Robbie Robertson from The Band

Music legend Robbie Robertson from The Band is my very special guest on The Herle Burly. If you grew up listening to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Van Morrison, then you know Robbie Robertson and The Band’s music. You know their hits like The Weight and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. But on part 1 of our conversation, what you’ll hear from Robbie is how a bunch of Canadians came together to write some the most important Americana rock of the 70s.

Sarada Peri, former Obama speechwriter

Our guest today is Sarada Peri, former senior speechwriter to President Barack Obama and Visiting Global Fellow at the Ryerson Leadership Lab. Sarada will give us ringside seats to Obama, his thinking and how the greatest orator of our time formulates arguments. We’ll also touch on the state of American politics. But what we’ll hear most strongly, is the point of view of a person who thinks that the deck is stacked against women from the very beginning, revealing itself in every aspect of life, including politics.

Nick Kouvalis

This is going to shock a lot of Liberals and New Democrats, but political consultant Nick Kouvalis is a smart and thoughtful guy. Nick achieved notoriety for his work with Rob and Doug Ford in Toronto and Kellie Leitch in the federal Conservative leadership race. He is also a successful advisor to more mainstream politicians, such as Toronto Mayor John Tory and former British Columbia Premier Christy Clark. I had a chance to sit down with Nick shortly after Andrew Scheer won the federal Conservative Leadership race to discuss what motivates him in politics, why he chooses the candidates that he does, and what he thinks about Doug Ford as he gears up to lead John Tory in the next municipal election.

Ken Dryden, Part 2

Welcome back to the second half of my conversation with the legendary Ken Dryden. If you’re over 45 then you know that Ken Dryden is the greatest goalie in hockey. Less well known perhaps is his work in chronicling this nation and his thoughtful approach to make Canada a better place. Part 2 of my discussion with Ken Dryden is about his take on Canada 150, head injuries in sports—particularly hockey—and what can be done about it today.

Denise Donlon, Part 2

Welcome back to The Herle Burly for part 2 of my conversation with special guest Denise Donlon. She was one of the creators of Much Music. She was the president of Sony Records Canada. And she was the vice-president of the CBC. On this episode we’ll discuss Denise’s experience as a female executive in the male-dominated music industry, and the importance of the CBC as a cultural institution and force for national unity.

Trailer

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Hi everyone! The Herle Burly is my brand new podcast. Here’s what you need to know about me, and by extension, it. I’m a pollster and political strategist. I love to talk about politics, music, journalism, sports and business. And that’s exactly what I’ll be doing with a different guest on every episode of The Herle Burly. We can't wait for you to join us. Tune-in and subscribe now!