Western Context

Air Canada will now charge for carry-on bags, Alberta is scaling back photo radar, and the police no longer support decriminalization in BC. Also, former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says we may be in an actual recession.

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“It’s not transparent until you’ve gotten a certain depth into the booking: ‘Oh, here’s the seat selection fee. Oh, here’s the baggage fee. Oh, here’s the carry-on fee.’ And watch out if you don’t check in online, there’s a massive penalty if you don’t. It’s kind of drip, drip, drip, drip. And it works. It’s a troublesome trend.” – Richard Vanderlubbe, founder of Hamilton, Ont.-based travel agency Tripcentral.ca, on Air Canada’s new carry-on charges.

Duration: 54:02
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Transport minister to summon airline CEOs as Air Canada set to charge carry-on fees for some passengers
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• Alberta announces end of photo radar ‘cash cow’ in province: ‘This is a historic day’
• Police support crumbles for B.C.’s decriminalization experiment
• We’re in a recession,’ says former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz
• Word of the Week: Fare

Another Trudeau cabinet minister has a conflict of interest, the BC NDP wants to recriminalize drugs in public spaces, and the UCP looks to expand train service. Also, anti-Israel encampments spring up at Canadian universities.

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“I’ve watched in horror what is happening at Columbia University, where it seemed that university administrations were incapable of acting when their codes of conduct were being violated and where other students were denied the right to feel safe on campuses. Having peaceful demonstrations is a protected Charter right in Canada, but setting up encampments on college campuses is a violation of pretty much every code of conduct, including that of McGill University.” – Liberal MP Anthony Housefather on the anti-Israel encampment at McGill.

Duration: 54:43
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Federal minister’s ties to lobbyist raise ethical concerns
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• British Columbia to recriminalize use of drugs in public spaces
• Alberta government announces master plan to expand rail passenger service
• McGill protesters set up first anti-Israel encampment in Canada
• Word of the Week: Encampment

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

Alberta and BC show differing approaches to the drug crisis and public safety, and the federal government removes GST on rental starts and considers a grocery tax. Also, the Trudeau government gives subsidies to cricket farmers.

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“I grew up eating crickets in my porridge as a kid because they bring so much protein.” – Liberal MP for London West Arielle Kayabaga on the feasibility of cricket farming in Canada.

Duration: 46:12
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta overhauling prosecution practices in effort to address rise in violent crime
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• B.C. to ban drug possession near playgrounds for duration of decriminalization pilot project
• Ottawa to remove GST on new rental housing, calls on cities to end exclusionary zoning
• Trudeau Liberals handing out millions to help put crickets on menu
• Word of the Week: Housing

We compare the US and Canadian response to Chinese police stations, the public sector goes on strike, and Alberta’s addictions treatment plan gets misconstrued. Also, Trudeau’s former industry minister Navdeep Bains is hired by Rogers.

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“It certainly looks like the Liberals are in the pockets of telecom giants, getting gravy jobs as their executives, instead of defending Canadians who are already paying a fortune for cell and internet bills. It’s incredibly concerning when major telecom company Rogers hires not only a former Liberal cabinet minister but the architect of Canada’s current telecom policy which allows telecom providers to charge some of the highest cell phone costs in the world.” – NDP innovation critic Brian Masse on former industry minister Navdeep Bains joining Rogers.

Duration: 49:40
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• FBI finds Canadian link in covert Chinese police station probe
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• Singh vows NDP won’t back any Liberal back-to-work laws during public sector strike
• Alberta’s involuntary addictions treatment law violates Charter rights, expert says
• Incredibly concerning’: Rogers’ hiring of former Liberal industry minister slammed by opposition
• Word of the Week: Militancy

BC’s 2023 budget returns to deficit spending, while Alberta sticks to surpluses. The media misrepresents a BC company’s controlled substance license, and we uncover more of the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in Canadian politics.

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“One of the things we’ve seen unfortunately over the past years is a rise in anti-Asian racism linked to the pandemic, and concerns being raised around people’s loyalties. I want to make everyone understand fully: Han Dong is an outstanding member of our team, and suggestions that he is somehow not loyal to Canada should not be entertained.” – Justin Trudeau on why anti-Asian racism is the true concern this week.

Duration: 1:02:27
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. Budget 2023 bets focus on tax credits and rebates will work amid continued housing uncertainty
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• Alberta government projects $2.4-billion surplus for 2023-24 in pre-election budget
• B.C. premier ‘astonished’ firm got Health Canada approval to make and sell cocaine
• Justin Trudeau blames racism for allegation that China helped Liberal MP get elected
• Word of the Week: Influence

The Supreme Court of Canada rules that life without parole is ‘cruel’, small possession of drugs is decriminalized in BC, and the Tim Hortons app invades Canadians’ privacy. Also, the Trudeau government has created 72 secret orders in council.

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“[Leading an open, transparent government] is the big promise that the prime minister made to Canadians in 2015. Seven years later, that promise has melted like snow in the sun. The prime minister leads the most closed, most opaque, the most censored government that we have ever seen. We have just learned of the existence of 72 secret orders-in-council. Why are the Liberals so afraid to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” – Conservative MP Luc Berthold, during question period.

Duration: 49:35
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada supreme court rules life without chance of parole is ‘cruel’ and illegal
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• Small-scale possession of illicit drugs will be decriminalized in B.C. starting next year: federal government
• Tim Hortons’ app committed ‘mass invasion’ of Canadians’ privacy, watchdog finds
• Trudeau government has adopted dozens of secret cabinet orders since coming to power
• Word of the Week: Cruel

Vancouver’s mayor advocates drug decriminalization, Alberta’s first black justice minister bans police carding, and BC orders mandatory masks for all public spaces. Also, we look into Trudeau’s Great Reset that the media has labelled a conspiracy.

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Duration: 47:59
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Vancouver mayor wants feds to decriminalize simple drug possession
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• Alberta government bans police ‘carding,’ a practice that many found humiliating
• B.C. brings in sweeping new measures to control COVID-19, including mandatory masks
• Trudeau has eyes set on a great reset for Canada
• Word of the Week: Reset