Western Context

A misleading article defends Eby’s crime record, capital gains tax increases yield less revenue than expected, and TD bank is fined billions in the US for money laundering. Also, Canadian doctors now have to be on the lookout for scurvy.

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“Really, if you’re not thinking about scurvy, then there’s no way that you’re going to be able to diagnose it … the case presents a complex example of food insecurity manifesting as an uncommon diagnosis.” – Dr. Sally Engelhart on diagnosing scurvy in Canada.

Duration: 58:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. Election Fact Check: Conservatives say NDP soft on crime
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• Capital gains tax hike to yield less than 40% of revenue forecast by Liberals
• TD Bank fined $3B US after pleading guilty in historic U.S. money-laundering case
• Canadian doctors warned to be on the lookout for scurvy
• Word of the Week: Archaic

Reusable bags aren’t actually helping the environment, Edmonton looks at 15 minute cities, and John Rustad wants to end ICBC’s monopoly. Also, the House of Commons stalls over the Liberal’s money mismanagement.

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“The ban on plastic straws has been nothing but a nuisance for families and businesses across B.C. It hasn’t achieved any significant environmental goals, but it has certainly made life worse for people.” – BC Conservative leader John Rustad on single use plastics.

Duration: 1:00:15
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• We’re drowning in reusable bags. Are bag profits preventing big grocers from adopting solutions?
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• New district policy, plans including 15-minute cities concept OK’d by Edmonton city council
• John Rustad Announces Plan to End ICBC Monopoly and Bring Fair, Competitive Car Insurance to BC
• RCMP says there are ongoing investigations into ‘green slush fund’ as House is ‘ground to a halt’
• Word of the Week: Slush fund

Border crossings from Canada to the US are on the rise, Steven Guilbeault is under fire for the Jasper fire response, and Seaspan lobbies for ferries to be built in BC. Also, the foreign interference issue gets completely ignored.

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“Minister, if this is an example of preparation and success, what does failure look like?” – Conservative MP Gerald Soroka questioning Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault on the aftermath of the Jasper wildfire.

Duration: 51:31
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• This New York farmer is overwhelmed by illegal crossings from Canada, caught on camera
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• Jasper wildfire: Minister urges ‘need to do more’ during heated testimony
• Seaspan says government needs to financially support shipbuilding or ferries will not be built in B.C.
• CSIS says a former parliamentarian may have worked on behalf of a foreign government
• Word of the Week: Clandestine

The federal by-elections deal another loss to Trudeau’s Liberals, the BC election campaign officially starts, and Alberta is investing in new schools. Also, involuntary care becomes David Eby’s newest policy reversal.

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“Now, after our party clearly outlined a plan to bring compassion and accountability to addiction treatment, Eby is suddenly pretending to be on board. People of all ages are being abandoned to their addictions, left to suffer and die while this government hands out drug supplies instead of real help.” – BC Conservative leader John Rustad on David Eby’s reversal on involuntary care.

Duration: 57:11
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Another Blow to Trudeau: Liberals Lose a Long-Held Seat
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• John Rustad lays out plan if elected as B.C.’s next leader
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces $8.6B in school builds
• B.C. to open ‘highly secure’ involuntary care facilities
• Word of the Week: Involuntary

The BC NDP flip flop on the carbon tax, Alberta doesn’t want any more asylum seekers, and the DND spends almost $40m on sleeping bags that don’t work. Also, a new feminist report on space exploration raises eyebrows.

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“I wonder if they should have just gone to Canadian Tire. You need to test to make sure that the new kit works, because it does not always work. We’re getting such difficulties and challenges from a no-brainer, such as sleeping bags. And when you start thinking about the over-the-horizon radars, the F-35 and its parts, and presumably the submarines, at one point — I mean, it just does not fill one with too much confidence.” – Ron Huebert, a defence expert on Arctic matters, on the sleeping bag boondoggle.

Duration: 55:51
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. to scrap consumer carbon tax if federal government drops legal requirement
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• Smith says Alberta opposes feds’ asylum claimants relocation plan, ‘cannot afford it’
• Canadian Army says new military sleeping bags not suitable for ‘typical Canadian winter’
• DND paid $32K for ‘intersectional feminist’ report on space exploration
• Word of the Week: Invisibilize

Jagmeet Singh pulls the plug on the supply and confidence deal, The Tyee compares the BC Conservatives to Donald Trump, and the UCP pulls funding from Calgary’s Green Line. Also, Canada may be susceptible to social unrest.

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“All the lights on the dashboard are now blinking furiously that this has to be slowed down. The main overall problem is the massive numbers, the volume. Totally unmanageable. Total incompetence on their part to jack all of these categories simultaneously with no apparent regard for the overall impact it would have on Canada, the job market, the housing market, the health care system or anything else. It was literally reckless.” – Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney on Trudeau’s expansion of the immigration system.

Duration: 1:00:02
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• NDP pulls out of supply-and-confidence deal with Liberal government
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• The Right’s War on Media Comes to BC
• Province pulling funding for Calgary’s Green Line LRT project, letter says
• Canada is dangerously close to an eruption of social unrest
• Word of the Week: Unrest

Kevin Falcon suspends BC United’s election campaign, Trudeau appoints more partisan Liberals to the Senate, and Liberal staffers pull support from the byelection campaigns. Also, Trudeau announces a reduction in temporary foreign workers.

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“I don’t know what metaphor to use here, whether it’s a bandwagon or whether it’s a snowball rolling downhill or what it is, but he jumped on it. John’s got a very successful, emerging, boisterous brand – the Conservative brand – without having to really do anything.” – Former BC Liberal cabinet minister Bill Bennett on the groundswell of support for the BC Conservatives.

Duration: 1:02:44
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Kevin Falcon to fold BC United Party, suspend campaign
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• Albertans Kristopher Wells and Daryl Fridhandler appointed to Senate
• Liberal staffers pull support for party in Montreal byelection, citing government’s stance on Gaza
• Trudeau announces reduction in temporary foreign workers, suggests more immigration changes to come
• Word of the Week: Moribund

A railway strike threatens Canada’s infrastructure, a $9M condo is bought for Tom Clark, and anti-semitic threats on synagogues are on the rise. Also, organized crime may have infiltrated CBSA.

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“The oven is $19,000, the refrigerator is $13,000, the coffee maker is $4,600, the freezer is $11,000, the dishwasher is $6,000. How on earth is that value for the Canadian taxpayer?” Conservative MP Larry Brock on the new furnishings for Canada’s consul general Tom Clark in his $9M New York condo.

Duration: 56:15
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Railways prepare to restart after federal government forces binding arbitration in labour dispute
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• Luxury condo for consul general in New York was not approved by Treasury Board
• RCMP working with international police amid new slew of threats targeting synagogues
• CBSA whistleblower believes transnational gangs have compromised agency databases, helping terrorists, spies and mafias enter Canada
• Word of the Week: Cowardly

The CBC pays out huge bonuses while cutting jobs, a Victoria firefighter gets suspended for a letter to the BC Premier, and the Alberta NDP broke leadership election financing rules. Also the UN likens Canada’s TFW program to modern slavery.

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“While Canadians struggle to afford basic necessities like food and rent, CBC executives are rewarding themselves with massive bonuses despite their failing performance. End the madness. Recall the committee. Defund the CBC.” – Conservative MP Rachael Thomas on the increasing bonuses of CBC executives.

Duration: 56:15
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• CBC paid more than $18-million in bonuses in 2024 after eliminating hundreds of jobs, documents show
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• Victoria firefighter suspended for letter to B.C. premier criticizing homeless facility plan
• NDP broke election finance rules during leadership race
• ‘Chickens have come home to roost’: Mounting criticism over Canada’s low-wage temporary foreign worker program
• Word of the Week: Bonus

Calgary’s water system may be worse than expected, Poilievre wants tariffs on Chinese EVs and metals, and the UCP has issues with the popularity of their special projects. Also, BC’s affordable housing program is not actually about affordable housing.

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“The Housing Hub program is a supply-based program. It’s not an affordability program. The whole intent of the Housing Hub was just to build more housing. And it was intended to be market (rate) rental housing.” – Michael Pistrin, vice-president of development for B.C. Housing on how the affordable housing program was not actually about affordable housing.

Duration: 56:19
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Urgent repairs needed for Calgary’s water system, PipeDiver inspection finds 16 new hot spots
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• As Poilievre and industry call for Chinese EV tariff package, Liberals say stay tuned
• Alberta government backs away from podcast comments made by Premier Smith, Calgary MLA
• B.C. NDP explains why $2B housing affordability program was not about, er, delivering affordable housing
• Word of the Week: Market rate