Western Context

Edmonton unemployment numbers drop but not for a good reason, Horgan’s office hypocritically deletes emails, and questions about a former ISIS executioner are called divisive by Trudeau. Also, we explore the media’s latest fascination with Stephen Harper.

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Duration: 40:57
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Edmonton unemployment numbers dropping for ‘wrong reason’ says economist
• B.C. premier’s office staff improperly mass deleted emails
• Conservatives call for arrest of Canadian who took part in ISIS execution
• Stephen Harper comes in from the cold
• Word of the Week: Distraction

Misinformation from the UCP convention’s proposed flat tax doesn’t use true economics, and red herrings about GSA’s created fake news. Also, Trudeau apologizes for 80 year old wrongs for Jews, and forgets his progressive agenda with the Ugandan president.

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Duration: 47:39
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Only ‘incredibly wealthy’ Albertans would benefit from UCP flat tax, economist warns
• Trudeau to offer formal apology in Commons for fate of Jewish refugee ship MS St. Louis
• Alberta conservatives clash with leader Jason Kenney on gay-straight alliances
• Trudeau met with the homophobic leader of Uganda, but gay rights weren’t on the agenda
• Word of the Week: Apology

Marijuana health concerns cause the Senate to delay legislation, Edmonton transit budgets soar while ridership stays flat, the new BC NDP employer health tax will raise property taxes, and the CBSA is muzzled as more illegal migrants cross the border.

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Duration: 47:39
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Senators recommend delaying cannabis bill for a year to address Indigenous issues
• Survey finds Edmontonians’ transportation habits are not changing
• Soaring health costs for B.C. cities when employer health tax replaces premiums: UBCM survey
• Official says CBSA being ‘muzzled’ by Trudeau government
• Word of the Week: Context

The BC NDP isn’t giving info on the electoral referendum, the U of A gives an honorary degree to David Suzuki, and the federal government blacks out the cost of a carbon tax. Also, the federal government is funding groups that want to stop Trans Mountain.

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Duration: 42:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Vaughn Palmer: NDP stacking the deck in favour of proportional representation
• U of A dean posts scathing letter against granting honorary degree to David Suzuki
• Tories demand government explain how much a carbon price will cost Canadians
• Federal program funds summer job to help ‘stop Kinder Morgan pipeline’
• Word of the Week: Hypocrisy

A new precedent setting Alberta law could restrict oil flow and erode the constitution, Vancouver wants to allow permanent residents to vote, and Quebec could see up to 146,000 illegal migrants this year. Also, a discussion on the definition of populism.

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Duration: 43:37
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• New law would allow Alberta to restrict flow of oil and gas
• City of Vancouver passes motion that would permit permanent residents to vote in local elections
• Quebec preparing for up to 400 asylum seekers a day at the U.S. border this summer
• Despite Trudeau’s progressive rhetoric, Canada not immune to populism: experts
• Word of the Week: populism

We review the media’s shift of the Humboldt crash to gender and race politics, and the Alberta government’s ploy to gain political points on social issues. Also, Trans Mountain spending is halted, and how the pipeline debacle affects Canadian rule of law.

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Duration: 51:05
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Social justice warrior misses the boat on Humboldt
• Jason Kenney will abstain from abortion clinic buffer zone vote
• Kinder Morgan Canada Limited Suspends Non-Essential Spending on Trans Mountain Expansion Project
• John Robson: Do we have rule of law in this country? Do we have a functional government
• Word of the Week: injunction

#Welcome to Canada caused illegal border crossings, John Horgan says that drivers won’t begrudge BC’s carbon tax increase, creative math skews Alberta’s fundraising numbers, and Trudeau’s BC and Fort Mac trip spreads fake news about his pipeline record.

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Duration: 44:04
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau tweet caused influx of refugee inquiries, confusion within government, emails reveal
• Premier says B.C. drivers won’t ‘begrudge’ carbon tax increase at the pump
• Alberta NDP tops 2017 party donations with $2.11 million raised
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blames Harper Conservatives for delays in pipeline projects
• Word of the Week: Resource

The Alberta carbon tax takes from low income seniors, an erosion of national unity with the Trans Mountain pipeline, skewed articles about Trudeau’s failing poll numbers, and the media ignores Morneau calling opponents of his feminist budget neanderthals.

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Duration: 36:55
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Some low-income Alberta seniors face carbon tax rebate clawback
• Burnaby mayor refuses to pay ‘ludicrous’ policing costs for Trans Mountain pipeline protests
• Justin Trudeau is losing the male voter. Can the PM win him back?
• Conservatives demand apology from Morneau over ‘neanderthal’ comment
• Word of the Week: Jurisdiction

A 21 hour Parliament session protests the Atwal cover-up by the PMO, Alberta’s budget draws criticism for its rising debt, protests at Trans Mountain result in MPs’ arrests and work delays, and an important look at data-mining on social media.

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Duration: 49:39
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• I think we made our point’: Conservatives end their nearly 21-hour-long House of Commons voting marathon
• Alberta Budget 2018 met with mixed reaction
• B.C. MPs Elizabeth May, Kennedy Stewart arrested at Kinder Morgan facility
• Chris Wylie says he’ll testify in U.S., U.K. about Cambridge Analytica
• Word of the Week: filibuster

Alberta could shut off oil to BC resulting in a market shock, Edmonton’s LRT project cost jumps by $440M, StatsCan reports 15k more jobs while ignoring 39k full time job losses, and Jagmeet Singh walks a fine line on political violence.

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Duration: 42:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• How Alberta could sow gas price Armageddon in Vancouver
• Projected cost of Edmonton’s Valley Line West LRT jumps by $440M
• We lost 39,000 full-time jobs, not that Stats Canada will tell you that
• Jagmeet Singh attended 2016 seminar with Sikh youth leader who advocated political violence
• Word of the Week: Talking points