People Of Durham

Episodes

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  People of Durham #56 - Kubra Mir, Executive Director, Muslim Women of Durham Region 05.10.2026 1h 13m

  Kubra Mir is the executive director and co-founder of Muslim Women of Durham Region, a not-for-profit with 163 members across Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa, and Clarington. She came to Canada from India at age two, grew up in Cambridge, Ontario, moved to Ajax 15 years ago, and has volunteered in the community for about 14 years alongside a full-time job.In this episode she talks about turning a Facebook group into a registered organization, Storytime at local libraries, park cleanups, feeding neighbours in Pickering, respecting each other's holidays, facing Islamophobia, growing up with racism, mental health in the community, raising kids, housing in Durham, fundraising for Feed the Need, and what to expect at Golden Age.Golden Age, the third annual Islamic History Month celebration: Sunday, October 18, 12 to 6 pm, Audley Recreation Centre, 1955 Audley Rd, Ajax. Free, and everyone is welcome.Islamic History Month Storytime: Saturday, October 17, 11 am to 1 pm, Whitby Central Library.mwofdurhamregion.com@mwofdurhamregion on [email protected] by Pascal Zois.Watch and listen on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.00:00 🎙️ Welcome to People of Durham00:21 👋 Kubra Mir, executive director of Muslim Women of Durham Region00:45 🕌 A growing Muslim community across Durham01:25 💡 From a Facebook group to a not-for-profit03:08 🤝 163 members and what membership supports03:34 🧕 Apparel by FM, and why non-Muslims are welcome04:14 📚 Park cleanups and Storytime at local libraries06:21 🍲 Feeding neighbours at DARS in Pickering07:36 🎄 Showing up at Christmas, and diversity within the faith08:58 🪔 Merry Christmas, Happy Diwali, Happy Hanukkah10:25 ✨ Golden Age, the Islamic History Month event on October 1812:14 📵 Trolled and blocked from advertising, and renaming the event12:51 🛡️ Islamophobia close to home, and the right to pray safely15:32 ✈️ Arriving from India at two and growing up with racism18:36 🏛️ Why support from local leaders matters20:09 🇨🇦 Immigration, multiculturalism, and the Canadian mosaic22:09 👵 Sit down with your elders and ask for their story23:01 🧠 Mental health and the conversations communities avoid25:38 👨‍👩‍👧 Kids do not come with a manual27:35 💍 Wedding traditions, and why culture runs stronger here32:04 💼 From ESL teacher to a nine-to-five, and being home for her kids33:13 🙋‍♀️ Volunteering since age 12 in Cambridge, Ontario35:15 🚗 Her dad's ten years driving cancer patients36:04 🌙 An Eid gala on Parliament Hill37:14 🏘️ Loving Durham, growth, and homes that fit families41:32 🥫 Feed the Need, shelters, shoeboxes, and seniors44:39 🙌 What makes a great volunteer46:29 🎟️ One ask before October 18: come, it is free47:02 📜 A long history of Muslims in Canada47:24 🖍️ Poster and bookmark contests48:13 📍 Audley Recreation Centre, 12 to 650:05 🗂️ Community partners and the Muslim Archives51:32 🎪 Bringing People of Durham to community events54:03 📱 Why a social media presence opens doors55:22 🏥 A long-term care home in Clarington, and Project Ramadan57:26 🏫 Schools, washrooms, and wanting choice for kids1:02:19 🧩 Funding for neurodivergent learners and teacher support1:04:22 🎓 Faith-based schools in Durham1:06:12 🏡 Multigenerational homes and caring for elders1:09:35 🍰 Food, the halal scene, and cafés to try1:12:16 🙏 October 18, Storytime, and thank youPeople of Durham is recorded at Blue Phoenix Studios in Whitby.#PeopleOfDurham #DurhamRegion #Ajax #KubraMir #MuslimWomenOfDurhamRegion #IslamicHistoryMonth #GoldenAge
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  People of Durham #55 - Maureen McLellan, The Marry Mentors, iMarryU Wedding Officiant 02.10.2026 38m

  People of Durham #55 – Maureen McLellan, The Marry MentorsMaureen McLellan has officiated more than a thousand weddings over 15 years through her company, I Marry You. She built The Marry Mentors so couples in Durham and the surrounding area can find vendors she has actually worked with, instead of guessing from a directory.The first in-person Marry Mentors show is Sunday, October 18, at Pickering Glen Golf Club, from 12 to 3. Gift bags, bride bags, cake and toffee samples, live hair and makeup, and a free drink for registered guests.In this episode she talks about five partner venues, micro weddings, a two-yacht COVID ceremony, an Oshawa airport hangar wedding, and why she only lists people she would hire herself.themarrymentors.caInstagram: The Marry MentorsWatch and listen on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.00:00 🎙️ Welcome, and the play on I Marry You00:25 👰 A thousand weddings, and why WeddingWire was not enough00:50 🤝 Trusted vendors, and a bridal show moved online01:16 🗓️ October 18 at Pickering Glen Golf Club02:58 📍 Millbrook Cathedral, the Lakehouse, Ajax Convention Centre, Royal Ashburn, Pickering Glen04:18 💡 The idea hit in one sitting, and the group has only been around since May05:31 ✈️ Officiating across Ontario, and staying closer to Durham06:58 ⛵ A COVID wedding on two yachts in the middle of Lake Ontario08:26 💇 Seventeen years owning a hair salon, then ministry and weddings09:04 🎁 A hundred gift bags, twenty bride bags, prizes hidden inside09:45 💄 Live makeup, hair, cake samples, and a drink from Triple Bogey10:28 🚌 The Town Trolley, bachelorette parties, and a double wedding11:02 📉 Micro weddings, and friends leading the ceremony13:32 🌍 Interdenominational weddings, and working beside a priest15:10 🔍 Missing categories, and a vetting rule: would she hire them17:57 📈 Durham, Peterborough, Kawartha, and Northumberland before the GTA19:00 💻 Learning Canva in her 40s, and running the show herself20:12 💰 Budget and vibe first, then vendors21:45 👰 Her own wedding of 100, and why smaller can feel bigger23:44 ✈️ An Oshawa airport hangar, and a ceremony in a farmer’s field26:20 🏡 Raglan, Costco, and Durham growing in a good way27:29 📧 How vendors apply at themarrymentors.ca29:03 🤝 DJs, photographers, and sharing the aisle29:50 📵 Phones down, eyes up, hearts open31:49 🎥 Content creators, same-night reels, and a 90s camcorder vibe35:36 🧘 Advice to her 21-year-old self: go with the flow, and do you37:51 🍬 Templeman Toffee, Adorable Delights, and Sean Step by Step DJPeople of Durham is recorded at Blue Phoenix Studios in Whitby.#PeopleOfDurham #MarryMentors #DurhamWeddings #Pickering #IMarryYou #DurhamRegion
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  People of Durham #54 - Lisa Robinson, Pickering Mayoral Candidate 01.10.2026 2h 44m

  Lisa Robinson is Pickering's Ward 1 City Councillor and is now running for Mayor. She's a single mom and a fixture at council meetings, and over the past four years she's made a name for herself by asking tough questions and refusing to back down, even when it cost her two years of pay.In this episode, Lisa talks about why she's running for mayor, the code of conduct complaints and pay sanctions against her, city spending and debt, development and farmland, and her 14-point Pickering Recovery Plan to "return City Hall back to the people."🔗 Connect with Lisa🌐 www.LisaRobinsonforMayor.com📧 [email protected]📸 Instagram: @lifelibertylisa👍 Facebook: @lisarobinsonformayor🗳️ Pickering votes Monday, October 26, 2026💻 Internet voting is open October 19–26📍 Paper ballots are available on Election Dayℹ️ Check that you're on the voters list: pickering.ca/vote🎙️ Chapters0:00:00 Intro0:00:10 Why she's running for mayor0:01:32 First meeting with the CAO0:02:39 Seaton Recreation Complex and city debt0:05:24 What residents are saying at the door0:06:55 Condos, traffic and infrastructure0:10:06 Code of conduct complaints0:18:49 Gifts and benefits loophole0:22:06 Two years without pay0:23:32 Free speech and the conspiracy theorist label0:30:54 The podcast controversy and police complaints0:36:01 Integrity commissioner and judicial reviews0:37:37 Council meetings moving online0:43:59 Consent agendas and calling out errors0:48:15 Is anything getting done in Pickering?0:49:09 Public art spending0:54:19 The refugee reception centre1:01:08 Sending tax dollars abroad and a Pickering DOGE1:04:33 Farmhouse lease and developer property1:10:11 The Greenbelt scandal and Cherrywood1:13:20 Skate park and pickleball do-overs1:17:04 Missed deadlines and the federal lands1:20:44 Protecting Northeast Pickering farmland1:25:30 Elexicon shares and Frenchman's Bay1:34:05 Seniors and property taxes1:38:02 Motions without a seconder1:42:37 Pay sanctions and indemnification1:52:00 Proposed Municipal Act changes1:55:22 Communism, Cuba and Atlas Shrugged2:01:24 Why she keeps fighting2:05:19 Endorsements and other candidates2:08:57 Who counts as an expert2:14:36 Advice to herself four years ago2:20:02 Changes to public participation at council2:24:45 Council chamber renovations2:30:54 Voter turnout and doing your own research2:33:52 The Pickering Recovery Plan and first 100 days2:43:50 Closing thoughts#PeopleOfDurham #Pickering #PickeringVotes #DurhamRegion #MunicipalElection #OntarioPolitics
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  People of Durham #53 - Carion Fenn, Ajax Mayoral Candidate 30.09.2026 53m

  People of Durham #53 – Carion Fenn, Ajax Mayoral CandidateCarion Fenn is a mom, entrepreneur, healthcare advocate, and candidate for mayor of Ajax. She has run businesses, including an interior design company, hosted *Health 180 with Carion Fenn* on Rogers TV Durham, served five years as a Lakeridge Health trustee through COVID-19, and founded the Carion Fenn Foundation.In this episode she talks about moving to Durham to restart with her kids, why CRTC rules paused her TV show during the campaign, accessibility as a person with a disability, homelessness and the people she has known by name, Olga Lambert’s charge to keep serving, mentoring youth, baseball with her son Ethan, and what year one as mayor would look like.Ajax votes October 19 to 26.carionfenn.org carionfenn.ca @carionfennWatch and listen on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.00:00 🎙️ Welcome to People of Durham00:47 👩💼 Mom, advocate, entrepreneur, and a young millionaire in design02:20 🏡 Restarting in Durham, Ajax roots, and Kim Thompson04:07 📺 Health 180 on Rogers TV Durham06:37 🗳️ Why the show is off air during the campaign08:26 ♿ Disability, a missed mayoral forum, and five years at Lakeridge Health13:48 💖 The Carion Fenn Foundation and the Alex Monaghan mental health programs16:22 🤝 Black Community Town Hall on policing, schools, and healthcare19:08 🗣️ Why she is running: community servant and fixer23:40 💔 Damian, Cody, Max, and a better plan for housing27:48 🕊️ A promise to Olga Lambert30:15 🗳️ Low turnout, and why the ballot still belongs to the public33:15 🎓 Mentoring youth, high school hours, and a student bound for Harvard35:24 💼 Private business versus governing a hospital system37:17 🤖 Humans over self-checkout, and hiring from Ajax39:16 ⚾ Baseball mom to Ethan, and discipline that carries into civic life43:23 🎯 Year one and a four-year plan: taxes, spending, and listening first46:57 🚧 Planning that forgets how a gas station actually works50:09 🌐 carionfenn.org, carionfenn.ca, and the campaign51:25 🗳️ Vote, volunteer, or grab a coffee53:45 👑 A mayor for the peoplePeople of Durham is recorded at Blue Phoenix Studios in Whitby.#PeopleOfDurham #Ajax #CarionFenn #MunicipalElection #DurhamRegion #Health180
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  People of Durham #52 - Kevin Ashe, Mayor of Pickering 29.09.2026 46m

  People of Durham #52 – Kevin Ashe, Mayor of PickeringKevin Ashe is the fifth mayor of Pickering. His dad was the first. Born in Ottawa and raised in Pickering from age five, he has watched the place go from township to town to city, and he is asking for four more years as the self-described jobs mayor.In this episode, hosted at Blue Phoenix Studios, we talk nuclear refurbishment and the Innovation Quarter, 38 business openings this year, a post-acute care campus coming to Brougham, the Jerry Coughlan Health and Wellness Centre, a waterfront jewel and a deal to buy the bay, Alex Robertson Park, public art, the Greenwood heritage centre, and a new city centre park with a stage, water feature, and ice trail.We also talk about family, including the loss of his son Alex in 2018, and why he and Karen choose to say that out loud.Campaign: mayorkevinashe.ca City hall: [email protected] and listen on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.00:00 🎙️ Welcome to People of Durham00:48 🏛️ Born in Ottawa, raised in Pickering, fifth mayor, first mayor’s son01:32 🎬 Sheridan Mall, two drive-ins, and township to city03:16 🏗️ Pickering City Centre master plan, towers, and a new park03:51 🛣️ Walnut Lane, Liverpool Road, and the new extension05:27 💼 Is business leaving Pickering? Retail, North Pickering, and Amazon06:34 📊 Connect, attract, sell, hold, and the jobs mayor07:06 ⚛️ OPG’s nuclear refurbishment, jobs, and the supply chain08:19 🏢 The Innovation Quarter along the 40709:46 🚗 Why local jobs beat a two-hour commute10:29 🏪 Thirty-eight openings this year, and why small shops still matter11:37 ⚡ After a 19-year mayor, new energy and putting the roof on the house14:33 🏥 Whitby’s general hospital and Pickering’s post-acute campus16:00 📍 Brougham, between the 407 and Highway 716:12 🩺 Jerry Coughlan Health and Wellness Centre and day surgery17:15 👨👦 Lessons from his dad: get things done, do not be flashy19:33 🛡️ Thirty-one years elected, 37 years in insurance, a pay cut to serve21:00 ❤️ A blended family, and talking openly about losing Alex23:00 🗳️ Queen’s Park at 19, trustee at 23, knocking on doors as a kid25:06 🎓 Accounting, marketing, and selling a city25:59 🤝 Invest Durham and Destination Pickering27:49 😂 “North shores of Lake America,” tariffs, and Buy Canadian29:08 ⚽ World Cup pride and new markets30:26 🏘️ Twenty to 25 families a week, and housing targets31:36 🌊 A walk to Alex Robertson Park33:35 🎨 The boardwalk, buying the bay, and public art35:06 📚 Greenwood’s community and heritage centre, and Mr. Dressup36:42 ⛳ Golf, Netflix, and campaigning twice a day37:46 🏃 Legacy Youth and the 39th Pickering Terry Fox Run39:53 🗿 Terry Fox on Kingston Road, and a statue idea40:16 ⛸️ City centre park, July 2028, skating by December 202842:13 🎨 Favourite colour, favourite food, Tinel’s patties44:32 🙏 How to reach the mayor45:45 ⚡ Get her donePeople of Durham is recorded in Whitby and spotlights the people shaping Durham Region.#PeopleOfDurham #Pickering #KevinAshe #DurhamRegion #MunicipalElection #JobsMayor #PickeringWaterfront
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  People of Durham #51 - Sylwia Lesner, Oshawa Ward 3 City Councillor Candidate 28.09.2026 35m

  People of Durham #51 – Sylwia Lesner, Oshawa Ward 3 City Councillor CandidateSylwia Lesner is a Polish-Canadian Montessori educator, mum of three, and candidate for Oshawa Ward 3 City Council. She moved to Canada 20 years ago, settled in Oshawa with her family, and now manages a DMS Montessori location after 18 years in the classroom, mentoring teachers, and promoting franchise growth.In this episode we talk about the Montessori method, why Ward 3 (Eastdale) has felt forgotten, her self-funded campaign, transparency and accountability, homelessness and mental health without pretending council can fix it alone, a respectful race with no incumbent, and why she is still door-knocking from May through October 26.Vote in Oshawa: register for online voting, early voting October 13–19 and October 23–26, election day October 26.Find Sylwia: sless.ca · @SylviaLesner3 on Facebook and Instagram · [email protected] and listenYouTube · Spotify · Apple Podcasts00:00 🗣️ How to say Sylwia, and why the W sounds like a V never did00:36 🌍 From Poland to Canada, maritime school to Montessori and logistics01:04 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Oshawa life with her husband, twin girls, and a seven-year-old son02:14 👩‍🏫 Eighteen years in education, mentoring, franchising, now managing a school04:23 🍎 What authentic Montessori actually is: hands-on, mixed ages, guides not lecturers07:47 🗳️ Why she is running for Ward 3 and why Oshawa needs fresh energy08:25 🤝 Small concerns still matter, and residents should not be ranked by size09:59 📍 Ward 3 is Eastdale: families, seniors, safer than some areas, still overlooked11:26 💰 A self-funded campaign and staying independent of developers12:28 📞 Phone, website, and email: she wants to be reachable13:10 🇵🇱 Polish community in Oshawa, Fiesta Week, dance, and years of volunteering16:23 🎯 One goal if she wins: transparency and accountability17:18 🏘️ Homelessness, addiction, and working across governments instead of asking police to do everything18:38 💡 Parks and infrastructure: upgrade and modernize before rebuilding from scratch20:50 🏃‍♀️ No incumbent in Ward 3, seven candidates, and a respectful race24:01 💪 Discipline from home, school, and work without being harsh26:08 ☕ Meeting residents over coffee and why mornings work for busy families27:00 ⏱️ Efficiency with time and money, and keeping a full-time job if elected30:47 🗣️ Advice to her younger self: never give up31:23 📱 sless.ca, @SylviaLesner3, and how to request a lawn sign32:27 🗳️ Register for online voting and the October voting windows33:12 🚫 Oshawa lawn signs only go up October 1 on private propertyPeople of Durham is recorded at Blue Phoenix Studios in Whitby and spotlights the people shaping Durham Region.#PeopleOfDurham #Oshawa #Ward3 #SylwiaLesner #MunicipalElection #DurhamRegion #Montessori #Eastdale
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  People of Durham #50 - Denise Robinson, Ward 4 Clarington Local Councillor 26.09.2026 39m

  People of Durham #50Denise Robinson for Ward 4 Clarington Local CouncillorFilmed in Orono, Denise Robinson sits down in her hometown of 14 years to talk about why she is running. She is a school bus driver, mom, Orono Amateur Athletic Association board member, soccer organizer, tournament coordinator, and volunteer who coaches baseball in Kendall. She is not a career politician. She is rooted in Ward 4 and wants council that listens, answers, and follows up.We cover Orono and Kendall community life, the Orono Fair, door knocking, accountability and communication, Newcastle growth, infrastructure before more houses, emergency services in Newtonville, downtown businesses, farmland protection, and Clarington’s new online and phone only voting system.Watch, then check that you are on the voters list. Voting in Clarington this year is internet and telephone only from 10 a.m. Tuesday October 20 until 8 p.m. Monday October 26. Confirm or add your name at RegisterToVoteON.ca so you receive your voter information letter and PIN.Chapters00:00 Welcome and filming in Orono00:17 Denise introduces herself and why she is running01:27 How Orono has changed and local shops02:27 Orono Fair, volunteers, and community pride03:31 Kendall, baseball, Harvey Jackson Memorial Park05:37 Door knocking and meeting people in person09:45 What residents are saying: accountability and communication13:09 Newcastle growth and the need for transparency16:24 Infrastructure, schools, and emergency response18:31 Downtown businesses and the waterfront22:25 Why Denise, not a career politician24:13 First priority if elected: infrastructure with growth26:20 Community work: OAAA, soccer, Gourd Lowry Classic28:24 How she would stay reachable31:14 Clarington voting is online and phone only this year33:10 Upcoming debate at The Pines36:47 A word to her younger self37:41 Farmland, balance, and closing thoughtsConnect with DeniseWebsite: https://deniserobinsonforward4.ca/Email: [email protected]: search Denise Robinson Ward 4Coffee chats coming soon at Orono Cafe and in Newcastle. Signs can be requested through the campaign.Vote infoClarington official elections: https://www.clarington.net/clarington-elections/Check or add your name: https://www.registertovoteon.ca/Help line: 905 697 4747 or [email protected] of Durham is conversations with the people shaping Durham Region. Subscribe, share with a neighbour in Ward 4, and get registered before voting week.#PeopleOfDurham #Clarington #Ward4 #Orono #Newcastle #Kendall #Newtonville #MunicipalElection2026 #VoteClarington
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  People of Durham #49 - Rob Chopowick 21.09.2026 32m

  New episode is live! 🎙️Rob Chopowick is running for Regional Councillor, in Ward 3, Ajax. His dad grew up there in the 1950s, before it was really a town. Rob grew up in Ottawa, raised his kids in Whitby, then spent 20 years co-owning and growing Con-Test from south-west Ajax. Con-Test was a coast-to-coast laboratory service company specializing in HEPA filtered ventilation systems and workstations from Vancouver to St. John’s. They sold the company two years ago. He moved to Ajax 6 years ago and wants to retire there. That is a key reason he put his name in.He talks like an owner, not a brochure. Work the problem. Do not make a resident guess whether the flooded street is a problem for the town, region, or Queen’s Park. Follow up after you hand it off.He sits on several boards of directors and chairs industry committees. He has been a volunteer firefighter and coached youth baseball and softball, and still remembers the player on his team, in a tournament in London, who finally got a hit.🏢 20 years, national business, one headquarters in Ajax
🌊 Lunch at the waterfront when the day went sideways
📞 One front door for residents
🚒 Volunteer firefighter, then the bench
⚾ Let the kids be kidsWatch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Search People of Durham Rob Chopowick.
robchopowickforward3.ca
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  People of Durham #48 - Amy Pitman, Whiskey & Walnut 18.09.2026 51m

  **People of Durham – Amy Pitman, Whiskey and Walnut**Amy Pitman grew up setting the table with her grandmother. The fancy glasses came out. The napkins had a fold. Then came 13 years in corporate HR because a steady cheque was the rule.In 2020 the marriage ended, COVID sat on the house, and she sat at a small art table in a townhouse bedroom with an old-fashioned and a piece of walnut. That is the name. Markets followed. Then full events. Paint nights. Weddings. Artisan weekends across Durham and beyond.Last year she went through breast cancer, a double mastectomy, and a hysterectomy. Out of that came Hope, Hustle, Heal, children’s books that speak softly about hard things, and a wellness line still in the works. The boys still come to markets when they can. Kent Farms is next.---00:00 🎙️ Welcome, Baby Shark, and a toddler in front of the Buddha 02:26 🎤 Amy Pitman and Whiskey and Walnut 04:44 👵 A single mum, a grandmother, and the finite details 07:24 🏢 Business admin, HR, 13 years in the corporation 08:09 🎨 2020, a Cricut, and custom signs 10:05 🚀 Leaving the comfortable job 11:17 💼 What HR actually taught the planner 13:41 🍎 Paint night in a Newcastle orchard 17:34 🥃 Old-fashioned, walnut, and a name that stuck 21:12 🎗️ Diagnosis, two surgeries, and a second company 22:57 📚 Children’s books for worry, illness, divorce, and a pet 32:11 📣 whiskeyandwalnut.ca and @whiskey.and.walnut 35:56 🤝 All boats rise with the tide 37:16 🍂 Kent Farms Oct 3–4, holiday market Nov 14 41:19 📈 Staff, seven more books, skincare this winter 43:44 💡 Do it anyway. Plan the jump. 46:16 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The boys, and why the calendar bends 48:27 🎧 Hope, Hustle, Heal 49:15 🥗 Lisa, and guests who have already walked it ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Whiskey and Walnut: whiskeyandwalnut.ca Hope, Hustle, Heal: hopehustleheal.ca
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  People of Durham #47 - DeMario Knowles: Poet, Speaker, Pre-Med Student 15.09.2026 1h 9m

  **People of Durham #47 – DeMario Knowles, Poet, Speaker, Pre-Med Student**DeMario Knowles was born and raised in Durham. Sinclair Secondary. Student trustee at the Durham District School Board. Now premed at U of T Scarborough, aiming at psychiatry.He was bullied for his voice. COVID took the last two years of high school online. A Bell Let’s Talk poem on Instagram reached Pakistan, Uganda, Afghanistan. A stranger said it saved her life. Then came Frenchman’s Bay Public School, more stages, a mentor in Durham, a tour that includes Newfoundland, and a book he has already decided to finish.This conversation is poems, perfect pitch, ADHD told out loud, and the line he lives by: a rough start does not mean a rough finish.---00:00 🎙️ Mic check, DJI Mic 2, and why audio is not just for media people 05:00 ✨ Ikigai, and DeMario takes the floor 06:23 📖 Voice, Super Mario, Sinclair, and two years of virtual school 13:04 ✍️ Dax, A Teen Perspective, and a poem he did not want to write 18:02 🌍 Messages from around the world, and one DM from Pakistan 21:01 🎤 Frenchman’s Bay, and learning to reframe the room 24:42 🏫 Student trustee, from a laptop 26:40 🎓 Scarborough, Sam Dema, and staying rooted in Durham 29:46 🎼 Second tour, perfect pitch, poetry into music 32:48 🤝 Change your thoughts, change the world 38:52 🚀 Tour, book, ADHD, depression, anxiety, said plainly 44:24 🎵 Logic Pro by hand, and a careful word on AI 50:04 🌱 Close the door, dim the light, write how it feels 57:55 🧠 Frisson, memory, and what every person can unlock 01:00:16 💛 How you made people feel 01:06:23 🌟 Embrace the unfamiliar 01:08:30 🤗 Bestie Pascal, Bestie DeMario ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Instagram: @de_marioknowles
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  People of Durham #46 - Cindy Davis, CEO Lakeridge Health 14.09.2026 44m

  **People of Durham – Cindy Davis, President and CEO of Lakeridge Health**Cindy Davis started as a nurse in a small Newfoundland community, worked in Nova Scotia and the United States, spent 13 years in Ontario, then walked into Lakeridge Health in January 2021, in the middle of COVID. She now leads about 9,000 staff, physicians, and volunteers across hospitals, long-term care, a standalone surgical centre, and more than 30 community sites.This conversation is the 2026 to 2031 strategic plan: a region whose population is expected to double, equity that is not a side project, technology only when it improves care, four foundations that buy the equipment government does not, and a master plan that includes Bowmanville, a post-acute centre in North Pickering, and a new hospital on the Whitby–Ajax–Pickering line.She also rides a dirt bike when she can get to the trails.---00:00 🎙️ Welcome, 9,000 people, and a nurse from Newfoundland 00:38 👩‍⚕️ Nursing school to Ontario to Lakeridge 02:34 😷 January 2021, virtual rooms, and a common cause 05:24 📈 Why a plan now: growth, diversity, aging, chronic disease 07:32 🏥 More than a hospital: sites, primary care, one system 09:34 🤝 The board took the plan to the community 11:15 ⚖️ Equity is not a project 17:01 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Culture: hire them, keep them, care stays in Durham 19:23 💡 Innovation only if it makes care better 22:20 💰 Operations from government. Equipment from the four foundations. 25:45 🎓 Ontario Tech, Durham College, Trent, and a Queen’s family-medicine MD 32:51 🗺️ Master plan: Bowmanville, North Pickering, Whitby Hospital 36:36 🏍️ Dirt bikes, Uxbridge trails, and a quiet road 39:59 💖 Anything is possible. Keep the values. 42:07 🌐 Website, social, work, volunteer, donate ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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  People of Durham #45 - Ashmeed Khan, Ajax Mayoral Candidate 12.09.2026 1h 12m

  **People of Durham – Ashmeed Khan, Ajax Mayoral Candidate**Ashmeed Khan came to Canada in 2000 with young kids, looked past Markham and Scarborough, and bought a house in Nottingham because Ajax still felt like a small town. He spent four years hunting for a business, then bought Minuteman Press, went to Long Island, learned he was the salesman not the pressman, and was the only one of 14 classmates still standing.Door-knocking built the shop, the Board of Trade, cricket in Ajax, and Men Too Matter, now a registered charity. He chaired the 2021 budget, pushed on the 412 and 418 tolls, and is running for mayor on a two-year tax freeze and a review of what the town actually needs.This conversation is origin story, ink, brothers in the sauna, and why he still answers the same phone number.---00:00 🎙️ Welcome 00:07 ☕ Coffee, creatine, and showing up 02:21 🇨🇦 Canada in 2000, five kids, Nottingham 06:20 🖨️ Ink, paper, and Minuteman Press 12:48 🚪 Fourteen classmates. He was the one who kept knocking. 15:38 🫂 Men Too Matter, and why three of four suicides are men 26:01 🤝 Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade 30:18 🏏 Cricket, fields, and a sport that builds a town 34:47 🏛️ Running for mayor, on the ground 39:12 🛣️ 412 and 418, tolls off 44:09 🗣️ Hate at the door, and staying in the race 50:05 💡 Leverage: do the $100 hour, pay for the $20 hour 56:46 💰 No tax increase for two years, then not above inflation 01:00:07 🏘️ Homelessness as Ajax people, not a file 01:04:15 🥊 Coffee, family, food, a sanctioned fight 01:11:43 💖 Men Too Matter was born from women who had already lost someone ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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  People of Durham #44 - Judith Tait 10.09.2026 1h 2m

  **People of Durham #44 – Judith Tait, Whitby West Town Councillor Candidate**Judith Tait wanted to be a police officer from grade three, after Officer Bill and Elmer the Safety Elephant walked into class. She got hired at 24 as a single mother, stayed 25 years, and made sergeant. When the canine unit did not work out, she built a dog-walking company anyway, took it to six figures, and sold it.She has coached women in business, hosts *At the Heart of Business*, and now runs Tate AI Tech, teaching shops how to use AI without dumping it on a messy process. She is running for town councillor in Whitby West.This conversation covers the badge, the business, the hard exit from policing, and why she is knocking on doors again.---00:00 🎙️ Welcome, and five years hosting *At the Heart of Business* 01:36 👮‍♀️ Hired at 24, 25 years in, 11 as sergeant 03:08 🐾 Grade three dream, then dogs when K9 did not happen 07:17 📈 Google, word of mouth, and what social media was actually for 09:48 🤝 Hiring walkers you would send into someone’s house 13:55 🔑 Systems and people, so the owner can leave 14:31 💰 Selling the company, then finding real estate was not the spark 18:29 🧠 Leaving the service in 2022, and choosing her health 21:59 💡 The dog business as a sandbox, and options when an employer says jump 29:32 🎯 Purpose after the uniform 30:06 👩‍🏫 Coaching women to six figures 33:33 📚 Curiosity as the work habit 36:05 🙏 Service, community, and faith 38:31 🤖 Tate AI Tech: literacy before tools 40:59 🛠️ Do not put AI on a messy process 43:07 🔒 Safe use: paid models, no sensitive data, check the settings 47:01 📞 How to find her 55:27 🗳️ Running for Whitby West town councillor 57:34 🏃‍♀️ Door-knocking is familiar. Asking for the vote is new. 59:55 ⏳ What she would prepare for next time she leaves an identity ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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  People of Durham #43 - Lynn MacDonald 07.09.2026 56m

  Lynn MacDonald went from paper maps and a drive off Prince Edward Island to 20 years inside federal and provincial government. She learned IT after an English degree, ran an international tech conference, then trained as a high-performance coach so other people would not burn out the way so many public servants do.She now lives in South Ajax. In this conversation she talks about that path, why she is running for regional councillor in Ward 3, how a regional seat differs from a local one, and what “perform better” means when residents are tired of budgets they cannot follow.Voting in Ajax is October 19 to 26.00:00 🎙️ Welcome00:31 🗺️ PEI to Ottawa with paper maps02:41 💼 Twenty years in government, transformation and budgets04:35 🎓 English degree, then IT, then Softworld11:39 🧘‍♀️ High-performance coaching and burnout15:42 💡 Do not open email first. Time-block. Take the break.28:17 🏡 Downtown Toronto contract, then home in South Ajax36:10 🗳️ Running for regional councillor, Ward 340:07 🎤 Why run after years of listening44:43 📈 Cost, essentials, and talking to residents in W5 plus H50:36 💖 Foster parents, lemonade, and pizza on the campaign trail
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  People of Durham #42 – John Meloche, Melo Technology & Pickering Ward 2 Candidate 02.09.2026 52m

  **People of Durham #42 – John Meloche, Melo Technology & Pickering Ward 2 Candidate**John Meloche is the founder of Melo Technology, the person behind Eyes on Durham, and a candidate for Pickering Ward 2 council. Host Mark Lorray sits down with him for a conversation that starts in call centres in 2009 and ends at the door of municipal politics.John bootstrapped a hosted phone company, watched it become a full tech shop for small businesses, and spent years giving websites, phones, and time away to people who needed a lift. He talks about hiring as a responsibility, working from a folding table in the basement during COVID, starting the Lyn Heights Neighbourhood Association after tragedy on his street, and why running Eyes on Durham gave him a front-row seat to Durham that he could not ignore.Hosted by Mark Lorray.---00:00 🤝 John is glad to be here, and has been watching the host’s videos 01:20 💼 Melo Technology, formerly Melotell, from phones to full tech solutions 04:29 💡 2009: after three failed PBX rollouts, he built his own 06:22 💰 Bootstrapped, no loan, first hire four years in 08:37 💻 Fully virtual since COVID, family time vs the water cooler 15:49 💖 Humble beginnings and why relationship building is the real product 18:08 🎁 Tech philanthropy, including a weekend website for Tub Bros Plumbing 25:47 🏙️ From Niagara to the GTA in 2005, Pickering in 2010 33:26 🗳️ Why he is running for council, and the Lyn Heights Neighbourhood Association 36:54 🗣️ Eyes on Durham: 38,000 members, Business Promo Monday, and a front-row seat 48:32 ⚖️ Why candidates and elected officials get to post without a filter 50:49 🕰️ Advice to little John: he would not change the journey ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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  People of Durham #41 - Rob Munro, Munro Plumbing 31.08.2026 58m

  **People of Durham #41 – Rob Munro, Munro Plumbing**Rob Munro built Munro Plumbing from a pickup truck and a New Year’s Eve dare into a four-tech, two-van Durham shop in three and a half years. After years as a union plumber in Toronto, a friend in Haliburton called him out: stop talking about it and jump. He did, in January 2023.In this conversation he talks about hiring before he felt ready, putting integrity on the wall as a core value, the Fiverr logo that stuck, why most of the work now stays in Durham, and the mentorship program that helped him collapse time. He also walks homeowners through the unglamorous stuff that actually saves houses: main shut-off valves, flushing a tank, descaling tankless, and not ignoring a drip.Hosted by Pascal Zois.---00:00 🗣️ Welcome — Rob after a busy day in the field and the office 00:54 🚀 The New Year’s Eve call-out that started Munro Plumbing 01:44 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family support, and why plumbing had fewer naysayers 03:30 👍 Professionalism, quotes, the pool line, and the laundry-room RO 05:58 💡 The eureka: reverse osmosis does not only belong in the kitchen 07:08 🤝 Integrity as a core value, and hats off to the team 08:25 🎨 The logo: Fiverr, a pipe that makes the P, and a lighter blue 11:44 📅 January 2023 launch after years of union work in Toronto 12:47 📍 About 80% of the work is now in Durham Region 15:09 📈 From one truck to four guys and two vans 16:55 🧠 Paying for mentorship: Profitable Trady and collapsing time 19:21 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Next hire: his wife Erica on admin 22:20 🏢 Residential, commercial, and growing with property managers 23:52 💧 Canadian heat cycles and why maintenance matters 25:26 🧪 Water treatment, softeners, and testing before guessing 28:53 🤖 Using AI for quotes and a simple CRM 39:01 🏡 Know your shut-off, fix drips, flush the tank once a year 40:34 🛠️ Tankless heaters and a yearly descale 44:55 💡 Garage sinks, backyard spouts, and winterizing unheated space 46:28 🏗️ Custom homes and plumbing without bulkheads 48:24 🦇 A Forest Hill “Batman” house with a car elevator 49:59 🔬 Copper vs PEX, premium PEX A, PVC vs ABS 55:20 🧘 Advice to his younger self: keep doing what you’re doing ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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  People of Durham #40 – Laura Erasmus, Founder of Moose Cookies 27.08.2026 59m

  People of Durham #40 – Laura Erasmus, Founder of Moose CookiesLaura Erasmus is a 28-year-old wife, mom, and founder of Moose Cookies. Born in Romania and raised across Korea, Abu Dhabi, and Canada, she started the brand postpartum as a creative outlet after too many nights spent watching TV. What began as late-night recipe experiments while her son slept is now a handmade stuffed-cookie company with premium packaging, a growing market presence, and a name borrowed from her little boy’s nickname.In this conversation she shares the six-month grind of perfecting recipes with almost no baking background, the family story behind the logo, her vision for healthier three-bite cookies, and why she’d rather stay handmade and premium than chase Walmart shelves.Hosted by Pascal Zois.---00:00 🗣️ Introducing Laura Erasmus, founder of Moose Cookies 00:26 🌍 Wife, mom, psychology grad, and an international upbringing 01:11 ✈️ Growing up across Romania, Korea, the UAE, and Canada 03:34 🇨🇦 Coming to Canada for university and reuniting with her husband 05:42 🍪 How Moose Cookies started postpartum as a creative outlet 07:49 🧪 Six months of failed batches before the recipes clicked 09:28 🦌 The name “Moose” came from her son’s park nickname 10:43 🎨 The logo her husband designed, with their son’s blue eyes and a Canadian hat 12:01 🧘‍♀️ Postpartum and needing something that was just for her 13:32 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Floor mattresses, co-sleeping, and the peace it brought 17:58 ➕ Three-year-old Moose, the math prodigy who loves helping bake 20:25 💡 Healthier cookies, no-sugar and keto ideas, and three-bite portions 21:42 📦 Premium packaging meant to feel like opening an iPhone 23:53 🤝 Partnering with Goi Goi Korean in Trenton 26:36 🛍️ Where to find them: vendor markets, Trenton, and limited shipping 29:00 ✈️ Dreams of taking Moose Cookies back to Abu Dhabi, Korea, and Romania 33:53 🌟 Customer service lessons from real estate photography 40:04 📈 What’s next, including Brighton’s Apple Fest, and staying handmade 43:36 📜 Registering, trademarking, insurance, and Ontario cookie labelling 50:57 📱 Instagram, the website, and passing 1,000 organic followers 53:19 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The dream of her husband joining Moose Cookies full-time 53:48 🚀 Advice to her five-months-ago self: buckle up 55:00 💰 Humorous advice to her teenage self: buy Bitcoin 56:05 💖 A message to her younger self: hang on, life gets incredibly good 57:10 👨‍👧 The host’s message to his younger self about fatherhood ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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  People of Durham #39 - Quentin DSouza, Durham REI Founder & Real Estate Educator 25.08.2026 1h 18m

  **People of Durham #39 – Quentin D’Souza, Durham REI Founder & Real Estate Educator**Quentin D’Souza went from elementary school teacher to building a 550-unit real estate portfolio across Ontario and founding the Durham Real Estate Investors Club in 2008. In this conversation he shares how health transformed his business, the value of taking his sons on mountain treks around the world, how the club actually underwrites deals together, and the practical tools he uses today — from property management software to AI and covered call ETFs.He also talks about house hacking, short-term rentals, investing in Tampa as a hedge, and the advice he’d give his 20-years-ago self.Hosted by Pascal Zois.---00:00 🗣️ Welcome and conversation opener 00:38 🌍 Recent travels — Italian Alps, West Coast Trail, and Costa Rica 02:16 🏋️ Losing 120 lbs and how health 10x’d his business 03:52 🧠 Tony Robbins’ Wheel of Life and putting health first 05:16 👨👦 Adventures with his sons — Everest Base Camp, Inca Trail, and more 07:13 ⛰️ The Three Peaks Challenge and lessons from not finishing 09:48 💡 Climbing Mont Blanc and the mantra “If it were easy, everyone would do it” 14:06 🏘️ Founding the Durham Real Estate Investors Club in 2008 15:12 🏢 Building a 550-unit portfolio across Ontario 20:21 📈 From teacher to full-time investor 23:44 📊 Underwriting deals together as a club 26:03 🏘️ Creative strategies — infill, multi-unit conversions, and flipping 30:06 🏡 Multi-unit properties as a stepping stone into ownership 32:24 💰 Own assets that beat inflation 36:08 🤝 Free pass to a Durham REI meeting for podcast listeners 38:27 🏡 House hacking success story 41:23 🏠 Short-term rentals, bylaws, and tax caution 43:19 ✈️ Investing in Tampa as a hedge and travel base 45:21 🗺️ Future trips — Vietnam caves and more 49:29 👨🏫 Leaving teaching behind 52:20 🌊 A vision for Clarington’s waterfront 56:08 🏙️ South Oshawa, the new GO station, and long-term plays 01:04:14 💻 Property management software and building with AI 01:07:52 🤖 Using AI for tenant screening and the “golden hour” 01:11:01 📈 Covered call ETFs for income 01:16:06 🕵️ CanLII and tenant background checks 01:16:59 🕰️ Advice to his 20-years-ago self: hold more real estate and persevere ---Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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  People of Durham #38 – Stephanie Ashton 20.08.2026 47m

  People of Durham #38 – Stephanie Ashton, Feed Ontario Leader & Ajax Regional Ward 3 Candidate. Stephanie Ashton has spent 25 years in the nonprofit sector — including 12 years in international development and her current work at Feed Ontario on food insecurity. A longtime Ajax resident and mom of three, she’s now running for Regional Councillor in Ward 3.In this conversation she shares why the timing finally feels right, the biggest issues she’s hearing at the doors, the difference between local and regional responsibilities, and how her global problem-solving experience translates to serving Durham.Hosted by Pascal Zois.00:35 🗣️ Stephanie introduces herself as a candidate for Ajax Regional Ward 3 and shares her 25 years in nonprofit work02:40 🏡 Falling in love with Ajax’s waterfront and the strong sense of community in Ward 305:10 💖 A lifelong commitment to giving back and her current role at Feed Ontario10:16 🏘️ Key concerns from residents: homelessness, property taxes, and the pace of growth17:25 🏠 Advocating for a “Housing First” approach to homelessness18:00 🏛️ Local vs. regional responsibilities and why she chose the regional level26:05 💪 Resilience and problem-solving skills shaped by international development work31:01 🌐 How to reach Stephanie and support her campaign38:29 🏖️ A perfect day in Ward 3 – waterfront walks, neighbours, and community45:57 🌟 Advice to her younger self: “Keep at it”
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  People of Durham #37 - Karey Ann Large, CEO Whitby Chamber of Commerce 17.08.2026 34m

  Welcome to People of Durham! In this episode, Mark Lorray sits down with Karey Ann Large, CEO of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce, for a conversation about community, leadership, and the heartbeat of local business.From running her own bakery downtown to leading a nearly 700-member Chamber, Karey Ann shares her journey of resilience — including the downtown fire that sparked the rebirth of Whitby's BIA — and pulls back the curtain on what a Chamber of Commerce actually does for business owners.Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur, just starting out, or simply curious about the people shaping Durham Region, this episode is packed with wisdom, laughs, and a few surprises (yes, someone tried to get married at the Chamber office 💍).📌 Chapters:00:00 — Welcome & Meet Karey Ann Large00:42 — From Bakery Owner to CEO: Cake Creations01:32 — How It All Started: "I Wanted to Be a Cool Mom"03:24 — The Downtown Fire & Rebuilding the BIA05:04 — Her Leadership Style: Leading Laterally06:10 — What Is a Chamber of Commerce, Really?07:28 — Chamber vs. Board of Trade08:01 — Why Join? Networking & Relationship Building08:27 — The Biggest Limiting Belief: "The Chamber Does Nothing for Me"10:25 — Retiree Memberships: Keeping the Community Connected11:46 — Advocacy Explained (Recycling, Tariffs & More)16:02 — Strange Things That Come Through the Door17:59 — The Hardest Part of the Job: Learning to Delegate21:50 — What's Coming Up: Events & Growth22:42 — The Whitby Job Fair: Inside the Numbers28:34 — Awards, Public Events & Rotary Club31:37 — Advice to Her Younger Self: "Take the Risk"32:24 — Rapid Fire Questions33:46 — Her Message to Business Owners--About the Whitby Chamber of Commerce:The Whitby Chamber is an independent non-profit supporting local businesses through networking, events, and advocacy — because your success is everything.📍 Stay Connected:Follow People of Durham for more stories spotlighting the everyday legends, hidden gems, and unforgettable personalities that make the Durham Region feel like [email protected]