Western Context

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’
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• 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

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
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• 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

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.

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“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’
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• 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

BC gets another credit downgrade, Alberta battles the federal government over municipal control, and Trudeau’s South-East Asia trip cost $2M. Also, the CSIS director testifies that the Trudeau government did know about foreign interference.

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“I guess one way to beat the high cost of groceries in Canada is to take a government work trip and bill taxpayers for fancy airplane food.” – Canadian Taxpayers Federation Federal Director Franco Terrazzano on Trudeau’s lavish diplomatic trips around the world.

Duration: 51:55
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• British Columbia Gets Third Credit Downgrade in Three Years
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• Alberta to introduce legislation preventing municipal-federal deals without province’s OK
• PM’s six-day Indo-Pacific trip cost $2M, including $200K in catering
• CSIS director testifies Trudeau government was warned repeatedly about Chinese foreign interference
• Word of the Week: Downgrade

A majority of Canada’s premiers align against Trudeau’s carbon tax, BC sees open drug use in hospitals, and Edmonton’s rolling blackouts show Alberta’s energy vulnerabilities. Also, MP Han Dong’s testimony shows the extent of Chinese foreign interference.

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“I was deeply troubled that I was exposed and the government doesn’t seem to care. And now I have learned they knew all about it. It is almost like I was drowning, and they were watching. In my view the buck stops with the Prime Minister. He let me down.” – Former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu on the foreign interference from China that caused him to lose his seat.

Duration: 55:49
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• N.L.’s Liberal premier calls for emergency meeting with PM as anti-carbon tax protests snarl highways
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• ‘Happening daily’: Vancouver Island nurses raise concerns about open drug use in hospitals
• Tight supply’: 20K in Edmonton hit with rolling blackouts after grid alert
• Canadian Lawmaker Testifies Chinese Students Were Bused In to Elect Him
• Word of the Week: Intelligence

The Liberals’ new online harms act includes heavy punishments, Alberta’s 2024 budget contains surprises, and the new pharmacare plan covers very little medications. Also, new documents reveal more on the Winnipeg lab scientist firings.

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“There’s a genuine fear of an escalation, then an individual or group could come forward and seek a peace bond against them and to prevent them from doing certain things. [The pre-emptive house arrest] would help to deradicalize people who are learning things online and acting out in the real world violently – sometimes fatally.” – Liberal Justice Minister Arif Virani on his government’s plan to house arrest people before they commit crimes.

Duration: 1:03:32
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Liberals’ “online hate” bill contains $20K fines for speech and life imprisonment for hate crimes
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• Alberta 2024 Budget
• Pharmacare cornerstone has been laid but where are the blueprints and budget?
• Censored documents about Winnipeg scientists reveal threat to Canada’s security
• Word of the Week: Pharmacare

Bell lays off more workers and asks for more money, a recall petition starts for Calgary’s mayor Jyoti Gondek, and Selina Robinson is removed from the BC NDP’s cabinet. Also, suspicious HSBC mortgages are fuelling the real estate crisis.

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“This is a radical change. With these proposed amendments, they are moving to give actual rights of First Nations governance over non-First Nations parties. That’s different than Indigenous self-government and to my knowledge, it’s the first time it has been contemplated anywhere in Canada.” – Robin Junger, a lawyer specializing in indigenous law with McMillan LLP in response to the BC government’s plan to reform the Lands Act.

Duration: 56:32
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau calls Bell layoffs a ‘garbage decision’: ‘I’m pretty pissed off’
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• Calgary receives notice of recall petition for Mayor Jyoti Gondek
• Selina Robinson steps down as B.C. minister following controversial comments
• “Fake Chinese income” mortgages fuel Toronto Real Estate Bubble: HSBC Bank Leaks
• Word of the Week: Mortgage

A terrorist shoots up Edmonton City Hall, car thefts spike in Canada, and a federal court judge finds the use of the Emergencies Act unjustified. Also, a paper mill closing on Vancouver Island leads to investigation into a Chinese funded forestry giant.

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“The harassment of residents, workers and business owners in downtown Ottawa and the general infringement of the right to peaceful enjoyment of public spaces there, while highly objectionable, did not amount to serious violence or threats of serious violence.” – Justice Richard Mosley on the legal assessment of the 2022 Freedom Convoy in Downtown Ottawa.

Duration: 1:07:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alleged Edmonton City Hall shooter takes aim at “genocide” in Gaza in video: report
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• Trudeau Calls National Summit as Canada Auto Thefts Spike
• Court Finds Trudeau Overreached by Using Emergency Law to End Blockade
• Paper operations indefinitely halted at Vancouver Island mill, company says
• Word of the Week: Manifesto

Speaker Greg Fergus’ impartiality is put to question, COP28 highlights the opposition to Canada’s new emissions cap, and the BC NDP finish 2023 with a divided opposition. Also, the mainstream media completely ignores the foreign interference inquiry.

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“Why would you rule out anything in politics? A week can be a long time in politics. Certainly, if the United Party were to reach out and want to have a discussion about how we could bring things together, I think it’s possible. With the [BC] Conservative party, we will not compromise on our principles. We’ll not compromise on the values that we are running on. We’re willing to sit down and have a conversation. I’ve never said we wouldn’t. The challenge would be, of course, they have a very different view in terms of how the world works compared to us.” – BC Conservative Leader John Rustad on possibly working with BC United’s Kevin Falcon to defeat the NDP.

Duration: 59:35
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Speaker’s impartiality questioned again over comments made in Washington
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• Albertans will not tolerate it’: Alberta reacts to new federal oil and gas emissions cap
• Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Tory Leader John Rustad
• MP Han Dong, federal Conservatives, NDP to take part in foreign interference inquiry
• Word of the Week: Hamper

Canada finally launches the public inquiry on foreign interference, BC experiences severe drought conditions, and Alberta’s First Nations are grappling with drug-related deaths. Also, we added 40,000 jobs and 100,000 people in August.

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“We’ve lived through [a severe drought] once [before] and we saw the damage it did. We’re hoping the authorities can get on the bandwagon that food and water should be prioritized. As we’re going deeper and deeper in climate change and experiencing those deeper weather changes … it might be a disincentive for future generations coming into [the farming] business, because it will be harder and harder to make a living.” – Sunshine Coast farmer Mel Sylvestre on new water restrictions for everyone, including farmers.

Duration: 48:25
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canadian gov’t launches public inquiry into foreign election interference, taps judge as commissioner
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• Sunshine Coast imposes most severe water restrictions on 20,000 residents due to persistent drought
• 5 First Nations in northern Alberta declare state of emergency after spate of drug deaths
• Canada added 40,000 jobs in August — but it added 100,000 more people, too
• Word of the Week: Drought