Mayor/Warden Warwick is stepping away from politics in Thames Centre and Middlesex County. In 2014 she was elected as Ward 3 councillor for Thames Centre and in 2018 was elected Mayor. She currently is serving as the Warden for Middlesex County. She also is chair of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority and chair of South Central Ontario Region Economic Development. You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook:...

My first ever returning guest! Dr. Zachary Spicer returns to talk public policy in SW Ontario including the 4 day work week pilot in Zorra Township, his 2 new books and Strong Mayors. You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Website: swontariocouncilwatcher.ca Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWOCouncil Support on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SWOCouncilWatcher Like or rate and leave a comment on your favourite...

Mayor Aldo DiCarlo is stepping away from politics after 8 years as Mayor of Amherstburg. You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWOCouncil Support on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SWOCouncilWatcher Like or rate and leave a comment on your favourite podcast platform. Please like and comment where you get your podcasts! Music notes Deadly Roulette by Kevin MacLeod Link:...

I fell off the face of the earth but now I am back.... A new season of Council Conversations right in time for municipal elections You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWOCouncil Support on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SWOCouncilWatcher Like or rate and leave a comment on your favourite podcast platform. Please like and comment where you get your podcasts! Music notes Deadly...

Last week Stephen MacKenzie and I recorded our episode 4.04. Less than 48 hours later, news broke of the LG/Stellantis Battery Plant. Stephen agreed to come back on for a rapid response mere hours after the announcement to talk through how it happened, what comes next and more!

Stephen MacKenzie is the President and CEO of Invest WindsorEssex responsible for advancing economic development to grow and sustain prosperity in Southwest Ontario, Canada. He has spent 27 years in economic development organizations in Connecticut, Nova Scotia and now Ontario. Prior to joining IWE, he served as the Executive Director of the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region and previously held the position of Senior Vice President of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Before...

After serving 14 years as Councillor for Ward 1 in North Dumfries, I entered the race for mayor and was elected in 2014. Seeking re-election in 2018, I was once again successful in confirming my place as mayor of North Dumfries and Region of Waterloo Councillor for the 2018 to 2022 term. I believe in a strong Regional Council which enables and reinforces the strength of the seven municipalities which make up the Region of Waterloo. I proudly serve and cherish North Dumfries and its...

After serving 14 years as Councillor for Ward 1 in North Dumfries, I entered the race for mayor and was elected in 2014. Seeking re-election in 2018, I was once again successful in confirming my place as mayor of North Dumfries and Region of Waterloo Councillor for the 2018 to 2022 term. I believe in a strong Regional Council which enables and reinforces the strength of the seven municipalities which make up the Region of Waterloo. I proudly serve and cherish North Dumfries and its...

Al Strathdee was first elected Mayor in 2014 and is now serving his second term. He is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, with an Honours BA in History and Political Science and also is a graduate of the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Education. Al is a business  small operator and has always been actively involved in several community organizations. Al and his wife Gloria have three children. Al enjoys travel, music and spending time with family. You can follow support...

Born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario, Mayor McNamara and his family have called Tecumseh home since 1981. After working at Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd. as a Power Engineer for 28 years, Gary retired in 2011. He has been married to Heather for 47 years, is the father of two grown sons, and proud grandfather of four. Residents of Tecumseh first elected Gary to Tecumseh Town Council in November 1991. He was then voted in as Deputy Mayor in 1998, and as Mayor for the Town in 2003. Re-elected to...

You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWOCouncil Support on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SWOCouncilWatcher Like or rate and leave a comment on your favourite podcast platform. Please like and comment where you get your podcasts! Music notes Deadly Roulette by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3625-deadly-roulette License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

NOTE the full episode of my Conversation with Mayor Nelson Santos, not sure why only half uploaded the first time but now you can hear his cliffhanger thoughts on the town's electricity supply. Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos was first elected to Municipal Council in 1997 where he served two terms as a Councillor before becoming Kingsville’s first Deputy Mayor to be elected at large following the municipal amalgamations of Kingsville with the former Townships of Gosfield North and Gosfield...

Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos was first elected to Municipal Council in 1997 where he served two terms as a Councillor before becoming Kingsville’s first Deputy Mayor to be elected at large following the municipal amalgamations of Kingsville with the former Townships of Gosfield North and Gosfield South. Nelson Santos was elected Mayor of Kingsville in 2003 and is now serving his fifth term as the Chief Executive Officer for the municipality. In his 24 years of municipal office, Mayor...

Amy Martin is a 33 year old, first term, municipal councillor for Ward 6 (Port Dover) in Norfolk County. Amy campaigned on being accessible and communicating with constituents and won with over 50% of the vote in her community. She’s the first female representative for ward 6.  You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWOCouncil Support on Patreon...

Aakash Desai moved to Canada in 2006 at the age of 15. Since then he has been a proud resident of Grey Highlands. He got involved in the public sphere in 2011 when he was elected to the Grey Highlands Chamber of Commerce Board. He was elected Vice-President in 2013. On April 29, 2014 Aakash became a Canadian citizen and soon after filed his nomination papers to run for council in the 2014 elections. He was sworn in as a councillor on Dec 1 – his 24th birthday. In 2018 he successfully ran for...

Jason Reynar, B.A. (Hons.), LL.B., LL.M, M.B.A., Acc.Dir. Rapidly improving our quality of life through local government innovation is Jason's passion. As a lawyer and Chief Administrative Officer, he navigates through a haze of policy and regulation to find practical – sometimes disruptive – ways to deliver services, such as a public transit system powered by a ride-sharing app. Jason currently leads a team of over 3,000 dedicated public servants at the City of Windsor, Ontario, and is...

Shawn Micallef is the author of Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto, Full Frontal TO, and The Trouble With Brunch: Work, Class and the Pursuit of Leisure. He’s a weekly columnist at the Toronto Star, a senior editor and co-owner of Spacing and teaches at the University of Toronto. His most recent book, Frontier City: Toronto on the Verge of Greatness, was published in 2017 and he is currently working on a book about tourism. You can follow support Council Conversations on the...

also writes about social issues. She's picked up Ontario Newspaper Awards for reporting on healthcare serial killer Elizabeth Wettlaufer, as well as the explosion that rocked London's Old East Village. She lives in London and loves to explore the best of the Forest City, including new restaurants and the beautiful Thames Valley Parkway.  You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook:...

Dave Cassidy is Unifor Local 444’s President representing 20,000 active and retired members in 31 workplaces that range from Automotive, Gaming, Energy, Transportation, Administrative, Waste & Recycle Management, Policing and Retirement Living.  As a certified electrician, Dave is the Unifor National Chair of Trades, representing those working in the trades from the Pacific  to the Atlantic in Canada. Dave is also a member of Unifor’s distinguished National Executive Board. Dave has...

Barbara Swartzentruber is currently the Executive Director of the Smart Cities Office at the City of Guelph. As winners’ of the Canada’s Smart City Challenge, the City and County of Wellington, are collaborating with public and private sector partners to create a data and technology enabled Circular Food Economy. Building on the principles of a circular economy and leveraging the power of data and technology, they are re-imagining a sustainable regional food system that increases access to...

Bil was born and raised in Kitchener. He is a lifelong resident of Ward 7 where he currently lives, along with his wife Laura and his two children. Bil holds a degree from Carleton University and worked as a financial advisor with Investors Group where he specialized in retirement planning before turning his attention full-time to serving the citizens of Kitchener on City Council. Bil was first elected to council in 2010. In addition to his official duties as a councillor, Bil remains active...

The connections Mayor Ted Comiskey has to Ingersoll date back much farther than the beginning of his time of holding office. The Comiskey family came to Canada from Ireland in 1835, settling in the town now known as Ingersoll, Ontario. Growing up in Ingersoll, Ted attended Sacred Heart School and Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute, going on to attend and graduate Western University. Ted began his business career working in regional businesses where he has amassed a combined 41 years in...

Michael Di Lullo was raised in London Ontario and attended Western University completing both his undergraduate and graduate schooling attending the Local Government Program.  Michael has progressed as a Municipal Clerk onto a Senior Administrator with experience working across the Province in large urban such as Brampton to small rural in Huron County.  He is now the Chief Administrative Officer at the Municipality of Middlesex Centre which is located in southwestern Ontario. You can follow...

A Teaser for Season 3 - Come back Thursday at 7pm between now and Christmas for Season 3 of Council Conversations

A special episode that provides a tease of what Patreons' get to listen to after every episode of Council Conversation as well as the monthly "Month in Review" Podcast. If you want to support the Podcast can you here on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SWOCouncilWatcher You can follow support Council Conversations on the following platforms. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwoCouncil Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWOCouncil Like or rate and leave a comment on your favourite podcast...