Western Context

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

BC Hydro is looking for more energy sources, Supreme Court judge Russell Brown retires amid controversy, and a wildfire cuts off Vancouver Island’s west coast. Also, serial killer Paul Bernardo is moved from max to medium security.

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“It is very clear that I should have been briefed at the time, and that is something that I made abundantly clear to my staff. I’ve taken the corrective steps to ensure that that does not happen again. What’s important is that these issues are identified and they’re corrected and so that is what I have done with my team. It is important that I get those briefings in a timely manner.” – Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino

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

• B.C. Hydro set to start first hunt in 15 years for new electricity sources
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• Supreme Court Justice Russell Brown retires, ending judicial review
• Transportation network fragile on Vancouver Island
• Staff in Mendicino’s office knew about Bernardo transfer months before minister did, his office says
• Word of the Week: Hardened

Canada could send tanks to Ukraine, but are they operational? We detail the problems with Canada’s catch and release criminal justice system, and phantom emails from the UCP create controversy. Also, yet another Liberal minister has ethics problems.

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“I would say that catch and release works well when you’re fishing. It doesn’t work so well when you’re dealing with serious offenders.” – Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe on the differences between fish and criminals.

Duration: 53:40
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Is Canada not sending its tanks to Ukraine because they’re broken?
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• How B.C.’s ‘catch and release’ system is failing victims of random assaults and repeat offenders
• Smith responds to allegations staff member emailed Alberta Crown Prosecution Service over Coutts blockade
• Hussen’s office gave $93k in PR work to senior staffer’s sister’s foodie firm
• Word of the Week: Foodie

Trudeau faces calls to bring Afghan interpreters to Canada, BC’s 150th anniversary of Confederation is forgotten, and Alberta calls for pepper spray. Also, Carolyn Bennett’s former staff detail the sabotage she has done to Indigenous relations.

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Duration: 1:07:23
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“When I got there, I quickly realized I was a token. I was there to attend events with her so [Bennett] had a First Nations staffer with her, she wasn’t just bringing her white staff. My voice was never heard … my experience never mattered, it seemed, because they were white and they had been to a First Nation community, they knew more … they had better knowledge.” – A former staffer on their time in the office of Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett.

• Blood on Canada’s hands if we don’t save Afghan ‘terps’
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• B.C.’s 150th anniversary in Canada comes and goes with little attention
• Alberta justice minister calls for Criminal Code changes to allow pepper spray for self-defence
• Crown-Indigenous Minister Carolyn Bennett’s office is a ‘toxic’ workplace, ex-staffers claim
• Word of the Week: Arson

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

An Alberta NDP bill creating a new timezone is defeated, the BC NDP replace big money donations with taxpayer money, the feds’ small business tax changes affect millions of Canadians, and a fake story from Victoria garners international media outrage.

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Duration: 40:47
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Committee decides Albertans should keep changing clocks twice a year
• B.C. taxpayers to foot campaign-finance bill banning corporate, union donations
• Ottawa’s tax reforms are about feeding the spending beast, not fairness
• B.C. filmmaker admits using fake name to promote ticket policy charging white males more
• Word of the Week: Taxation

A special Right Side episode! We profile the 4 federal NDP leadership candidates and policies that could majorly impact the Canadian economy. Also, a quick rundown of major headlines, including housing allowances, Trans Mountain, and Brad Wall retiring.

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Duration: 53:52
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Finance critic Derek Fildebrandt rents downtown digs on Airbnb while claiming housing allowance
• Trans Mountain Pipeline is not in B.C.’s best interest says BC NDP government
• Premier Brad Wall resigns as leader of Saskatchewan Party
• NDP Leadership race membership deadline: August 17, 2017
• First ballot on September 18th. With a new ballot each week until October 29th if necessary
• Charlie Angus
• Jagmeet Singh
• Guy Caron
• Niki Ashton
• Word of the Week: Justice