The Political Trenches: Local Government At Work

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work.  To kick off our journey into the role of the CAO, we are honoured to be joined by one of Alberta’s newest CAO.  Josh Saskiw, of Marwayne, Alberta, who was appointed to his position back in June of 2025, and since then has navigated the municipal waters.  Josh, welcome to the show. *********************************** Subscribe to Show: A...

Welcome to the Political Trenches Local Government At Work.  After a longer than anticipated summer vacation we are back in the trenches looking at the stories and issues that are shaping municipalities from coast to coast to coast. , And today,-than we are launching a series of shows dedicated to the often overlooked role that is instrumental in local government.  Over the next few months, all ou...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. This week, we’re spotlighting an important upcoming event for municipalities across Atlantic Canada — the Atlantic Mayors’ Congress, taking place from June 19th to 21st in Saint John, New Brunswick. To give us an inside look at what’s on the agenda, Ian chatted with Craig Pollett of the Atlantic Mayors’ Congress about the significance of...

Welcome to the Political Trenches Local Government At Work. We are back after a bit of travelling East to Quebec and Ontario, and today we are heading a bit further east to talk about Leadership in Atlantic Canada, ahead of the all-important Atlantic Mayors’ Congress happening next week in Saint John, New Brunswick. Today, we are honoured to be joined by two guests from Atlantic Canada, Craig Poll...

We are continuing our journey in the role of leadership. But how do we lead while trying to Strengthen Democracy? The Honourable Randy Weekes served as a dedicated Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1999 to 2024, representing Redberry Lake, Biggar, and Biggar-Sask Valley. A strong advocate for rural communities, he held several key roles, including Minister responsible for Rur...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work We’re back on the Leadership Road Trip! Today, we are discussing an issue of great importance: Strengthening democracy and the role of leadership. Our guest today is former Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature, the Hon. Randy Weekes. *********************************** Todays Stories: Mayor Maloney issues first decisions under Strong M...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. Today we have a very special guest with us. Sharon Pratchler holds a Bachelor of Commerce and LL. B from the University of Saskatchewan. She received her designation as Counsel learned in the Law in 2005. She is a member of the Law Society of Saskatchewan since 1993. She is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, serving as Chair 2015-...

Welcome to the Political Trenches Local Government At Work. While our last few episodes have been about leadership, today we are taking a bit of a detour and talking about a position that is often overlooked and sometimes misunderstood - The Provincial Ombudsman. Today, we are honoured to be joined by Sharon Pratchler, the Saskatchewan Ombudsman. But before we get into all that, we've got some...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. We are continuing our journey in the Municipal leadership. Today we are discussing Dual leadership. To help do that, we are speaking with Kelly Lloyd. Grounded in governance, Kelly focuses on moving the needle towards sustainable service delivery for the municipality. Her most significant professional accomplishment to date, was the desi...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work It’s all about Municipal Leadership over the last few episodes and today is no different. Today we are discussing an issue of much importance. “Dual Leadership” in the Municipal Sector. To do that, we are going to speak with someone who isn’t just a CAO of one Municipality, but two. But, along for this ride into Dual Leadership is our fri...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. We are continuing our journey in the Municipal leadership World Today. With Sheila Keisig, President of the Rural Municipal Administrators' Association of SaskatchewanSheila grew up on a mixed farm south of Kisbey, Saskatchewan. She attended Lampman School from K-12 in Lampman, Saskatchewan. Sheila started her training at the R.M. of...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At WorkWe are continuing our journey in the Leadership Realm, and this week we are sitting down with the President of the Rural Municipal Administrators' Association of SaskatchewanBut, before we get to our interview, we have some stories we will dive into. *********************************** 0:00 - Opening 0:03 - Introduction 0:46 - Story #1...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. We’re here to unpack the key issues, of leadership in this new global and local world. To discuss this we are joined by Catherine McCook is a city councillor, leadership and performance coach, and board member of the Riseup Society of Alberta. With a background in Criminal Justice and training in Interviewing and Interrogations, she brin...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work We are making abit of a detour this episode and talking about an important topic as we head into a uncertain global time. "Leadership" To help us unpack municipal leadership, today we sit down with Catherine McCook the founder and CEO of The Elan Project. But, before our chat with Catherine,, we have some stories we are going to dive into...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. We’re here to unpack the key issues, explore what’s at stake for communities across the province of Ontario heading up to the 2025 Ontario Provincial Election Scheduled for Thursday February 27th. We are joined by two remarkable municipal leaders—Councillor Alysson Storey and Councillor Lukas Oakley. Alysson Storey, a Councillor for Ward...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work We are travelling to Ontario for a special roundtable discussion regarding, of all things, municipalities and the provincial elections currently underway. To help us unpack that, we are pleased to sit down and chat with two Councillors from the province to hear from them directly about what they are hearing and what they want from the nex...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. Christina Benty is a recovering politician with an enduring passion for local government. She served as Mayor of Golden British Columbia, and Councillor for 12 years. Driven by a commitment to fostering a culture of excellence, she collaborates with leaders and organizations to create environments that are kinder, wiser, and more conscio...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work We are travelling to our final western province today, we are making our way to the Sunshine Coast and talking all things British Columbia. To help us unpack that we are pleased to sit down and chat with the Former Mayor of Golden British Columbia. But, before our discussion, Ian and Chris have some stories we are going to dive into. ****...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. Kathy Valentino, a city councillor from Thompson, Manitoba and the President of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, believes strongly in the power and importance of local governance. With over 10 years of experience on the City of Thompson Council, including six years as Deputy Mayor, Valentino advocates for focusing on the basic...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work We are back for a brand new year of talking about the biggest news stories in the Municipal Realm. In the first episode of 2025, We head to Manitoba to speak with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities President and Councillor for the City of Thompson Kathy Valentino. But, before our discussion with President Valentino, Ian and I will...

Welcome to the final episode of Political Trenches: Local Government at Work for 2024. It’s been a remarkable year, and today we’re taking a moment to reflect on the stories that shaped the municipal landscape across Canada. These are the stories you—our dedicated listeners—have followed, debated, and shared with us as we navigated the fascinating, often complex world of local government. As we lo...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. With a distinguished 21-year career in the Canadian Forces, Michael began his professional journey as an Army Logistics Finance Officer. His military tenure took him across Canada and internationally on peacekeeping missions, honing hisskills in leadership, logistics, and financial management. According to his biography one of his most p...

Welcome to "The Political Trenches: Local Government At Work," Today We head to the land of “One hand defends and the other conquers”, the Province of Nova Scotia to speak with Michael Dolter CAO for the Town of Truro. But, before that, we dive into the stories making the headlines. *********************************** Stories In Today's Show: 'They're wasting it all': Poilievre rejects municipal c...

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. Our guest today is Claire Bolduc, prefect of the MRC of Témiscamingue since 2018, and a member of the board of directors of the Fédération québécoise des municipalities. *********************************** Subscribe to Show: Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3GISqEX  Spotify Podcast: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepoliticaltrenches  Yo...

Welcome to "The Political Trenches: Local Government At Work," Today, we are back and heading to the Province of Quebec for a deep dive into Municipal Politics in the ‘I remember’ Province. But we have three BIG stories making headlines over the last few weeks. *********************************** Stories In Today's Show: Push to clear encampments gains momentum in Waterloo region, Guelph https://w...