Cross Border Interviews

In Alberta’s lakeside communities, the challenges of local government can be anything but small. Decisions about development, municipal spending, infrastructure, and the preservation of a community’s character can shape its future for generations.Today on Cross Border Interviews, we sit down with Kathy Dion, Mayor of the Summer Village of Val Quentin.What are the key issues facing the village? How does council balance the needs of residents with the pressures of growth and rising costs? And what direction is Val Quentin heading under its current leadership?We’ll look beyond the title, examine the issues, and ask the questions that matter to the people who call this community home.I'm Christopher Brown. This is Cross Border Interviews.------Learn More About Today's Community:https://valquentin.ca/------Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/3XwwXIvSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cross-border-interviewsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown------Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/ Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/Cross Border Interview is Part of the Cross Border Network© 2026

In small communities, the decisions made at the council table can have consequences that reach far beyond it. From municipal spending and development to preserving the character of the community, local leadership often means balancing competing interests with limited resources.Today on Cross Border Interviews, we speak with Bernie Poulin, Mayor of the Summer Village of Silver Sands.What are the biggest challenges facing this lakeside community? How does council balance the interests of residents and property owners? And what is the vision for Silver Sands in the years ahead?We’ll ask the questions, examine the issues, and hear directly from the mayor about the decisions shaping this community.I'm Christopher Brown. This is Cross Border Interviews.------Learn More About Today's Community:http://www.summervillageofsilversands.com/------Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/3XwwXIvSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cross-border-interviewsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown------Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/ Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/Cross Border Interview is Part of the Cross Border Network© 2026

In small communities, local government can have a big impact. Decisions about taxes, development, public services, and the future of the community touch the lives of everyone who calls it home.Today on Cross Border Interviews, we turn our attention to the Summer Village of Sunset Point and Deputy Mayor Gwen Jones.What are the challenges facing this lakeside community? What are residents expecting from their elected leaders? And how does municipal council balance competing interests while protecting the character of the village?We’ll discuss these questions and more in a conversation about leadership, accountability, and the future of Sunset Point.I'm Christopher Brown. This is Cross Border Interviews.------Learn More About Today's Community:https://sunsetpoint.ca/------Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/3XwwXIvSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cross-border-interviewsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown------Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/ Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/Cross Border Interview is Part of the Cross Border Network© 2026

For the people who live in Seguin Township, the meaning of local government can be found in the everyday details of community life.It's in the roads and services residents depend on, the decisions around development, and the effort to maintain the character of a community while preparing for what comes next.Today on Cross Border Interviews, we sit down with Township of Seguin Mayor Ann MacDiarmid.Our conversation was filmed at the 2026 Fall District of Parry Sound Municipal Association, where we talked about leadership, the challenges facing Seguin Township, and the opportunities that could shape its future.What does it mean to lead a community with both deep roots and a changing future?We put that question to Mayor MacDiarmid.I'm Christopher Brown, and this is Cross Border Interviews.------Learn More About Today's Community:https://www.seguin.ca/------Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/3XwwXIvSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cross-border-interviewsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown------Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/ Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/Cross Border Interview is Part of the Cross Border Network© 2026

What does it take to lead a rural community through a changing Ontario?For municipalities like the Township of Armour, leadership means dealing with the fundamentals — roads, infrastructure, local services, economic development — while also thinking about what the community will need years from now.Today on Cross Border Interviews, we sit down with Township of Armour Mayor Rod Ward.Our conversation was filmed at the 2026 Fall District of Parry Sound Municipal Association, where we discussed the realities of municipal leadership, the issues facing Armour Township, and the priorities that are shaping its future.It's a conversation about rural Ontario, the responsibilities of local government, and what it means to serve the people who call a community home.I'm Christopher Brown, and this is Cross Border Interviews.------Learn More About Today's Community:https://www.armourtownship.ca/------Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/3XwwXIvSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cross-border-interviewsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown------Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/ Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/Cross Border Interview is Part of the Cross Border Network© 2026