Western Context

Singh and O’Toole battle for BC’s votes, Alberta will vote on equalization and DST in the fall, and the Green Party goes through a civil war. Also, we detail the untold stories of the pandemic: overdoses, comorbidities and more.

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Duration: 55:13
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“Any time we talk about big infrastructure, there has to be a commitment that the infrastructure is made with Canadian products, Canadian steel, Canadian aluminum. The Liberals have talked about a high-speed train. They’ve never mentioned once that they’re going to use Canadian products in a high-speed train,” -NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on his not quite “Buy Canadian” strategy

• Singh promises public infrastructure to be made with ‘Canadian products’ in jobs plan
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• Albertans to vote on daylight saving time, equalization in the fall; pension and police to be further studied
• Green party executive launches membership review of its own leader, Annamie Paul
• Overdoses, alcohol-related deaths increased in Canadians under 65 during pandemic: StatCan
• Word of the Week: Advantage

Surprising topics arise during the Alberta NDP convention, Victoria council cancels Canada Day celebrations, and a third of Green MPs cross the floor to the Liberals. Also, Trudeau faces a complicated relationship with both the US and China.

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Duration: 51:34
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“Is Canada prepared to stand up for the Australians who are subject to hostage diplomacy as we expect the Australians to stand up for our Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor? Are we prepared to actually engage in programming which will displease the Chinese government in concert with our allies? Or do we want to leave this to other powers and hope that if Canada stands relatively neutral, that we will be able to protect our market position in China?” – Former Canadian diplomat Charles Burton on dealing with the Chinese government.

• Notley announces plans to move Alberta’s electricity grid to net-zero by 2035 if elected
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• Victoria votes to cancel virtual Canada Day broadcast, will produce reflection event later in summer
• Green MP Jenica Atwin crossing the floor to join the Liberals
• Biden says he wants to ‘confront’ China. Is Trudeau willing to go along?
• Word of the Week: Equity

Trudeau survives a confidence vote amid billions in further spending, the federal government delays yet another pipeline, and BC’s premier gives faulty advice on mail in voting. Also, we profile anti-Semitism in the Green Party of Canada.

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Duration: 47:06
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Liberals survive confidence vote as all parties back new support package for workers
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• Natural gas producers frustrated by Ottawa’s delay to TC Energy’s biggest pipeline expansion
• B.C. election: Hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots don’t have names, parties listed
• On eve of leadership choice, Canada’s Greens confront anti-Semitism in their ranks
• Word of the Week: Anti-Semitism

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

Elizabeth May is accused of bullying; her party says she wouldn’t be if she were a man, the BC and Alberta governments spar over Trans Mountain, ICBC losing 1.3B will cost drivers more in insurance, and we detail the federal government’s drinking problem.

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Duration: 44:12
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Green Party defending leader Elizabeth May from accusations of bullying
• BC government strikes another blow to stop Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion
• Shocking massive losses revealed at ICBC, huge rate hikes feared
• 400 bottles of wine on the plane: Federal politicians have access to limitless alcohol on government flights
• Word of the Week: Rhetoric

The Wildrose and PC Party of Alberta agree to form the United Conservative Party. Andrew Weaver in BC reveals his demands. Trudeau begins shifting away power from the west with the NEB. And time spent this summer on unnecessary apologies.

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Duration: 37:19
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta’s Wildrose, PCs agree to create new United Conservative Party
• Vaughn Palmer: For Greens, proportional representation is non-negotiable
• National Energy Board needs major overhaul, panel says
• Ottawa to apologize to those who suffered because of sexuality
• Word of the Week: Referendum