Welcome to another edition of The Political Trenches Local Government At Work. We are continuing our dive into the CAO's role. Later in the episode, we will be joined by a team that is at the heart of Municipal Administrators in the Keystone Province. Manitoba Municipal Administrators President (and City of Portage la Prairie CAO) Nicole Chychota, and MMA Executive Director Adreienne Bestland. But before that interview, we will be discussing the top stories making municipal h

Welcome to the Political Trenches: Local Government at Work. Today, we welcome Brenda Orchard, who is the Chief Administrative Officer of Lennox and Addington County, Ontario, with more than 25 years of experience in senior municipal administration, including 16 years as a CAO. Over the course of her career, she has worked closely with municipal councils in three provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario—across both urban and rural communities. Last May, Brenda became

Welcome to Season Five the Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. We’re back in the trenches for another great episode. We are continuing our dive into the role of the CAO. And for our first edition of 2026, we are diving into an organization that works hand in hand with Municipal Administrators from across Canada, CAMA. We will be joined later in the episode by CAMA President Brenda Orchard. But as always, we have three stories we have been watching. First, Senior Shu

Welcome to The Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. Ian and I are back for the final time of 2025, with a look back on the stories that made municipal headlines across Canada, and your submissions regarding what took place over the last twelve months that we may have missed. Then finaly, we will be looking ahead to what the next twelve months may look like. *********************************** Subscribe to Show: Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3GISqEX Spotify Podcas

Welcome to The Political Trenches: Local Government At Work. Ian and I are pleased to welcome Viv Thoss, who is an experienced local government professional and Chief Administrative Officer with a proven record of leading innovative municipal initiatives. Currently serving as CAO for the Town of High Level, Alberta, Viv began her CAO career in the picturesque Village of Silverton, British Columbia. We’re honoured to have Viv on the show today to discuss her experiences as a C

Welcome to the Political Trenches Local Government At Work. We’re back in the trenches for our final full episode of 2025. We are continuing our dive into the role of the CAO, We are honoured to be joined by Viv Thoss, who is the CAO for the Town of High Level, and who started her CAO career in British Columbia. So we are excited to dive into the challenges and opportunities of being a Cross Border CAO. But as always, we have three stories we have been watching. First, the Ma

Welcome to the Political Trenches Local Government At Work. David Barrick brings extensive experience in municipal leadership, including serving as CAO for the City of Brampton, most recently, CAO for the Municipality of Thames Centre. He also begins his new career on January 1st, 2026 as the CAO or the Township of South Stormont. David previously served as an elected official with the City of Port Colborne and the Regional Municipality of Niagara, giving him a practical und

Welcome to the Political Trenches Local Government At Work. We’re back in the trenches looking at the stories and issues that are shaping municipalities from coast to coast to coast. We are continuing our dive into the role of the CAO, we are honoured to be joined by David Barrick, an experienced leader who has lead a Municipal administration in both an urban and rural setting. But as always we have three stories we have been watching, including a council has been slapped on

Welcome to the Political Trenches Local Government At Work. Brenda Ottenbreit is a seasoned municipal administrator within the province of Saskatchewan. working closely with many municipalities, big and small, both urban and rural across the province of Saskatchewan. Brenda, welcome to the show. *********************************** Subscribe to Show: Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3GISqEX Spotify Podcast: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepoliticaltrenches Youtube:...