Western Context

Canada’s federal court overturns the TikTok ban, BC will revise its First Nations DRIPA legislation, and the US is looking at Alberta’s independence movement with interest. Also, Carney’s Davos speech sends a political shockwave across the world.

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“Today I will talk about a rupture in the world order, the end of a pleasant fiction and the beginning of a harsh reality, where geopolitics, where the large, main power is submitted to no limits, no constraints.” – Prime Minister Mark Carney’s opening to his speech in Davos on the changing geopolitical structure of the world.

Duration: 1:10:46
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada’s TikTok operations ban overturned by Federal Court
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. will revise DRIPA legislation to scale back court power over Indigenous rights, Eby says
• MAGA has its sights on Alberta
• Carney’s Davos speech highlights that it is Liberal rhetoric that doesn’t match reality
• Word of the Week: Hegemony

The CBC leaves out important information on the Toronto protests, Calgary sees infrastructure problems with its water pipes, and BC ends its failed decriminalization pilot. Also, Mark Carney makes a deal with China on canola and EVs.

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“The world has changed much since that last visit. I believe that the progress we have made and the partnership sets us up for the new world order” – Prime Minister Mark Carney on the need for a relationship with China.

Duration: 1:11:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• 8 arrests, 29 charges laid at downtown demonstrations
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• Duckworth worried about mental health at city hall when pipeline report came down
• B.C. officially ends decriminalization pilot project after concerns about public drug use
• Canada, China reach initial trade deal on electric vehicles, canola
• Word of the Week: Realpolitik

Chrystia Freeland resigns to accept an economic role in Ukraine, Rebecca Schulz resigns as Alberta environment minister, and David Eby wants a refinery instead of a pipeline. Also, the Cape Breton gun buyback pilot brings in only 25 guns.

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“Ukraine is at the forefront of today’s global fight for democracy, and I welcome this chance to contribute on an unpaid basis as an economic advisor to President Zelensky. In accepting this voluntary position, I will be stepping aside from my role as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Reconstruction of Ukraine. In the coming weeks I will also leave my seat in Parliament. I want to thank my constituents for their years of confidence in me. I am so grateful to have been your representative.” – Chrystia Freeland on accepting a role in Ukraine.

Duration: 55:42
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Freeland says she will resign as MP in coming weeks after being appointed Zelensky’s adviser
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• Timing is everything’: Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz resigns in the new year
• B.C. premier proposes publicly funded refinery over pipeline. Is it realistic?
• Gun buyback pilot nothing short of failure after netting 25 weapons
• Word of the Week: timing

We look at 2025’s news stories, including consequential elections, possible pipelines, numerous union strikes, trade talks, and the ascension of Prime Minister Mark Carney. We also go over our favourite pictures, quotes, words and episodes of the year.

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“It’s very simple: no Macdonald, no Canada. No federal board has the right to cancel the first Prime Minister of our country. Sir John A. Macdonald deserves to be clearly recognized for his role in the foundation of the wonderful country we get to call home.” – Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on the erasure of Sir. John A. Macdonald. (425)

“The late Premier John Horgan also warned me that his party included a “mud hut wing” of green extremists, which I took to include Eby. Eby’s a lawyer. He knows what the Constitution says. He knows what the top Courts said recently and unanimously on this subject. But he doesn’t care because he is, and always has been, an ideological zealot. For him the Constitution, the rule of law, national unity and prosperity must all be subordinated to his ideology.” – Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s reaction to BC Premier David Eby’s opposition to Alberta pipelines. (438)

Duration: 1:03:40
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta Story of the Year
• BC Story of the Year
• 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
• Quote of the Year
• Picture of the Year

A BC college loses its credentials, Danielle Smith speaks candidly about immigration, and the happiness of Canada’s youth plummets. Also, a US trade deal is not on the horizon.

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“[there’s] a very large number of people coming into our province who don’t have the rudimentary basics of the language.” – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on what many Albertans feel regarding immigration.

Duration: 1:03:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. private college shut down for misleading international students
• Support us on Patreon
• Danielle Smith speaks out on immigration — the Alberta premier is not holding back
• How did Canada’s young people become its unhappiest generation?
• U.S. lists demands Canada must meet to extend CUSMA
• Word of the Week: unhappiness

David Eby backtracks on indigenous reconciliation, Alberta’s job creation lowers unemployment, and the CRA spends $18M on a chatbot that doesn’t work. Also, another floor crossing shows the importance of foreign interference coverage.

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“Without regard to party lines—to safeguard the democratic election system we cherish and respect. Even if existing laws permit party-switching, the world is watching—especially countries that, under authoritarian rule, are denied democratic elections. They are observing whether Canada still has the resolve to defend democracy.” – Joe Tay, former Conservative candidate for Don Valley North on foreign interference and floor crossings.

Duration: 1:10:23
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Eby plans $150 million in loan guarantees for Cowichan land owners
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• Three month job-creation spree drives significant plunge in Alberta unemployment rate
• The CRA spent $18M on ‘Charlie,’ a new tax information chatbot that is wrong most of the time
• Ex-Conservative MP Michael Ma crosses floor to join Carney Liberals
• Word of the Week: must

John Rustad eventually resigns as BC Conservative Leader, the UCP AGM reaffirms Danielle Smith’s opposition to federal overreach, and Canada steps into the EU tent on defence. Also, a Canadian company sells military APCs to ICE.

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“I was not prepared to go forward and have that civil war. In terms of what my future is going to be, I know my wife is very much looking forward to me being home, I’m sure my bird will be happy.” – Now former BC Conservative Leader John Rustad on his resignation as leader.

Duration: 1:02:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• John Rustad resigns as leader of B.C. Conservative Party, Trevor Halford takes on interim role
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta unveils plan to resist enforcement of Ottawa’s firearm buyback program
• Europe says Canada must pay 10M euros to join EU defence deal
• ICE ordering fleet of 20 armoured vehicles from Brampton, Ont., firm
• Word of the Week: Incapacitated

Nutrien decides to export through Washington instead of BC, more UCP MLAs are facing recall campaigns, and the Dakota Nations sue for title over southwest Manitoba. Also, a memorandum sets the conditions for a west coast pipeline.

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“Investing in the United States is going to make some American governor and American officials happy that a Canadian firm is investing in their country. Good for Nutrien. And not so bad for Canada, too, that a company trying to do the best for itself and its shareholders does something that shows Americans that we really are friends and allies.” – Joel Bruneau, department head of economics at the University of Saskatchewan, on the decision for Nutrien to export through Washington rather than BC.

Duration: 1:01:39
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Saskatchewan firm’s plan to export through Washington state instead of B.C. has David Eby fuming
• Support us on Patreon
• 6 more UCP legislature members facing recall petitions, including 5 from Calgary area
• Dakota Nations claim title to mineral-rich corner of Manitoba valued at $1.3B annually
• Carney signs major energy agreement with Alberta, laying out conditions for new oil pipeline
• Word of the Week: Memorandum

The gun buyback pilot in Cape Breton produces only 22 guns, the notwithstanding clause gets misinterpreted by the media in Alberta, and BC cancels its EV mandate and rebate. Also, Canada looks at the Saab Gripen instead of the F-35.

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“The gun buyback program is something that the federal government feels is important to do and the general public might not understand, but it’s like any other rules. We still have to stop at stop signs, whether we want to or not.” – Cape Breton Councillor Glenn Paruch on the gun buyback pilot program.

Duration: 1:03:06
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Some guns turned in to buyback program, Cape Breton police commissioner says
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• Alberta invokes notwithstanding clause on trio of transgender laws
• B.C. redrawing EV sales mandate, scraps goal of 100% by 2035, leaves rebates to feds
• Sweden’s Saab offers to build entire GlobalEye military surveillance plane in Canada
• Word of the Week: Target

The media ignores internal Liberal infighting, Carney approves more major projects, and the Alberta NDP turns to Americans for public relations. Also, a DND directive that would see public service members trained by the military quietly gets scrapped.

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“The gut instinct, still, of most senior CAF leaders is to blame everyone but themselves, usually to scapegoat the media, for military-related coverage they do not like, for whatever reason, even if embarrassment is well and truly deserved. It’s a curious feature of, and sad commentary about, a seriously dated institutional mindset toward the public communications function.” – Retired Colonel Brett Boudreau on the public servant mobilization plan being leaked by the media.

Duration: 1:10:14
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Carney’s Liberals have their own internal drama happening
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• Carney refers one strategy, six initiatives to Major Projects Office
• Nenshi’s NDP relaunch gets big outside help: NYC mayor’s ad agency and Ottawa Liberals
• Canadian military will rely on an army of public servants to boost its ranks by 300,000
• Word of the Week: Project