Western Context

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

Trudeau’s throne speech promises more of the same, BC brings in 5 days of sick leave for workers, and the Alberta NDP condemns BC’s Coastal Gaslink pipeline. Also, we discuss and condemn the infiltration of the QAnon cult into Canada.

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“There is just an assemblage of 24 pages of completely empty words. Even read slowly, the throne speech is short so that prompts me to conclude, unfortunately, that I have absolutely no reason to vote in favour of the throne speech. I have no reason to vote against the throne speech.” – BQ leader Yves-François Blanchet on Trudeau’s Throne speech.

Duration: 48:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Liberals promise to control pandemic, fight climate change and rebuild economy in throne speech
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• B.C. becomes first province to introduce five days of permanent paid sick leave
• Downtown Edmonton march shows solidarity with Wet’suwet’en Nation opposition to Coastal GasLink pipeline
• QAnon’s ‘Queen of Canada’ Calls for Followers to ‘Kill’ People Vaccinating Children
• Word of the Week: Cult

Heavy rainfall causes massive flooding and mudslides in BC, a new national park in Edmonton may cause federal intrusions, and the disaster in BC unearths vulnerabilities in our infrastructure. Also, Trudeau meets with Biden, but gets nothing from it.

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“One has to think about where we’re planning our highways, where we put our wastewater treatment plants (and) pumps … the lower mainland of B.C. needs to be pumped out because it’s at risk of flooding. If we just rebuild what’s there without understanding that we need to essentially revisit how we build things, then we’re just going to have this problem in the future.” – University of Toronto professor Kent Moore on the BC flooding disaster.

Duration: 52:30
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. floods: Gas to be rationed in some areas, some highways to be essential travel only
• Support us on Patreon
• Could Edmonton be home to a new national park?
• B.C. floods put spotlight on Canada’s infrastructures. Improve them now, experts say
• Justin Trudeau has an auto agenda, but Joe Biden is in the driver’s seat
• Word of the Week: Disaster

Saskatchewan strives to be a nation within a nation, young Canadians are feeling disillusioned and unattached to Canada, and Alberta unveils its hydrogen roadmap. Also, the Trudeau government has created an immigration and refugee housing crisis.

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“I think we are seeing a period of time in this country where younger generations are feeling incredible frustration over a number of things that are gripping society today…. They see nothing but problems, nothing but challenge, nothing but lack of equity and fairness. And they’re very angry about that.” – Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, on young people’s disposition towards Canada.

Duration: 47:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Scott Moe and Saskatchewan deserve respect and understanding, not ridicule
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• The generation ‘chasm’: Young Canadians feel unlucky, unattached to the country
• Alberta Hydrogen Roadmap & Building a future for critical and rare earth minerals in Alberta
• Afghan refugees in GTA frustrated by multiple, abrupt moves between hotels
• Word of the Week: Chasm

Alberta continues to implement democratic reform, The Royal BC Museum is decolonizing its exhibits, and the Canadian flag will emulate a yoyo over the next week. Also, we discuss the impacts of the COP26 summit, as Trudeau continues to hobble oil and gas.

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“Decolonization of the museum’s galleries is important and long overdue. This is necessary to begin the long-term work of creating new narratives that include under-represented voices and reflect the lived experiences and contemporary stories of the people in B.C.” – Acting Royal BC Museum CEO Daniel Muzyka on the changes to the museum.

Duration: 52:11
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta bill would let political parties spend more, end some quarterly financial reporting and ‘AFL loophole’
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• Royal BC Museum closing 3rd floor for ‘decolonization’ effort that will remove Old Town, settler displays, ship
• Feds expected to announce plans to raise, re-lower flags for Remembrance Day
• Canada will put a cap on oil and gas sector emissions, Trudeau tells COP26 summit
• Word of the Week: Decolonization

Alberta rejects permanent summer time and equalization, Margaret Trudeau speaks at an event by a company lobbying the government, and Saskatchewan approves of Regeneron to treat COVID. Also, we look at just how money laundering affects BC real estate.

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“A clear majority of Albertans have sent a powerful, democratic message: They want a fair deal in the federation. These results have given Alberta’s government a powerful mandate to secure changes to equalization and other federal transfers that have treated Albertans unfairly for so long. Our message is clear: Ottawa must respect Alberta and the huge role we play in Canada’s economic prosperity.” — Premier Jason Kenney reacting to the results of Alberta’s Equalization Referendum.

Duration: 54:06
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta barely rejects permanent daylight time; majority supports ending equalization
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• Prime minister’s mother spoke at event hosted by organization that received federal funding for jobs program
• Saskatchewan approves use of monoclonal antibodies to treat high-risk COVID-19 patients
• Man making $40k/year bought $32m in Vancouver real estate via CCP-linked offshore accounts
• Word of the Week: Laundering