The John Oakley Show

David Wills, Senior Vice President of Media Profile, Peter Shurman, ‘Broadcaster, Businessman, former MPP’ Stephen Holyday, Deputy Mayor, Councillor - Ward 3, Etobicoke Centre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elissa Freeman, Public Relations strategist and PR and Pop Culture Media Expert. Kevin Gaudet, President of BrightPoint Strategy and formerly of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Rocco Rossi, CEO Ontario Chamber of Commerce, FORMER CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada, and Former mayoral candidate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Farah Nasser, Global News anchor talks about the next televised provincial leaders’ debate that she will moderate with Steve Paikin of TVO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Councillor for Ward 3, Mississauga, Chris Fonseca, joins the Oakley show and explains the grant the municipality will give residents displaced by the Hickory Drive explosion, in order to assist with the municipal portion of their tax bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the panel today: Vince Gasparro - former Managing Director of The Green Tomorrow Fund which was a Toronto based Private Equity firm and is a former advisor to Prime Minister Paul Martin Peter Tabuns - MPP for Toronto-Danforth and the NDP’s Energy; Environment and Climate Change Critic. Ross McLean – former police officer, Body Guard and Security Expert- has extensive experience in both public and private security. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reports indicate that the Premier of Ontario will announce a plan that will save Ontario residents 25% on their hydro bills. Progressive Conservative MPP and Finance Critic, Vic Fedeli joins the Oakley show and says the plan just takes "money out of one pocket and puts it in another" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mississauga councilors vote to offer grant on city portion of property taxes to homeowners displaced by Hickory Dr. explosion after getting criticized for initially saying they would not waive the taxes. One of those residents is Mena Suh and she tells the John Oakley show she wants a full rebate for the taxes she has paid in the home she has not been able to live in since the explosion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's panel participants: David Wills - is Senior Vice President of Media Profile, an independent public relations firm based in Toronto. Elissa Freeman - is a Public Relations strategist and PR and Pop Culture Media Expert. Rocco Rossi — CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada and formal mayoral candidate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the killers in the swarming death of 14-year-old Reena Virk has been granted temporary escorted absences from prison to attend medical appointments and mom-and-tot programs following the birth of her child last fall. AM640 Legal analyst Joseph Neuberger joins the Oakley Show and explains how the now 34 year old was able to get all these privileges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Ball - Head of Communications with Vice Canada. Former Director of Communications with the Ontario NDP Party. Councillor Gord Perks - was elected to represent Parkdale-High Park in 2006. Gord’s emphasis has been on waste reduction and public transit, and he is the principal author of the Canadian Green Consumer Guide, one of Canada’s best-selling non-fiction books. Joe Warminton – Toronto Sun Columnist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President of Ontario Federation of Labour says the strengthening of labour law is long overdue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Energy consultant Tom Adams joins the Oakley show and tells us where the NDP plan might fall short. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the panel: Jay Pitter - is an author, placemaker, and senior stakeholder engagement professional. Her work focuses on creating more inclusive cities --- a topic explored in Subdivided, an anthology she recently co-edited. Nathaniel Erskine-Smith - is the MP for Beaches-East York in Toronto. He’s a member of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, but you may know him as the most independent MP in the House of Commons. Crystal Goomansingh - an award winning journalist with two decades of experience. She has worked throughout Canada for various television networks and radio stations, during which time she has covered stories across North America and beyond. Goomansingh is part of a select group of Canadian journalists who traveled to Kandahar to cover the Afghan War for Global National, Global’s flagship newscast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader Patrick Brown joins the Oakley Show to talk about hydro rates, unions and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matti Siemiatycki, Associate Professor in Geography & Planning at the University of Toronto joins the Oakley show and says that this is a very early look at numbers. More studies are needed and tweaks to the plan before a permanent decision can be made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the panel: Geoff Owen is a Principal at Foresight Strategic Advisors, a new Canadian public affairs firm focused on policy substance over access. He’s a conservative, a policy wonk and a sports fan. Adrienne Batra - Editor in Chief Toronto Sun & 24 Hrs TO, Former CAF LT, Displaced Saskatchewanian, college hoops fan with a shoe obsession Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AM640 legal analyst Lorne Honickman joins the Oakley show to talk about new legislation giving human trafficking victims the ability to sue their exploiters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack joins the Oakley show to talk about the Police Chiefs plan to redeploy officers. McCormack is concerned about the health and safety of the officers who are being moved from their own division to divisions in the city’s more high crime areas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Founder of a small business Belly Ice Cream Company, Shelley Westgarth tells John about her woes with high hydro rates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the panel today: Vince Gasparro - former Managing Director of The Green Tomorrow Fund which was a Toronto based Private Equity firm and is a former advisor to Prime Minister Paul Martin Peter Tabuns - MPP for Toronto-Danforth and the NDP’s Energy; Environment and Climate Change Critic. Sandra Pupatello - Former Minister of Economic Development and Trade for Ontario, she was also the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues and now works with PwC as a strategic Advisor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science reporter at The Globe and Mail, Ivan Semeniak joins the Oakley show to tell us what this could mean for science and humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron Wudrick Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation joins the John Oakley show to tell us more about the award winners and the taxpayer waste. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's panel includes: Rocco Rossi — CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada and formal mayoral candidate David Wills - is Senior Vice President of Media Profile, an independent public relations firm based in Toronto. He provides strategic communications counsel to corporate and government clients and has been a strategist on numerous political campaigns. Elissa Freeman - is a Public Relations strategist and PR and Pop Culture Media Expert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finance Minister Charles Sousa released the province's third-quarter finances Tuesday and said Ontario's real GDP grew by 0.7 per cent, led by business exports, consumer spending and real estate investments. Finance Critic and MPP for Nipissing says that this artificial balance made from the sale of hydro, OPG and other provincial properties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob White, who helped spin off the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) into its own union, has died. White "passed away peacefully" at the age of 81, in and his passing was confirmed by Unifor Monday. His successor Buzz Hargrove joins the Oakley show and reminisces about the former leader. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MP Colin Carrie joins the Oakley Show to discuss Minister of Health Philpott’s expenses, the transit announcement yesterday, and Catherine McKenna confronted over $6600 photographer bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a constituent charged with possession of seven grams of pot asked for help, Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith decided to ask the federal government to decriminalize marijuana head of legalization next spring He explains why he went against the rest of party and supported an NDP motion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode, Premier Doug Ford joins John Oakley for an unfiltered, emotional conversation about the pivotal role the Oakley Show played in launching the Ford political movement. Ford reflects on the early days when his brother Rob Ford became a radio fixture, exposing waste at City Hall and connecting directly with listeners—moments that, Doug says, set the stage for everything that followed. The episode also features appearances from: Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun columnist Russell Barth, author of Outlaw Patients Stephen Holyday, Councillor for Ward 2 – Etobicoke Centre David Wills, Senior VP at Media Profile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In one of the most poignant weeks in Toronto radio history, John Oakley opens his heart and his memory box. With the finish line in sight, he invites listeners to walk beside him through the winding, unpredictable, often hilarious journey that shaped his 46-year career. From sleeping in a campus studio in Waterloo, to spinning records in Guelph, to finding his voice in Montreal and eventually becoming a Toronto institution, Oakley shares the small breaks, the strange encounters, the sleepless nights, the lucky accidents, and the characters—famous and infamous—who helped forge a life in broadcasting. A victory lap filled with stories that remind us why live radio matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Turley-Ewart is a risk management consultant specializing in capital markets, with extensive experience on Bay and Wall Streets. He's a certified anti-money laundering specialist, as well as a contributor to the Globe & Mail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did a near-perfect Superman #1 survive since 1939 and sell for $9.1 million? Lon Allen, VP at Heritage Auctions, joins John Oakley to reveal the incredible attic discovery and why collectors drove the record-breaking price. Later, criminal lawyer Joseph Neuberger — host of Not On Record — unpacks why convicted murderer Dellen Millard has been moved to medium security, the outrage from victims' families, and what Canada’s correctional system considers when placing high-risk offenders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Mazur is a former U-S Federal Agent. In the 1980’s he successfully infiltrated Pablo Escobar’s drug cartel. He is the author of the bestseller "The Infiltrator: The True Story of One Man Against the Biggest Drug Cartel in History" adapted as the 2016 major motion picture starring Bryan Cranston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A global Cloudflare crash sends services offline and users into a panic — so John Oakley calls in tech and gaming commentator Liana Kerzner to translate the chaos and explain how a single glitch can stall everything from transit systems to streaming platforms. Then, a wild viral clip of a man wandering into a pack of black wolves in Yellowstone prompts biologist Cara McGarry to join the show with expert insight on wolf behavior, danger signs, and why keeping your distance matters. And to wrap things up: Oakley, Downey, and Santiago break down the state of modern dating, meme-based flirting, and some of the most outrageous pickup lines ever uttered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Turley-Ewart is a risk management consultant specializing in capital markets, with extensive experience on Bay and Wall Streets. He's a certified anti-money laundering specialist, as well as a contributor to the Globe & Mail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grieving families are outraged after a couple is charged in a string of grave‑robbing incidents across Halton, Hamilton, London, and Toronto — and listeners call in with their own stories about burying valuables with loved ones. Next, Amy Eileen-Hamm — freelance writer and co‑founder of Canadian Women’s Sex‑Based Rights — sounds the alarm on the IOC’s wavering stance on biological males in women’s sports. And closing the show, Christopher Yu, Partner at Shulman & Partners LLP, explains how AI tools like ChatGPT are creeping into family-law disputes and why bad AI “advice” is driving up legal bills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Oakley hosts an extraordinary conversation with geneticist and archaeologist Dr. Turi King, who breaks down the science behind the recent genome sequencing of Adolf Hitler using a bloodstained relic from his Berlin bunker. From medical anomalies like Kallmann syndrome to the ethical limits of DNA in psychological profiling, King separates fact from speculation. The show also explores Toronto’s performative civic acknowledgements—slavery, land, and beyond—with guests David Wills, VP at Media Profile, and National Post columnist Tristan Hopper, who challenges the rise of revisionist narratives in public ceremonies. A compelling mix of science, history, politics, and public discourse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The John Oakley Show honours the sacrifices of Canadian and allied soldiers through a powerful look at the war in Afghanistan and its lasting impact. Shaun Maloney, professor of history at the Royal Military College and author of The Canadian Army in Afghanistan, shares his firsthand experience embedded with Canadian troops. He outlines how Canada’s military helped defeat al-Qaeda, held back the Taliban, and paid a heavy price—only to see its role misunderstood, ignored, and even suppressed in official channels. Bruce Moncur, founding member of the Afghanistan Veterans Association of Canada, speaks candidly about the betrayal many veterans feel from Veterans Affairs, the trauma of being denied proper compensation, and his advocacy to award Canada’s first Victoria Cross to fallen hero Private Jess LaRochelle. Elana Duffy, an American Iraq War veteran, describes living with the hidden wounds of war—traumatic brain injury and PTSD—and the long fight for diagnosis, recovery, and dignity. This episode is a…

On the 50th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, historian Ric Mixter—author of Tattletale Sounds: The Edmund Fitzgerald Investigations—joins John to share exclusive insights from his 1994 dive to the wreck site. Hear what he saw with his own eyes, why the crew’s remains were never recovered, and the latest evidence on what truly caused the freighter to split apart. Later in the show: David Fleming, realtor and broker of record at Bosley Toronto Realty Group, explains why Toronto’s condo market is softening and what renters and buyers need to know now. Lorrie Goldstein, editor emeritus at the Toronto Sun, critiques the post-budget “Ottawa bubble” and how elite insiders are distorting Canada’s democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Oakley tackles a packed show: first, Mike Gropp, Senior Cybersecurity Advisor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst (Toronto Metropolitan University’s national cybersecurity centre), explains the privacy risks of digital billboards using facial detection at Union Station—and why stronger transparency standards are needed. Then, Jocelyn Bamford, Founder of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Ontario and Vice-President of Automatic Coating Limited, weighs in on government budgets, energy costs, and competitiveness for Canadian industry. In “Topics Worthy of Discussion,” David Wills, Senior Vice President at Media Profile, and Stephen Holyday, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 2 (Etobicoke Centre), debate crime perception versus reality, transit safety, and the city’s approach to affordability. Finally, Noah Jarvis, Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, reacts to Ontario’s fall economic statement and explains why a smaller deficit still means mounting debt. Learn more about…

John Turley-Ewart is a risk management consultant specializing in capital markets, with extensive experience on Bay and Wall Streets. He's a certified anti-money laundering specialist, as well as a contributor to the Globe & Mail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oakley dives into the newly tabled federal budget — promised to be “big, bold, and beautiful” — but is it really? John and his guests unpack what it means for Canadians, small businesses, and the economy. Guests include: Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation, on ballooning federal debt, spending hikes, and what Ottawa didn’t cut. Richard Kurland, Immigration Lawyer and Member of Lawyers for Secure Immigration, on why 74% of Indian student visas are now being denied and how federal mismanagement created a housing crunch. Catherine Swift, President of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada, on why the budget fails small business, investment, and growth — calling it “meh” instead of monumental. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Turley-Ewart is a risk management consultant specializing in capital markets with extensive experience on Bay and Wall Streets. He's a certified anti-money laundering specialist, as well as a contributor to the Globe & Mail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John opens with a wild round-up — escaped monkeys, coyotes, and a neighbourhood rat war — before shifting to the serious stuff: Ian Lee, Associate Professor of Management, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, on how Trump’s tariff tactics could yank Ontario’s auto sector and force a Canadian pivot to critical minerals. Sprott School of Business+1 Stephen Holyday, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 2 (Etobicoke Centre), on who actually plans a Blue Jays victory parade, why Gardiner work is being sequenced, and City Hall travel optics. toronto.ca+1 Stephen Tapp, CEO & Chief Economist, Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS), on a decade of rising public-sector headcount and falling productivity — and what that means for taxpayers’ ROI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Ford's anti-tariff TV ads ruffle feathers in Washington, with Trump furious and U.S. Ambassador clashing with Ford’s trade advisor. John weighs in on whether Doug is playing the long game or blowing up the Canada-U.S. trade file. Guests include: Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, exposes jaw-dropping government spending on stress balls, branded apples, and even AI garbage cans. Lori Sheeran, Professor of Anthropology at Central Washington University, explains the real dangers of escaped lab monkeys in Mississippi—and whether monkeys actually barter with tourists. Tamir Israel, Director of the Privacy, Surveillance & Technology Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, breaks down the U.S. border’s new biometric surveillance rules and what Canadians should know about facial recognition risks. Plus, John unpacks the political theater around Mark Carney, Trump, Doug Ford, and trade strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Wilkes, President & CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association, breaks down the sharp decline in GTA new-home and condo sales—now sitting at just 20 % of the ten-year average—and how high government fees, taxes, and costs threaten future supply and 40,000 construction jobs. Why Wilkes believes HST relief and rate cuts could bring buyers back and how Canada’s housing slowdown stretches from Toronto to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Montreal. Defining “affordable housing” without eroding existing homeowners’ equity, and the structural fixes needed to revive confidence. Mark Sudduth, veteran hurricane chaser and founder of HurricaneTrack.com, reports from the Caribbean on Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record—its devastation in Jamaica, the threat to Cuba and the Bahamas, and how new AI-driven forecast models like Google DeepMind helped track it with unprecedented accuracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Turley-Ewart is a risk-management consultant specializing in capital markets with extensive experience on Bay and Wall Streets. He's also a certified anti-money laundering specialist, and a contributor to the Globe & Mail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, John explores stories that range from the absurd to the existential — from a dog certified to serve alcohol to the possibility of an alien mothership passing through our solar system. Topics covered: The “Certified” Pug Phoebe – Robert Day, Managing Director at Cognisense, exposes major flaws in online training and safety certifications after a dog earns over 200 credentials, from bartending to forklift operation. Inside the Lives of Paramedics – Frontline responders share powerful first-hand stories of trauma, emotional toll, and the lack of recognition for paramedics’ crucial work. Doug Ford, Trade Tensions & Economic Strategy – Lisa Raitt, former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, breaks down Canada’s trade rift with the U.S., Mark Carney’s leadership challenges, and what it means for our economic future. Canada’s Critical Minerals Advantage – Heather Exner-Pirot, Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, explains how Canada…

On today’s episode: George Diamantouros, Manager at Sneaky Dee’s, on why the Blue Jays asked his bar to remove a Game 7 sign. Jeffrey Sussman, author of Big Apple Gangsters, on a New York poker ring tied to four mafia families. Panel with David Wills and Stephen Holyday debates: Jays ticket resale markups Toronto’s retail theft crisis Free MTA buses vs. TTC priorities Olivia Chow’s hiring freeze at City Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blue Jays vs. the Bride: Should a Calgary couple move their wedding timeline to avoid competing with a Jays playoff game? Listeners weigh in with hot takes, personal stories — and even suggestions for Blue Jays–themed weddings. Canada’s Housing Crisis: Oakley slams red tape, cancelled developments, and failed promises from all levels of government. Crypto Crime Crackdown: A Canadian crypto exchange faces a $176 million fine from FINTRAC for allegedly laundering funds tied to child exploitation, fraud, and ransomware. Guest:John Turley-Ewart, Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and financial commentator, breaks down how crypto can be exploited — and why regulators are cracking down hard. “Keep It Out of the Family”: Oakley discusses why some say first cousin marriage should be outlawed in Canada, and reacts to the UK’s NHS defending the practice. Guest:John Robson, National Post columnist and historian, explains the cultural and genetic implications behind the controversial practice — and what it says…

When Julio Rodríguez homered at the Rogers Centre, Ned Boland did what every true Jays fan is expected to do—he threw the opposing team’s ball back. But that act of fan solidarity got him booted from the stadium… and turned him into a folk hero. Ned joins John Oakley to share the chaotic (and hilarious) story of peer pressure, free beers, and a second set of tickets that got him back in just in time to catch the Jays’ win. Then, a conversation with BrioTV’s Bill Brioux explores John Schneider’s post-game F-bomb and the broader question: are we just living in a cruder world now? What does it mean for live broadcasting? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices