The Ben Mulroney Show - The Handsome Homeless: Hope, Fear & Redemption

Episode Date: September 9, 2026

On today's episode of 'The Ben Mulroney Show,' Ben welcomes Greg Cronier. Greg is using his platform on social media to raise awareness to the plight of Canada's unhoused. The conversation gets raw and real when our guest shares what scares him the most 90 days into his sobriety. And he reveals his hope to help others in the future by becoming a guest speaker who visits schools and talks with students about his journey. If you enjoyed the podcast, tell a friend! For more of the Ben Mulroney Show, subscribe to the podcast! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/bms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also, on youtube -- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BenMulroneyShow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Ben on Twitter/X at https://x.com/BenMulroney Insta: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠   Executive Producer:  Mike Drolet Reach out to Mike with story ideas or tips at [e-mail] Enjoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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it's like having your own coach. Whatever your favorite game, we have your playbook. Ozone, well played. Discover free sports tips, casino games and poker guides at Ozone.net. You're listening to The Ben Mulroney Show. Well, I've often said that you can tell a lot about a society by how we treat those who need our help the most. And in the world we're living in in 2026, the people who are finding themselves victims of homelessness. is that the numbers are too big for anybody to be comfortable with.

And listen, I could talk to homelessness activists, but I find the activism takes away from the actual problem and it becomes far too political and it should be more personal. And the stories of the people who are living outdoors and who are living in shelters and who are vulnerable, deserve to be heard far more than those, I believe, who, quote, attempt or suggest that they advocate on behalf of those people. And we found ourselves in a position to speak with somebody who has been homeless for a while. And he has been making his way across this country to see how different cities treat homelessness and the homeless. and he goes by handsome homeless on social media. Greg Cronier is the man, and he is the myth,

and he is our guest right now. Greg, welcome. How are you? How are you? I'm quite well. Excuse me, this is a rainy day today, so find a board and just hanging out in the dome home. So you, the dome home, so you've been going across the country

from kitchen to Montreal to Halifax, all over the east coast, and now you are in our nation's capital. And I lived there for 10 years. I lived in, I used to joke that living in 24 Sussex was living in subsidized housing. And, but you are there as somebody with nowhere to live. So where are you hanging your hat? I am right next to the hospital, I believe, up by the train yard. Okay.

And how has it been? How is, how, what are you learning about Ottawa? I found that homelessness is pretty severe here, actually. There's a lot of people sleeping on streets and whatnot and a lot of open drug use like everywhere else. But I've noticed with the population, they're actually quite kind and very generous to me, actually. Like, I thought with such great homelessness

that they would maybe be fed up or tired of it, but it's actually the opposite. So you're saying the people, the community of Ottawa, is is is is is correct yeah well you know i i got to say Greg you know i i think often about uh how big our our various governments are at all the different levels and how many how many pies they've got their fingers in and and and how it's despite that the breadth of all the things they do i try to do uh it's uh it's incumbent on uh charities and individuals and individuals and and the generosity of people to fill those gaps.

And I would prefer, I don't know how you feel about it, but I would prefer governments focus more on fewer things so that there are fewer gaps. Absolutely. I would agree with that 100%. Like, I noticed that they are sending a lot of money overseas is about that this time. And like a lot of people online are making real.

there's a lot more problems in our own country that they have to address and be prior to actually trying to help in other country, right? Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I was talking with my producer, Danny, who I was so glad she brought you on today. And she brought up, she was pulling at a thread with you that I think would be really beneficial for us to talk about.

Because you and I've talked before and you sound like a stand-up guy and you're well-spoken. and, you know, I think you're charming and intelligent. And I think the question that some people would have is like, are you looking for a job? Are you looking to transition? Like, where are you? Where's your head space right now?

Yeah, like the summer was all intended on just focusing on sobriety. I just hit exactly three months today. Congratulations. Thank you. 90 days of being sober. So I wasn't actually looking for work. because on that reel that we're talking about in particular, I'm somewhat afraid to have a big chunk of money.

You know what? Hold on. Before you continue, let's listen to a post that you shared on this subject. Hey, I just wanted to mention that I'm going on 90 days sober now, guys. I'm pretty proud of myself, but the reason why I haven't gotten a job yet or seek the job,

it's kind of a sketchy subject, kind of like, I'm afraid kind of to have that much money. I don't want to work because I, like having a bunch of money, just being a recovering addict, I'm afraid that I'm going to relapse. Having a thousand dollars in my hand,

my mind's going to tell me, oh, what's $100? I can just get a little bit, and then I'm going to get a little bit, and then I'm going to get, and I'm spending that whole thousand dollars on drugs. You know, your self-awareness is really impressive, Greg.

But what that tells me is that self-awareness only benefits you if you have the supports to then take that awareness and turn it into the tools that you would need, not to listen to that voice. Absolutely. And that's the hardest part with being sober. as I've tried to get sober in the past. You can be sober all you want when you're broke, of course. But then it's the only problem is when you get the money is when they're just come back.

And having an abundance of money is a very scary thought for me. But wouldn't it be wonderful if we lived in a world where someone like you who is checking so many of the boxes that people would want to see in somebody who wants to improve their life and give them. the supports they need to put those beliefs in themselves into action. And it feels to me, what you're saying is, there aren't a whole lot of supports out there. Absolutely, definitely not. In your travels, have you found a city

that is better equipped than most on that front? I would say that Halifax seems to have a lot of services, but I don't see many employment services. I haven't seen many employment services. are reintegrating into society services. They are out there, but I haven't really looked for them per se because I, like I said, I was just focusing on sobriety this summer.

I have been offered a job, though, in the fall. So I will be within the next month or so perhaps starting that job. But I hope there's a way for you to piggyback some sort of mental health supports so that when that money does hit your pocket, you're able to beat back the instincts that you have built up over the years to, you know, put it in the bank or scroll it away or spend it on things that will benefit you and not a return to addiction. Absolutely.

I do have a plan in mind. I do have, so at the beginning, I will definitely be giving my money to my mother so that she will give it to me an increment so I don't do what I have done in the past. I think that's, man, I'm so happy for you. I'm so. And like the fact that you did this on your own, the fact that you did this, it's a testament to you individually,

but unfortunately it highlights how we is as a society collectively have failed at building out what we know are positive resources that can help people who find themselves in a position like you. Really quick, Greg, before I let you go, you know, the weather's turning, right? The summer was good and you can sleep outside in a tent. But what are your plans on staying?

warm when the weather really turns. Well, I have been offered a room rental back in Waterloo, so that's the end of my journey once I return. I'm looking forward to getting into that rental. Greg Cronier, the handsome homeless. I'm so happy that you joined us. Last question for you, what do you want to become of the handsome homeless?

I want to approach homelessness from the beginning from the start before it even turns into homelessness. I want to tour the country. I want to get funding. I'm going to create a funding budget over the winter, and I'm going to propose it to different foundations, and I want to go to educate our youth in high school and do presentations to educate them on homelessness and drug awareness.

Man, I want you to join us on this show. Anytime you got something to report, man. We're cheering you on. Thank you, sir. Thank you. That was Greg Cronier, the handsome homeless, and I hope everybody here at the Ben Mulrooney Show is sending him their best, because I want him to succeed.