Western Context

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

Government plans have stalled Lytton’s rebuild, the Trudeau Liberals refuse to lift the gas tax, and the Chinese state maybe interfered in the 2021 election. Also, the RCMP commissioner tried to compromise the 2020 Nova Scotia shooting investigation.

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“To rebuild to all these standards, it just didn’t fit with our community. We keep hearing that Lytton is going to be rebuilt as a model community. We don’t want to hear that anymore. We just want to go home.” – Lytton resident Denise O’Connor on the lack of progress 1 year after the Lytton wildfire.

Duration: 1:01:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Long road home: Frustration in Lytton one year after devastating fire
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• Gas tax break ‘would be irresponsible’ now, federal minister says, as Liberals focus on other priorities
• China may have tried to discourage Canadians from voting Conservative
• RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki tried to ‘jeopardize’ mass murder investigation to advance Trudeau’s gun control efforts
• Word of the Week: Frustration

Alberta could return to balanced budgets very soon, BC’s milk container deposit impacts inflation, and Elections Canada says that 200,000 mail in ballots from 2021 were not counted. Also, Erin O’Toole is ousted as Conservative leader.

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“There are two roads open to the Conservative Party of Canada. One is the road of Randy Hillier and Derek Sloan. It is angry, negative, and extreme. It is a dead-end; one that would see the party of Confederation become the NDP of the right. The other road is to better reflect the Canada of 2022. To recognize that conservatism is organic not static and that a winning message is one of inclusion, optimism, ideas and hope.” – Outgoing Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole on his vision for the Conservative Party of Canada.

Duration: 53:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Back in black? Alberta set to table budget reflecting ‘improving fiscal situation’
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• Deposit for milk and milk-substitute containers starts Feb. 1 in B.C.
• Elections Canada: 205,000 mail-in ballots were not counted
• Canada’s Conservative Leader Is Ousted
• Word of the Week: Oust

The Freedom convoy arrives in Ottawa, remains are found at another BC residential school, and the Conservatives election post mortem has been released. Also, we detail Trudeau’s broken promises on the housing crisis.

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“This journey has led our investigation team into the darkest recesses of human behaviour.” – Williams Lake First Nations Chief Willie Sellars on the search for residential school remains.

Duration: 52:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau uses trucker protests as political weapon
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• Williams Lake First Nation identifies 93 potential burial sites at former residential school
• Conservative post-election report says O’Toole was ‘over-managed’ during the campaign
• Trudeau’s housing promises still not materializing
• Word of the Week: Disparage

BC has completely missed the boat on public rapid tests, Brian Jean wins a UCP nomination contest in Fort McMurray, and Trudeau continues to ignore the economy and inflation. Also, we discuss foreign interference in Canada’s elections.

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“The response from the provincial government and the public health teams with respect to rapid antigen tests does not make a lot of sense and it also seems that the answers shift in terms of why we’re not using them. It is not very consistent.” Dr. Victor Leung, an infectious diseases physician and medical microbiologist in the Lower Mainland, on the BC government’s stance on rapid COVID tests.

Duration: 59:50
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• How B.C. missed the boat on rapid testing
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• Brian Jean claims victory in race to represent UCP in Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche byelection
• The federal Liberals’ lack of concern about the economy is bound to catch up with them
• Conservatives believe 13 ridings were targeted by foreign interference in 2021 election
• Word of the Week: Rapid

Monday’s federal election doesn’t produce much change in party standings, calls for party leaders to be changed should be weighed carefully, and criticism of CBC’s Rosemary Barton may not be just misogyny. Also, Alberta changed its Health Minister.

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“Five weeks ago, Mr. Trudeau asked for a majority. He said the minority parliament was ‘unworkable.’ But tonight Canadians did not give Mr. Trudeau the majority mandate he wanted. In fact, Canadians sent him back with another minority at the cost of $600 million and deeper divisions in our great country.” – Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, in his post-election speech.

Duration: 1:11:04
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau Wins, but Is Diminished by a Futile Election
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• Conservatives divided on what to do about Erin O’Toole after election loss
• Enough already with the demonization of CBC’s Rosemary Barton
• Tyler Shandro loses health portfolio as Premier Jason Kenney shuffles cabinet
• Word of the Week: Inconsequential

Alberta implements a ‘restriction exemption program’, the BC government isn’t overseeing the safety of 1900 dams in the province, and General Vance can’t face justice because he’s too highly ranked. Also, China’s influence in our elections continues.

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“Why is it that our only national Level 4 lab does not work through proper security protocols and actively monitor what was going on there, given the consequences of going astray? The fact that we have failed to properly vet scientists who go in there is mind-boggling.” – Retired lieutenant-general Michael Day on the lack of PHAC security measures in place at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg.

Duration: 1:09:24
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta Restriction Exemption Program and Restrictions
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• B.C. isn’t effectively overseeing safety of dams, auditor general finds
• Vance will not face military service charges; source cites his four-star rank
• Chinese PLA general collaborated with fired scientist at Canada’s top infectious disease lab
• Word of the Week: Audit

We look at how polls work and why they can’t be trusted, the BC NDP releases ICU info to get people vaccinated, and the Alberta NDP are influencing local municipal candidates. Also, Trudeau’s record on housing affordability is in question.

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Duration: 44:51
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Your 2021 Reminder on Why You Should be Skeptical of Polls
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• All COVID-19 patients under age 50 in B.C. ICUs are unvaccinated, health minister says
• Alberta NDP-connected group sought to influence Edmonton’s municipal election by limiting number of progressive candidates
• IT’S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO’: Liberal candidate says housing tax is coming
• Word of the Week: Flipping

Alberta’s economy rebounds as mask mandates reappear, thousands protest the BC NDP’s vaccine passport system outside hospitals, and yet another Trudeau ethics scandal gets buried. Also, a Liberal MP is allowed to run again amid sexual harassment claims.

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Duration: 58:37
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“I remember being incredibly stressed out, feeling completely helpless. I felt like he had shown he could do pretty much anything he wanted to do to me. I felt like there was nowhere for me to turn.” – A former staffer for Liberal MP Raj Saini, speaking her truth on how she felt about his alleged sexual harassment.

• A ‘startling’ $10B turnaround in Alberta’s deficit
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• Reports of assault, harassment as thousands protest vaccine passports outside hospitals across B.C.
• Conservatives push for Trudeau ethics probe, claim ‘troubling’ ties between PM and foundation
• Liberal candidate allowed to run for re-election despite past claims of inappropriate behaviour
• Word of Week: Harassment

Maryam Monsef refers to the Taliban as ‘our brothers’, A Chinese shipyard is building Canadian ships, and BC institutes a vaccine passport and mandatory masks. Also, Twitter labels a Chrystia Freeland tweet of O’Toole as being ‘manipulated media’.

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Duration: 53:18
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“I want to take this opportunity to speak with our brothers, the Taliban. We call on you to ensure the safe and secure passage of any individual in Afghanistan out of the country. We call on you to immediately stop the violence, the genocide, the femicide, the destruction of infrastructure, including heritage buildings” – Liberal Minister of Women and Gender Equality Maryam Monsef on the crisis in Afghanistan.

• Maryam Monsef called the Taliban ‘brothers.’ Here’s what you need to know
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• Chinese state-owned shipbuilder tapped to supply ferry for Crown corporation as Canadians remain jailed
• B.C. becomes second province to require proof of vaccination, starting Sept. 13
• Twitter adds ‘manipulated’ warning label to tweet from Liberal candidate Chrystia Freeland
• Word of the Week: Brother