The Political Trenches: Local Government At Work · The Political Trenches

The New CAO

September 15, 2025·46 min·4 clips

ving the mayor or I'm predisposed to believing the counselor. And I'll follow on.

The Political Trenches returns after a longer than expected summer break. The hosts frame this episode as the start of a series centered on chief administrative officers. That choice is deliberate. The role is treated as central to how municipalities actually function. Before the guest arrives, the rundown opens with Alberta’s lack of code of conduct legislation. It then shifts to an Ontario councillor pointing a finger at artificial intelligence. Another segment looks at what happened one year after a council was dissolved. These stories are not random. They sketch the pressures around municipal leadership. The hosts keep coming back to what these situations mean for administration, process, and public trust. That gives the conversation a practical feel rather than a performative one. Josh Saskiew of the Village of Marwane, Alberta joins as the featured guest. His presence gives the series a clear starting point. The show uses his perspective to begin exploring what draws people into CAO work. The discussion stays close to the mechanics of local government. It keeps returning to leadership, role clarity, and the long view. The dissolution story is used as a case study in recovery. The hosts suggest that a reset can give electors, staff, and elected officials room to think about the long-term good of the township. They also place the episode in a wider provincial context. Upcoming elections in several provinces, including Newfoundland and Labrador on October 2, are treated as part of a busy season for local government in Canada. The close sets up a return in two weeks. The episode ends with the promise of another CAO conversation and a look at how the results unfold across the country.

As heard by us

A practical opening to a CAO-focused series on municipal governance.

The Political Trenches opens a run of episodes centered on the CAO role, using a municipal roundup to set the frame. It moves from Alberta's lack of code-of-conduct legislation to an Ontario councillor's point about artificial intelligence, then to a year-old council dissolution…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play if you want the CAO role unpacked through real municipal pressure points.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Political Trenches: Local Government At Work