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This Episode Features:

(28:48) Ryan McMahon, Ladysmith singer-songwriter, takes listeners through his nearly two-decade music career spanning seven solo albums and tours with Burton Cummings and Tom Cochrane. The Vancouver Island musician discusses his powerful new single “There She Is”, produced at Bryan Adams' Warehouse Studio in Vancouver. From his early days playing the Queens Hotel in Nanaimo to sharing stages with Canadian rock legends, McMahon reflects on learning the craft from influences like Warren Zevon, Elvis Costello, and Vancouver's Odds.

(06:12) Kristen Nickells, Distinguished Toastmaster and past president of Arbutus Toastmasters in Parksville, reveals how the club transforms lives by helping members overcome public speaking fear. Kristen shares the inspiring story of member Molly Hamilton who competed against 33,000 participants placing in the top eight at the 2022 World Championship of Public Speaking in Nashville.

Episode Quotes:

"Toastmasters has a slogan that says Where Leaders Are Made. If you can articulate your thoughts in a speech, if you can craft a speech and deliver it in a way that your audience receives your message and that you're clear and confident, that's a skill that you see in leaders." - Kristen Nickells

"For me, the song is a happy, peaceful exhale. The tune itself is really not just about newfound love with a new person, but it's also about recognizing beauty where maybe I hadn't before—the sunrise over my hometown and the feeling when you first dip your toes into the ocean." - Ryan McMahon

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In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks: Pulse Edition, hosts Sean Wood and Joel Grenz sit down with former Conservative Party of BC leader and longtime MLA John Rustad for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, governance, and the forces reshaping provincial politics. Rustad reflects on serving under multiple leaders, the rise and collapse of centre-right coalitions, and why he believes conviction matters more than triangulation in today’s polarized political landscape.

From cabinet decision-making and the growing power of the premier’s office, to affordability, productivity, reconciliation, and the hollowing out of the middle class, Rustad offers his unfiltered reflections and thoughts on where he believes British Columbia has gone off track.

Episode Highlights:

Rustad’s leadership takeaways from Campbell to Eby

The fall of the BC Liberals and the rise of the BC Conservatives

Why affordability can’t be fixed without productivity and wage growth

Rustad’s case for “economic reconciliation” and why the current approach is failing

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You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.

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BONUS RECIPE: Download Chef Jonathan Frazier's Recipe for Eastern North Carolina vinegar-style pulled pork: https://bit.ly/S1EP12FootballRecipe

This week on the F3 Podcast, hosts Erin Frazier and Chef Jonathan Frazier of the Comox Valley break down the final week of the NFL regular season, as fantasy football wraps up and playoff scenarios come down to the wire.

Erin reflects on another hard-fought fantasy season that ends in a second-place finish for the second year in a row, after a brutal championship week where everything that could go wrong, did. The duo digs into lessons learned, standout performers like Matthew Stafford and Christian McCaffrey, and what strategy Erin is sticking with heading into next year — including early quarterback picks and the possibility of launching an F3 fantasy league.

With playoff spots still undecided, Jonathan and Erin dive into the most compelling Week 18 matchups, from Seattle’s underrated dominance to fresh Super Bowl contenders emerging as Kansas City and Philadelphia fall out of the picture. Defence takes centre stage as the NFL heads toward a wide-open postseason.

Team of the Week is the Carolina Panthers, as Jonathan breaks down the franchise’s history, key players, and where Panthers fans can find optimism moving forward — minus one very controversial former quarterback.

And of course, it’s time to eat. Jonathan heads south for classic Carolina game-day comfort food, from vinegar-forward barbecue and Carolina-style hot dogs to pimento cheese and fried chicken. The Pick of the Week is Eastern North Carolina vinegar-style pulled pork — slow-cooked, tangy, and built for long Sundays and playoff football.

This Episode Features:
• Fantasy football season recap and second-place heartbreak
• Week 18 NFL chaos and wide-open playoff races
• Team of the Week: Carolina Panthers
• Southern game-day staples and Carolina barbecue traditions

“Second place twice in a row still hurts — especially when it ends with your worst fantasy week of the season.” – Erin Frazier

“Great barbecue isn’t about the sauce — it’s about letting the meat do the talking.” – Chef Jonathan Frazier

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.

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#F3Podcast #PulseCommunity #VancouverIsland #FantasyFootball #NFLWeek18 #CarolinaPanthers #GameDayEats #SouthernFood

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