Western Context

Calgary repeals the single-use plastic ban, the Woodfibre LNG ‘floatel’ is rejected by Squamish council, and immigration is not filling the industries it needs to. Also, the CBC talks about polyamory while Canada’s fertility rate plummets.

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“The floatel is a direct response to requests from the District of Squamish and the Squamish Nation and members of the community over a consultation process that went on for several years about housing our project workforce outside of the community. From the beginning [we have] been committed to minimizing impacts on the community of Squamish [including the top concerns [of] impacts on traffic, housing, impacts on community services.” – Woodfibre LNG President Christine Kennedy on addressing the concerns the project would have on Squamish.

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

• Calgarians killed the bag bylaw not Calgary city council
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• Woodfibre LNG ‘floatel’ permit rejected by Squamish council
• Canada’s foreign student push ‘mismatched’ job market, data shows
• Polyamorous relationships are on the rise in Canada. The law is still catching up
• Word of the Week: Floatel

Another Trudeau cabinet minister has a conflict of interest, the BC NDP wants to recriminalize drugs in public spaces, and the UCP looks to expand train service. Also, anti-Israel encampments spring up at Canadian universities.

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“I’ve watched in horror what is happening at Columbia University, where it seemed that university administrations were incapable of acting when their codes of conduct were being violated and where other students were denied the right to feel safe on campuses. Having peaceful demonstrations is a protected Charter right in Canada, but setting up encampments on college campuses is a violation of pretty much every code of conduct, including that of McGill University.” – Liberal MP Anthony Housefather on the anti-Israel encampment at McGill.

Duration: 54:43
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Federal minister’s ties to lobbyist raise ethical concerns
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• British Columbia to recriminalize use of drugs in public spaces
• Alberta government announces master plan to expand rail passenger service
• McGill protesters set up first anti-Israel encampment in Canada
• Word of the Week: Encampment

Canada’s new disability benefit gets massively underfunded, Alberta will be getting municipal political parties, and a carjacker in Victoria gets caught and released several times. Also, Poilievre visits an anti-carbon tax protest.

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“People believed his lies. Everything he said was bullshit, from top to bottom.” – Pierre Poilievre on Justin Trudeau’s administration 9 years later.

Duration: 50:06
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Heart breaks’: Advocates say new disability benefit still leaves people in poverty
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• Alberta introduces legislation to allow municipal political parties in Calgary, Edmonton
• Citizens stop alleged Victoria carjacker 2 days in a row
• Poilievre visits convoy camp, claims Trudeau is lying about ‘everything’
• Word of the Week: Theft

Trudeau’s 2024 budget features billions in new spending, Champagne tries to lure foreign grocers to Canada, and Alberta keeps its default electricity rate. Also, the federal government halts the deportation of a law-breaking climate activist.

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“Who pays? Who pays for this latest $50b orgy of spending by this costly Prime Minister? .. YOU will pay. You, the welder or waitress who can’t pay your mortgage because he’s inflated mortgage rates. You will pay because he carbon taxed your food and now you can’t feed your kids.” – Pierre Poilievre on 9 years of continued deficits.

Duration: 52:31
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Budget 2024 tries to sell youth a more affordable life with billions in spending
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• Canada Targets 12 Foreign Grocers to Lure to Food-Retailing Market
• Get ready for the Rate of Last Resort, as Alberta tweaks — but keeps — its default electricity rate
• Feds halt deportation of B.C.-based climate activist
• Word of the Week: Pander

BC gets another credit downgrade, Alberta battles the federal government over municipal control, and Trudeau’s South-East Asia trip cost $2M. Also, the CSIS director testifies that the Trudeau government did know about foreign interference.

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“I guess one way to beat the high cost of groceries in Canada is to take a government work trip and bill taxpayers for fancy airplane food.” – Canadian Taxpayers Federation Federal Director Franco Terrazzano on Trudeau’s lavish diplomatic trips around the world.

Duration: 51:55
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• British Columbia Gets Third Credit Downgrade in Three Years
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• Alberta to introduce legislation preventing municipal-federal deals without province’s OK
• PM’s six-day Indo-Pacific trip cost $2M, including $200K in catering
• CSIS director testifies Trudeau government was warned repeatedly about Chinese foreign interference
• Word of the Week: Downgrade

A majority of Canada’s premiers align against Trudeau’s carbon tax, BC sees open drug use in hospitals, and Edmonton’s rolling blackouts show Alberta’s energy vulnerabilities. Also, MP Han Dong’s testimony shows the extent of Chinese foreign interference.

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“I was deeply troubled that I was exposed and the government doesn’t seem to care. And now I have learned they knew all about it. It is almost like I was drowning, and they were watching. In my view the buck stops with the Prime Minister. He let me down.” – Former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu on the foreign interference from China that caused him to lose his seat.

Duration: 55:49
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• N.L.’s Liberal premier calls for emergency meeting with PM as anti-carbon tax protests snarl highways
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• ‘Happening daily’: Vancouver Island nurses raise concerns about open drug use in hospitals
• Tight supply’: 20K in Edmonton hit with rolling blackouts after grid alert
• Canadian Lawmaker Testifies Chinese Students Were Bused In to Elect Him
• Word of the Week: Intelligence

Canada refuses to sell LNG to another NATO ally, BC’s Haida Nation will have title over all of Haida Gwaii, and a third of gig workers would consider tax fraud. Also, $42m has been spent on Trudeau’s nonexistent gun buyback.

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“Not only has not a single firearm been confiscated, the program itself doesn’t even exist — not even for willing retailers anxious to off-load unsellable inventory. The whole premise of the 2020 gun ban was that these firearms, previously approved for sporting and hunting purposes by the RCMP lab, were simply too dangerous to own. Yet four years later, they are all exactly where they’ve been for decades, if not generations — in the gun safes of licensed, RCMP-vetted gun owners.” – Tracey Wilson, spokesperson for the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights on the Liberals’ stalled gun buyback.

Duration: 49:33
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada brushes off yet another country begging it for LNG
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• B.C.’s Haida Nation to have title over all of Haida Gwaii
• A third of Canadian gig workers are willing to commit tax fraud to keep their income, new survey finds
• Ottawa has already spent $42M on a Liberal gun ‘buyback’ that still doesn’t exist
• Word of the Week: Boondoggle

The Conservative non confidence motion against Trudeau fails, the Liberals want to move the election date, and the Alberta NDP does not legally exist. Also, the RCMP warns that Canadians may revolt against the government.

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“I think Canadians are … just going to ask the obvious question: ‘Why do we have to bump it a week back and not a week early?’ Canadians have every right to believe that this looks like the government is pushing back the election so more MPs can take a very lucrative taxpayer-funded pension.” – Franco Terrazzano, the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation on the ‘suspicious’ election day change.

Duration: 49:33
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Poilievre-led attempt to bring down Trudeau minority over carbon tax fails
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• Liberals’ elections law reforms could yield generous pensions for dozens of MPs
• Court says Alberta NDP does not exist
• Secret RCMP report warns Canadians may revolt once they realize how broke they are
• Word of the Week: Antagonize

Alberta moves to allow municipal political parties, the auditor general fires government employees getting money on the side, and Canada pauses non-lethal exports to Israel. Also, Toronto Police give bad advice to deter car thieves.

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“We might as well leave cookies and milk at the front door along with a note. ‘Dear Mr. Criminal, the keys are in the mailbox, don’t kick my door in.’” – Ontario Premier Doug Ford on the Toronto Police’s advice to keep car keys by the front door to prevent injury during home invasions.

Duration: 56:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta to introduce legislation allowing political parties on municipal ballots
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• Auditor general’s office discovers three of its own employees earning side money off undisclosed government contracts
• Trudeau government has paused non-lethal military exports to Israel over human rights concerns
• Toronto Police: Just Let the Thieves Steal Your Car
• Word of the Week: Faraday

BC safe supply drugs are found in the hands of organized crime, we finally put the 2017 UCP leadership allegations to rest, and BC affordable housing is not going to intended buyers. Also, Canada restores its funding to UNRWA.

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“What we have seen in Prince George is people taking prescribed medication, some of which is dedicated as safe supply prescription drugs, and selling them to organized crime groups in exchange for more potent illicit drugs. It might mean how we regulate our safe supply might need a sober second glance.” – RCMP Corp. Jennifer Cooper on the diversion of safe supply drugs to organized crime.

Duration: 56:59
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C.’s ‘safe supply’ drugs being sold by organized crime across Canada
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• No charges as RCMP conclude probe into Alberta’s 2017 UCP leadership race
• Affordable-housing pilot in Victoria allegedly ‘undermined’ by buyers who already owned homes
• Canadian government will resume funding to United Nations relief agency for Palestinians
• Word of the Week: Affordable