Let's Talk With Coach Che Marville

Che Marville
  • 4.8 (5)
  • Society & Culture
  • Weekly

Let’s Talk with Che Marville is a distinctly Canadian podcast about the power of conversation. Writer and advisor Che Marville sits down with diplomats, doctors, artists, builders, and leaders for conversations that riff, wander, and land somewhere true. Who are we? What do we believe? What is this moment asking of us? No scripts, no small talk. Just real questions and deep listening, because parts of us only come alive in the presence of another person. Named one of Canada’s Top 25 Midlife Podcasts by FeedSpot. Listen. Wonder. Connect.

  1. 8h ago

    Let's Talk : A 91st Birthday Tribute To My Mom

    Let’s Talk with Che Marville | Special Birthday Tribute What does it mean to live a life so fully that your love continues to shape the world long after you're gone? Today would have been my mother's 91st birthday. Claudette Jackson Marville was a nurse, a midwife, a mother of four, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, an immigrant, a traveller, a woman of deep faith, and, most importantly to me, my friend. She died on July 4, 2020, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this conversation isn't about how she died. It's about how she lived. My mother believed in possibility. She embraced getting older with curiosity, courage, humour, and an extraordinary capacity for friendship. She loved people deeply, celebrated their successes, and never stopped discovering what life had to offer. In this deeply personal episode, I reflect on her remarkable life, the grief of losing her during the pandemic, and the lessons she continues to teach me about love, resilience, gratitude, and growing older. I also explore something I've come to understand about grief: the relationships we nurture while someone is alive become the inheritance that sustains us after they're gone. This is a celebration of my mother's 91 years, the life she lived, and the love that remains. Happy birthday, Mommy. Forever and for always, I love you. Remembering Claudette Jackson Marville beyond the circumstances of her death Why curiosity, friendship, and contribution matter as we age The extraordinary compassion she brought to her work as a nurse and midwife Her courage, adaptability, faith, and lifelong love of learning The heartbreak of losing a parent during COVID-19 What grief teaches us about love, presence, and relationships Why growing older can mean becoming more, not less The inheritance of love and the memories that continue to sustain us 00:00 — Hands Made for Healing: A Mother's Legacy00:35 — Celebrating Claudette's 91st Birthday01:44 — More Than a Pandemic Statistic02:59 — Friendship, Curiosity, and the Joy of Growing Older05:00 — Faith, Resilience, and the Preciousness of Life06:31 — A Midwife's Life: Courage and Compassion07:57 — Saying Goodbye During COVID-1909:02 — Remembering How She Lived10:16 — Motherhood, Friendship, and the Inheritance of Love11:24 — Gratitude, Grace, and a Birthday Blessing12:05 — Forever and for Always Chapter timings are approximate, based on the recording transcript. "The relationship that you had with them when they were alive serves you when they are gone. That's the inheritance." Who is someone whose love continues to shape your life? What have they taught you about living, loving, and becoming? I'd love to hear your story. Thank you for listening to Let's Talk with Che Marville. Real questions. Deep listening. Until next time, listen deeply. Begin again and again and again. In This EpisodeChaptersA Thought to Carry With YouJoin the Conversation

  2. 2d ago

    Let's Talk Sunday Night With Bob Rae: “We Are Living With a Different Neighbour”

    Hello My Friends, What does it mean to be Canadian when our closest ally begins questioning our sovereignty? On our Let's Talk Zoom, I welcomed back my friend Bob Rae, former Premier of Ontario, former interim leader of the federal Liberal Party and former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, for a timely and deeply personal conversation about Canada’s identity, democracy and future. We begin with his new anthology, Reclaiming Canadian Sovereignty in a Ruptured World, which he edited and introduced. The book gathers twenty of Canada’s leading voices, including Margaret Atwood, Michael Kovrig, Lloyd Axworthy, Chief Allan Adam and Michael Byers, to ask what sovereignty means for our country in a rapidly changing world. As our relationship with the United States faces unprecedented pressure, Bob offers a striking observation: “We are living with a different neighbour than we thought.” But this conversation goes well beyond Donald Trump and trade. Bob reflects on his upbringing, his father’s diplomatic career, and why he has no intention of stepping away from public debate. In this conversation, we explore: Canada’s changing relationship with the United States and the impact of Trump’s trade policiesWhat Canadian sovereignty really means beyond our bordersThe resurgence of racism, antisemitism and anti-immigrant sentimentWhy Bob calls our phones “lying machines and propaganda machines”Artificial intelligence, concentrated wealth and the power of technology companiesWhy Canadian identity must include Indigenous perspectivesWhy staying engaged, curious and willing to speak out matters nowAt a moment when division can seem louder than dialogue, this is an invitation to think more deeply about the country we share. Perhaps the most important question isn’t what kind of country Canada is becoming, but what kind of country we are willing to build together. Listen, follow and share. And tell us: what does being Canadian mean to you today? Let’s Talk with Coach Che Marville. Listen deeply. Begin again. #LetsTalkWithCheMarville #BobRae #CanadianSovereignty #CanadianIdentity #MargaretAtwood #Democracy #CanadianPodcast

  3. Oct 27

    Let's Talk With Wendy Rinella: Is Generosity in Decline Because Community Is in Decline?

    Oakville is often called one of Canada’s most prosperous communities. So what happens when a place grows wealthier but its people grow less connected?Che Marville sits down with Wendy Rinella, CEO of the Oakville Community Foundation, to test the hypothesis Wendy shared with her: generosity is declining because our communities are declining.Wendy talks about Oakville's hidden side, from teenagers couch-surfing to families in beautiful homes who rely on food banks. She explains why it is harder to be low-income in a wealthy community. She also shares a striking fact: fewer Canadians claimed charitable donations in 2023 than in 1990, even though the number of tax filers grew by millions.Wendy names what she sees behind the decline. The service clubs and faith communities “that taught us to care” are fading, and we're monetizing our relationships. We once had friends drive us to the airport. Now we call an Uber.They explore how the Foundation is building “hubs, havens and hangouts,” including Oakville’s first Indigenous gathering lodge in about two centuries. Wendy describes its wraparound programs with Sheridan College for single mothers and youth leaving care. Then she turns to the generation she worries about most. Young adults aged 20 to 24 have the highest rate of mental health diagnoses in the community, about 40 percent. Wendy calls it a loneliness crisis.This conversation is about Canada's social fabric, and what happens when we stop showing up for one another.In this episode: Hidden poverty in an affluent communityWhy fewer people are givingThe monetization of relationshipsTechnology, loneliness and young adultsHow philanthropy builds belongingHow you can get involvedConnect with Che: che@ellivram.com | ellivram.comLet’s Talk With Coach Che Marville. Real questions. Deep listening.#LetsTalkWithCheMarville #WendyRinella #OakvilleCommunityFoundation #Belonging #CommunityBuilding #Philanthropy #CanadianPodcasts #Leadership #Men

  4. Oct 26

    Let's Talk To Karen Stintz: Toronto, Beyond Good Enough

    Toronto was once called “New York run by the Swiss.” Safe, clean and affordable. So how did a city with so much promise learn to settle for less? Recorded the day before Toronto votes, former City Councillor and TTC Chair Karen Stintz joins Che Marville to talk about her new book, Beyond Good Enough: Toronto and the Crisis of Urban Complacency. Karen traces how Toronto drifted from functional excellence into complacency, and why the answer is not more money but more intention. Together they explore gridlock and road space, safety and lived experience, housing built as investments rather than homes, transit costs, polarization, and the responsibility of those who remember a more connected Toronto to help rebuild it. Karen spent eleven years on council, about nine years leading Variety, the Children’s Charity of Ontario, and continues her work in disability employment. She isn’t running for anything. She wants Torontonians to expect more of their city, and to take part. 📖 Read the book: Beyond Good Enough: Toronto and the Crisis of Urban Complacency by Karen Stintz (Sutherland House Experts, 2026). Part civic critique, part policy roadmap, part call to action. Available in paperback and ebook at Indigo, Amazon, Kobo and Google Play Books. 00:00 Intro01:05 What makes a city great?06:30 Gridlock and road space10:30 Intention over money13:00 Safety and lived experience17:40 Social cohesion and belonging20:00 The roots of complacency25:30 Media and agreeing on the facts29:20 Housing as investment, not home33:30 Women and politics39:00 The responsibility of the middle letstalkwithchemarville.ca | che@ellivram.com Listen deeply. Begin again. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only and does not constitute professional, medical, or legal advice.

  5. Oct 26

    We Are the Lifeblood of the City | Karen Stintz

    We are the lifeblood of the city, and we can decide how we want our city to advance.” Karen Stintz, former Toronto City Councillor and TTC Chair, on why she wrote Beyond Good Enough: Toronto and the Crisis of Urban Complacency. A city is made by the people who build its businesses, raise their kids and help their neighbours. A mayor leads, but citizens shape the vision and hold City Hall accountable. Today Toronto votes. Take part. 📖 Read the book: Beyond Good Enough by Karen Stintz (Sutherland House Experts). Available at Indigo, Amazon, Kobo and Google Play Books. 🎧 Listen to the full conversation on Let’s Talk with Che Marville.https://open.spotify.com/episode/7iBZcE1NU8pW2sC40HVixl?si=F2OK_uPNRwmnHNrYXs2pDw Listen deeply. Begin again.

  6. Oct 9

    You Have to Learn How to Master Yourself | Simone Jennifer Smith | Let’s Talk with Che Marville

    What does it take to lead with love, not just a title? Che Marville sits down with Simone Jennifer Smith, chief correspondent of the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, who holds a master’s in psychology, for a warm conversation about self-awareness, emotional intelligence and the patterns we inherit from family and community. Simone shares the story of watching her grandmother live with mental illness, the strict upbringing she rebelled against, and why therapy is where self-understanding begins. Together they talk about the stigma around mental health in Black and Caribbean communities, the myth of strength, and why accountability and knowing your weaknesses make you a better leader. “You have to learn how to master yourself.” 00:00 Welcome Simone Jennifer Smith01:58 Self-regulation and leadership03:46 Trauma across generations05:52 Culture and processing pain07:53 Titles versus true leadership09:56 Emotional intelligence and therapy12:07 The myth of strength14:03 Confrontation, feedback and EQ15:48 Her grandmother’s story18:01 Mental health in families and communities20:07 Rebelling against a strict upbringing21:50 Accountability and knowing your weaknesses23:55 Leadership now26:01 Self-care and lifelong learning26:58 Closing thoughts If this conversation spoke to you, subscribe to Let’s Talk with Che Marville so you never miss a new episode. New conversations every Wednesday. Visit Che Marville at letstalkwithchemarville.ca Listen deeply. Begin again.

  7. Oct 4

    Running for Something Bigger: Kashif Chaudry's Case for Ward 4

    What makes someone decide to step into public life? In this episode of Let’s Talk, Che Marville sits down with longtime friend and Oakville Ward 4 council candidate Kashif “Kash” Chaudry for a candid conversation about leadership, community, identity and what it means to serve. Kashif shares a side of his story many people may not know. Raised in Hamilton by a single mother alongside his brother and sister, his family relied on the social assistance system while his mother worked to give her children opportunities she believed education could provide. Today, Kashif is a senior leader in banking, a husband, father of two young children and an active member of the Oakville community. So why politics—and why now? The conversation moves well beyond campaign talking points. Che and Kashif explore: • Why service, not status became central to his definition of success• Growing up in a working-class immigrant family in Hamilton• What his mother taught him about responsibility, education and doing the right thing• Whether universities still matter in a changing economy• What residents are telling him at the doors in Oakville• Safety, transportation and responsible infrastructure• Why development should follow infrastructure—not the other way around• Transparency and accountability in municipal government• His belief that leaders don't need to have every answer• Race, identity and the growing divisions Canadians encounter online• The difference between social-media conflict and real-life community• Protecting Oakville's green spaces while allowing the town to grow• Why listening may be one of the most important skills a political leader can have After speaking with nearly 1,000 residents through conversations and surveys, Kashif says three themes repeatedly emerged: safety and mobility, responsible infrastructure, and transparent accountability. But underneath the politics is a larger question: What kind of community are we building—and who gets to help shape it? This is a conversation about municipal politics, but even more, it is about citizenship, belonging and the responsibility we have to one another. Let’s Talk. 🎙️ Host: Che Marville🎧 Podcast: Let’s Talk📍 Recorded in Oakville, Ontario Follow Let’s Talk on Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts. If this conversation made you think, share it with someone who cares about leadership, community and the future of the places we call home.

  8. Oct 2

    Building the Future of Oakville with Julia Hanna

    Julia Hanna has called Oakville home for more than 40 years. She opened her first restaurant at 26 with $880 in the bank, built a life in this town one table at a time, and is now running for Mayor of Oakville in the October 26, 2026 municipal election. This is a conversation about what it will take to build Oakville's future together. Julia sees her community from the front line. As an entrepreneur, she has watched how people are feeling through good years and hard ones, and she brings that view to everything from downtown's beautiful streets and quiet winters to the working families and seniors standing in line at Kerr Street Mission. She talks about accountability and urgency in local government, why she believes transparency is leadership, and why municipal politics should be public service rather than a career. Along the way, Che and Julia talk about Canada as a mosaic, food as the greatest connector, the grandmother who never trusted anyone who didn't like to eat, and the 88 year old mother who still rolls the gnocchi every Friday morning. It is a conversation about belonging, courage, and leading with heart and great thinking at the same time. In this episodeBuilding a business from nothing, then and nowWhy small businesses are the canary in the coal mineDowntown, uptown, Bronte, Kerr Street and North Oakville as one townAccountability, urgency and transparency at town hallCompassion and kindness as strengthWhy the smartest person in the room knows they aren't Chapters00:00 Welcome, Julia Hanna02:17 The barometer of how we feel04:41 Eight hundred and eighty dollars and a dream07:05 Downtown Oakville, beautiful and hard09:19 The library and the cost of waiting11:39 Uptown, downtown and belonging14:02 The mosaic and the melting pot16:26 Wine in September, sauce in the kitchen18:52 What food means21:08 Do you like to eat? Grandma's test23:29 Give the independents a chance25:51 Standing room only at Kerr Street28:16 The working poor and the need for opportunity30:37 Running a town like a business33:03 Midtown, growth and staying independent35:17 Compassion and kindness as strength37:36 What this run means to her40:02 Never the smartest person in the room42:24 Closing "Food is the greatest connector." Julia Hanna Let's Talk with Che Marville is a distinctly Canadian podcast about the power of conversation. Share this episode with someone who loves Oakville, subscribe, and tell us what you want for your community. Connect with Che: che@ellivram.com · ellivram.com Learn more about Julia Hanna: https://www.juliahanna.ca/ Listen deeply. Begin again.

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Let’s Talk with Che Marville is a distinctly Canadian podcast about the power of conversation. Writer and advisor Che Marville sits down with diplomats, doctors, artists, builders, and leaders for conversations that riff, wander, and land somewhere true. Who are we? What do we believe? What is this moment asking of us? No scripts, no small talk. Just real questions and deep listening, because parts of us only come alive in the presence of another person. Named one of Canada’s Top 25 Midlife Podcasts by FeedSpot. Listen. Wonder. Connect.

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