Western Context

A religion poll unintentionally drives a wedge on culture, Alberta energy rates are heavily impacted by the NDP carbon tax, and BC faces a critical shortage of nurses. Also, many MPs owning rental properties could be fueling the housing crisis.

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“Over the past years, we’ve seen a rise in hate crimes, a rise in intolerance and racist acts. Part of it is the pandemic, sure, and the stress and the anxiety that comes from that, but a part of it is a trend toward greater polarization in our politics, greater intolerance in our communities.” – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s theory on the origin of Canadian hate crimes.

Duration: 58:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canadians consider certain religions damaging to society: survey
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• Alberta to shake up energy market by dissolving balancing pool, consumers to pay off $1.34B loan
• We need more nurses now’: B.C. to fast track approval for internationally trained nurses
• Poilievre defends investments in rental properties while campaigning to address housing affordability
• Word of the Week: Extremism

We profile the top four candidates likely to become the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, as we delve into the history, policies, and appeal of Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis and Pierre Poilievre.

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Duration: 55:27
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Patrick Brown
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• Jean Charest
• Leslyn Lewis
• Pierre Poilievre

Trudeau releases his 2022 budget, BC experiences an increase in crime, and the UCP makes healthcare changes. Also, the Newfoundland offshore oil project Bay du Nord has been approved.

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“The headline policy, a two-year ban on residential property purchases by foreigners, will have a negligible impact on home prices… We know from the pandemic period, when home prices escalated with virtually no foreign money, that our problem is made-in-Canada.” – Phil Soper, chief executive at Royal LePage on the housing affordability crisis.

Duration: 57:20
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada Speeds Up Deficit Reduction in 2022 Budget: Key Takeaways
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• ‘Every excuse in the book’: Eby under fire over B.C.’s handling of prolific offenders
• NDP calls on Alberta government to stop the push to ‘Americanize’ public health care
• Federal government approves controversial Bay du Nord oil project
• Word of the Week: Prolific

Trudeau releases a plan to cut carbon emissions, the BC government gives back a gas rebate through ICBC, and four provinces are going ahead with nuclear SMRs. Also, the renovation cost on federal government residences continues to skyrocket.

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“This follows a long history of the NCC running up a huge tab on the taxpayers’ expense. It’s coming at the worst possible time as the government is already a trillion dollars in debt. Every single expense should be under the microscope.” – Federal director of the National Taxpayers’ Federation Franco Terrazzano on the mounting costs of the federal residence renovations.

Duration: 54:44
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada releases plan for a 40 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2030
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• B.C. government announces gas relief rebate of $110 for ICBC customers
• 4 provinces push ahead with plan to build small nuclear reactors to supply power
• Inside the $11M renovations to the prime minister’s official country home
• Word of the Week: Skyrocket

The UCP April convention expands voting options, the BC government sprays herbicides on BC forests, and Canada’s oil export capacity is severely limited. Also, Jagmeet Singh will support Trudeau’s government until 2025 in return for dental and pharmacare.

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“The Bloc will keep doing exactly the same thing: if it’s good for Quebec, we will vote in favour. If it’s bad for Quebec, we will vote against.” – Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet on his party’s attitude towards government policy.

Duration: 1:01:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• I don’t need this job’: Kenney says he has to stay to keep ‘lunatics’ from ‘trying to take over the asylum’
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• Outcry grows as B.C. government agency plans widespread South Coast herbicide spray
• Canada to hike oil, gas output by 300,000 barrels a day to help displace Russian fuel
• Liberals, NDP leadership have tentative deal to support Trudeau government to 2025
• Word of the Week: Coalition

Alberta increases funding for charter schools, BC ties its minimum wage increase to inflation, and Quebec is forcing Ukrainian refugees into French schools. Also, the census data shows that Trudeau’s immigration plan negatively impacts the housing crisis.

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Duration: 1:01:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta earmarks $72 million for charter schools, plans for possible new ‘collegiate’ model
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• B.C.’s minimum wage, now tied to inflation, up 45 cents to $15.65 an hour
• Quebec won’t allow Ukrainian refugee children to attend English schools
• Canada’s population jumped by nearly half a million in 2021
• Word of the Week: Mandamus

Trudeau engages in photo-ops across Europe, Albertan oil becomes an elixir of freedom, and BC lifts its mandates while a convoy heads to Victoria. Also, Jean Charest and Patrick Brown enter the Conservative leadership race.

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Duration: 58:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canadian parliament asked to approve Zelenskyy address next Tuesday
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• Nelson: Alberta’s dirty oil is suddenly an elixir of freedom
• COVID-19: B.C. to drop mask mandate Friday for indoor public spaces, vaccine card in April
• Charest’s path to the Conservative leadership is rocky, narrow and hostile
• Word of the Week: Elixir

The Alberta UCP stops municipalities from overstepping their boundaries, Canada’s military is not equipped to defend our Arctic sovereignty, and we debunk the idea of the Great Reset. Also, Canada’s energy infrastructure can’t export what we need it to.

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“Under my leadership, taxes will only ever go down. I believe $1 in the hands of the person who earned it will always be better than $1 in the hands of the politician who taxed it,” – Conservative MP and leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre on his tax strategy.

Duration: 1:08:00
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Kenney vows to change law to stop municipalities from imposing their own public health restrictions
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• Canada’s troop commitment to Eastern Europe is exposing weak points in its military
• Brian Jean’s ‘Great Reset,’ ‘globalist’ tweet an appeal to the far right: expert
• Pierre Poilievre promises to scrap ‘anti-energy laws’ during CPC leadership campaign stop in Sask.
• Word of the Week: Readiness

Trudeau’s small business subsidy actually went to large corporations, Alberta’s budget forecasts a surplus and investment, while BC’s budget forecasts a deficit and more taxes. Also, Trudeau’s new digital services tax faces backlash from the US.

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“Can we take what we’ve learned from the past two years to make policies that aren’t devastating for small businesses? We need to find a new way forward. We can’t be asked to sacrifice and take on more debt again.” – Hannah Kovacs, a Halifax fitness gym owner, on the possibility of continuing COVID restrictions.

Duration: 55:38
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Parliament’s $100B small business relief program mostly went to large corporations: Report
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• Budget 2022: Moving forward
• B.C. budget’s tax increases affect used vehicle sales, tobacco
• U.S. Urges Canada to Abandon Digital Service Tax
• Word of the Week: Discord

Inflation hits a 30 year high as Trudeau plans to bring in 400k immigrants per year, Edmonton’s police force owns a plane, and the Coastal Gaslink project is under attack. Also, Trudeau invokes the Emergencies Act to freeze protestors’ bank accounts.

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“If we’re not ready to significantly increase our ambition when it comes to immigration, we are going to be in a position where our economy will suffer, and it could put into jeopardy so many of the public services and social supports that make me very proud to be Canadian.” – Liberal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, on justifying his government’s plan to bring in 1.3M immigrants over the next 3 years.

Duration: 1:03:08
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada’s inflation rate rises to 5.1% — highest since 1991
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• Edmonton police insist airplane is not secret — it’s just not publicized
• Violent overnight attack at Coastal GasLink site leaves workers shaken, millions in damage
• Trudeau vows to freeze anti-mandate protesters’ bank accounts
• Word of the Week: Attack