Western Context

Trudeau’s 2024 budget features billions in new spending, Champagne tries to lure foreign grocers to Canada, and Alberta keeps its default electricity rate. Also, the federal government halts the deportation of a law-breaking climate activist.

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“Who pays? Who pays for this latest $50b orgy of spending by this costly Prime Minister? .. YOU will pay. You, the welder or waitress who can’t pay your mortgage because he’s inflated mortgage rates. You will pay because he carbon taxed your food and now you can’t feed your kids.” – Pierre Poilievre on 9 years of continued deficits.

Duration: 52:31
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Budget 2024 tries to sell youth a more affordable life with billions in spending
• Support us on Patreon
• Canada Targets 12 Foreign Grocers to Lure to Food-Retailing Market
• Get ready for the Rate of Last Resort, as Alberta tweaks — but keeps — its default electricity rate
• Feds halt deportation of B.C.-based climate activist
• Word of the Week: Pander

BC gets another credit downgrade, Alberta battles the federal government over municipal control, and Trudeau’s South-East Asia trip cost $2M. Also, the CSIS director testifies that the Trudeau government did know about foreign interference.

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“I guess one way to beat the high cost of groceries in Canada is to take a government work trip and bill taxpayers for fancy airplane food.” – Canadian Taxpayers Federation Federal Director Franco Terrazzano on Trudeau’s lavish diplomatic trips around the world.

Duration: 51:55
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• British Columbia Gets Third Credit Downgrade in Three Years
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• Alberta to introduce legislation preventing municipal-federal deals without province’s OK
• PM’s six-day Indo-Pacific trip cost $2M, including $200K in catering
• CSIS director testifies Trudeau government was warned repeatedly about Chinese foreign interference
• Word of the Week: Downgrade

A majority of Canada’s premiers align against Trudeau’s carbon tax, BC sees open drug use in hospitals, and Edmonton’s rolling blackouts show Alberta’s energy vulnerabilities. Also, MP Han Dong’s testimony shows the extent of Chinese foreign interference.

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“I was deeply troubled that I was exposed and the government doesn’t seem to care. And now I have learned they knew all about it. It is almost like I was drowning, and they were watching. In my view the buck stops with the Prime Minister. He let me down.” – Former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu on the foreign interference from China that caused him to lose his seat.

Duration: 55:49
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• N.L.’s Liberal premier calls for emergency meeting with PM as anti-carbon tax protests snarl highways
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• ‘Happening daily’: Vancouver Island nurses raise concerns about open drug use in hospitals
• Tight supply’: 20K in Edmonton hit with rolling blackouts after grid alert
• Canadian Lawmaker Testifies Chinese Students Were Bused In to Elect Him
• Word of the Week: Intelligence

Canada refuses to sell LNG to another NATO ally, BC’s Haida Nation will have title over all of Haida Gwaii, and a third of gig workers would consider tax fraud. Also, $42m has been spent on Trudeau’s nonexistent gun buyback.

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“Not only has not a single firearm been confiscated, the program itself doesn’t even exist — not even for willing retailers anxious to off-load unsellable inventory. The whole premise of the 2020 gun ban was that these firearms, previously approved for sporting and hunting purposes by the RCMP lab, were simply too dangerous to own. Yet four years later, they are all exactly where they’ve been for decades, if not generations — in the gun safes of licensed, RCMP-vetted gun owners.” – Tracey Wilson, spokesperson for the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights on the Liberals’ stalled gun buyback.

Duration: 49:33
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada brushes off yet another country begging it for LNG
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• B.C.’s Haida Nation to have title over all of Haida Gwaii
• A third of Canadian gig workers are willing to commit tax fraud to keep their income, new survey finds
• Ottawa has already spent $42M on a Liberal gun ‘buyback’ that still doesn’t exist
• Word of the Week: Boondoggle

The Conservative non confidence motion against Trudeau fails, the Liberals want to move the election date, and the Alberta NDP does not legally exist. Also, the RCMP warns that Canadians may revolt against the government.

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“I think Canadians are … just going to ask the obvious question: ‘Why do we have to bump it a week back and not a week early?’ Canadians have every right to believe that this looks like the government is pushing back the election so more MPs can take a very lucrative taxpayer-funded pension.” – Franco Terrazzano, the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation on the ‘suspicious’ election day change.

Duration: 49:33
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Poilievre-led attempt to bring down Trudeau minority over carbon tax fails
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• Liberals’ elections law reforms could yield generous pensions for dozens of MPs
• Court says Alberta NDP does not exist
• Secret RCMP report warns Canadians may revolt once they realize how broke they are
• Word of the Week: Antagonize

Alberta moves to allow municipal political parties, the auditor general fires government employees getting money on the side, and Canada pauses non-lethal exports to Israel. Also, Toronto Police give bad advice to deter car thieves.

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“We might as well leave cookies and milk at the front door along with a note. ‘Dear Mr. Criminal, the keys are in the mailbox, don’t kick my door in.’” – Ontario Premier Doug Ford on the Toronto Police’s advice to keep car keys by the front door to prevent injury during home invasions.

Duration: 56:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta to introduce legislation allowing political parties on municipal ballots
• Support us on Patreon
• Auditor general’s office discovers three of its own employees earning side money off undisclosed government contracts
• Trudeau government has paused non-lethal military exports to Israel over human rights concerns
• Toronto Police: Just Let the Thieves Steal Your Car
• Word of the Week: Faraday

BC safe supply drugs are found in the hands of organized crime, we finally put the 2017 UCP leadership allegations to rest, and BC affordable housing is not going to intended buyers. Also, Canada restores its funding to UNRWA.

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“What we have seen in Prince George is people taking prescribed medication, some of which is dedicated as safe supply prescription drugs, and selling them to organized crime groups in exchange for more potent illicit drugs. It might mean how we regulate our safe supply might need a sober second glance.” – RCMP Corp. Jennifer Cooper on the diversion of safe supply drugs to organized crime.

Duration: 56:59
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C.’s ‘safe supply’ drugs being sold by organized crime across Canada
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• No charges as RCMP conclude probe into Alberta’s 2017 UCP leadership race
• Affordable-housing pilot in Victoria allegedly ‘undermined’ by buyers who already owned homes
• Canadian government will resume funding to United Nations relief agency for Palestinians
• Word of the Week: Affordable

The Liberals’ new online harms act includes heavy punishments, Alberta’s 2024 budget contains surprises, and the new pharmacare plan covers very little medications. Also, new documents reveal more on the Winnipeg lab scientist firings.

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“There’s a genuine fear of an escalation, then an individual or group could come forward and seek a peace bond against them and to prevent them from doing certain things. [The pre-emptive house arrest] would help to deradicalize people who are learning things online and acting out in the real world violently – sometimes fatally.” – Liberal Justice Minister Arif Virani on his government’s plan to house arrest people before they commit crimes.

Duration: 1:03:32
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Liberals’ “online hate” bill contains $20K fines for speech and life imprisonment for hate crimes
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta 2024 Budget
• Pharmacare cornerstone has been laid but where are the blueprints and budget?
• Censored documents about Winnipeg scientists reveal threat to Canada’s security
• Word of the Week: Pharmacare

Trudeau and Singh reach a deal on pharmacare, BC’s budget introduces a flipping tax and lots of spending, and Danielle Smith wants to build up the Heritage fund. Also, the BC NDP wants us to stop using the term British Columbians.

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“The term ‘British Columbians’ is often used to reference people living in B.C. This term excludes Indigenous Peoples who may not identify with it. For many, they identify as members of their own sovereign nations and do not consider themselves part of one that has actively worked to assimilate their people.” – the BC NDP government’s writing guide on Indigenous topics.

Duration: 57:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Pharmacare deal to help affordability, bring down inflation
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. Budget 2024 includes new ‘flipping tax’ on homes
• One last shot’ — Smith vows to build up Heritage Fund, move Alberta off royalty roller-coaster
• BC instructs people to stop saying “British Columbians” because it’s offensive
• Word of the Week: Guide

Steven Guilbeault says the feds will stop investing in roads, the Alberta government improves the childcare system, and BC suspends the license of a company that drives into highway overpasses. Also, ArriveCan costs even more money than we thought before.

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“The astonishing part is that the company thinks that they should still be able to operate. My only hope is that on the way to court, they don’t run into a bridge. I encourage them to take the bus or some other form of public transit on the way to the courthouse.” – BC Premier David Eby on the suspended trucking company Chohan Freight Forwarders Ltd. appealing the decision by the provincial government to suspend their license after numerous highway overpass impacts.

Duration: 56:32
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Feds will stop investing in ‘large’ road projects, environment minister says
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• Operators welcome Alberta government’s changes to child-care system
• B.C. cancels company’s operating licence after 6 overpass strikes
• We paid too much’: Canada’s AG blasts CBSA over ArriveCan app
• Word of the Week: Infrastructure