NOW and NEXT

Dave Trafford
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Welcome In! This is NOW and NEXT:   What’s happening NOW and how does that inform what’s happening NEXT?   Veteran journalist and “Recovering News Director”, Dave Trafford hosts and produces this weekly news commentary podcast. It offers made-in-Canada, independent, unique analysis of the current stories and issues affecting your family, your business, your health, and your pocketbook.  Based in Toronto, NOW and NEXT offers insights on local, provincial, national and international issues. Regular contributors include our bi-weekly RoundTable with the Now and Next C.A.S.T (Comms and Strategy Team!)  Lindsay Broadhead brings her comms experience and insights base on her time leading teams in the private and public sectors.Bob Reid applies his earned experience as a major market journalist and a Senior Advisor to the Premier of Ontario to his analysis of the communications "Touchdowns and Fumbles".Anne Marie Aikins is a "media relations maven", a sought after pundit and speaker, and a strategic comms adviser specializing in public transit in Ontario.NOW: You’re up to date. NEXT: Subscribe to the podcast!

  1. RADIO DAYS with John Moore: Do we REALLY need to shop on Family Day?

    2D AGO

    RADIO DAYS with John Moore: Do we REALLY need to shop on Family Day?

    THIS WEEK: I sat in on ROUND ONE on Moore in the Morning on Newstalk 1010 in Toronto. Javani speaks for himself. Poilevre speaks for the PartyDoug Ford wants to allow retail shopping on Family Day (really?)Ford says waste OSAP on "nice watches and cologne"Auto Insurance unaffordable for Ontario drivers. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    13 min
  2. From Tumbler Ridge to Parliament Hill - the Messager makes the Message

    3D AGO

    From Tumbler Ridge to Parliament Hill - the Messager makes the Message

    This week on Now and Next, the CAST — our Communications And Strategy Team — Bob Reid (Broadway Strategy and Communications), Anne Marie Aikins (AMA Communications), Lindsay Broadhead (Broadhead Communications) breaks down the stories when communications wasn’t background noise… it was the headline. We begin with the response to the Tumbler Ridge school shooting and examine what effective crisis communications looks like in real time. From Premier David Eby’s remarks to the image of federal leaders standing together, we explore tone, humility, and whether political adversaries can momentarily transcend partisanship. Then: Metrolinx. A derailment at Union Station caused system-wide disruption — but the bigger issue was transparency. Why did it take so long to explain what happened? And what role should a CEO play in moments of operational consequence? Finally, we unpack a viral parliamentary exchange between Canada Infrastructure Bank CEO Ehren Corey and MP Sandra Cobena. Was refusing to “give the clip” smart strategy — or a communications misfire? As always, we focus on the intersection of leadership, strategy, and the stories behind the story. Subscribe for more conversations on politics, policy, and the communications shaping both. ⏱ Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: A Week Where Comms Led the Headlines 01:28 – Tumbler Ridge: Crisis Leadership, Tone, and Media Framing 13:56 – Message vs. Messenger: Carney, Poilievre & Political Pivot Points 29:58 – Metrolinx Derailment: Transparency, CEO Visibility & Operational Comms 42:41 – Ottawa Theatre: Canada Infrastructure Bank & “Giving the Clip” You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    54 min
  3. Party for Two with Jerry Agar - Toronto's Snow Removal Strategy: WAIT FOR WARMER WEATHER

    4D AGO

    Party for Two with Jerry Agar - Toronto's Snow Removal Strategy: WAIT FOR WARMER WEATHER

    THIS IS A “RADIO DAYS” EPISODE OF NOW AND NEXT! This week: I had the chance to join Jerry Agar on Newstalk 1010 for his PARTY OF TWO. Canadian Curlers dropping F-bombs after being accused of cheating in MilanToronto's answer to snow removal? Wait for warmer weather.Cheers to Crown Royal! Doug Ford backs off threats to ban the whisky from LCBOShould business consider allowing employees to take paid sabbaticals? You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    11 min

  4. FEB 12

    Access to Information in Canada is marred by Delays, Redactions, and Rising Costs

    This week on NOW and NEXT: A shrinking landscape for transparency. I n this episode of Now and Next, Dave Trafford sits down with veteran journalist Dean Beeby to examine why fewer Canadians — including journalists — are filing Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. Beeby reflects on how FOI once powered major investigative work, but today faces systemic delays, heavy redactions, vague legal definitions, and rising administrative costs that produce fewer results. As journalism accelerates toward instant reaction and digital churn, governments have slowed the machinery of transparency. The result? A system that often delivers information long after its “best before” date — if at all. The conversation explores the collapse of newsroom resources, the inefficiencies of paper-based government systems in a digital era, escalating court battles over mandate letters and cellphone records, and why legal ambiguity benefits bureaucracy. Yet there is a modest bright spot: the federal Information Commissioner’s expanded authority to order document releases. This episode asks a critical question: What are we losing when depth gives way to speed — and transparency becomes optional? Chapters 00:00 – Introduction DT introduces Dean Beeby and the shrinking use of FOI requests. 01:07 – Journalism’s Speed vs. Government’s Slowdown Why reporters are abandoning FOI as delays grow longer. 06:07 – Delays, Redactions & Fewer Users Heavily censored documents and falling public participation. 11:20 – Paper Systems in a Digital Age Government inefficiencies driving rising costs. 16:23 – Legal Battles & The Push for Reform Mandate letters, cellphone records, and the Information Commissioner’s new powers. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    22 min
  5. CKTB Radio Days with Gene Valaitis - Donald Trump's Racist Troll Social Post

    FEB 11

    CKTB Radio Days with Gene Valaitis - Donald Trump's Racist Troll Social Post

    THIS IS A “RADIO DAYS” EPISODE OF NOW AND NEXT! This week:  I dropped in on Gene Valaitis on 610 CKTB Niagara’s News Talk. Donald Trump posts a racist meme about the ObamasTrump's social media tirade about the Gordie Howe Bridge and China stealing the Stanley Cup.The cost of Mark Carney's international travel fuels the rage farmAnd surely, the NFL needs to rethink its Super Bowl halftime show. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    24 min
  6. RADIO DAYS with Gene Valaitis: World Cup Collector Condoms; Pierre Poilievre's new tone; and CRA workers sleeping on the job (LITERALLY!)

    FEB 7

    RADIO DAYS with Gene Valaitis: World Cup Collector Condoms; Pierre Poilievre's new tone; and CRA workers sleeping on the job (LITERALLY!)

    This week on RADIO DAYS:   I dropped in on Gene Valaitis on 610 CKTB Niagara’s News Talk. Toronto Public Health spends $200k on giveaway condoms at FIFA World CupPierre Poilevre wins the room in Calgary. Can he win the hearts of Canadians?Canada Revenue Agency workers are misbehaving on the job.Days before the Olympics kick off in Italy, there's no running water in the hockey rink in Milan. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    21 min
  7. RADIO DAYS on Moore in the Morning: A jaw-dropper for Marit Stiles and Boozing at Dawn during the Olympics

    FEB 7

    RADIO DAYS on Moore in the Morning: A jaw-dropper for Marit Stiles and Boozing at Dawn during the Olympics

    I sat in on ROUND ONE on Moore in the Morning on Newstalk 1010 in Toronto. Marit Stiles loses her Deputy Leader to Team CarneyToronto bars can offer their first pour at 6am during the Cortina GamesStephen Harper preaches mature politics the same day Pierre Poilevre has a sit down with Mark Carney. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    14 min
  8. From Davos to Deepfakes: How Trust, Leadership, and Political Communication Are Being Redefined

    FEB 3

    From Davos to Deepfakes: How Trust, Leadership, and Political Communication Are Being Redefined

    Here are **robust show notes** for this episode of **Now and Next**, using **only information from the provided transcript**. --- ## Now and Next — Episode Show Notes **Host:** Dave Trafford **Guests:** Bob Reid, Anne-Marie Aikins, Lindsay Broadhead This episode of *Now and Next* brings the C.A.S.T. (Comms And Strategy Team) back together for a wide-ranging discussion on leadership, political tone, and credibility in a rapidly shifting media environment. The conversation opens with an in-depth analysis of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Davos speech and why it continues to resonate weeks later. Panelists explore how the speech marked a clear pivot in Canada’s global posture and aligned closely with current public attitudes, as reflected in recent polling. From there, the discussion turns to how Carney’s approach reshaped expectations for opposition leaders—particularly Pierre Poilievre—and how his Calgary speech signaled a tonal adjustment toward optimism and hope. The panel examines the emerging contrast between “global leadership” and “kitchen-table politics,” debating whether Carney can translate high-level strategy into tangible, day-to-day outcomes for Canadians. The episode closes with a sobering look at misinformation and deepfakes, sparked by a viral but fake video attributed to Warren Buffett. The panel considers the implications for political communications, public trust, and the growing difficulty of distinguishing authenticity from manipulation in what some are calling a “post-news” era.  You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.

    39 min
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About

Welcome In! This is NOW and NEXT:   What’s happening NOW and how does that inform what’s happening NEXT?   Veteran journalist and “Recovering News Director”, Dave Trafford hosts and produces this weekly news commentary podcast. It offers made-in-Canada, independent, unique analysis of the current stories and issues affecting your family, your business, your health, and your pocketbook.  Based in Toronto, NOW and NEXT offers insights on local, provincial, national and international issues. Regular contributors include our bi-weekly RoundTable with the Now and Next C.A.S.T (Comms and Strategy Team!)  Lindsay Broadhead brings her comms experience and insights base on her time leading teams in the private and public sectors.Bob Reid applies his earned experience as a major market journalist and a Senior Advisor to the Premier of Ontario to his analysis of the communications "Touchdowns and Fumbles".Anne Marie Aikins is a "media relations maven", a sought after pundit and speaker, and a strategic comms adviser specializing in public transit in Ontario.NOW: You’re up to date. NEXT: Subscribe to the podcast!

Information

  • Creator
    Dave Trafford
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    396
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Dave Trafford & iContact Productions
  • Show Website
    NOW and NEXT

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