Western Context

The Emergencies Act commission report has been released, the DFO is shutting down 15 BC coastal salmon farms, and an Edmonton councillor proposes a mansion tax. Also, CSIS confirms that China has interfered in our elections.

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“First Nations from the coast are trying to find their feet when it comes to reclaiming what was taken away from them by the federal government…[C]oastal Nations are trying to take back their inherent rights to manage their traditional waters. This was about the sovereignty of the Laich-kwil-tach Nations and their right to decide for themselves whether salmon farming, or any other resource, is the right fit for their marine plans. Unfortunately, the decision was once again taken away from them by a government located 5,000 kilometres away.” – Coalition of First Nations Finfish Stewardship spokesman Dallas Smith on the federal government’s decision to not renew 15 salmon farm licenses.

Duration: 1:09:45
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau met threshold to invoke Emergencies Act, commission finds
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• Fisheries Department to shut 15 salmon farms off B.C.’s coast to protect wild fish
• Janz’s mansion tax idea dies in Edmonton, lower taxes for apartments possible
• CSIS documents reveal Chinese strategy to influence 2021 election
• Word of the Week: Sovereignty

Trudeau announces new funding towards health care transfers, Alberta campaign funding coverage shows double standards, and David Eby announces funding for BC’s municipalities. Also, the Roxham road issue continues to get worse.

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“The military gave me and my family free bus tickets. I am going to Canada for a better quality of life for my family.” – Migrant Raymond Peña on his free trip to Canada and eventual entry at Roxham Road.

Duration: 1:06:23
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• PM Trudeau presents premiers $196B health-care funding deal, including $46B in new funding
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• ‘Huge concern’: Opposition says Alberta premier should come clean on campaign funding
• Premier David Eby announces $1 billion in grants for municipalities
• NYC now paying for bus fare if migrants head north to Roxham Road
• Word of the Week: Crisis

The Trudeau government contracts with McKinsey until 2100, Freeland tries to maintain competitiveness with the US, and millions were spent on unused quarantine hotels. Also, a Chinese aircraft drifting over North America shows gaps in our defences.

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“Government waste is always a problem, but waste of this magnitude when deficit spending needs to be reined in due to inflationary pressures shows that Trudeau doesn’t have the capacity or willingness to get things under control.” – Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner on Trudeau’s wasteful pandemic spending.

Duration: 54:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• The federal government has signed an open contract until the year 2100 with McKinsey for computer services
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• Freeland to call for joint federal-provincial effort to counter Biden’s tax credits
• New hotel expense makes Trudeau’s $6000 night in London seem like little potatoes
• US fighter jets shoot down Chinese spy balloon off East Coast
• Word of the Week: Airship

Trudeau’s first envoy to combat Islamophobia is criticized in Quebec, Alberta’s credit rating gets upgraded, and a BC councillor wants to tie traffic fines to income. Also, the CRA refuses to investigate billions in unaccounted COVID spending.

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“The Government of Quebec and Quebecers are not racists. There may be racists in Quebec, as there are in the rest of Canada and as there are in the rest of the world. There may be people who are anti-Muslim and I regret that. […] But to call Quebecers anti-Muslims, to say that the law on secularism reflects anti-Muslim sentiment, is to show a great misunderstanding of who Quebeckers are and what the law is.” – Jean-François Roberge, the Quebec Minister of the French Language and Canadian Relations on the comments by Canada’s first special representative on combating Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby.

Duration: 48:03
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau wants Amira Elghawaby to clarify remarks about Quebeckers
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• Moody’s upgrades Alberta government’s credit profile
• B.C. councillor proposes tying traffic fines to offenders’ incomes
• Review of billions of COVID-19 wage benefits not worth the effort, CRA head says
• Word of the Week: Benefit

Canada could send tanks to Ukraine, but are they operational? We detail the problems with Canada’s catch and release criminal justice system, and phantom emails from the UCP create controversy. Also, yet another Liberal minister has ethics problems.

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“I would say that catch and release works well when you’re fishing. It doesn’t work so well when you’re dealing with serious offenders.” – Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe on the differences between fish and criminals.

Duration: 53:40
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Is Canada not sending its tanks to Ukraine because they’re broken?
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• How B.C.’s ‘catch and release’ system is failing victims of random assaults and repeat offenders
• Smith responds to allegations staff member emailed Alberta Crown Prosecution Service over Coutts blockade
• Hussen’s office gave $93k in PR work to senior staffer’s sister’s foodie firm
• Word of the Week: Foodie

The Trudeau Liberals finally decide to buy F-35s, BC residents are fed up with rural property crime, and Trudeau tries wedge politics on Alberta’s climate policy. Also, the media ignores the effects of supply management on grocery inflation.

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“They [being the Conservatives] just talked about it like it was obvious. It was obvious, as we saw through the entire process, that they were particularly, and some might say unreasonably or unhealthily, attached to the F-35 aircraft.” – 2015 Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the purchase of the F-35 fighter jet.

• Canada finalizes deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets by 2032
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• Fed-up with crime, civilian group starts patrolling the streets in Dawson Creek, B.C.
• Trudeau trash talks Alberta climate change action, draws hot response from Danielle Smith
• The conspiracy to inflate food prices is real. It’s time to rethink supply management
• Word of the Week: Vigilante

The Alberta NDP advocates for higher fuel prices, federal workers resist a partial return to the offices, and Canada adds over 100,000 jobs in December. Also, Canada welcomed a record number of immigrants in 2022.

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Duration: 57:29
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• As Alberta fuel tax paused, expert says prices in line with market
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• Lives have changed’: Federal workers in Greater Victoria resist mandate to return to office
• Canada’s economy added 104,000 jobs in December, blowing well past expectations
• Canadians are right to worry about immigration levels
• Word of the Week: Self-inflicted

We look at 2022’s news stories, including changing BC and Alberta leadership, rising inflation, and gun control and online policies. We also go over our favourite pictures, quotes, words and episodes of the year.

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Duration: 59:52
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
• Quote of the Year
• Picture of the Year

We uncover more about foreign influence in Canada, Edmonton city council votes to increase property taxes, and yet another Trudeau cabinet minister breaks ethics rules. Also, Canada is banning single use plastics, but will it really help the environment?

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“There is simply no excuse for contracting with a friend’s company. Ministers are expected to uphold the highest standards of accountability, including those set out in the Conflict of Interest Act. Complying with the act is a condition of appointment and employment for all public office holders.” – Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion on International Trade Minister Mary Ng’s ethics violation.

Duration: 58:24
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Help us out by taking our Fall 2022 Survey!
• Ottawa hears of ‘active foreign interference network’ in secret Privy Council Office memo
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• Edmonton passes 5% tax increases; Cartmell calls it ‘very dangerous’ for affordability
• Trade Minister Mary Ng broke ethics rules over contract to friend, commissioner rules
• Phase 1 of Canada’s single-use plastics ban comes into effect this month. These are the products on the list
• Word of the Week: Waste

A new report uncovers a Chinese ‘police station’ in Vancouver, Alberta secures children’s pain medication, and Veteran Affairs offers medical assistance in dying to veterans. Also, First Nations and northern MPs speak out against Trudeau’s gun ban bill.

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“Our young hunters that are growing up, they just don’t send them up to the bush with a gun. There’s a whole process that has to do with our customs, our values, our traditions… No government has a right to take that away from us and regulate that. That is our job as mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and hunters.“ – Chief Tammy Cook of Lac La Ronge Band in Saskatchewan on Bill C-21 amendments.

Duration: 50:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Help us out by taking our Fall 2022 Survey!
• ‘Dangerous’: Concerns raised about possible Chinese ‘secret police station’ in Vancouver
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• Alberta secures 5 million bottles of children’s pain and fever meds to distribute across province, then country
• Former paralympian tells MPs veterans department offered her assisted death
• ‘Potential culture clash’: Some northerners critical of federal firearms bill
• Word of the Week: Hubris