The Stratford Slice

Cultural diversity is a top-of-mind issue today, but in 2011 when Dr. Geza Wordofa first arrived in rural Southwestern Ontario, he was a ‘voice in the wilderness’. The Ethiopian-born, Russian educated United Nations ambassador and humanitarian moved to Stratford, his wife’s hometown and immediately struggled to find his place. Relying on his experience helping refugees from hotspots around the wor...

‘Never judge a book by its cover’ as the saying goes, is an apt reminder when you encounter Fred Gonder.  The retired graphic artist and advertising executive who once designed for Volkswagen and Audi is well-known in Stratford as a prolific and talented photographer who finds freedom thanks to his mobility scooter.  Fred sits down with Craig to discuss ‘perceptions’ attributed to those...

It’s hard to boil down the life of Lesley Walker Fitzpatrick into a few short sentences, but suffice to say it’s been eclectic. She’s the original Energizer Bunny - an actress, scholar, magician, photographer, filmmaker, amanuensis, model, dancer, and guardian and soulmate to her disabled brother, the acclaimed poet John C. Walker.   Lesley joins Craig to discuss her passion for preservi...

Rick Whelan is an award-winning playwright, journalist and screenwriter. He began his professional life as an actor, appearing as Charlie Brown in the U.S. national company of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and lured to Canada by his wife Cathy, who played Lucy in the touring production. He has worked with such luminaries as Maggie Smith, Brian Bedford, Jean Stapleton and Walter Pidgeon and spen...

Internationally renowned and Stratford-based visual artist Maxine Noel is celebrated for her representations of the Indigenous woman as the embodiment of Mother Earth. She has used her art to unveil the untold stories of abused women and to promote history, culture, reconciliation and environmental stewardship. An advocate for emerging artists, she was a leading force behind the National Aborigina...

Craig Thompson, host of The Stratford Slice, turns the microphone on himself as he reflects upon his career as a writer, director and producer in the Canadian and international film and television production industry. With the assistance of collaborator Rick Whelan, Craig shares stories of his early days in his hometown of Stratford and his subsequent career as a journalist and foreign corresponde...

Retired Stratford Firefighter Kevin Aitcheson shares the story of his brush with fame as an outfielder with Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays.  He talks about what it was like playing several seasons with the Blue Jays organization with their minor league affiliates and how that experience prepared him for the teamwork on the front line as a first responder.

Dr. Sean Blaine became something of a YouTube sensation during the pandemic - offering timely commentary and widely viewed advice on how to navigate the shifting landscape of COVID-19.  Dr. Blaine discusses the current crisis facing health care in Ontario and in particular how it’s impacting smaller communities. He also shares his love for progressive rock and how it helped him through the mo...

When Ken Gene was growing up in Stratford he was one of the few “Chinese” kids in town.  For him, life revolved around his family’s restaurant where he worked after school - a business which he took over after a career in Toronto. He talks about his motivation for founding Stratford’s popular Rotary Dragon Boat Festival, the history of the Chinese community here and the gradual demise of smal...

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