CAAT Tales (the podcast)

In this special edition of CAAT Tales , we shine a light on OPSEU/SEFPO Region 4 activism, the people stepping up, and the pressures reshaping our sector. From constitutional debates to hardship supports, from a newcomer’s first steps into union life to Algonquin College’s escalating crisis, this episode captures the grit, humour, and heart that fuel our movement. These are the stories behind the...

In this International Women’s Month edition of CAAT Tales , we celebrate the women who shape our lives, our classrooms, and our communities. Guest host Ekta Singh returns with a deeply warm and reflective installment of Belonging at the Table , joined by professors Xu Han and Allison Taylor . Together, they explore the women who raised them, the food and traditions that anchor their identities, an...

In this episode of CAAT Tales , host Julie White sits down with longtime SLC Trades Professor Barry Botham for a deeply human conversation about grief, caregiving, and the unexpected path that led him to become an end‑of‑life doula. Barry shares how supporting students through profound loss reshaped his work, what it means to hold space for people at the end of life, and why he’s now designing a 2...

This week on CAAT Tales , we explore belonging, applied research, and the financial realities shaping student life at SLC. Ekta Singh speaks with Dr. Maha Othman about identity, faith, and the rhythms of Ramadan in Belonging at the Table . We spotlight nursing faculty Julie Dyke and Andrea Rochon, whose new NSERC/COCO‑CIF grant is driving a province‑wide applied research project in long‑term care....

Creativity, Coding, and Collective Power: Chris Trimmer, Dale Gartshore & James Dupuis This episode marks a turning point for CAAT Tales as we expand our spotlight to include the growing movement of part‑time and sessional faculty across Ontario’s colleges. With certification finally secured after eight long years, a new division is taking shape—and the work of organizing, connecting, and buil...

In this episode of CAAT Tales , host Julie White brings listeners a warm, funny, and deeply human conversation with longtime faculty member and union steward Curtis Runions —a communications professor whose mix of heart, humour, and quiet discipline has shaped classrooms and colleagues alike. From his daily guitar‑practice streak (“ once I start a streak, I don’t like to break the streak ” ) to hi...

🎙️ Show Notes Fine Print Forum + Getting to Know Your LEC: John Holmes Welcome back to CAAT Tales , hosted by Julie White . In this episode, we launch our very first Fine Print Forum , bringing Local 417 voices together to unpack the headlines shaping our campuses and our sector. Then we shift gears and get to know LEC member John Holmes —including one of the most unintentionally hilarious rapid‑f...

In this episode of CAAT Tales, we introduce a brand‑new feature: Belonging at the Kitchen Table . Host Julie White kicks things off with a rapid‑fire chat with Lisa Macdonald, one of Local 417’s first part‑time/sessional stewards. Then, Ekta Singh sits down with Dr. Sephora Kerekou to explore culture, identity, teaching, and the meaning of Black History Month through the lens of resilience and bel...

This week on CAAT Tales , we bring you an episode that balances deep personal reflections with essential union insights. We sit down with Christine Tong , a statistics and psychology professor who shares her "zigzag" journey from being a 15-year-old immigrant to becoming an expert in data analytics. Christine discusses how her background in evidence-based research is helping Local 417 build more e...

This episode features Jay Krawchuk , electrical trades instructor and Local 417 steward, whose 40‑year career spans Manitoba, Alberta, BC, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. Jay shares how regional cultures shape the trades, why labour movements matter more than ever, and how political decisions continue to impact apprenticeship, safety, and job quality. He reflects on his path from prairie farm kid to edu...

In this episode, We check in with Local 417’s Acting Treasurer Carla Kingston and then turn the microphone over to Local 418 President Amanda Shaw, who led our Support Staff through one of the most challenging years in their history. Carla, whose experience resulted in the much-heralded Kingston Decision arbitration award, shares her personal journey from part-time teaching to a full-time role, em...

We tee up an episode full of union updates, opportunities to get involved, and a spotlight on one of Local 417’s most dedicated leaders - Tabatha Rutledge 00:28 – Christina Decarie on the January 29 GMM Delegate and observer selection for Convention Why Convention and Regional Meetings are genuinely exciting (yes, really) Virtual vs. in‑person participation Travel, childcare, and accessibility sup...

In this episode of CAAT Tales , the official podcast of SLC Faculty Local 417 , we explore the personal and professional lives of our union members. From a rapid-fire session with our Communications Officer to a deep dive into the transformative power of belonging in higher education, this episode highlights the human connections that drive our local forward. Segment 1: Getting to Know Christina C...

🎧 Festivities, Faculty, and a Few Grievances   This holiday special brings together warm wishes from stewards, a thoughtful chat on inclusivity, and a playful airing of grievances (Seinfeld-style). We celebrate retiring steward Dan Somers, shine a light on Bill 33’s impact on post-secondary education, and wrap it all in union spirit. Tune in for cheer, reflection, and a call to action—because fac...

In this episode of CAAT Tales , we sit down with Gillian Axten, the Lead Steward for Local 417 and a self-described person who runs on "chaos" and "copious amounts of coffee". Gillian takes us through her journey from working as a guidance counselor and psychotherapist to becoming a fixture at St. Lawrence College—a career move she jokingly attributes entirely to her mother’s influence. We delve i...

This week we chat with Local 417 President Christina Decarie (1:30) , getting to learn more about her passion for puzzles, how John Anderson made a huge impact on her career and what it's like being the president of the CAAT-A Local. Then Lead Steward Gillian Axten weighs in on something that most of us have experienced in the past in Is It a Gripe or a Grievance? (34:30) This week's Member Spotli...

With program reductions, enrolment challenges and more stealing our attention, worry spreads faster than facts. In this first episode of CAAT Tales, we talk with Communications Officer Christina Chrysler about why this podcast was launched and what SLC Faculty Local 417 members can expect as Ontario’s college crisis unfolds - and the impacts are felt at St. Lawrence College. Local 417 President Ch...