Western Context

In Alberta clickbait dominates a headline about UCP education policy, the BC NDP flip-flop and conduct dozens of partisan appointments, the media questions the accuracy of polling, and an acquitted ISIS fan fights to stay in Canada. Should he be able to?

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Duration: 41:34
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says United Conservatives are determined to bring harm to gay children
• (BC) NDP government stacks jobs with partisan insiders
• ANALYSIS: Poll finds Scheer’s Tories ahead of Trudeau’s Liberals but can we believe it?
• Acquitted ISIS supporter fights to stay in Canada
• Word of the Week: Acquit

An Alberta NDP bill creating a new timezone is defeated, the BC NDP replace big money donations with taxpayer money, the feds’ small business tax changes affect millions of Canadians, and a fake story from Victoria garners international media outrage.

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Duration: 40:47
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Committee decides Albertans should keep changing clocks twice a year
• B.C. taxpayers to foot campaign-finance bill banning corporate, union donations
• Ottawa’s tax reforms are about feeding the spending beast, not fairness
• B.C. filmmaker admits using fake name to promote ticket policy charging white males more
• Word of the Week: Taxation

A video of Jagmeet Singh being heckled takes off in the media, an oilsands company defends Notley’s carbon tax, but who’s paying? Also, Horgan’s “slimy” remarks lead to a taxpayer funded lawsuit, lastly, some insensitive articles posted on Sept 11th.

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Duration: 37:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• John Ivison: Jagmeet Singh heckler video may be his Trudeau boxing match moment
• Company defends Rachel Notley’s support for the oilsands after Brian Jean attacks NDP
• B.C. taxpayers likely to foot bill in Horgan/Wilson fiasco
• What happens when an ISIS member returns to Canada? The story of one Toronto-area man
• Word of the Week: insensitive

Is Kenney’s balanced budget feasible? The NDP calls it “mean spirited”! A BC Liberal “betrays” his party to become speaker, the federal government want to change taxes impacting small businesses, and McKenna virtue signalling in the NAFTA negotiations.

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Duration: 37:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Jason Kenney proposes drastic cut to Alberta’s per capita spending, balanced budget in 3 years
• BC Liberal goes against party wishes, acclaimed as Speaker of the House
• Jack Mintz: Mere ‘tweaks’ won’t fix the Liberals’ draconian tax-reform plan
• Catherine McKenna says she is ‘done’ with ‘ridiculous’ Tory language on environment
• Word of the Week: Virtue signalling

Canada has strong economic growth; why are there still deficits? Tolls on BC bridges are eliminated shifting costs to taxpayers, a meme from Jason Kenney causes overblown coverage, and the Feds are spending money in Lac-Saint-Jean ahead of a by-election.

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Duration: 36:48
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada’s economy blows away forecasts with 4.5% growth — its strongest start to year since 2002
• Eliminating tolls might be a bridge too far for B.C. taxpayers
• ‘Sexist’ meme tweet by Jason Kenney draws criticism, spokesperson calls outrage ‘contrived’
• Liberals to fund high-speed Internet in Lac-Saint-Jean ahead of key by-election
• Word of the Week: Meme

Planners seem deaf to the hurdles of Edmonton LRT expansion, Trudeau’s advisor defends his friend’s cushy diplomat appointment, the government focuses on climate change not natural resources with NAFTA, and a teacher’s union is trying to revise history.

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Duration: 48:48
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Edmonton city councillors ignorant of LRT planning
• Gerald Butts defends new consul-general Rana Sarkar’s salary
• Climate change still a priority in NAFTA talks: environment minister
• Ontario teachers’ union wants John A. Macdonald elementary schools renamed
• Word of the Week: Revisionism

The NDP rules out amalgamation in Victoria despite local support, the media overcovers AB MLA Fildebrandt leaving the UCP, 3800 illegal migrants in August already and a lack of immigrant integration, and the meltdown at The Rebel. What’s true, what isn’t?

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Duration: 55:08
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. rules out amalgamating capital region, ponders more sharing of services
• Alberta MLA Derek Fildebrandt steps down from United Conservative Party caucus
• Douglas Todd: Canada struggling to ‘absorb’ immigrants, internal report says
• Ezra Levant’s ‘damage control’ not enough for UCP leadership hopeful taking on The Rebel
• Word of the Week: Far right

A special Right Side episode! We profile the 4 federal NDP leadership candidates and policies that could majorly impact the Canadian economy. Also, a quick rundown of major headlines, including housing allowances, Trans Mountain, and Brad Wall retiring.

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Duration: 53:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Finance critic Derek Fildebrandt rents downtown digs on Airbnb while claiming housing allowance
• Trans Mountain Pipeline is not in B.C.’s best interest says BC NDP government
• Premier Brad Wall resigns as leader of Saskatchewan Party
• NDP Leadership race membership deadline: August 17, 2017
• First ballot on September 18th. With a new ballot each week until October 29th if necessary
• Charlie Angus
• Jagmeet Singh
• Guy Caron
• Niki Ashton
• Word of the Week: Justice

In BC, Trudeau falling into the ocean gets covered more than real news, does Kenney actually “vow repercussions” against BC on pipelines, a license plate dispute highlights being offended vs charter rights, and an update on the illegal border crossers.

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Duration: 39:25
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• How Trudeau is covered in the local BC media
• Jason Kenney vows repercussions against B.C. over Trans Mountain pipeline
• Resistance is not futile when it comes to freedom of expression
• Montreal’s Olympic Stadium used as shelter for asylum seekers
• Word of the Week: Offensive

Christy Clark surprisingly resigns in BC, poor journalism on the Unity agreement in Alberta, Petronas cancels a $11.4B investment in Prince Rupert, and Rolling Stone’s glowing piece on Trudeau actually has a lot of errors. What else are they wrong about?

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Duration: 40:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Christy Clark resigns as leader of B.C. Liberal party, Rich Coleman to serve as interim leader
• Graham Thomson: Divisive leadership race about to rock the unity boat
• Petronas cancels $11.4-billion LNG project near Prince Rupert
• A few things in Rolling Stone’s profile of Justin Trudeau that were just plain wrong
• Word of the Week: Development