Ship of Fools Podcast with host Steven Malkowich

Ship of Fools Podcast with Steven Malkowich
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Welcome to Ship of Fools with host Steven Malkowich - Where Wit Meets Wisdom. Our title is ironic. Our intent is genuine. Hosted by Steven Malkowich, this podcast explores the limits of what we know. From culture and technology to belief systems and big questions, we seek clarity in the chaos of modern life. Whether you’re intellectually curious, spiritually skeptical, or just tired of surface-level noise — you’re welcome aboard. Follow us on all the social media channels or wherever you watch your podcasts. 🔔 New episodes weekly. Follow and join the conversation.

  1. 5d ago

    From Pro Football to City Hall: Dehara Thompson on Why She’s Running in Port Coquitlam

    What makes a former professional footballer decide to run for City Council? Dehara Thompson joins Steven Malkowich on Ship of Fools for a wide-ranging conversation about sport, family, community leadership and why she has decided to run for Port Coquitlam City Council in the October 17 municipal election. Before entering politics, Dehara played professionally with Newcastle United Women and built a long career in soccer, coaching and community development. She is now Executive Director of She Plays Sports Society and has also worked in youth sport, nonprofit leadership, school community involvement and major-event logistics. The conversation starts with the person behind the campaign: her family background, the influence of two cultures growing up, the 1994 World Cup, and the path that eventually took her into professional football. From there, Steven and Dehara talk about motherhood, community involvement, youth sport and what she believes those experiences taught her about leadership, budgets, facilities, volunteers and service. Then the conversation shifts to Port Coquitlam. Dehara explains why she is running as an independent, what she believes she would bring to council as a first-time candidate, and how she thinks about issues including housing, smart density, community safety, recreation, ageing infrastructure, mental health, addiction and fiscal responsibility. Her campaign emphasizes safe and active neighbourhoods, opportunity for youth and families, practical leadership, accountability and transparency. And Steven asks one of the biggest questions facing every municipal election: Why should people who usually skip local elections care enough to vote? Port Coquitlam voters will elect six councillors on October 17, 2026, from a field that includes Dehara and 14 other council candidates. Ship of Fools Podcast with Steven MalkowichWhere Wit Meets Wisdom

  2. Sep 24

    Troy Van Vliet’s Plan for Surrey: Safety, Growth & Real Ownership

    What would Troy Van Vliet actually do if he became Mayor of Surrey? Surrey mayoral candidate Troy Van Vliet returns to Ship of Fools for Part Two of his conversation with Steven Malkowich. This time, they take a deeper look at the Surrey NOW platform and how Troy proposes to turn his campaign commitments into action at City Hall. With Surrey's municipal election approaching on October 17, 2026, Steven asks Troy to explain the practical steps behind his five platform pillars: Safe Streets, Smart Growth, Strong Families, Real Ownership, and a City Hall That Delivers. They begin with public safety, discussing extortion targeting local businesses, the Surrey Police Service, and what municipal government can realistically do to make neighbourhoods safer. From there, the conversation turns to Surrey's rapid growth. How can the city keep up with demand for housing, schools, transportation and essential infrastructure? What needs to change in the development and permitting process? And where should Surrey's next generation of residents live? Troy also explains his vision for stronger families and his Real Ownership proposal, which aims to create a pathway from renting to owning a home. Finally, Steven presses him on accountability at City Hall. What would Troy prioritize in his first 100 days? How would his administration measure results? And how would he translate his private-sector experience into municipal leadership? This episode explores the ideas, implementation challenges and decisions behind Troy Van Vliet's campaign for Mayor of Surrey. In this episode: Troy Van Vliet's five Surrey NOW platform pillarsSafe Streets: policing, extortion and public safetySmart Growth: housing, infrastructure and permittingStrong Families: schools, recreation and community servicesReal Ownership: creating pathways to home ownershipTransportation, traffic and transitAccountability and government spendingTroy's proposed priorities for his first 100 daysThe October 17 Surrey municipal election 🎙️ Ship of Fools Podcast with Steven Malkowich Where Wit Meets Wisdom Follow Ship of Fools on Spotify and subscribe on YouTube for more conversations about the people and issues shaping British Columbia. What should Surrey's next mayor prioritize? Join the conversation.

  3. Sep 22

    Troy Van Vliet on Surrey Taxes, Housing & Public Safety | Election 2026

    Surrey mayoral candidate Troy Van Vliet joins Steven Malkowich on Ship of Fools for a detailed conversation about taxes, housing, public safety and what he believes needs to change at Surrey City Hall. This first episode focuses on the hard questions behind the campaign promises. Steven pushes Troy on his 0% tax increase pledge: how long would it last, what would have to be cut, and where would the savings come from? They also break down Troy’s Real Ownership proposal and what a rent-to-own pathway could actually look like for a younger Surrey resident trying to get into the housing market. From there, the conversation turns to some of Surrey’s most serious issues: extortion, policing, the toxic drug supply and public safety. Troy explains what he believes a mayor can realistically do and where municipal government has limits. They also discuss schools, development, the pressures created by Surrey’s rapid growth, the experience Troy brings from the private sector, and the scrutiny that comes with running for mayor as a developer and first-time candidate. With Surrey voters heading to the polls on October 17, this is a substantive look at the policies Troy Van Vliet is putting forward and the questions voters may want answered before making their decision. In this episode: Troy Van Vliet’s 0% tax increase pledgeCity Hall spending and potential cutsHousing affordability and Real OwnershipSurrey policing and public safetyExtortion targeting local businessesThe toxic drug supplySurrey schools and infrastructureGrowth and developmentWhy Troy is running for mayorWhat he says he would change at City HallShip of Fools Podcast with Steven MalkowichWhere Wit Meets Wisdom Learn More about the Surrey Now Slate Here

  4. Sep 15

    Dylan Kruger: The $8.5B Massey Tunnel, Delta’s Election & Why He Wants to Be Mayor

    Delta mayoral candidate Dylan Kruger joins Steven Malkowich on Ship of Fools ahead of the October 17 municipal election for a candid conversation about the future of Delta—and one of B.C.'s most controversial infrastructure projects. At the centre of the discussion is the George Massey Tunnel replacement, now estimated at approximately $8.5 billion. Kruger has been one of its most vocal municipal critics, describing the escalating cost and handling of the project as a government “boondoggle” and calling for greater accountability. But this conversation goes well beyond the tunnel. Steven and Dylan talk about why municipal elections have such a direct impact on everyday life, the traffic and freight congestion Delta residents deal with, the contradiction between climate goals and vehicles idling for years at one of the region's worst bottlenecks, and what taxpayers should expect when major public projects dramatically exceed their original budgets. They also look at the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, another Metro Vancouver infrastructure project whose cost has climbed into the billions, and ask a larger question: Why do massive public projects keep becoming dramatically more expensive—and who is ultimately accountable? Dylan also discusses his East Ladner roots, becoming Delta's youngest councillor when he was first elected in 2018, his decision to run for mayor with One Delta, and what he believes needs to change at Delta City Hall. With Delta voters heading to the polls on October 17, 2026, this is a timely conversation about infrastructure, affordability, government spending and the direction of one of Metro Vancouver's fastest-changing communities. In this episode: Why Dylan Kruger is running for Mayor of DeltaThe 2026 Delta municipal electionThe $8.5-billion Massey Tunnel replacementTraffic, trucks and congestion through the Massey corridorGovernment accountability and infrastructure spendingThe North Shore wastewater treatment plant cost escalationAffordability and municipal taxesWhat Kruger wants to change at Delta City HallWhat municipal, provincial and federal governments should be doing differentlyShip of Fools Podcast with Steven MalkowichWhere Wit Meets Wisdom Follow the show on Spotify so you don't miss our upcoming conversations with the people shaping British Columbia. Learn More about One Delta Here

  5. Sep 8

    Carl Valentine: From Oldham to Vancouver, the World Cup & a Soccer Legacy

    Carl Valentine came to Vancouver as a 20-year-old from Oldham in 1979 — and went on to become one of the most important figures in this city’s soccer history. The Whitecaps and Canada Soccer legend joins Steven Malkowich for a fun, wide-ranging conversation about the career that took him from earning £16 a week in England to winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl, playing for West Brom, returning to Vancouver with the 86ers, winning four straight championships and representing Canada at the 1986 World Cup. Carl talks about growing up around Manchester, watching George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton, moving across the world at 20, becoming Canadian, helping send Canada to its first World Cup, and what it was like walking onto the field in Mexico against France and Michel Platini. They also get into what Canada’s 2026 World Cup run meant to him, how much soccer has grown in this country, his role with the Whitecaps today, and why the club still matters so much to Vancouver. It’s a great conversation about soccer, opportunity, community and how a young player from Oldham became part of Vancouver’s identity. 🎙️ Guest: Carl Valentine🎧 Host: Steven Malkowich⚽ Vancouver Whitecaps & Canada Soccer legend Ship of Fools Podcast — Where Wit Meets Wisdom.

  6. Sep 1

    Canadians Don’t Understand America — And It’s Costing Us | Anil Hira

    SFU political science professor Anil Hira returns to Ship of Fools for a plain-English breakdown of how the American political system actually works — and why Canadians so often misunderstand it. Who really holds the power in the United States? The president? Congress? The Senate? The courts? The states? Anil draws on his years working in Washington, including time on Capitol Hill and at the U.S. State Department, to explain how decisions actually get made and why the system can look very different from Canada’s. Steven and Anil also get into: Trump and the current Canada-U.S. tariff fightWhat a U.S. president can — and cannot — do on his ownWhy Congress and the Senate matter so muchThe role of the courts, states and local governmentsWhy the Electoral College confuses so many CanadiansWhat Canadians consistently get wrong about American politicsThe upcoming U.S. midterms and why control of Congress mattersAnil’s book The Great Disruption and what Trump, Brexit and populism still tell us seven years laterWhether Canada is developing some of the same political pressuresThis is not a political science lecture. It’s a practical conversation about Trump, tariffs, power and the American system Canadians hear about every day — but may not understand nearly as well as we think. 🎙️ Guest: Professor Anil Hira, Simon Fraser University 🎧 Host: Steven Malkowich Ship of Fools Podcast — Where Wit Meets Wisdom.

  7. Aug 25

    Used Cars, Radio & Stand-Up: How Alex Carr Ended Up Here

    Comedian and former radio host Alex Carr joins Steven Malkowich for a funny, wide-ranging conversation about the strange career path that took him from fast food, hotel work and used-car sales to radio and stand-up comedy. Alex talks about selling cable door-to-door in Detroit, working at X92.9, CFOX and 102.1 The Edge, finding comedy material in everyday life, Vancouver’s stand-up scene, crowd work and whether Canadian comedians can actually make a living doing comedy. They also get into the changing radio business, B.C. politics, David Eby, wildfires, Trump, Canada-U.S. tariffs and whether political comedy still lands with Canadian audiences. It’s less of an interview and more of a great conversation about comedy, careers and somehow ending up exactly where you’re supposed to be. Ship of Fools Podcast — Where Wit Meets Wisdom.

  8. Aug 18

    Vancouver Hosted the 2026 World Cup. What Did We Actually Get?

    The 2026 World Cup is over, Canada made a historic run, and Vancouver hosted seven matches — but after the crowds, ticket prices, public spending and hype, what did the city actually get from it? Ray Goldenchild returns to Ship of Fools to give his post-World Cup verdict. Steven and Ray unpack Canada’s run to the knockout stage, Vancouver’s World Cup experience, ticket affordability, FIFA politics and controversy, the spectacle surrounding the tournament, and some of the biggest moments on the pitch. Then they get to the question that matters long after the final whistle: did the World Cup actually leave Canadian soccer better off? Ray also talks about the importance of grassroots development through Orix Community Sports Club and what needs to happen next if Canada wants the momentum to last. Was it worth it for Vancouver? Listen and decide for yourself. Ship of Fools — Where Wit Meets Wisdom.

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About

Welcome to Ship of Fools with host Steven Malkowich - Where Wit Meets Wisdom. Our title is ironic. Our intent is genuine. Hosted by Steven Malkowich, this podcast explores the limits of what we know. From culture and technology to belief systems and big questions, we seek clarity in the chaos of modern life. Whether you’re intellectually curious, spiritually skeptical, or just tired of surface-level noise — you’re welcome aboard. Follow us on all the social media channels or wherever you watch your podcasts. 🔔 New episodes weekly. Follow and join the conversation.

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