Western Context

We uncover more about foreign influence in Canada, Edmonton city council votes to increase property taxes, and yet another Trudeau cabinet minister breaks ethics rules. Also, Canada is banning single use plastics, but will it really help the environment?

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“There is simply no excuse for contracting with a friend’s company. Ministers are expected to uphold the highest standards of accountability, including those set out in the Conflict of Interest Act. Complying with the act is a condition of appointment and employment for all public office holders.” – Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion on International Trade Minister Mary Ng’s ethics violation.

Duration: 58:24
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Help us out by taking our Fall 2022 Survey!
• Ottawa hears of ‘active foreign interference network’ in secret Privy Council Office memo
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• Edmonton passes 5% tax increases; Cartmell calls it ‘very dangerous’ for affordability
• Trade Minister Mary Ng broke ethics rules over contract to friend, commissioner rules
• Phase 1 of Canada’s single-use plastics ban comes into effect this month. These are the products on the list
• Word of the Week: Waste

A new report uncovers a Chinese ‘police station’ in Vancouver, Alberta secures children’s pain medication, and Veteran Affairs offers medical assistance in dying to veterans. Also, First Nations and northern MPs speak out against Trudeau’s gun ban bill.

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“Our young hunters that are growing up, they just don’t send them up to the bush with a gun. There’s a whole process that has to do with our customs, our values, our traditions… No government has a right to take that away from us and regulate that. That is our job as mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and hunters.“ – Chief Tammy Cook of Lac La Ronge Band in Saskatchewan on Bill C-21 amendments.

Duration: 50:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Help us out by taking our Fall 2022 Survey!
• ‘Dangerous’: Concerns raised about possible Chinese ‘secret police station’ in Vancouver
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• Alberta secures 5 million bottles of children’s pain and fever meds to distribute across province, then country
• Former paralympian tells MPs veterans department offered her assisted death
• ‘Potential culture clash’: Some northerners critical of federal firearms bill
• Word of the Week: Hubris

Federal ministers joked about martial law during convoy protests, new BC Premier David Eby bombards us with announcements, and the Alberta NDP get their news on healthcare from social media. Also, Trudeau denies knowledge of Chinese campaign influence.

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“He is either hiding the truth and knows that China is trying to destabilize our democracy or he’s revealing that he’s diplomatically irresponsible to the point of being dangerous. Either it’s not honest or it’s not very bright. Which one is it?” – Bloc Québécois House Leader Alain Therrien on Trudeau’s limited response to questions of Chinese influence in the 2019 election.

Duration: 1:00:57
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Help us out by taking our Fall 2022 Survey!
• Attorney-General suggested Emergencies Act in first week of Ottawa protest, texts reveal
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• David Eby’s announcements total $1.2 billion in first week as premier
• Premier Smith attempts to reframe herself as flawed but also real and reasonable
• Justin Trudeau slammed for response after allegations of Chinese interference in 2019 election
• Word of the Week: Announcement

The Freedom Convoy wasn’t a CSIS threat, Alberta makes changes to AHS, and the BC Liberals vote to change their name to BC United. Also, a confrontation between Xi Jinping and Trudeau overshadows China’s growing influence.

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“In Canada, we believe in free and open and frank dialogue and that is what we will continue to have… We will continue to look to work constructively together, but there will be things we disagree on.” – Justin Trudeau on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s reaction to their conversations being leaked.

Duration: 55:56
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Help us out by taking our Fall 2022 Survey!
• CSIS told government Freedom Convoy didn’t pose national security threat day before Emergencies Act invoked
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta announces health-care reform: AHS board fired, administrator appointed
• B.C. Liberal Party set to become B.C. United after members vote to change party name
• Chinese president confronts Trudeau at the G-20
• Word of the Week: Definition

Reports show Chinese government infiltration into Canada, the BC NDP is hiding information on doctor shortages, and the UCP plans to give money to Albertans to tackle inflation. Also, Chrystia Freeland cancels her family’s Disney+ subscription.

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“The prime minister is not a potted plant. He can defend his position if he wishes. But there needs to be a meeting…and the federal government has not been willing to do the work to come to the table and sit down, prime ministers and premiers, and talk about one of the central issues facing the country.” – BC Health Minister Adrian Dix on Trudeau’s unwillingness to move on meeting about provincial health transfers.

Duration: 56:51
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Help us out by taking our Fall 2022 Survey!
• Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates
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• B.C. government now masking data on doctor shortages at primary care clinics
• UCP planning flood of Danielle Dollars to Albertans, with election to follow
• Chrystia Freeland backs away from ‘out of touch’ comment about Disney+
• Word of the Week: Infiltrate

More Canadians are turning to food banks, the Alberta NDP and UCP conventions get covered differently, and the BC NDP decide to quash the indigenous-led 2030 Olympic bid. Also, the RCMP is investigating Chinese-run police stations in Canada.

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“It would’ve been nice to sit down with all parties involved … before they make their conclusion. We’ll have to wait and see where this goes from here. But for me, this squashes it. When the minister mentioned it was not a priority … I mentioned it’s bigger than 2030. It’s reconciliation, and it’s working with the nations, government to government, to move forward.” – Musqueam First Nation Chief Wayne Sparrow on the BC government’s decision to not hold dialogue on a possible Indigenous-led 2030 Winter Olympics bid.

Duration: 1:04:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• More Canadians are turning to food banks than ever before, new report says
• Alberta UCP and NDP hold simultaneous political conventions to ramp up unofficial election campaigns
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. government says it won’t support 2030 Winter Olympics bid
• RCMP investigating Chinese ‘police’ stations in Canada
• Word of the Week: Disservice

Danielle Smith takes a trip to the recent past, Canada finally replaces the army’s WW2-era sidearms, and Saskatchewan asserts its economic autonomy. Also, MPs visit Taiwan while China continues to infiltrate Canadian society.

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“Russia and China are not just looking at regime survival but regime expansion. They consider themselves to be at war with the West. They strive to destroy the social cohesion of liberal democracies and the credibility of our own institutions to ensure our model of government is seen as a failure.” – Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Wayne Eyre on the dangers of 21st century geopolitics.

Duration: 59:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Pandemic politics ended Jason Kenney’s leadership. Will it also take out Danielle Smith?
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• Canada inks deal to replace army’s Second World War-era sidearms
• Federal Policies Could Cost Saskatchewan $111 Billion By 2035
• Delegation of Canadian MPs visits Taiwan in move that incenses China
• Word of the Week: Friendship

Government plans have stalled Lytton’s rebuild, the Trudeau Liberals refuse to lift the gas tax, and the Chinese state maybe interfered in the 2021 election. Also, the RCMP commissioner tried to compromise the 2020 Nova Scotia shooting investigation.

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“To rebuild to all these standards, it just didn’t fit with our community. We keep hearing that Lytton is going to be rebuilt as a model community. We don’t want to hear that anymore. We just want to go home.” – Lytton resident Denise O’Connor on the lack of progress 1 year after the Lytton wildfire.

Duration: 1:01:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Long road home: Frustration in Lytton one year after devastating fire
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• Gas tax break ‘would be irresponsible’ now, federal minister says, as Liberals focus on other priorities
• China may have tried to discourage Canadians from voting Conservative
• RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki tried to ‘jeopardize’ mass murder investigation to advance Trudeau’s gun control efforts
• Word of the Week: Frustration

Canada bans Huawei and ZTE from 5G networks, BC will spend $800m to replace the Royal BC Museum, and Jason Kenney will resign after a new UCP leader is chosen. Also, the media and Pierre Poilievre go to war.

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“There’s a small yet spirited minority of grassroot conservatives who’ve come to define their politics in solely oppositional terms. It derives from a position of perceived weakness in modern society. They see mainstream institutions (including corporations, universities, and the media) succumbing to an assertive form of progressivism and feel increasingly embattled in a culture that at times can be quite hostile to their ideas and values.” – The Hub, Editor-at-Large Sean Speer.

Duration: 1:08:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada banning Chinese telecom giant Huawei, ZTE from 5G networks
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. to spend $789 million to replace Royal BC Museum
• A lament for conservatism
• The danger Pierre Poilievre’s corrosive campaign poses to Canada
• Word of the Week: Dog-Whistle

David Lametti relied on fake news to invoke the Emergencies Act, a BC committee agrees to replace the RCMP, and the Winnipeg lab scandal documents are redacted. Also, the RCMP decided not to charge Trudeau with fraud because he is the Prime Minister.

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“It is unclear whether Mr. Trudeau can be prosecuted under section 121(1)(c) of the Criminal Code, since the section has a provision which allows officials to accept benefits from individuals with government dealings, provided the official has the written consent of the head of their branch of government. An investigation and prosecution under this section may not be in the public interest if it cannot be definitely determined whether or not Mr. Trudeau can simply provide consent to himself.” RCMP Corporal Michael Kiperchuk, in a briefing note to his superiors on the conclusion of his investigation into Prime Minister Trudeau’s alleged fraud during the Aga Khan scandal.

Duration: 1:06:14
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Ministers provide few details to committee probing Liberals’ use of Emergencies Act
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• B.C. should ditch RCMP and form its own police force, committee says
• Bloc warns Liberals against ‘creating parallel Parliament with its own rules’ on Winnipeg lab documents
• RCMP considered whether to charge Justin Trudeau over Aga Khan trip, documents show
• Word of the Week: Rule of Law