Western Context

A BC NDP MLA faces a recall petition, sparse reasons emerge for the Emergencies Act, and Telus wants to charge consumers even more. Also, the RCMP has used spyware for decades to track Canadians.

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“All three of our telecom providers … have reported increased profits, increased revenue and increased customers for 2021. They are doing better than ever. This is just another way to raise our bills through shady practices and extra fees and adding things on top so that we are paying even more than we already are.” – Rosa Addario, spokesperson for telecom watchdog OpenMedia on Telus’ plan to add a surcharge on cell phone bills paid by credit card.

Duration: 56:26
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• I will not be intimidated’: B.C. MLA facing recall petition from anti-mandate crowd
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• Cabinet heard of potential ‘breakthrough’ with ‘Freedom Convoy’ protesters before Emergencies Act was invoked: documents
• Telus asks CRTC permission to add 1.5% credit card surcharge to customer bills
• RCMP has used spyware to access targets’ communications as far back as 2002: Senior Mountie
• Word of the Week: Surcharge

Court documents reveal no basis for Trudeau’s travel ban, Canada bans the importation of handguns, and fake outrage emerges over Alberta’s provincial police future. Also, while Trudeau is on vacation, there are plenty of other things to criticize him for.

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“[The Trudeau] government’s apparent abandonment of Ukrainian embassy employees ahead of Russia’s invasion in February; its continuing abandonment of Afghans who worked for the Canadian government; its enduring and expensive fidelity to COVID-19 theatre; the lack of clarity surrounding allegations of political interference in the RCMP probe following the 2020 Nova Scotia massacre; the federal government’s failure, months later, to publicly provide persuasive evidence justifying its invocation of the Emergencies Act during the trucker convoy crisis; and Mr. Trudeau’s capitulation in returning natural gas turbines to Germany despite Russian sanctions.” – Globe and Mail columnist Robyn Urback, detailing reasons other than a vacation to be concerned with Trudeau’s government.

Duration: 57:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Court Documents Reveal Canada’s Travel Ban Had No Scientific Basis
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• Canada is banning the importation of handguns, effective Aug. 19
• Alberta NDP criticizes United Conservative Party’s new provincial policing website
• A dangerous rage is sweeping the land
• Word of the Week: Basis

The cost of Coastal Gaslink rises to $11.2B, Travis Toews highlights economic policy in the UCP leadership race, and a climate activist group deflates SUV tires in Victoria. Also, Toronto and Montreal airports are named the worst in the world for delays.

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“Toronto’s Pearson Airport is a special circle of hell. The worst airport experience ever.” – A random air traveller from Florida, on our Canadian airport effectiveness.

Duration: 48:55
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Cost of Coastal GasLink pipeline leaps 70% to $11.2B as TC Energy settles dispute
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• Toews touts ‘targeted’ tariffs to defend Alberta as UCP candidates take aim at Ottawa
• Climate activists deflate tires of dozens of SUVs in Greater Victoria
• Toronto’s Pearson airport has a PR problem: It’s known as the worst airport in the world
• Word of the Week: Deflate

Danielle Smith’s leadership campaign could change the UCP and Alberta, BC Ferries fires its CEO after many cancelled sailings, and Trudeau pushes for a reduction in fertilizer usage. Also, glitches in the ArriveCAN app cause more delays for travellers.

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“The app is something that is not efficient. It doesn’t make us any more safe. In fact, it could lead us to being less safe as we move to more automation as people are coming into our country. It’s worthless in terms of public safety. [The app is] also branding us as an unwelcoming destination. Our branding right now as a country of a destination is being destroyed.” NDP MP for Niagara West Brian Masse, on the failures of ArriveCAN.

Duration: 56:50
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Is Danielle Smith’s striking campaign a paper tiger?
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• B.C. Ferries fires president and CEO after 173 cancelled sailings in 28 days
• Trudeau pushes ahead on fertilizer reduction as provinces and farmers cry foul
• ArriveCan ‘glitch’ ordering vaccinated Canadians into quarantine without reason
• Word of the Week: Glitch

A Rogers outage shows the need for telecom stability, Jean Charest promises a fair deal for Alberta, and the Premier’s summit provides no fix for healthcare. Also, Trudeau’s internet censorship Bill C-11 gets opposed by the US.

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“Alberta went through a tough time from 2014 onward, and there was no acknowledgement or recognition of that. It’s the federal government’s job to keep the country together and make sure every province is part of what we are planning and developing. And that’s not happening with the Trudeau government.” – Federal Conservative Leadership Candidate Jean Charest on Justin Trudeau’s division.

Duration: 50:38
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Rogers outage shows need for Plan B when wireless, internet services fail, analysts say
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• Federal Conservative candidate Charest promises Alberta a new deal in Canada
• Premiers close 2-day summit, call on feds to stop negotiating health funding through the media
• Heritage Minister advisors say “misleading political communications” should also be censored
• Word of the Week: Outage

We celebrate Canada Day when the media doesn’t, BC Premier John Horgan is retiring, and Alberta posts a $3.9B surplus. Also, a new online tax in BC could make businesses uncompetitive.

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“Thank you to the ever-capable Premier John Horgan for everything you have done for British Columbia and Canada. We may have our differences, but I’ve always enjoyed and appreciated working with you to help make a difference in our provinces. I am proud to call you a friend.” – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe on Horgan’s impending retirement.

Duration: 46:49
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• A different Canada Day, under an ambiguous flag
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• B.C. Premier Horgan announces he will step down
• Booming oil and gas revenues lands Alberta with $3.9-billion surplus
• New B.C. sales tax rules go into effect July 1 for online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay
• Word of the Week: Siloed

Government plans have stalled Lytton’s rebuild, the Trudeau Liberals refuse to lift the gas tax, and the Chinese state maybe interfered in the 2021 election. Also, the RCMP commissioner tried to compromise the 2020 Nova Scotia shooting investigation.

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“To rebuild to all these standards, it just didn’t fit with our community. We keep hearing that Lytton is going to be rebuilt as a model community. We don’t want to hear that anymore. We just want to go home.” – Lytton resident Denise O’Connor on the lack of progress 1 year after the Lytton wildfire.

Duration: 1:01:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Long road home: Frustration in Lytton one year after devastating fire
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• Gas tax break ‘would be irresponsible’ now, federal minister says, as Liberals focus on other priorities
• China may have tried to discourage Canadians from voting Conservative
• RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki tried to ‘jeopardize’ mass murder investigation to advance Trudeau’s gun control efforts
• Word of the Week: Frustration

Health Canada plans to label ground beef, the Alberta UCP leadership race begins, and no link is found between BC money laundering and political corruption. Also, we determine whether or not the Trudeau government lied about the Emergencies Act.

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“The whole purpose of this (Health Canada proposal) largely came from a concern about highly processed foods, and foods with a lot of ingredients. The idea of taking a single-ingredient food product and imposing these types of labels is not being done anywhere else in the world, and it is going to unfairly affect Canada’s farmers and ranchers.” – Dennis Laycraft, executive vice-president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association or Health Canada’s proposal to label ground beef as being high in saturated fat.

Duration: 53:38
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Ranchers’ group opposes Health Canada’s ‘vilification’ of ground beef
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• Some will lose Alberta’s pricey UCP leadership race before the voting starts
• Money laundering public inquiry finds ‘no evidence’ of political corruption in B.C.
• Police did not ask for Emergencies Act: Emergency Preparedness Minister
• Word of the Week: Saturated

Bill C-11 allows the CRTC to regulate user content, Alberta NDP volunteers are demeaned, and panic buying ensues after Trudeau’s gun freeze. Also, Trudeau trolls Canadians by creating policy in response to the US.

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“Bill C-11 implies vague changes to these platforms to prioritize Canadian content to Canadians, but it would in turn deprioritize Canadian content to an international audience. The social media platforms cannot allow Canadian content to enjoy heightened exposure to Canadians without detracting exposure internationally, as it creates an uneven playing field on the platform. Less Canadian content will be shown globally as a result.” – Canadian Youtuber Justin Tomchuk, on Trudeau’s Bill C-11.

Duration: 57:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• User content subject to ‘some authority’ by CRTC under Bill C-11, regulator says
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• Alberta NDP volunteers were ignored and demeaned, former workers say
• Panic buying sets in after Trudeau’s handgun ban
• Justin Trudeau, the troll farm prime minister
• Word of the Week: Troll

The Supreme Court of Canada rules that life without parole is ‘cruel’, small possession of drugs is decriminalized in BC, and the Tim Hortons app invades Canadians’ privacy. Also, the Trudeau government has created 72 secret orders in council.

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“[Leading an open, transparent government] is the big promise that the prime minister made to Canadians in 2015. Seven years later, that promise has melted like snow in the sun. The prime minister leads the most closed, most opaque, the most censored government that we have ever seen. We have just learned of the existence of 72 secret orders-in-council. Why are the Liberals so afraid to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” – Conservative MP Luc Berthold, during question period.

Duration: 49:35
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada supreme court rules life without chance of parole is ‘cruel’ and illegal
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• Small-scale possession of illicit drugs will be decriminalized in B.C. starting next year: federal government
• Tim Hortons’ app committed ‘mass invasion’ of Canadians’ privacy, watchdog finds
• Trudeau government has adopted dozens of secret cabinet orders since coming to power
• Word of the Week: Cruel