Western Context

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

Lifelabs healthcare workers go on strike in BC, new mayors are elected in Alberta, and the BC Liberals reject the leadership candidacy of Aaron Gunn. Also, Trudeau meets with the Tk’emlups Nation that he snubbed on Sept 30th, but was he really there?

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“I have never engaged in partisanship politics or have not engaged in personal attacks. And that is what I will absolutely continue to practice. So I look forward to working with the premier and his government.” – Edmonton Mayor Elect Amarjeet Sohi on working with the province.

Duration: 49:56
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Unionized employees at LifeLabs issue 72-hour strike notice
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta municipal elections
• BC Liberal Party rejects Aaron Gunn’s leadership bid, he says fight ‘is only just beginning’ 
• Members of Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc Nation wonder whether Trudeau was listening during his apologetic visit
• Word of the Week: Partisan

Policing a Saanich tent city is costing residents over $700k, Italy is blocking the EU’s ratification of CETA, the media misreports the value of sold Crown land in BC, and the federal government’s spending follies on glasses, name changes and cushions.

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Duration: 40:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Saanich council approves $700,000 to police homeless camp
• Italy won’t ratify EU free-trade deal with Canada: deputy PM
• Support us on Patreon
• New report confirms former BC government sold off surplus real estate too cheap
• ‘Just outrageous’: Government spends $24k on 86 cushions for Mexico City embassy
• Word of the Week: Appraisal

The Alberta NDP sets aside 1.4B of taxpayer money for industry to reduce emissions, we cover Dianne Watts and the BC Liberal leadership race, free trade and Trudeau’s failed trip to China, as well as callous remarks from the Minister of Disabilities.

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Duration: 46:08
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta sets aside $1.4 billion for industry to reduce carbon emissions
• Liberal leadership candidate Dianne Watts could have an uphill battle ahead
• Trudeau’s failed free trade trip to China
• Everyone … has a sob story’: Thalidomide survivors say they were belittled by disabilities minister>
• Word of the Week: Free trade

Is Kenney’s balanced budget feasible? The NDP calls it “mean spirited”! A BC Liberal “betrays” his party to become speaker, the federal government want to change taxes impacting small businesses, and McKenna virtue signalling in the NAFTA negotiations.

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Duration: 37:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Jason Kenney proposes drastic cut to Alberta’s per capita spending, balanced budget in 3 years
• BC Liberal goes against party wishes, acclaimed as Speaker of the House
• Jack Mintz: Mere ‘tweaks’ won’t fix the Liberals’ draconian tax-reform plan
• Catherine McKenna says she is ‘done’ with ‘ridiculous’ Tory language on environment
• Word of the Week: Virtue signalling

Christy Clark surprisingly resigns in BC, poor journalism on the Unity agreement in Alberta, Petronas cancels a $11.4B investment in Prince Rupert, and Rolling Stone’s glowing piece on Trudeau actually has a lot of errors. What else are they wrong about?

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Duration: 40:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Christy Clark resigns as leader of B.C. Liberal party, Rich Coleman to serve as interim leader
• Graham Thomson: Divisive leadership race about to rock the unity boat
• Petronas cancels $11.4-billion LNG project near Prince Rupert
• A few things in Rolling Stone’s profile of Justin Trudeau that were just plain wrong
• Word of the Week: Development

Did the Trudeau government do its research on the Paris deal and a carbon tax? A so called “strong stable minority” in BC, Rachel Notley appeals to conservatives, and the media hit job on Andrew Scheer.

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Duration: 48:15
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trump dumps climate and Trudeau says we’ll always have Paris
• BC Greens strike deal to force end of Liberal era, support NDP government
• Rachel Notley makes appeal to conservatives turned off by potential merger between Wildrose and PCs
• The Hit Job on Andrew Scheer
• Word of the Week: Smear

Uncertainty rules the fortnight in BC, photo radar comes into question in Alberta, and the federal government spends and spends while moving at a slow pace. But no worry, there’s always your Trudeau cutout or government funded Snapchat filter!

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Duration: 36:38
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Uncertainty rules the day after BC Election 2017
• Photo radar under review by Alberta government
• Trudeau government close to breaking all-time record for per-capita federal spending
• Trudeau Liberals have only passed 17 government bills since coming into power
• Federal government spent $14K on Snapchat filters last year
• Word of the Week: Frivolous

Picture of the Week

A story of narrative with the overblown #IamLinda conversation versus the dishonesty of Canada’s Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. The BC chapter of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has a look at the party platforms. And we have a talk about consequences.

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Duration: 36:07
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• The manufactured outrage of #IamLinda
• Bateman: BC Liberal fiscal plan “head and shoulders above the rest”
• Trudeau government vows to shut down debate in effort to pass legislative agenda
• Conservatives blast Sajjan for linking Syrian conflict to climate change
• Word of the Week: consequence

The Alberta NDP government throne speech goes to bat for pipelines, the Ironworkers union in BC supports the Liberals and attacks the NDP over a lack of jobs plan, and a look back at the refugee issue on our southern border.

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Duration: 33:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• NDP throne speech promises to go to bat for pipelines
• Ironworkers endorse B.C. Liberals, attack NDP for lack of jobs plan
• Cyberspy service eyes political blackmail as part of democratic risk assessment
• B.C. refugee centre reports sharp jump in asylum seekers
• Word of the Week: Refugee