Western Context

We talk about what the Queen meant to Canada, UCP candidates denounce Danielle Smith’s Sovereignty Act, and Pierre Poilievre becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

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“We are one party serving one country.” – Pierre Poilievre on the CPC becoming a united Conservative party going forward following his leadership win.

Duration: 46:06
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• What Canada meant to the Queen
• Support us on Patreon
• UCP leadership candidates unite to take aim at Danielle Smith’s sovereignty act
• Pierre Poilievre elected new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
• Western Context’s 2022 CPC Leadership Analysis
• Word of the Week: Era

A Rogers outage shows the need for telecom stability, Jean Charest promises a fair deal for Alberta, and the Premier’s summit provides no fix for healthcare. Also, Trudeau’s internet censorship Bill C-11 gets opposed by the US.

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“Alberta went through a tough time from 2014 onward, and there was no acknowledgement or recognition of that. It’s the federal government’s job to keep the country together and make sure every province is part of what we are planning and developing. And that’s not happening with the Trudeau government.” – Federal Conservative Leadership Candidate Jean Charest on Justin Trudeau’s division.

Duration: 50:38
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Rogers outage shows need for Plan B when wireless, internet services fail, analysts say
• Support us on Patreon
• Federal Conservative candidate Charest promises Alberta a new deal in Canada
• Premiers close 2-day summit, call on feds to stop negotiating health funding through the media
• Heritage Minister advisors say “misleading political communications” should also be censored
• Word of the Week: Outage

A family from China is tracked for money laundering, Edmonton needs to come up with a transit safety plan, and Poilievre fights off the little coalition of Charest and Brown. Also, the media and government imports the US gun control issue once more.

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“We need that full system of justice to come together to affect the required change to keep our communities safe. I think we have the laws on the books but we need the system (to act more strongly)” – Calgary Deputy Police Chief Paul Cook on the current gun laws in Canada.

Duration: 51:12
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Luxury mansions. Millions in suspicious bank transfers. And concern that a Chinese businessman accused of bribery helped froth Canada’s housing market
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta justice minister demands Edmonton mayor create safety plan for downtown and transit
• Little coalition’ of Charest and Brown spar with Poilievre during French-language leadership debate
• Trudeau signals new gun-control changes coming; here’s what the Liberals have promised
• Word of the Week: Kamikaze

Canada bans Huawei and ZTE from 5G networks, BC will spend $800m to replace the Royal BC Museum, and Jason Kenney will resign after a new UCP leader is chosen. Also, the media and Pierre Poilievre go to war.

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“There’s a small yet spirited minority of grassroot conservatives who’ve come to define their politics in solely oppositional terms. It derives from a position of perceived weakness in modern society. They see mainstream institutions (including corporations, universities, and the media) succumbing to an assertive form of progressivism and feel increasingly embattled in a culture that at times can be quite hostile to their ideas and values.” – The Hub, Editor-at-Large Sean Speer.

Duration: 1:08:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada banning Chinese telecom giant Huawei, ZTE from 5G networks
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. to spend $789 million to replace Royal BC Museum
• A lament for conservatism
• The danger Pierre Poilievre’s corrosive campaign poses to Canada
• Word of the Week: Dog-Whistle

A religion poll unintentionally drives a wedge on culture, Alberta energy rates are heavily impacted by the NDP carbon tax, and BC faces a critical shortage of nurses. Also, many MPs owning rental properties could be fueling the housing crisis.

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“Over the past years, we’ve seen a rise in hate crimes, a rise in intolerance and racist acts. Part of it is the pandemic, sure, and the stress and the anxiety that comes from that, but a part of it is a trend toward greater polarization in our politics, greater intolerance in our communities.” – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s theory on the origin of Canadian hate crimes.

Duration: 58:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canadians consider certain religions damaging to society: survey
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta to shake up energy market by dissolving balancing pool, consumers to pay off $1.34B loan
• We need more nurses now’: B.C. to fast track approval for internationally trained nurses
• Poilievre defends investments in rental properties while campaigning to address housing affordability
• Word of the Week: Extremism

We profile the top four candidates likely to become the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, as we delve into the history, policies, and appeal of Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis and Pierre Poilievre.

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Duration: 55:27
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Patrick Brown
• Support us on Patreon
• Jean Charest
• Leslyn Lewis
• Pierre Poilievre

Trudeau engages in photo-ops across Europe, Albertan oil becomes an elixir of freedom, and BC lifts its mandates while a convoy heads to Victoria. Also, Jean Charest and Patrick Brown enter the Conservative leadership race.

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Duration: 58:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canadian parliament asked to approve Zelenskyy address next Tuesday
• Support us on Patreon
• Nelson: Alberta’s dirty oil is suddenly an elixir of freedom
• COVID-19: B.C. to drop mask mandate Friday for indoor public spaces, vaccine card in April
• Charest’s path to the Conservative leadership is rocky, narrow and hostile
• Word of the Week: Elixir

Alberta moves to lift COVID restrictions, the BC Liberals elect Kevin Falcon as leader, and Trudeau’s own MP’s are questioning their pandemic strategies. Also, Pierre Poilievre shows us the power of social media.

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“From a positive and unifying approach, a decision was made to wedge, to divide and to stigmatize. I fear that this politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public’s trust in our public health institutions. This is not a risk we ought to be taking lightly.” – Liberal MP Joël Lightbound on his government’s approach to vaccine mandates.

Duration: 1:03:08
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta takes steps to safely return to normal
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. Liberals elect former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon as next leader
• Trudeau’s own party is starting to turn on him over Covid restrictions
• Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre says he is running for prime minister
• Word of the Week: Intransigence