak reviews his attempts to get key questions answered at two city committee meetings , including "what's the emergency" and who i...

Last year - Winnipeg Police got a search warrant for an illegal hobo shack on the riverbank in the East Exchange District seemingly operating a bicycle chop shop. Last week - Marty Gold had an exclusive interview with the lawyer of one of the accused , after the controversial case was dropped by the Crown. This week - We review a letter sent to the Winnipeg Sun by police chief Gene Bowers after th...

A statement from Winnipeg police about how they managed a pursuit and subsequent hostage taking in St. James is the main topic of Episode 24 and our Crime, Courts, and Public Safety update. Part 1- You'll hear a brief rebuttal to a critic of our last episode Nahanni Fontaine Disrespectfully Shows The Bottom Of Her Shoes To MLAs and updates to our latest columns in the Winnipeg Su n: Mark Carne...

The Minister of Families, Nahanni Fontaine, behaved like a petulant teenager during the budget debate and crossed a red line that must be addressed and denounced by House Speaker Tom Lindsay and all Manitoba MLAs. In Episode 23 we have the audio from the Legislature and describe her unacceptable antics. Part 1- Marty Gold reviews the content produced in the pages of the Winnipeg Sun and on the pod...

Last Thursday, Premier Wab Kinew told the media his promise to open a safe consumption site was going to be fulfilled next month. But based on the comments given at a panel discussion on May 12th, it's apparent the police chief and SCS "medical facility" operators at 366 Henry aren't prepared. In Episode 22, listeners will hear what top cop Gene Bowers and Monica Cyr of the Abori...

The public continues to question the effectiveness of homelessness and addictions agencies and programs- and none is under more scrutiny than the NDP's plan for a safe consumption site in North Logan. Episode 21 has a recap of the panel discussion held Tuesday night and audio of presentations made by Coun. Sherri Rollins and the federal health critic, Manitoba MP Dan Mazier. Part 1- Two column...

May 12th will mark the opening of the horse racing season at Assiniboia Downs, and in Episode 20 we speak with a perennial front-runner in the win column, jockey Antonio Whitehall! Part 1 has an overview of the kick-off luncheon, the notable attendees, and the remarks of the CEO of ASD, Darren Dunn. With the 69th season of live racing scheduled to open on Tuesday evening with the Don Gray Memorial...

An attempt by the operators of a planned drug user site to sway North Logan residents and property owners to support the 366 Henry Avenue project has backfired after a 10 page document was distributed. In Episode 19, we read the cover letter from Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre CEO Monica Cyr and review the "Good Neighbour Commitment" package that's long on jargon, short on ans...

April ends with controversy at City Hall - Episode 18 reviews two stories that's put the pressure on council. In one case, Salisbury House being sidelined on a longstanding contract for a pair of golf courses; in the other, inaction by the city has put a venerable community and Metis heritage site at risk of erasure. Part 1- Marty briefly touches on his attendance at the 2026 Retail Crime Prev...

Joseph Fourre intended to hold a press conference on Wednesday regarding a shady Health Canada drug site exemption that he wants revoked. When the founder of the Singing Red Bear Foundation got to the site, he saw disorder, violence and a woman who was assaulted get blamed by the site operators. Part 1- Episode 17 opens with a brief recap of Marty's recent columns in the Winnipeg Sun: "Th...

In Episode 16, you'll hear our conversation with Harold "Mr. Bones" Brazil discussing why he is looking at returning to his north end roots and vying to become a city councillor. Part 1- Listeners are brought up to date on the latest ground breaking columns from Marty in the Winnipeg Sun: NDP floats “better health care” and “lower costs” slogans to the masses Asagwara swamped by mult...

You would think that when a city councillor - who has long been identified as profoundly sympathetic to the "harm reduction" ideology and the plight of the homeless and drug addicts - announces she opposes the provincial plan to open a supervised consumption site in her ward, it would be BIG news. It's been over a week, but Winnipeg broadcasters haven't told the public yet. And t...

Episode 13 looks at the details behind the announcement from Point Douglas Councillor Vivian Santos that she's turned thumbs down on Premier Wab Kinew's plan to open a drug consumption site in her ward. Part 1- A funny thing happened on the way towriting the Sunday column for the Winnipeg Sun. Somehow, City Hall failed to put the first few hours oflast week's council meeting online. Th...

In Episode 13, you'll hear about the case of Debbie Fewster, whose heart finally gave out while she was waiting for cardiac surgery. As her son Daniel explains, the delay occurred because the requisition was put in the wrong pile. Read our report in the Winnipeg Sun: Fewster death exposes NDP’s lack of competence, and compassion 9.50 Part 2- When a family entrusts the life of their mother to M...

Wab Kinew gulped hard after he read our three exclusive reports in the Winnipeg Sun ( here , here and here ) about planning documents filed with Health Canada for his promised safe consumption site, and on Monday he backed down. "I have realized that I want this thing to be done right, I don't want it to be done quickly.” Well then... what should be done about the Free Press pundit who de...

It's our version of 7-Eleven day, as Episode 11 of Season 7 brings a Crime, Courts and Public Safety Update - sponsored by JamRock Security! Part 1- A brief review of some of the shady and crooked Police Headquarters billings we heard about earlier this week. Testimony at the public inquiry into the Phil Sheegl-inspired project raised a disturbing question: If "contractors told the RCMP t...

Episode 10 addresses a CBC report about Premier Wab Kinew claiming the province had no idea - for months- that his government didn't need to wait for federal approval to open a safe consumption site. Part 1 - A brief review of the latest columns from Marty Gold in the Winnipeg Sun, which include: Downtown BIZ survey exposes city’s Transit woes ; B ad news that Gillingham and Lukes can’t spin W...

Episode 9 opens with an update on Transcona Councillor Russ Wyatt, who had a health scare last week; then a brief welcome for our newest sponsor, Timeless Tales Travel 13.28 Part 2- Public Works chair Janice Lukes wants to get right to building a permanent bike lane on Wellington Crescent instead of installing a promised temporary lane this summer. That's because she thinks it will save taxpay...

We've led the way in reporting the NDP's attempts to impose a "safe consumption" facility in Winnipeg - and the questions posed by residents to City Council about its responsibility to address concerns about public safety in the targetted neighborhoods. In Episode 8, Transcona councillor Russ Wyatt provides his views on Council's role, the shortcomings of the Province's &...

Episode 7 touches on reaction to previous episodes and columns, and has information about an upcoming 3 day seminar. Part 1 - We received a personal remembrance about our friend Peter Young from Marylene Vestergom, a former luge competitor who has provided television coverage of four Olympics. Peter helped her at the start of her broadcast career and she wrote about how "Peter’s passing just...

Our friend Peter Young, who made his mark in education, in local and network broadcasting, and in sports management across multiple leagues, passed away on Feb. 2nd after a courageous fight against cancer. In Episode 6 we discuss our tribute column in the Winnipeg Sun, tell a few stories that couldn't fit into the newspaper, and reflect on the great friend and mentor he was and his role in Win...

A round-up of our recent podcasts and columns in the Winnipeg Sun opens Episode 5, and then we review a warning from a West End business owner that "The city feels more like Gotham every day. " In Part 1 - you'll hear how, as predicted by our guest last Sunday , the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region lost another 2 members this week and are down to only 10 dues-paying municipalities in the...

The controversies surrounding the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region board continued this week after a sixth rural municipality, Springfield, voted to depart the group. In Episode 4, Councillor Mark Miller elaborates on their reasons, which echoed complaints that derailed the WMR's previous Plan20-50 development blueprint. This interview supplements our column in today's Winnipeg Sun - RM of Spr...

This week in Episode 2, we review some of the headlines and issues raised by recent happenings in the Crime, Courts and Public Safety Update, sponsored by JamRock Security. Part 1- Crime - You'll hear about a police investigation into activities near Ferry Road in St. James that led to a bust with guns, drugs, and cash seized and 8 arrested, including two underage teens. - A not-so-upstanding citi...