On today’s edition of The Morning Show Podcast, we opened with London’s newly finalized 2026 budget, a 3.4% tax increase that Mayor Josh Morgan confirms he will not veto. We then spoke with Western University marketing professor Mark Cleveland about how shoppers can navigate the holiday season amid increasingly manipulative retail tactics. Our weekly panel with John Fyfe-Millar and Nathan Caranci followed, diving into whether southwestern Ontario’s manufacturing future lies in autos, defence, or something entirely new, and debating the uncertain future of school board trustees after comments from the Education Minister. We also looked at Canada’s new national alert system designed to protect people during extreme weather, and wrapped with the Toronto Blue Jays making a major splash by signing pitcher Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract.