Western Context

Alberta amends the Bill of Rights, BC’s election result shows a tenuous NDP majority, and the Trudeau Liberals spent $2M on podcasts. Also, several elected officials get named as beneficiaries of foreign interference.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“All the way through the campaign, David Eby, quite frankly, was a habitual liar about who we are, about what we did, about our platform. I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, it’s okay, that’s who he is, that’s his personality.’ I’ll certainly be looking to call him out in the legislature.” – John Rustad on how contentious the next BC Legislature will be following October’s election.

Duration: 1:00:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta Bill of Rights Amendments
• Support us on Patreon
• The counting still isn’t done in B.C.’s election. Here’s what happens next
• Federal Liberals spent nearly $2M to produce podcasts
• MP Kevin Vuong Discusses Foreign Interference
• Word of the Week: Recount

The BC election results are still in limbo, the Alberta Pathways Alliance has high hopes for carbon capture, and Trudeau laments that he didn’t get the balance quite right on immigration.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“Sonia is not obviously a big fan of democracy. The people of various ridings have spoken as to who should be elected and who shouldn’t be elected.” – Conservative Party of BC leader John Rustad on unelected Green Leader Sonia Furstenau’s criticism of elected candidates.

Duration: 1:05:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. election results: Mail-in ballots favouring NDP as recounts begin in 2 ridings
• Massive oilsands carbon capture project gains ‘hope’ after Wilkinson, Freeland meet with Pathways Alliance
• Trudeau says drastic immigration cuts are because ‘we didn’t get the balance quite right’
• Word of the Week: Statistical Tie

Alberta launches a national ad campaign, the BC Conservatives released their platform just days before the election, and Trudeau says he knows who is involved in foreign interference. Also, Canada expels Indian diplomats.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“Once again, Ottawa is attempting to set policies that are shortsighted and reckless. We’re challenging proposed policy that would stifle our energy industry, kill jobs and ruin economies by launching a national campaign that tells Ottawa to ‘scrap the cap’.” – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on why the province is introducing a new ad campaign against Ottawa.

Duration: 59:57
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta launches national ad campaign to ‘scrap the cap’
• Support us on Patreon
• Cost of BC Conservatives’ promises announced just days before election
• Trudeau tells inquiry some Conservative parliamentarians are involved in foreign interference
• How Indian government agents in Canada targeted Modi’s opponents
• Word of the Week: cap

A misleading article defends Eby’s crime record, capital gains tax increases yield less revenue than expected, and TD bank is fined billions in the US for money laundering. Also, Canadian doctors now have to be on the lookout for scurvy.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“Really, if you’re not thinking about scurvy, then there’s no way that you’re going to be able to diagnose it … the case presents a complex example of food insecurity manifesting as an uncommon diagnosis.” – Dr. Sally Engelhart on diagnosing scurvy in Canada.

Duration: 58:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. Election Fact Check: Conservatives say NDP soft on crime
• Support us on Patreon
• Capital gains tax hike to yield less than 40% of revenue forecast by Liberals
• TD Bank fined $3B US after pleading guilty in historic U.S. money-laundering case
• Canadian doctors warned to be on the lookout for scurvy
• Word of the Week: Archaic

The federal by-elections deal another loss to Trudeau’s Liberals, the BC election campaign officially starts, and Alberta is investing in new schools. Also, involuntary care becomes David Eby’s newest policy reversal.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“Now, after our party clearly outlined a plan to bring compassion and accountability to addiction treatment, Eby is suddenly pretending to be on board. People of all ages are being abandoned to their addictions, left to suffer and die while this government hands out drug supplies instead of real help.” – BC Conservative leader John Rustad on David Eby’s reversal on involuntary care.

Duration: 57:11
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Another Blow to Trudeau: Liberals Lose a Long-Held Seat
• Support us on Patreon
• John Rustad lays out plan if elected as B.C.’s next leader
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces $8.6B in school builds
• B.C. to open ‘highly secure’ involuntary care facilities
• Word of the Week: Involuntary

The BC NDP flip flop on the carbon tax, Alberta doesn’t want any more asylum seekers, and the DND spends almost $40m on sleeping bags that don’t work. Also, a new feminist report on space exploration raises eyebrows.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“I wonder if they should have just gone to Canadian Tire. You need to test to make sure that the new kit works, because it does not always work. We’re getting such difficulties and challenges from a no-brainer, such as sleeping bags. And when you start thinking about the over-the-horizon radars, the F-35 and its parts, and presumably the submarines, at one point — I mean, it just does not fill one with too much confidence.” – Ron Huebert, a defence expert on Arctic matters, on the sleeping bag boondoggle.

Duration: 55:51
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. to scrap consumer carbon tax if federal government drops legal requirement
• Support us on Patreon
• Smith says Alberta opposes feds’ asylum claimants relocation plan, ‘cannot afford it’
• Canadian Army says new military sleeping bags not suitable for ‘typical Canadian winter’
• DND paid $32K for ‘intersectional feminist’ report on space exploration
• Word of the Week: Invisibilize

Kevin Falcon suspends BC United’s election campaign, Trudeau appoints more partisan Liberals to the Senate, and Liberal staffers pull support from the byelection campaigns. Also, Trudeau announces a reduction in temporary foreign workers.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“I don’t know what metaphor to use here, whether it’s a bandwagon or whether it’s a snowball rolling downhill or what it is, but he jumped on it. John’s got a very successful, emerging, boisterous brand – the Conservative brand – without having to really do anything.” – Former BC Liberal cabinet minister Bill Bennett on the groundswell of support for the BC Conservatives.

Duration: 1:02:44
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Kevin Falcon to fold BC United Party, suspend campaign
• Support us on Patreon
• Albertans Kristopher Wells and Daryl Fridhandler appointed to Senate
• Liberal staffers pull support for party in Montreal byelection, citing government’s stance on Gaza
• Trudeau announces reduction in temporary foreign workers, suggests more immigration changes to come
• Word of the Week: Moribund

Calgary’s water system may be worse than expected, Poilievre wants tariffs on Chinese EVs and metals, and the UCP has issues with the popularity of their special projects. Also, BC’s affordable housing program is not actually about affordable housing.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“The Housing Hub program is a supply-based program. It’s not an affordability program. The whole intent of the Housing Hub was just to build more housing. And it was intended to be market (rate) rental housing.” – Michael Pistrin, vice-president of development for B.C. Housing on how the affordable housing program was not actually about affordable housing.

Duration: 56:19
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Urgent repairs needed for Calgary’s water system, PipeDiver inspection finds 16 new hot spots
• Support us on Patreon
• As Poilievre and industry call for Chinese EV tariff package, Liberals say stay tuned
• Alberta government backs away from podcast comments made by Premier Smith, Calgary MLA
• B.C. NDP explains why $2B housing affordability program was not about, er, delivering affordable housing
• Word of the Week: Market rate

A terror plot in Toronto gets thwarted, BC United wants to put their former name on the ballot, and Calgary’s Green line is more expensive and shorter than planned. Also, Harjit Sajjan lobbied to get soldiers to participate in a pop concert.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“Minister Sajjan will continue to support historical achievements with great economic and cultural benefits for Vancouver. Sajjan attended the concert with his family, bought his own tickets, and all expenses were covered by Sajjan personally. It was a terrific show.” – Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan’s press secretary on not apologizing for asking the Canadian Armed Forces to send 100 soldiers to participate in a Punjabi concert.

Duration: 54:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Toronto terror arrests raise questions about security screening
• Support us on Patreon
• Opposition BC United party looks to add former Liberal party name to election ballot
• Council approves budget hike for Green Line LRT, cutting 6 stations from Phase 1
• Cabinet minister Harjit Sajjan requested 100 soldiers to perform with Punjabi pop star Diljit Dosanjh
• Word of the Week: Aggravate

Doug Ford calls for tariffs on Chinese EVs, an unknown group funds BC attack ads, and Bill C-59 reduces advertising transparency from companies. Also, Trudeau racks up a $223k catering bill on the Indo-Pacific trip.

Download Now
Direct Download – 64 Kbit MP3 (Full Show Notes)

“It might be tough to connect with the middle class while chowing down on lamb shanks served on fine China and billing taxpayers for it. You shouldn’t need a focus group to recommend telling the prime minister to turn down the baked cheesecake with pistachio brittle when Canadians are lining up around the block at the foodbank.” – Canadian Taxpayers Federation Director Franco Terrazzano on Trudeau’s $220k catering bill for the Indo-Pacific trip.

Duration: 59:24
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Doug Ford calls for tariffs on Chinese EVs: ‘We risk Ontario and Canadian jobs’
• Support us on Patreon
• Here’s what we know about the ‘secretive’ group targeting B.C. NDP rivals with attack ads
• Pathways Alliance oilsands group removes content from website and social media, citing Bill C-59
• Airplane food cost more than $220K on Trudeau’s Indo-Pacific trip
• Word of the Week: Style