Send us a text

Dear Listeners,

Thanks for tuning into Civically Speaking. This two-part episode of Civically Speaking brings together what’s happening right now and what it means for civic life moving forward.

In Part 1, we walk through the most important stories from the past week, moving from global events to local City Hall decisions, including:

• Major earthquakes and tsunami warnings in Japan
• Severe flooding in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia
• Solar flares and space weather affecting global systems
• Canada’s federal government moving one seat away from a majority, raising questions about opposition leadership
• A fatal incident at a Saskatchewan potash mine and its impact on the fertilizer sector
• Renewed U.S. tariff threats on Canadian fertilizer
• Rising food bank demand in Saskatchewan
• City Hall decisions in Saskatoon and Regina, including budget debates, transit pressures, neighbourhood naming, Wildwood Park and infill discussions, and governance processes shaping growth and public space

This segment focuses on what’s happening now — and why these stories matter for communities and civic decision-making.

Part 2 steps back to examine how technology is reshaping civic systems, with real-world examples from Saskatchewan, across Canada, and globally:

• Artificial intelligence becoming decision-making infrastructure
• Technology’s role in reshaping work and labour
• Data as municipal infrastructure
• Platform consolidation and the loss of public digital space
• Cybersecurity as a public safety issue
• The growing relationship between technology and inequality

Together, the episode connects the week’s news to broader trends shaping governance, democracy, and community life.

Civically Speaking,

Lenore Swystun with Christina Cherneskey

Civically Speaking- Saskatoon Saskatchewan's #1 show about civic issues.

Send us a text

Deae Listeners,

This week on Civically Speaking, we begin with a check-in on the weather...because ....winter has truly arrived.

We talk about just how cold it’s getting across Saskatchewan, what that means for daily life, travel, safety, and especially for our most vulnerable neighbours.

From there, we return to one of our most important and recurring conversations: homelessness in our community. With extreme cold setting in, the risks are higher, the pressure on shelters is greater, and the need for coordinated, compassionate responses is more urgent than ever. We reflect on what we’re seeing, what we’re not seeing, and the ongoing frustrations with unfocused systems, fragmented services, and reactive approaches instead of long-term solutions.

And as always, we close by sharing what we’re hearing on coffee row...the informal conversations, quiet frustrations, hopeful ideas, and everyday observations that often tell us more than official press releases ever could.

Cold weather. Complex social issues. Real conversations.

Civically Speaking,

Lenore and Christina

Civically Speaking- Saskatoon Saskatchewan's #1 show about civic issues.

Send us a text

Hello Dear Listeners,

Thanks for tuning in - and supporting community radio shows and podcasts like this - we air to Saskatoon's community radio station cfcr.ca and give an opportunity to hear it via a podcast version.

This kind of talk is best paired with a cup of coffee, a deep breath, and maybe a stiff drink after — because city budgets affect all of us, whether we like it or not. Consider this your friendly neighbourhood heads-up before the next property tax notice shows up in your mailbox wearing a serious face.

In Part One, we go straight into Saskatoon’s newly approved 2026–2027 City Budget. We break down what the headline numbers actually mean for everyday life — including the 6.7% property tax increase, utility rates, and recreation fees. We talk about where the money is going: roads and snow clearing, policing and fire protection, transit safety, housing and homelessness, water treatment, facilities, and city services you touch every day. We also pull back the curtain on the powerful behind-the-scenes process — the “108 budget options” that shaped what stayed, what shifted, and what almost got cut. And we share reactions from City Hall, councillors, community voices, and residents.

In Part Two, we zoom way out. Because Saskatoon isn’t alone. Across Canada — and in cities around the world — municipal budgets are under serious pressure. We talk about why property taxes are doing so much heavy lifting, how housing, climate change, and population growth are landing on city doorsteps, and how volunteers and community groups are quietly holding things together. We also look at what other countries do differently, and ask the big question:
Are cities just the maintenance department — or are they true partners in nation-building?

Enjoy this episode about money, priorities, responsibility, and the future of our cities.

Civically speaking,

Lenore Swystun with Christina Cherneskey (who sends her regrets)

Civically Speaking- Saskatoon Saskatchewan's #1 show about civic issues.