Western Context

CSIS warns the public of Khalistani extremism, undocumented immigrants want free education in Alberta, and Elections BC tries to cover up their mistakes on election night. Also, Trump calls off trade talks with Canada again.

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“We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with, including the fact that they have charged our Farmers as much as 400% Tariffs, for years, on Dairy Products, has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country.” – President Donald Trump on trade talks with Canada.

Duration: 56:50
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• CSIS flags extremist Khalistani activists as national security threat
• Support us on Patreon
• Undocumented students push for right to education, but Alberta noncommittal
• Elections BC files response to Surrey election court challenge
• Trump ‘terminating’ trade talks with Canada over digital services tax
• Word of the Week: Petition

Justin Trudeau announces his resignation while proroguing Parliament, the University of Alberta is moving away from DEI, and John Rustad highlights problems with the BC election. Also, Donald Trump’s remarks cause Canadians to reflect inward.

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“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election. As you all know, I’m a fighter. Every bone in my body has always told me to fight… I care deeply about this country. I truly feel that removing the contention around my own continued leadership is an opportunity to bring the temperature down, have a government that will focus on the complex issues that are coming forward in the coming months.” – Justin Trudeau upon announcing his pending resignation as Prime Minister.

Duration: 1:03:09
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Justin Trudeau resigning, prorogues Parliament
• Support us on Patreon
• Why the U of A is moving from EDI to access, community and belonging
• Elections BC to probe election complaint lodged by BC Conservatives
• Trump said Tuesday he’d be willing to use ‘economic force’ to join countries
• Word of the Week: Resignation

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.

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“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.

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“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.

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“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.

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“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.

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“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.

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“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
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• 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.

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“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.

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“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