Western Context

BC’s economic future looks unstable, Alberta experiences record population growth, and Justin Trudeau isn’t giving his cabinet ministers mandate letters. Also, a post by Pierre Poilievre about First Nations gets misrepresented by the Liberals and media.

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“I speak for myself as an aboriginal, I’m not a people of pain, we want businesses, we want to own homes, we want to get ahead with our own independence, we don’t want government handouts.” – Elder Manitok Thompson on a positive future for Indigenous People in Canada.

Duration: 52:20
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. finance report flags deep economic downturn in 2024
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• Alberta’s population is booming, but that comes with challenges for some communities
• Federal ministers still lack mandate letters, two months after majority shuffled
• Pierre Poilievre called out for Truth and Reconciliation Day photos with Inuk elder
• Word of the Week: Truth

A new economic doctrine emerges from Chrystia Freeland, new changes abound in the BC municipal elections, and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith names her new cabinet. Also, Trudeau asserts that demand for Canadian oil will decrease reliance on it.

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“Right now in the coming couple of years, we’re going to need to continue with the mechanisms we have, but the move off of fossil fuels … is going to happen much faster because of Russia.” – Prime Minister Trudeau, on the failure to understand supply and demand.

Duration: 59:19
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Freeland Doctrine’ could set the world on a path to a new trade cold war
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• BC Municipal Election results – Major Changes in Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, Saanich
• Alberta premier’s new cabinet includes familiar faces in prominent roles
• Trudeau says Russian invasion of Ukraine ‘accelerated’ Canada’s move away from oil and gas
• Word of the Week: Turnover

Alberta’s Bill 22 draws nationwide criticism for an invalid reason, BC wants to spy on farmers with American satellites, and the CN Rail strike will have a massive impact on the Canadian economy. Also, Trudeau’s new cabinet: same as the old cabinet.

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Duration: 54:43
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Rachel Notley asks Lieutenant-Governor to block removal of election commissioner
• B.C. government looking at satellite technology to monitor farms for breaking ALR rules
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• ‘It is so critical to the economy’: Industry leaders urge Trudeau to end CN Rail strike
• Trudeau’s New Cabinet
• Word of the Week: Loyalty

The Green Party wins a federal by-election, the Alberta media tries to drive a wedge on abortion, and we find out that money laundering is way worse than we thought. Also, the Mark Norman case reaches an end with implications for the Trudeau government.

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Duration: 44:40
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Green Party wins federal byelection in Nanaimo-Ladysmith
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• UCP MLA-elect attends anti-abortion rally to ‘support my friends’
• $5 billion laundered through B.C. real estate, inflating home prices: report
• Federal government expected to withdraw breach of trust charge against Mark Norman
• Word of the Week: Green politics

Trudeau shuffles his cabinet and creates a border security minister, many provinces now oppose Trudeau’s carbon tax, and Alberta’s NDP is equalizing and diversifying K-4 education. Also, Vancouver’s False Creek is teeming with raw sewage and E coli.

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Duration: 40:49
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau cabinet shuffle brings new faces, several changes for run-up to 2019 campaign
• Trudeau’s carbon tax looks pretty much dead now that most provinces are out
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• In new social studies curriculum, there’s no such things as Albertans
• Call for clean swimming water in Vancouver’s False Creek falls flat
• Word of the Week: Sanitary