Western Context

Alberta moves to lift COVID restrictions, the BC Liberals elect Kevin Falcon as leader, and Trudeau’s own MP’s are questioning their pandemic strategies. Also, Pierre Poilievre shows us the power of social media.

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“From a positive and unifying approach, a decision was made to wedge, to divide and to stigmatize. I fear that this politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public’s trust in our public health institutions. This is not a risk we ought to be taking lightly.” – Liberal MP Joël Lightbound on his government’s approach to vaccine mandates.

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

• Alberta takes steps to safely return to normal
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• B.C. Liberals elect former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon as next leader
• Trudeau’s own party is starting to turn on him over Covid restrictions
• Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre says he is running for prime minister
• Word of the Week: Intransigence

Alberta could return to balanced budgets very soon, BC’s milk container deposit impacts inflation, and Elections Canada says that 200,000 mail in ballots from 2021 were not counted. Also, Erin O’Toole is ousted as Conservative leader.

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“There are two roads open to the Conservative Party of Canada. One is the road of Randy Hillier and Derek Sloan. It is angry, negative, and extreme. It is a dead-end; one that would see the party of Confederation become the NDP of the right. The other road is to better reflect the Canada of 2022. To recognize that conservatism is organic not static and that a winning message is one of inclusion, optimism, ideas and hope.” – Outgoing Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole on his vision for the Conservative Party of Canada.

Duration: 53:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Back in black? Alberta set to table budget reflecting ‘improving fiscal situation’
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• Deposit for milk and milk-substitute containers starts Feb. 1 in B.C.
• Elections Canada: 205,000 mail-in ballots were not counted
• Canada’s Conservative Leader Is Ousted
• Word of the Week: Oust

The Freedom convoy arrives in Ottawa, remains are found at another BC residential school, and the Conservatives election post mortem has been released. Also, we detail Trudeau’s broken promises on the housing crisis.

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“This journey has led our investigation team into the darkest recesses of human behaviour.” – Williams Lake First Nations Chief Willie Sellars on the search for residential school remains.

Duration: 52:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau uses trucker protests as political weapon
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• Williams Lake First Nation identifies 93 potential burial sites at former residential school
• Conservative post-election report says O’Toole was ‘over-managed’ during the campaign
• Trudeau’s housing promises still not materializing
• Word of the Week: Disparage

A Canadian lithium company is being bought by China, Edmonton city council struggles with transit designs, and a Victoria biologist just wants us to think about the birds. Also, millions are required to renovate 24 Sussex Drive.

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“I could probably make a passable hat using my socks but I’d much rather wear a hat.” – Liberal MP Andy Fillmore on Neo Lithium mining lithium carbonate, not lithium hydroxide, and why it’s ok for a Chinese state-owned company to buy out Neo Lithium.

Duration: 54:45
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Conservative party leader O’Toole calls for security review of Chinese takeover of Neo Lithium
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• Edmonton working to address bus network redesign concerns
• New 11-storey building in downtown Victoria could harm birds, biologist says
• The problem with Justin Trudeau’s house: Canadian taxpayers have spent millions on PM’s lodgings, while official residence sits in dire straits
• Word of the Week: Security

The feds admit they purchased Canadians’ cell phone data, Alberta looks to attract tech talent through immigration, and the BC Liberal leadership race isn’t short on controversy. Also, unvaccinated truckers will soon be unable to cross the US/CAN border.

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“It’s created a whole disaster. Governments are supposed to provide clarity and calmness, and what has gone on … provided nothing but chaos and confusion.” – Mike Millian, President of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada on the Government of Canada’s trucker vaccine mandate.

Duration: 1:01:25
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada’s privacy watchdog probing health officials’ use of cellphone location data
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta looking to attract tech talent with new immigration program
• B.C. Liberals launch review of new memberships ahead of Feb. 5 leadership vote
• COVID-19 vaccines still mandatory for Canadian cross-border truckers, feds say
• Word of the Week: Aggregate

BC decides to warehouse 1.3M unused rapid tests, Trudeau is still undecided on the F-35s, and BC’s 2021 disasters unveil a gap in infrastructure and emergency planning. Also, a former CBC journalist details the problems with the mainstream media.

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“B.C. has a lot of these [rapid] tests in storage. They do have a shelf life, they eventually expire. So we have to make sure we get to use them.” – Mike Klassen with the B.C. Care Providers Association.

Duration: 1:01:25
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. has 1.3M rapid tests in a warehouse, officials confirm after top doctor called it an ‘urban myth’
• Support us on Patreon
• A tale of two fighter jets — and what it means for Canada’s defence and place in the world
• Cracks in B.C.’s infrastructure revealed by extreme weather events of past 6 months
• Tara Henley: Why I quit the CBC
• Word of the Week: Cognitive Dissonance

We look at 2021’s news stories, including BC’s disasters, Alberta’s democracy, and Trudeau’s inflated spending. We also look at September’s federal election, our words of the year, as well as the ongoing trials of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Duration: 1:18:19
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta Story of the Year
• BC Story of the Year
• Worst Covered Story by the MSM
• Most Important Story
• Firing Line of the Year
• Local Story of the Year
• Story We Didn’t Get to Cover
• Fake News Story of the Year
• Worst Government Expense of the Year
• Funniest Story
• Newsmaker of the Year
• Word of the Year
• Favourite Western Context Episode
• Favourite Western Context Show Title
• Picture of the Year

BC has completely missed the boat on public rapid tests, Brian Jean wins a UCP nomination contest in Fort McMurray, and Trudeau continues to ignore the economy and inflation. Also, we discuss foreign interference in Canada’s elections.

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“The response from the provincial government and the public health teams with respect to rapid antigen tests does not make a lot of sense and it also seems that the answers shift in terms of why we’re not using them. It is not very consistent.” Dr. Victor Leung, an infectious diseases physician and medical microbiologist in the Lower Mainland, on the BC government’s stance on rapid COVID tests.

Duration: 59:50
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• How B.C. missed the boat on rapid testing
• Support us on Patreon
• Brian Jean claims victory in race to represent UCP in Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche byelection
• The federal Liberals’ lack of concern about the economy is bound to catch up with them
• Conservatives believe 13 ridings were targeted by foreign interference in 2021 election
• Word of the Week: Rapid

Trudeau’s dithering hobbles the effectiveness of Parliament, Vancouver explores a 2030 Olympic bid, and Rachel Notley decides to not become a member of the UCP. Also, the auditor general outlines the failures of Trudeau’s quarantine hotel program.

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“Mr. Trudeau is not above Parliament. In a minority government, he only serves as Prime Minister at the pleasure of the House of Commons. It is not his place to choke off the debate and scrutiny that are the oxygen of our democracy, and the fact he continues to get away with doing so should worry all Canadians.” – Globe and Mail Editorial Board on Justin Trudeau’s performance as Prime Minister starting this session of Parliament.

Duration: 55:24
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• If Justin Trudeau believes in Parliament, he has a funny way of showing it
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• Vancouver and First Nations expected to announce committee to explore possible 2030 Olympic bid
• 3 UCP MLAs vote against Bill 81 over bulk membership purchase issue
• Ottawa has no idea if 75 per cent of air arrivals obeyed hotel quarantine rule: AG report
• Word of the Week: Dither

Trudeau has yet to account for $600b in spending, more needs to be done to end boil water advisories, and Alberta’s deficit drops much faster than expected. Also, the CBC tells us words we shouldn’t use, while we give context on the history of those words.

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“Being an English speaker doesn’t entail that you necessarily know the racist etymology automatically. The fact that you said it, oblivious to the etymology, doesn’t automatically make you a bad person. As language users, we have the social responsibility to monitor the impact our utterances have on others, especially when it involves a marginalized group.” – Ai Taniguchi, a linguist and an associate language studies professor with University of Toronto Mississauga.

Duration: 50:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Liberals yet to account for $600-billion in public spending
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• Not enough money coming from federal government to maintain Indigenous water treatment systems: PBO report
• Alberta’s projected deficit drops to $5.8 billion, buoyed largely by global energy price spike
• CBC’s 18 words you can’t say is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard
• Word of the Week: Etymology