Western Context

Canada signs the new NAFTA deal, a 5 month forestry strike leaves BC communities in limbo, and a Greenpeace video shown in an Alberta class sparks a social media firestorm. Also, Andrew Scheer’s resignation as leader prompts crazy theories from the media.

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Duration: 52:45
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada signs revised North American trade deal, clearing way for ratification
• Companies, contractors and communities caught in middle of forestry strike
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• Alberta school lesson on oil sands prompts threats from parents amid sensitivity over industry’s image + Energy War Room
• Exasperated Scheer leaves on his own terms
• Word of Week: Fog of war

Alberta’s Keyano College commits to free speech, Trudeau flies back and forth to the west coast using tax dollars, and USMCA may not be ratified before the fall election. Also, Gerald Butts blames the Indian government for Trudeau’s disastrous India trip.

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Duration: 39:15
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Keyano College becomes first Alberta institution to publicly roll out Chicago principles
• “One of the best parts of my job”: Trudeau replies to questions about the cost of his flying around Canada ahead of the campaign period
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• U.S. House breaks with no new NAFTA tabled for ratification
• Trudeau’s team still blames Indian government for disastrous 2018 trip
• Word of the Week: Scandal

The US, Mexico, and Canada have reached a deal to replace NAFTA, who won? In BC a big $40B LNG project is approved, and journalist Paula Simons is appointed to the Senate. Also, we look at the results of the Quebec election and the effects of nationalism.

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Duration: 1:01:07
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Revamped NAFTA deal, renamed USMCA, will ‘rebalance’ North America trade after Canada reaches 11th hour agreement
• LNG politics ramp up as massive project approval looms
• Support us on Patreon
• Edmonton Journalist Paula Simons amongst others appointed to Senate
• Quebec elects a CAQ majority government
• Word of the Week: Nationalism

Uncertainty in New Brunswick after an election results in a minority, Grande Cache, Alberta votes to dissolve the town, and the federal government can’t do basic math on illegal migrant numbers. Also, we might be coming to an end on the NAFTA debacle.

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Duration: 52:13
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• New Brunswick Election: Liberals intend to form government despite projected Tory minority
• Residents of Grande Cache vote to dissolve town
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• Minister Bill Blair apologizes for confusion over Canadian asylum seekers facing deportation
• Trump claims he rejected a meeting with Trudeau over NAFTA — but Canada says it never asked to meet
• Word of the Week: Winning

The Federal Court of Appeal quashes the Trans Mountain Pipeline, what does this mean for Alberta, BC, and the Canadian economy? BC also projects a surprising surplus due to the housing sector, and we go over the current state of NAFTA negotiations.

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Duration: 57:28
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trans Mountain defeat threatens Justin Trudeau’s re-election story
• Alberta leaving federal climate plan over Trans Mountain decision
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• B.C. maintains budget surplus, despite ICBC losses and wildfire spending
• Trump announces U.S.-Mexico trade deal to replace NAFTA, and says ‘we will see’ if Canada can join
• Word of the Week: Freebie

NAFTA negotiations have stalled, and the media changes the channel to Harper. Also, Ottawa has kept the equalization formula until 2024, an odd story about David Eby’s popularity on Reddit, and the government’s crusade against parody Twitter accounts.

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Duration: 47:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• It’s NAFTA crunch-time, so why are we talking about Stephen Harper?
• Ottawa to keep provincial equalization formula as is till 2024
• Support us on Patreon
• There’s a ‘David Eby Appreciation Thread’ on Reddit, and it loves B.C.’s attorney general
• Do ‘parody’ Twitter accounts pose real political threats?
• Word of the Week: Parody

We look into the reasoning behind Trudeau’s trade escalations with the US, a by-election with huge ramifications in BC, and over-taxation by Edmonton council on businesses. Also, an unreported bombshell about Trudeau, what is the media not telling us?

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Duration: 45:49
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau stumbled into a trade war. That isn’t all Trump’s fault
• MLA Leonard Krog ponders move with huge consequences
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• Edmonton business group urges city hall to put the brakes on rising property taxes
• Don’t believe Canada’s media on Me Too stories
• Word of the Week: Backbencher

We talk about US Tariffs, $50B to provinces for illegal immigrant housing, and the federal government’s purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, and all these impacts on the economy. Also, we discuss party platforms in the Ontario election on June 7th.

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Duration: 1:09:44
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• U.S. announces steel and aluminum tariffs, Canada hits back
• Feds to give $50M to provinces to help cope with illegal asylum seekers
• Federal government to buy Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5b
• Ontario Liberals Platform
• Ontario NDP Platform
• Ontario PCs Platform
• Word of the Week: Election

The Alberta NDP sets aside 1.4B of taxpayer money for industry to reduce emissions, we cover Dianne Watts and the BC Liberal leadership race, free trade and Trudeau’s failed trip to China, as well as callous remarks from the Minister of Disabilities.

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Duration: 46:08
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta sets aside $1.4 billion for industry to reduce carbon emissions
• Liberal leadership candidate Dianne Watts could have an uphill battle ahead
• Trudeau’s failed free trade trip to China
• Everyone … has a sob story’: Thalidomide survivors say they were belittled by disabilities minister>
• Word of the Week: Free trade

The US tariffs Canadian softwood, Jason Kenney wins the UCP race and the social media narrative, the Liberals favour gender equality over diversity and merit with judicial appointments, and the Governor General takes an alarmingly partisan position.

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Duration: 46:47
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• U.S. slaps punitive duties on B.C. softwood
• Jason Kenney wins UCP leadership Race
• Liberals not always appointing ‘highly recommended’ judges
• Rex Murphy: Governor General appoints herself umpire of questions of faith and science
• Word of the Week: Constitution