Advertise on podcast: The John Oakley Show

In this special episode, Premier Doug Ford joins John Oakley for an unfiltered, emotional conversation about the pivotal role the Oakley Show played in launching the Ford political movement. Ford reflects on the early days when his brother Rob Ford became a radio fixture, exposing waste at City Hall and connecting directly with listeners—moments that, Doug says, set the stage for everything that followed. The episode also features appearances from: Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun columnist Russell Barth, author of Outlaw Patients Stephen Holyday, Councillor for Ward 2 – Etobicoke Centre David Wills, Senior VP at Media Profile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In one of the most poignant weeks in Toronto radio history, John Oakley opens his heart and his memory box. With the finish line in sight, he invites listeners to walk beside him through the winding, unpredictable, often hilarious journey that shaped his 46-year career. From sleeping in a campus studio in Waterloo, to spinning records in Guelph, to finding his voice in Montreal and eventually becoming a Toronto institution, Oakley shares the small breaks, the strange encounters, the sleepless nights, the lucky accidents, and the characters—famous and infamous—who helped forge a life in broadcasting. A victory lap filled with stories that remind us why live radio matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

How did a near-perfect Superman #1 survive since 1939 and sell for $9.1 million? Lon Allen, VP at Heritage Auctions, joins John Oakley to reveal the incredible attic discovery and why collectors drove the record-breaking price. Later, criminal lawyer Joseph Neuberger — host of Not On Record — unpacks why convicted murderer Dellen Millard has been moved to medium security, the outrage from victims' families, and what Canada’s correctional system considers when placing high-risk offenders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Mazur is a former U-S Federal Agent. In the 1980’s he successfully infiltrated Pablo Escobar’s drug cartel. He is the author of the bestseller "The Infiltrator: The True Story of One Man Against the Biggest Drug Cartel in History" adapted as the 2016 major motion picture starring Bryan Cranston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A global Cloudflare crash sends services offline and users into a panic — so John Oakley calls in tech and gaming commentator Liana Kerzner to translate the chaos and explain how a single glitch can stall everything from transit systems to streaming platforms. Then, a wild viral clip of a man wandering into a pack of black wolves in Yellowstone prompts biologist Cara McGarry to join the show with expert insight on wolf behavior, danger signs, and why keeping your distance matters. And to wrap things up: Oakley, Downey, and Santiago break down the state of modern dating, meme-based flirting, and some of the most outrageous pickup lines ever uttered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Grieving families are outraged after a couple is charged in a string of grave‑robbing incidents across Halton, Hamilton, London, and Toronto — and listeners call in with their own stories about burying valuables with loved ones. Next, Amy Eileen-Hamm — freelance writer and co‑founder of Canadian Women’s Sex‑Based Rights — sounds the alarm on the IOC’s wavering stance on biological males in women’s sports. And closing the show, Christopher Yu, Partner at Shulman & Partners LLP, explains how AI tools like ChatGPT are creeping into family-law disputes and why bad AI “advice” is driving up legal bills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Oakley hosts an extraordinary conversation with geneticist and archaeologist Dr. Turi King, who breaks down the science behind the recent genome sequencing of Adolf Hitler using a bloodstained relic from his Berlin bunker. From medical anomalies like Kallmann syndrome to the ethical limits of DNA in psychological profiling, King separates fact from speculation. The show also explores Toronto’s performative civic acknowledgements—slavery, land, and beyond—with guests David Wills, VP at Media Profile, and National Post columnist Tristan Hopper, who challenges the rise of revisionist narratives in public ceremonies. A compelling mix of science, history, politics, and public discourse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The John Oakley Show honours the sacrifices of Canadian and allied soldiers through a powerful look at the war in Afghanistan and its lasting impact. Shaun Maloney, professor of history at the Royal Military College and author of The Canadian Army in Afghanistan, shares his firsthand experience embedded with Canadian troops. He outlines how Canada’s military helped defeat al-Qaeda, held back the Taliban, and paid a heavy price—only to see its role misunderstood, ignored, and even suppressed in official channels. Bruce Moncur, founding member of the Afghanistan Veterans Association of Canada, speaks candidly about the betrayal many veterans feel from Veterans Affairs, the trauma of being denied proper compensation, and his advocacy to award Canada’s first Victoria Cross to fallen hero Private Jess LaRochelle. Elana Duffy, an American Iraq War veteran, describes living with the hidden wounds of war—traumatic brain injury and PTSD—and the long fight for diagnosis, recovery, and dignity. This episode is a sobering reminder of the cost of war and the continuing fight for recognition, justice, and remembrance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 50th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, historian Ric Mixter—author of Tattletale Sounds: The Edmund Fitzgerald Investigations—joins John to share exclusive insights from his 1994 dive to the wreck site. Hear what he saw with his own eyes, why the crew’s remains were never recovered, and the latest evidence on what truly caused the freighter to split apart. Later in the show: David Fleming, realtor and broker of record at Bosley Toronto Realty Group, explains why Toronto’s condo market is softening and what renters and buyers need to know now. Lorrie Goldstein, editor emeritus at the Toronto Sun, critiques the post-budget “Ottawa bubble” and how elite insiders are distorting Canada’s democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Oakley tackles a packed show: first, Mike Gropp, Senior Cybersecurity Advisor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst (Toronto Metropolitan University’s national cybersecurity centre), explains the privacy risks of digital billboards using facial detection at Union Station—and why stronger transparency standards are needed. Then, Jocelyn Bamford, Founder of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Ontario and Vice-President of Automatic Coating Limited, weighs in on government budgets, energy costs, and competitiveness for Canadian industry. In “Topics Worthy of Discussion,” David Wills, Senior Vice President at Media Profile, and Stephen Holyday, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 2 (Etobicoke Centre), debate crime perception versus reality, transit safety, and the city’s approach to affordability. Finally, Noah Jarvis, Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, reacts to Ontario’s fall economic statement and explains why a smaller deficit still means mounting debt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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