Western Context

Alberta’s economy rebounds as mask mandates reappear, thousands protest the BC NDP’s vaccine passport system outside hospitals, and yet another Trudeau ethics scandal gets buried. Also, a Liberal MP is allowed to run again amid sexual harassment claims.

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Duration: 58:37
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“I remember being incredibly stressed out, feeling completely helpless. I felt like he had shown he could do pretty much anything he wanted to do to me. I felt like there was nowhere for me to turn.” – A former staffer for Liberal MP Raj Saini, speaking her truth on how she felt about his alleged sexual harassment.

• A ‘startling’ $10B turnaround in Alberta’s deficit
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• Reports of assault, harassment as thousands protest vaccine passports outside hospitals across B.C.
• Conservatives push for Trudeau ethics probe, claim ‘troubling’ ties between PM and foundation
• Liberal candidate allowed to run for re-election despite past claims of inappropriate behaviour
• Word of Week: Harassment

The BCCDC is withholding information from the public, Alberta’s new restrictions are wildly mischaracterized, and we get no closer to the end of the Vance allegations. Also, the finances of the Trudeau government are much worse than they realize.

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Duration: 53:58
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“We don’t actually have [IT] systems to support the same consistent collection of the same data over time. We are releasing more than what other provinces are releasing.” – Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on why BC is not releasing more COVID-19 stats than other provinces are releasing.

• Leaked reports show B.C. health authorities withholding data from the public
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• Revamped Alberta Restrictions
• PM says his office didn’t know Vance allegations were about sexual misconduct
• Liberal budget underestimates size of federal deficits, will lead to decades of higher debt: PBO
• Word of the Week: Disclosure

Vandalized statues prompt a call for change from premiers, Erin O’Toole opens up about his favourable views, and CERB funnels $22b to the rich. Also, Trudeau defends the wasteful spending of the reclusive and abrasive Governor General Julie Payette.

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Duration: 57:13
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Protesters in Montreal topple John A. Macdonald statue, demand police defunding
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• Erin O’Toole: As prime minister, I will stand up to China
• Up to $22 billion in COVID aid may have gone to high-income Canadians
• Trudeau calls Payette ‘excellent’ governor general, says no plans to replace her
• Word of the Week: Wasteful

New Conservative leader Erin O’Toole is a surprise to the media, Alberta’s first black justice minister is overshadowed by economic woes, and the opioid crisis is spiralling out of control in BC. Also, we look at China’s hostile takeover of Nortel.

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Duration: 59:22
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• How Erin O’Toole won
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• Alberta’s deficit could balloon to $24.2 billion
• B.C. marks 3rd straight month with more than 170 overdose deaths
• Inside the Chinese military attack on Nortel
• Word of the Week: Reckoning

Morneau is replaced by Freeland as Finance Minister amidst financial crisis and the WE scandal, Trudeau unveils CERB changes before he shutters Parliament, and old growth forests are under threat in BC. Also, the Conservatives pick new leader Erin O’Toole.

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Duration: 57:12
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Freeland replaces Morneau as Trudeau’s finance minister
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• Liberals unveil $37B for CERB transition to new benefits, EI changes
• Activists continue blockade of logging road on Vancouver Island to protect giant cedar
• CPC Leadership Race Results
• Word of the Week: Chaos

The federal debt hits $1.2T with $343b spent just this past year, a tug of war arises in BC over police street checks, and a UCP bill reverts power given to unions by the NDP. Also, Trudeau and his finance minister engage in yet another ethics scandal.

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Duration: 1:00:55
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• The challenge of our lifetime’: Federal deficit to hit $343 billion this year
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• More than 70 organizations sign open letter calling for ban on police street checks in B.C.
• Union picketing and political campaigning curbed under proposed Alberta bill
• Maybe we should have been looking at WE Charity earlier
• Word of the Week: Snapshot

Trudeau’s fall fiscal update shows deeper deficits than expected, the terrorist in the 2017 Edmonton van attack gets 28 years, and a BC retirement home sale to China raises major issues. Also, the media covers Trudeau’s mandate letters, but misses key parts.

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Duration: 45:44
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau Begins 2nd Term Much Deeper in the Red Than Expected
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• Man who tried to kill Edmonton police officer sentenced to 28 years
• Third China-owned senior care facility in B.C. placed under government management amid concerns over health, safety of residents
• 5 takeaways from Trudeau’s ‘mandate letters’ to his cabinet
• Word of Week: Mandate

The Liberal spending plan will add $94b to the debt, BC not enacting permanent DST is being blamed on Donald Trump while a BC cabinet minister is under RCMP investigation, and the Alberta NDP wants to fund endless post-secondary bureaucracy. Also, Trudeau uses double the campaign planes.

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Duration: 49:59
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Liberals to boost spending and extend deficits while taxing luxury goods and Internet giants
• Blame the United States’: B.C. to stick with seasonal time changes until 2020
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• Alberta NDP call on UCP government to reverse any potential funding cuts to post-secondary
• Conservatives call Trudeau a ‘hypocrite’ for boasting of environmental creds while flying 2 campaign planes
• Word of the Week: Offset

A 21 hour Parliament session protests the Atwal cover-up by the PMO, Alberta’s budget draws criticism for its rising debt, protests at Trans Mountain result in MPs’ arrests and work delays, and an important look at data-mining on social media.

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Duration: 49:39
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• I think we made our point’: Conservatives end their nearly 21-hour-long House of Commons voting marathon
• Alberta Budget 2018 met with mixed reaction
• B.C. MPs Elizabeth May, Kennedy Stewart arrested at Kinder Morgan facility
• Chris Wylie says he’ll testify in U.S., U.K. about Cambridge Analytica
• Word of the Week: filibuster

The BQ fractures under poor leadership leaving questions for 2019, Stephen Mandel’s Alberta Party win shifts the party to former PC control, China’s government takes over BC seniors care, and we cover why Trudeau’s budget is not as good as it seems.

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Duration: 47:07
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Bloc Québécois fractures as seven of 10 MPs quit over Ouellet’s leadership
• Stephen Mandel wins [PC] Alberta Party Leadership
• How the Chinese Government Took Control of BC Seniors’ Homes
• Federal Budget 2018
• Word of the Week: deficit