The Great Canadian Talk Show

We kick-off Season 7 with a review of the most-listened to podcasts we produced in 2025. Four of the top 10 aired last January which gave TGCTS a strong start to the season, and overall five of the top 10 featured our exclusive interviews with newsmakers! In Part 1 you'll hear which episodes didn't make the top 20 but led the months of May, June, October and December. 11.25 Part 2- Numbers...

Episode 61 reviews an editorial from Don Woodstock about the insistence of City Councillors and Mayor Scott Gillingham to disregard a ruling by the Municipal Board and ram through a Housing Accelerator Fund "affordable" apartment building on the west parking lot of the Granite Curling Club. "When a win-win requires one side to give up land, parking, certainty, and peace of mind whil...

Three pieces of correspondence sent to TGCTS form the basis of Episode 60, which opens with the story of Marty's surprise meeting in a drug store with a former NDP cabinet minister. You'll then hear a letter sent to Premier Wab Kinew and Justice Minister Matt Wiebe by an aggrieved NDP supporter. He had asked for help with an arbitrary punishment imposed by Manitoba Public Insurance on his...

The NDP government tried to throttle opposition to a drug use site slated for the North Logan neighbourhood by scheduling only one in-person meet-up. Episode 59 explains what they heard at two more hastily-added sessions this week. (Sorry for the blizzard delay!) Part 1- In November, Winnipeg Free Press columnist Dan Lett criticized neighborhood opposition to the first proposed location for a safe...

The NDP government attempted to manipulate the public consultation process for a drug use site slated for a small downtown neighborhood off of Logan Avenue- but got big pushback and plenty of questions they don't want to answer. We have a play-by-play recap of the meeting that's a real eye opener about the desperation of the "harm reduction" lobby to give hard-core addicts a plac...

December kicks off with a recap of the visit of a far-left member of the Canadian Senate who tried to tour the in-progress 'sobering centre' that Wab Kinew's NDP is opening at 190 Disraeli. Kim Pate - who represents Ontario- dismissed the idea that Winnipeg residents need protection from out of control meth and alcohol addicts. Part 1 - A hard drive failure interrupted podcast producti...

The NDP gave the Free Press the scoop on a new plan to invoke an emergency authorization to open a drug user site. Dan Lett accordingly doubled down on the misinformation and myths used to attack the stakeholders who derailed the first safe consumption site plan. As Episode 56 explains, we saw how it really unfolded- and also noticed he got a key aspect of the new SCS plan wrong. Part 1-Our recent...

Episode 55 looks at the first batch of results released about the 'Winnipeg Transit Violent Crime Intervention Strategy' and the enforcement focus on fare-jumpers. Marty Gold evaluates the numbers , including attempted fare skipping and those who took a hike when asked at the bus stops to verify they had the money to pay. There are also statistics on criminal charges laid by cops for eithe...

An online reaction to our series in the Winnipeg Sun on homeless encampment mayhem and failed government policies has raised an important question for Episode 54- are governments actually bringing homeless people into Winnipeg? Part 1 - A recap of recent Sun columns and podcasts, and a reflection on the 15 years since our last broadcast on 92.9 KICK-FM. Part 2 - A source with access to the Homeles...

Episode 53 wraps up our coverage of the Elmwood-East Kildonan by-election to succeed the late Jason Schreyer on Winnipeg city council. Part 1- Our analysis: The win by Emma Durand-Wood sets the stage for the organization of a far-left slate in the 2026 general election to try to take control of civic politics. We look at the radical policies she and her backers like 2022 Mayoral candidate Shaun Lo...

After being the first candidate to declare, the campaign of Emma Durand-Wood has knocked on every door in Elmwood-East Kildonan. In Episode 52, she tells about her platform, her background in urban issues, and her vision for the ward as the October 25th vote draws near. A writer and editor by trade, Emma Durand-Wood moved to Elmwood in 2008 from Vancouver. While not being involved in politics ther...

Chris Sweryda was the last entrant to the October 25th by-election, but he's counting on the hard work he did as the ward assistant to Jason Schreyer to resonate with voters in Elmwood-East Kildonan. Episode 51 has a wide-ranging and informative interview about Sweryda and his platform. First on his list is building a new Louise Bridge, after he learned the rehabilitation plan "would invo...

He works in the City Planning department, and the latest plan of Kyle Roche is to become the councillor for Elmwood - East Kildonan. Our series of interviews with the candidates in the October 25th by-election continues in Episode 50 of Season 6. Part 1- "If I was satisfied with how City Hall is handling things, I wouldn’t be running for Council." He's worked in a few different city...

(Editor's note- Spotify required we delete this episode and republish it. No edits were made to the interview content.) In a crowded field of seven hopefuls, Zekharia Selahadin is hoping his simple grassroots approach will generate support on October 25th from voters in Elmwood- East Kildonan. Part 1- He moved to Canada from Ethiopia as a child and grew up in Elmwood, and has worked in childca...

A focus on civics - and a look at his new book - brings Don Woodstock back to TGCTS for Episode 48. There's lots of ideas, opinions and observations on tap! Part 1- Don was among the few Winnipeg residents who actually went to one of the city's "Information Sessions" about the five proposed sites for new supportive housing projects . With good reason, the Property and Development...

Dr. Ted Rosenberg, who was raised in Winnipeg, has written a book Ayekha about the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the meteoric rise he witnessed of antisemitic attitudes and actions in the medical field and in general society. Episode 47 presents our full interview with Dr. Rosenberg. He explains why he resigned from a 30 year teaching post at the University of British Columbia after...

Nahanni Fontaine couldn't stop herself from parroting radical rot about the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk - and Premier Wab Kinew's ride to the rescue only made things worse for him and his Families Minister. In Episode 46, we review the public outburst after Kinew forgave Fontaine's online antics and half-baked apology and said she's not being fired from his NDP cabinet. P...

The delays in repairing the Louise Bridge made Braydon Mazurkiewich decide to put his name on the ballot, and he's bringing a brash style of campaigning to the October 25th by-election in Elmwood- East Kildonan. Part 1 - He knows his way around political campaigns, but after the City of Winnipeg continually missed target dates to get the Louise Bridge open this, Braydon Mazurkiewich decided to...

Another special interview for a long weekend, as Episode 44 brings a conversation with Carmen Prefontaine, seeking the city council seat in Elmwood-East Kildonan on October 25. 8.40 Part 2 - First-time candidate Carmen Prefontaine brings over 16 years of experience as a City of Winnipeg employee, along with her current union leadership role to her campaign. She says her decision to run stems from...

Episode 43 pivots off of two emails received from followers of our reporting. Their observations lead to an analysis of the potential issues in next year's Mayoral and civic election. 5.53 Part 2 - "Fabulous results from your articles" A resident in the East Exchange notified us of two separate actions taken against illegal encampments- and gave credit to our reports about the relent...

In the Sun last Wednesday, Marty Gold pinpointed that crime became "acceptable" under Mayor Brian Bowman inWinnipeg in 2018, after bicycle theft skyrocketed and nothing was done to stop it. The column evoked strong reactions and opinions about what is happening, and what should be done now. Part 1 of Episode 42 opens with a reply from the police after speculation by Police Board chair, C...

The return of the Crime, Courts and Public Safety Update is the focus of Episode 41! Part 1 - A look at our recent interviews, and an explanation of some of the costs that your contributions to the Season Six Support campaign take care of- so we stay on the beat as Your Watchdog! The current total is $2675, thanks to our donors and sponsors! 12.00 Part 2- After even more criminal charges were file...

Carrying on our tradition of covering civic elections, Episode 40 is an interview with Abel Gutierrez, one of the hopefuls looking to succeed the late Jason Schreyer as the representative of Elmwood- East Kildonan. 4.40 Part 2- Born in northeastern Mexico, Abel Gutierrezcame to Canada when he was 3 years old and grew up in North Kildonan. As an adult he chose to raise a family in Elmwood and build...

For the long weekend, a special interview with Paul Edmonds, the radio voice of the Winnipeg Jets! Every season hockey fans tune out the TV feed and tune in their radio to hear Paul on CJOB & Power 97. Part 1 - Marty's imitation of Peter Warren inspired Paul to show off his own. He tells about handling sports radio call-in shows and why doing the morning drive is a challenge. They exchange...

Since 2007, Jeff Browaty has been a regular guest on TGCTS in his role as city councillor for North Kildonan. Currently the Finance chair, Episode 38 features a long-from interview with him discussing numerous civic issues . We start with an explanation of how the concerns of the residents of Elmwood-East Kildonan are being handled until a byelection fills the seat. 6.30- The revised Transit stop...