Episodes

  • This Budget is . . . Meh

    This Budget is . . . Meh
    Nov 5 2025
    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
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    22 mins
  • Budget Breakdown: Big, Bold… or Just More Debt?

    Budget Breakdown: Big, Bold… or Just More Debt?
    Nov 4 2025
    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
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    29 mins
  • Is Canada A Serious Country? The Coming Budget Will Tell Us

    Is Canada A Serious Country? The Coming Budget Will Tell Us
    Nov 3 2025
    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
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    21 mins
  • Toronto’s Backyard Problems and Canada’s Productivity Crisis

    Toronto’s Backyard Problems and Canada’s Productivity Crisis
    Oct 30 2025
    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
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    47 mins
  • Ford vs. Washington, Monkey Madness, and Facial Recognition at the Border

    Ford vs. Washington, Monkey Madness, and Facial Recognition at the Border
    Oct 29 2025
    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
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    39 mins
  • Storms in the Market & in the Caribbean

    Storms in the Market & in the Caribbean
    Oct 28 2025
    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
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    22 mins
  • Can Canada Truly Get Its Act Together On Money Laundering?

    Can Canada Truly Get Its Act Together On Money Laundering?
    Oct 27 2025
    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
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    20 mins
  • From a Pug with 200 Certifications to Alien Probes and Canada’s Economic Crossroads

    From a Pug with 200 Certifications to Alien Probes and Canada’s Economic Crossroads
    Oct 27 2025
    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 can leverage potash, uranium, gold, and other minerals to build true economic sovereignty. Alien Ship or Cosmic Coincidence? – Dr. Avi Loeb, Theoretical Physicist and Professor of Science at Harvard University, discusses the mysterious interstellar object 31 Atlas, which may show signs of technological — not natural — origin. A mix of sharp analysis, candid conversation, and curiosity about what’s real and what’s next — only on The John Oakley Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins