Western Context

Poilievre pledges to increase our Arctic footprint, Carney wants to rebrand the carbon tax, and the BC NDP cancels the planned grocery rebate. Also, the anniversary of the flag brings a renewal of Canada first.

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“We intended to do this, but the world has changed on us. It’s become much more uncertain.” – BC Finance Brenda Bailey on cancelling the campaign promised $1000 grocery rebate.

Duration: 57:41
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Poilievre pledges Arctic military base, naval icebreakers if party forms government
• Support us on Patreon
• Does Mark Carney want a trade war with Trump over carbon emissions?
• BC NDP blames Trump while axing promise that should never have been made
• CBC host afraid Canadian flag associates him with Freedom Convoy
• Word of the Week: Hijacked

BC’s safe supply is being trafficked, Alberta wants to investigate AHS, and 50,000 international students are unaccounted for. Also, the tariff threat is being used as a political wedge by the Trudeau Liberals and mainstream media.

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“There are indications here that this is a program that is exploiting the most vulnerable people in our province by enabling a system whereby people with severe addictions are being used for profit by some bad actors in pharmacies, housing and health care. And frankly, it’s disgusting.” – BC Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko on news of trafficking of BC’s ‘safe supply’ prescription drugs.

Duration: 1:04:13
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. investigating ‘significant’ prescribed opioid diversion
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• NDP demand probes into corruption claims in Alberta health contracts
• 20,000 Indian students didn’t show up to class after arriving in Canada. What happened to them?
• Trudeau and Sheinbaum Took Different Routes to a Tariff Deal
• Word of the Week: Tariff

Trudeau plans to stack the Senate before resigning, a Victoria school board is fired by the BC NDP, and Calgary reluctantly approves the UCP’s Green Line plan. Also, the final report into foreign interference is released by Justice Hogue.

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“There are legitimate concerns about parliamentarians potentially having problematic relationships with foreign officials, exercising poor judgment, behaving naively and perhaps displaying questionable ethics. But I did not see evidence of parliamentarians conspiring with foreign states against Canada. While some conduct may be concerning, I did not see evidence of ‘traitors’ in Parliament.” – Justice Marie-Josée Hogue on the contradicting information given in the final report on foreign interference in Canadian Politics.

Duration: 1:01:08
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau plans on stacking Senate before retiring
• Support us on Patreon
• Entire Victoria School Board fired by B.C. education minister over its ban on police in schools
• Held hostage’: City council reluctantly approves province’s Green Line plan
• Trudeau Government Left Canada Vulnerable to Foreign Interference, Report Finds
• Word of the Week: Traitor

BC forecasts a huge deficit while renegotiating union contracts, Jasper’s rebuild runs into federal red tape, and the RCMP buys unusable Chinese drones for the border. Also, Mark Carney’s climate history may show us his future plans.

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“The core will be to electrify everything and simultaneously develop green electricity. Achieving net zero will require moving away from fossil fuels to renewables, decarbonizing transport and reducing emissions from industrial processes. Meaningful carbon prices are a cornerstone of any effective policy framework. To meet the 1.5 C target, more than 80 per cent of current fossil fuel reserves (including three-quarters of coal, half of gas, one-third of oil) would need to stay in the ground, stranding these assets.” – Mark Carney’s book “Values” on carbon pricing.

Duration: 54:57
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. to negotiate public sector contracts for 400,000 workers in 2025 amid fiscal issues
• Support us on Patreon
• We’re going to lose Jasper’: Town pleads with Steven Guilbeault to fast-track recovery
• Canada bought Chinese drones that are unusable at the border
• Mark Carney says he’s started at the top ‘many’ times before as he runs to become prime minister
• Word of the Week: Top

Pierre Poilievre promises to reverse Trudeau’s capital gains tax changes, David Eby has cancelled BC’s promised grocery rebate, and Danielle Smith is vilified in Canada for standing up for Alberta. Also, Canada is somehow importing sanctioned Russian oil.

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“It’s very clear that Russian crude is prohibited from being imported into Canada. It’s also very clear that non-crude Russian oil products are prohibited from entering into Canada. What is not clear is … the use of Russian crude imports that then get processed and finished by a third country.” – William Pellerin, international trade lawyer at McMillan LLP on Russian oil imports entering Canada despite sanctions.

Duration: 1:00:47
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Poilievre pledges to reverse Liberals’ capital gains tax changes if elected
• Support us on Patreon
• $1,000 grocery rebate cheques may be on chopping block in efficiency review
• Alberta government’s diplomatic efforts to avert tariffs a high-wire act, political watchers say
• Banned Russian oil is coming to Canada
• Word of the Week: Sadomasochism

Justin Trudeau announces his resignation while proroguing Parliament, the University of Alberta is moving away from DEI, and John Rustad highlights problems with the BC election. Also, Donald Trump’s remarks cause Canadians to reflect inward.

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“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election. As you all know, I’m a fighter. Every bone in my body has always told me to fight… I care deeply about this country. I truly feel that removing the contention around my own continued leadership is an opportunity to bring the temperature down, have a government that will focus on the complex issues that are coming forward in the coming months.” – Justin Trudeau upon announcing his pending resignation as Prime Minister.

Duration: 1:03:09
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Justin Trudeau resigning, prorogues Parliament
• Support us on Patreon
• Why the U of A is moving from EDI to access, community and belonging
• Elections BC to probe election complaint lodged by BC Conservatives
• Trump said Tuesday he’d be willing to use ‘economic force’ to join countries
• Word of the Week: Resignation

We look at 2024’s news stories, including a BC election, the arrival of Alberta municipal parties, and Justin Trudeau’s purposeful immigration policies. We also go over our favourite pictures, quotes, words and episodes of the year.

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Duration: 1:22:14
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta Story of the Year
• BC Story of the Year
• Most Important Story
• Firing Line of the Year
• Local Story of the Year
• Story We Didn’t Get to Cover
• Fake News Story of the Year
• Worst Government Expense of the Year
• Funniest Story
• Newsmaker of the Year
• Word of the Year
• Favourite Western Context Episode
• Favourite Western Context Show Title
• Quote of the Year
• Picture of the Year

Canada proposes a new border plan, a BC lawsuit highlights the problems with assisted death, and Alberta delivers a new Green line plan for Calgary’s LRT. Also, Chrystia Freeland resigns from cabinet before the economic statement showed a $61.9B deficit.

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“On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me another position in the cabinet. To be effective, a Minister must speak on behalf of the Prime Minister and with his full confidence. In making your decision, you made clear that I no longer credibly enjoy that confidence and possess the authority that comes with it. For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada.” – Chrystia Freeland, on resigning from Trudeau’s cabinet.

Duration: 1:00:33
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada proposes joint police force with US to tackle Trump’s border concerns
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• B.C. family alleging wrongful death after man euthanized while on day pass from psychiatric ward
• Province delivers new Green Line plan for Calgary
• Feds deliver fall economic statement with $61.9B deficit for 2023-24, amid political turmoil
• Word of the Week: Turmoil

A potential rift in the BC Conservatives is overblown by the media, The UCP want to strengthen power generation, and 30,000 people are unaccounted for by CBSA. Also, Alberta makes plans to secure the border.

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“All members of the caucus have the right to say things, and the right to be able to bring forward issues, and I look forward to the discussions. We don’t whip our people to say what they want to say. I look at it from the perspective (that) the NDP would be whipping everybody. They would make sure that they all say the same thing.” – BC Conservative leader John Rustad on the importance of diverse opinions in a party caucus.

Duration: 56:23
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• BC Conservatives present united front after messy caucus dispute goes public
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta’s government wants reliable electrical system, proposes market changes to get there
• CBSA lost track of nearly 30,000 people wanted for deportation orders
• A plan to secure Alberta’s southern border
• Word of the Week: Retaliatory

Air Canada will now charge for carry-on bags, Alberta is scaling back photo radar, and the police no longer support decriminalization in BC. Also, former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says we may be in an actual recession.

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“It’s not transparent until you’ve gotten a certain depth into the booking: ‘Oh, here’s the seat selection fee. Oh, here’s the baggage fee. Oh, here’s the carry-on fee.’ And watch out if you don’t check in online, there’s a massive penalty if you don’t. It’s kind of drip, drip, drip, drip. And it works. It’s a troublesome trend.” – Richard Vanderlubbe, founder of Hamilton, Ont.-based travel agency Tripcentral.ca, on Air Canada’s new carry-on charges.

Duration: 54:02
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Transport minister to summon airline CEOs as Air Canada set to charge carry-on fees for some passengers
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta announces end of photo radar ‘cash cow’ in province: ‘This is a historic day’
• Police support crumbles for B.C.’s decriminalization experiment
• We’re in a recession,’ says former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz
• Word of the Week: Fare