Western Context

A new economic doctrine emerges from Chrystia Freeland, new changes abound in the BC municipal elections, and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith names her new cabinet. Also, Trudeau asserts that demand for Canadian oil will decrease reliance on it.

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“Right now in the coming couple of years, we’re going to need to continue with the mechanisms we have, but the move off of fossil fuels … is going to happen much faster because of Russia.” – Prime Minister Trudeau, on the failure to understand supply and demand.

Duration: 59:19
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Freeland Doctrine’ could set the world on a path to a new trade cold war
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• BC Municipal Election results – Major Changes in Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, Saanich
• Alberta premier’s new cabinet includes familiar faces in prominent roles
• Trudeau says Russian invasion of Ukraine ‘accelerated’ Canada’s move away from oil and gas
• Word of the Week: Turnover

Danielle Smith takes a trip to the recent past, Canada finally replaces the army’s WW2-era sidearms, and Saskatchewan asserts its economic autonomy. Also, MPs visit Taiwan while China continues to infiltrate Canadian society.

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“Russia and China are not just looking at regime survival but regime expansion. They consider themselves to be at war with the West. They strive to destroy the social cohesion of liberal democracies and the credibility of our own institutions to ensure our model of government is seen as a failure.” – Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Wayne Eyre on the dangers of 21st century geopolitics.

Duration: 59:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Pandemic politics ended Jason Kenney’s leadership. Will it also take out Danielle Smith?
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• Canada inks deal to replace army’s Second World War-era sidearms
• Federal Policies Could Cost Saskatchewan $111 Billion By 2035
• Delegation of Canadian MPs visits Taiwan in move that incenses China
• Word of the Week: Friendship

Danielle Smith becomes the new Premier of Alberta, BC is capping food delivery fees, and ArriveCan cost $54M to create. Also, a YouTube tag and MP swearing distract from Trudeau raising taxes again.

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“Canada and Alberta are in the midst of an inflation and affordability crisis that has been primarily caused by the fiscally destructive policies of the NDP coalition with the Liberals in Ottawa. When you flood the money supply with hundreds of billions in new spending and pursue policies that spike the price of energy and transportation, the result is crippling inflation that’s hurting a sizeable majority of Albertans.” – Alberta UCP Leader Danielle Smith and Premier-designate on the problems Alberta faces.

Duration: 52:14
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Rachel Notley will have her hands full with Danielle Smith
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• British Columbia permanently capping fees charged by food delivery companies
• ArriveCan’s $54-million price tag ‘outrageous,’ tech leaders say
• Poilievre gives Trudeau something he wasn’t expecting, a fight
• Word of the Week: Misogyny

The Prairie provinces join against Trudeau’s gun ban, we compare the opioid crisis approach of BC and Alberta, and people are moving from Ontario to the West. Also, Canada might be in a recession soon.

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“It’s like a bicycle that’s going really, really slowly. It’s fast enough that it’s still staying upright, but it’s kind of wobbling. If it hits a pebble, it could be knocked over. … And there’s a tonne of pebbles around.” – Stuart Bergman, chief economist at Export Development Canada, describing the Canadian economy at present.

Duration: 56:11
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta government calls on RCMP to ignore federal firearms ban within province
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• A tale of two provinces: Assessing the opioid crises in BC and Alberta – Geoff Russ for Inside Policy
• Go west, young man: Alberta sees largest wave of interprovincial migration since 2014
• Canada headed for ‘severe’ and ‘inevitable’ recession in 2023: economist
• Word of the Week: Execute

Irving is hiring foreign workers to build warships, Alberta media tries to change the topic from energy to climate change, and the BC repeat offender expert panel advocates for stronger mental health support. Also, ArriveCAN is no more.

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“We have had government and industry officials repeatedly telling our committee about all the great jobs this program will create for Canadians. I find it very disappointing that after the tens of billions of dollars thrown to Irving for shipbuilding that they are not reaching across our country to recruit workers.” – Conservative MP Kelly McCauley on Irving Shipbuilding hiring foreign workers to build Canadian warships.

Duration: 55:45
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Irving shipyard recruiting foreign workers to build new warship fleet despite vow of more jobs for Canadians
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• Oil trumps climate change in UCP leadership race to determine Alberta’s next premier
• Experts recommend big boosts to mental health supports to deal with repeat offenders in B.C.
• Blocked at the border no more: Good riddance to the ArriveCAN app
• Word of the Week: Precarious

An NDP MLA crashed the UCP’s vaccine website, a holiday for only some shows division between the public and private sectors, and Trudeau’s inflation relief only furthers the problem. Also, Pierre Poilievre gets heckled by the media during a speech.

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“First, they hurled obscenities and then started shouting at me. Was it some left-wing protester? Maybe it was a Liberal MP or staffer? No, it was a member of the media. He wasn’t interested in hearing what I had to say, and he certainly wasn’t interested in reporting it in an unbiased way.” – an email from new Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to Conservative supporters.

Duration: 47:56
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• NDP blamed UCP for vaccine portal crash after NDP MLA hacked the system
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• Holiday for some, not for others, causing hardship, confusion in B.C.
• Trudeau announces $4.5 billion inflation relief package for low earners
• Pierre Poilievre’s callous courting of Canada’s ‘deplorables’
• Word of the Week: Heckler

We talk about what the Queen meant to Canada, UCP candidates denounce Danielle Smith’s Sovereignty Act, and Pierre Poilievre becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

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“We are one party serving one country.” – Pierre Poilievre on the CPC becoming a united Conservative party going forward following his leadership win.

Duration: 46:06
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• What Canada meant to the Queen
• Support us on Patreon
• UCP leadership candidates unite to take aim at Danielle Smith’s sovereignty act
• Pierre Poilievre elected new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
• Western Context’s 2022 CPC Leadership Analysis
• Word of the Week: Era

Alberta projects a $13.2b surplus, Pierre Poilievre wants to simplify government language, and we discuss the untold economic impacts of cancelled energy projects. Also, the new federal luxury tax may backfire on the Trudeau Liberals.

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“Alberta’s commitment to fiscal discipline and our unrelenting focus on economic growth has helped bring about an extraordinary turnaround in our financial situation. We promised Albertans we would get our fiscal house in order and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Now, we’re paying down debt so future generations won’t have to, saving more for a rainy day, and putting more money in Albertans’ pockets.” – Alberta Premier Jason Kenney on the province’s expected $13.2b surplus.

Duration: 53:57
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Save it, save it, save it’: Wish list growing as Alberta projects $13.2B surplus
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• Pierre Poilievre promises new law against government jargon
• TC Energy, Indigenous partners fall out after end of Keystone XL pipeline
• Critics warn Ottawa’s new ‘luxury tax’ on pricey cars, planes and boats could backfire
• Word of the Week: Jargon

Russia’s actions show how important Canada’s Arctic is, BC spends $118M to support family doctors, and half of international students are still waiting for their visas. Also, an anti-semite is hired by the Trudeau government to preach anti-racism.

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“We have provided notice to the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) that their funding has been cut and their project has been suspended. We call on CMAC, an organization claiming to fight racism and hate in Canada to answer to how they came to hire Laith Marouf, and how they plan on rectifying the situation given the nature of his antisemitic and xenophobic comments.” – Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Ahmed Hussen, distancing himself from an anti-racism initiative that he personally endorsed.

Duration: 50:57
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Russian invasion of Ukraine forces Arctic defence back onto Canada’s agenda
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. commits $118M in short-term funds to help stabilize family physician practices, clinics
• An incredibly big problem’: Visa delays imperil school year for thousands of international students
• Feds cut funding for anti-racism project over ‘vile’ tweets
• Word of the Week: Anti-Racism

Alberta is Calling for people to move to the province, electoral redistricting could see Toronto lose a seat, and the BCGEU strike forces rationing at BC liquor stores. Also, the Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem blames worker wages for inflation.

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“Don’t build that into longer term contracts. Don’t build that into wage contracts. It is going to take some time, but you can be confident that inflation will come down.” – Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem on inflation and wages.

Duration: 47:51
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta Is Calling
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• Pressure mounts on B.C. government as public sector strike drags on
• ‘I think it’s outrageous’: Riding redistribution would cut one Toronto MP from the House of Commons
• Union leaders frustrated by Bank of Canada’s advice for companies not to adjust wages to inflation
• Word of the Week: Riding