GUELPH POLITICAST #136 - Lyndsey Butcher, SHORE Centre

If you know what sex education is going to look like when school starts on Tuesday, then you're either the education minister, or one of several teachers that's going to defy the provincial government and teach the 2015 health curriculum update anyway. Can anything good come from all this confusion?

GUELPH POLITICAST #135 - On Development, Part I: "The Big Picture"

Is the rapid state of development making Guelph lose its character? This is a question more and more people have this election year as plans for bigger and bigger residential buildings keep coming to city council. Meanwhile, Clair-Maltby lies in wait in the south end for an official plan. So how do we know we're developing right?

GUELPH POLITICAST #134 - Building the Cycling City

A few weeks ago, the new Ontario government cancelled $93 million of funding for something called the Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling (OMCC) program. The money, which was raised from the cap and trade agreement, was for cycling infrastructure in towns and cities across the province, and the move is proof of just how hard it is to make cycling a priority for governments, but there is hope!

ELECTION 2018: Billings In, Van Hellemond Out

In the final hours of nominations for the 2018 Municipal Election, there was at least one surprise. While Christine Billings finally made official her intention to run for re-election, Andy Van Hellemond withdrew his name for consideration for one of the Ward 2 council seats.

GUELPH POLITICAST #133 - Cathy Downer on AMO

At city council this week, a resolution from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to support the North America Free Trade Agreement and stand with governments across Canada against Donald Trump's aggression on trade was passed unanimously. You may be asking, "What good does that do?" You may also be asking, "What the heck is AMO again?"

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for July 23, 2018

Plastic bags, police cars, and NAFTA are among the list of topics on this last council meeting bore summer break (and one of the last council meetings for this term). You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here for the Politico preview. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight's council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow the tweets below.

Mlynarz Runs for Mayor, and Yes, She's In It to Win It

With nominations for the municipal election closing on Friday, Mayor Cam Guthrie had just over four days left before being acclaimed as the head of Guelph's city council for another four years. On Monday morning though, one candidate came forward to say "Not so fast", and she made it clear that she's not going to let you hold her youth and inexperience against her.

Mlynarz Decides to Try for Mayor Instead

She came within a quarter of a per cent of  taking second place in Guelph's provincial election race, but it sounds like she's not prepared to settle for second this fall by running in the municipal election. Aggie Mlynarz has announced that she intends to run for Mayor of Guelph against the incumbent Cam Guthrie on October 22.

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for July 16, 2018

The next phase of the Baker District redevelopment will be presented and debated at this special session of city council. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here for the Politico preview. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight's council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow the tweets below.

GUELPH POLITICAST #132 - Plastic Free Guelph

Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean there's a big floating mass of plastic that's roughly three times the size of France. While it's true that much of that plastic is fishing equipment, and about two-fifths of it comes from just five countries in southeast Asia, it's making us all think about our wasteful ways, especially when it comes to plastic.

Now You Can Call Him "MPP Schreiner"

The election is long done, the work of preparing to govern has begun, but today history was official sealed with the swearing in of Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner as MPP of Guelph.

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the July 9 Meeting?

Council's going to take care of some unfinished business before the summer break at this month's planning meeting. Brownfields, commercial space, and a brand new planning advisory committee are all topics for conversation.

GUELPH POLITICAST #131 - Back With the Back-Grounder

News is the art of delivering the day's information in an organized and coherent way, but stories don't just happen with a beginning, middle and end all in one day. Some of the biggest stories, including the most important stories, trace their roots back many years. In the news, there's an important function to not just understand the day's events, but the events that led to the day's events.

Committee of the Whole Preview - What's on the Agenda for the July 3 Meeting?

In what will be last Committee of the Whole meeting before the election, city council will be going over the future. Future schedules, future heritage plans, future community centres, and sign bylaw variances will all be up for discussion. 

GUELPH POLITICAST #129 - Xicotencatl Lopez

In as much as the murders of Colten Bushie and Tina Fontaine were shocking, it was somehow even more shocking when those murders went unavenged as both perpetrators were found not-guilty of second degree murder. It's enough to make you wonder why more Indigenous youth aren't angrier and more active. Well, this is a podcast about one who is.

Schreiner Makes History in Competitive Guelph Race

Guelph made Ontario political history last night by electing the province's first Green Party Member of Provincial Parliament. Mike Schreiner's victory came after what looked like a very tight race in the riding, but in the end, Schreiner won his seat in what can only be described as a "blow out" result for the Green Party of Ontario leader.

Driveway Town Hall Had Sad Stories and Hard Feelings

Who would have guessed that the most contentious issue of this municipal election year might be the width of driveways in certain neighbourhoods? This topic gathered people from across the east end of the city, and from other parts of the Guelph to attend a town hall hosted by the mayor and the Ward 1 councillors.

GUELPH POLITICAST #128 - Guelph Wellington Oral Health Action Committee

The saying goes, "let a smile be your umbrella," but there are a whole lot of people out there for whom their smile is a source of grief, and not a source of relief. Before we go into Election Day, let's hear from some people talking about one of the election issues that has not gotten a lot of press, but is nonetheless factored into every major party platform in someway: dental care.

Horwath Hopes Hattrick Does the Trick in Guelph

Making her third stop in Guelph in six weeks, NDP leader Andrea Horwath seems to banking a lot of faith in Guelph turning out orange on Election Day. With 48 hours to go, Horwath rallied more than 75 people behind the Boathouse on Gordon Street to make every moment count to make Aggie Mlynarz the MPP for the Royal City.

GUELPH POLITICAST #127 - The OGRA Sessions

It was a major conference of municipal leaders, influencers, and business people. Appearing live on stage where politicians from the three major parties, including the interim leader of the Official Opposition, and the Premier of Ontario. Only one person could interview them on the issues that matter, and get straight answers, and somehow, that person was me.