Western Context

Alberta reviews new renewable energy projects, the source of BC’s wildfires is debated, and Alberta pulls support for the 2030 Commonwealth Games bid. Also, Trudeau and Poilievre trade barbs on housing.

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“After eight years of Justin Trudeau, things are going very badly… Something new is happening in Canada: tent cities in almost every town, village, and metropolitan centre. Something that was almost unheard of eight years ago before Justin Trudeau, but what do you expect people to do? They can’t pay [a] 100 per cent increase in rent.” – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on Trudeau’s housing strategy.

Duration: 53:51
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta to pause new solar and wind power projects for six months amid review of end-of-life rules
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• Evacuation order issued for parts of Osoyoos as growing wildfire crosses Canada-U.S. border
• Alberta pulls support for 2030 Commonwealth Games, bid efforts cancelled
• Trudeau pans Poilievre’s approach as ‘dangerous for Canadians’
• Word of the Week: Anger

Trudeau performs a cabinet shuffle, the media highlights private Alberta medical clinics charging member fees, and problems at BC Ferries continue. Also, a TD report shows how immigration is fuelling unaffordability.

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“A cabinet of 39 is not a serious decision-making body. As cabinet gets larger, moreover, the ministers get smaller. In a cabinet of 12, every minister is a player. As you pass 20, they start to blur together. By the time you near 40, they look like ants.” – Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet on the size of Trudeau’s new cabinet.

Duration: 53:45
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau overhauls his cabinet, drops 7 ministers and shuffles most portfolios
• NDP calls for probe into how many medical clinics are charging ‘member’ fees in Alberta
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• B.C. Ferries running out of excuses
• Canada’s Immigration Policy Driving Housing Unaffordability, Higher Rates – TD
• Word of the Week: Shuffle

An ex-RCMP officer is charged with using information to help China, Alberta’s health minister has a mandate to review and reform AHS, and Canada is committed to the digital services tax. Also, Steven Guilbeault continues to attack the oil and gas sector.

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“If it wasn’t clear before, it is now. The Trudeau government doesn’t want to just reduce emissions in our energy sector, they want to completely shut down our energy sector.” – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe on new revelations about a federal emission cap.

Duration: 1:03:02
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Ex-Canadian Mountie charged over alleged China interference
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• Health minister given mandate to review, reform Alberta Health Services
• Canada pushing ahead with tax on Big Tech opposed by U.S., Freeland says
• Western premiers push back as Guilbeault calls for ‘phase-out of unabated fossil fuels’
• Word of the Week: Unabated

The Bank of Canada raises interest rates again, a conference on LNG takes place in Vancouver, and Edmonton’s mayor pleads for bail reform. Also, Toronto’s new mayor Olivia Chow was helped by pro-China groups.

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“We don’t live in a bubble here on the West Coast. What happens in Asia happens to us. We must work with Asian countries to help them reduce their GHG emissions while we build our own decarbonized economy. This means providing them with low to zero-carbon alternatives to the energy they currently depend upon.” – Haisla First Nation Chief Crystal Smith on the need to develop Canadian LNG projects.

Duration: 1:03:02
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Bank of Canada raises its key interest rate to 5%
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• Alberta and B.C. in talks to expand Canadian LNG reach globally, Danielle Smith says
• Edmonton mayor pleads for ‘immediate action’ on bail reform after stabbing death at LRT station
• Pro-Beijing groups claim credit for helping Olivia Chow win Toronto mayoralty. She says she was unaware
• Word of the Week: Conference

BC’s dockworkers are on strike, CBC retracts the Smith email interference story, and the Liberals and opposition make headway towards a public inquiry. Also, we look at the possible expansion of medical assistance in dying.

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“Since the Liberals finally stopped fighting a public inquiry close to a month ago, we have been engaged with all parties multiple times a week to agree on terms for a public inquiry. Conservatives are ready to accept the latest proposal for terms of reference that was discussed, but neither Dominic LeBlanc nor his office picked up the phone or answered an e-mail in the five days following the last meeting. The Prime Minister should stop his baseless attacks and get his minister to answer our calls.” – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on the previous lack of agreement on the public inquiry into foreign interference.

Duration: 52:09
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta minister calls for back-to-work legislation to end B.C. port strike
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• CBC News retracts report alleging email interference by Alberta premier’s office
• Conservatives say parties reach agreement on terms for foreign interference inquiry
• Two Trudeau ministers seem awfully uncomfortable with euthanizing the mentally ill
• Word of the Week: Agreement

A couple by-elections show the challenges for BC United’s rebranding, Google is set to remove Canadian news links in search, and BC’s children’s minister faces calls to resign. Also, a senate report shows the underfunded Arctic region’s importance.

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“Canada’s armed forces are highly skilled and fiercely dedicated, but they remain below complement, under-resourced and stretched to the limit.” – Senator Tony Dean on the state of Canada’s military.

Duration: 1:00:47
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• What does BC United’s poor byelection showing mean for the party?
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• Google set to remove news links in Canada
• First Nations in B.C. call on minister to resign over horrific child abuse case
• Lack of resources hurting Canada’s Arctic defence, says senate report
• Word of the Week: Incomprehensible

Half of small businesses can’t repay their CEBA loans, Danielle Smith negotiates climate targets with the federal government, and the amount paid by BC renters has reached a crisis level. Also, we see just how much McKinsey has affected the opioid crisis.

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“There is near panic on the part of close to half of Canada’s small businesses about the looming deadline that is approaching for CEBA loans. About 43 per cent of small businesses are telling us they just don’t have the money to repay their CEBA loans and they’re gonna have to take some pretty drastic action if they are required to repay them by the end of this year.” – Dan Kelly, president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, on the looming deadline for small businesses to repay their pandemic CEBA loans.

Duration: 55:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Government’s $50-billion loan program coming due, but many businesses can’t pay
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• Smith unyielding on federal targets for climate, energy sector
• Crisis level’ of B.C. renters spending more than half their income on rent and utilities
• McKinsey pitched Purdue Pharma Canada on plan to boost opioid sales in 2014, memo reveals
• Word of the Week: Due

BC Hydro is looking for more energy sources, Supreme Court judge Russell Brown retires amid controversy, and a wildfire cuts off Vancouver Island’s west coast. Also, serial killer Paul Bernardo is moved from max to medium security.

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“It is very clear that I should have been briefed at the time, and that is something that I made abundantly clear to my staff. I’ve taken the corrective steps to ensure that that does not happen again. What’s important is that these issues are identified and they’re corrected and so that is what I have done with my team. It is important that I get those briefings in a timely manner.” – Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino

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

• B.C. Hydro set to start first hunt in 15 years for new electricity sources
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• Supreme Court Justice Russell Brown retires, ending judicial review
• Transportation network fragile on Vancouver Island
• Staff in Mendicino’s office knew about Bernardo transfer months before minister did, his office says
• Word of the Week: Hardened

David Johnson resigns as special rapporteur, the Bank of Canada hikes interest rates again, and the Five Eyes countries have a meeting about UFOs. Also, a clash of culture during Pride month shows Canada’s increasing polarization.

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“When I undertook the task of independent special rapporteur on foreign interference, my objective was to help build trust in our democratic institutions. I have concluded that, given the highly partisan atmosphere around my appointment and work, my leadership has had the opposite effect.” – Former Governor General David Johnston on his resignation

Duration: 50:47
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• David Johnston resigning as special rapporteur on foreign interference
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• Canadian economy loses 17,000 jobs + interest rates
• Canada attends first-of-its-kind UFO briefing at the Pentagon
• You don’t belong here’: Canadian teacher lambastes Muslim student for eschewing Pride
• Word of the Week: Resign

Danielle Smith’s UCP wins a majority government in Alberta, BC’s health care crisis gets overdramatized, and Erin O’Toole says CSIS warned him of China’s interference. Also, a tweet from Pierre Poilievre highlights the homeless problem in Canada.

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“Welcome to another miracle on the prairies!” – Premier Danielle Smith on the UCP winning the Alberta 2023 election.

Duration: 56:53
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta United Conservatives win majority government
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• Fellow Canadians: Visit British Columbia at your own risk
• Erin O’Toole says CSIS has informed him he was target of voter suppression and misinformation campaign by China
• Kelowna encampment residents speak out after Poilievre compares designated sleeping area to 3rd world country
• Word of the Week: Risk