Western Context

We look at the history of populism, what it means, and how it applies to both the left and right. We delve into both the US and Canada’s very successful populist movements. Also, Pierre Poilievre’s populist ideals are shunned by the mainstream media.

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“Today, CBC’s news service CP wrote a hit piece on me because I dared criticize the World Economic Forum—a group of multinational CEOs and powerful politicians that push their interests. I work for our people in this country and will bring home our democracy—without apology.” – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on the Canadian Press becoming political.

Duration: 57:26
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• A History of Populism by Western Context
• American Populism
• Canadian Populism
• Poilievre’s Conservative party embracing language of mainstream conspiracy theories
• Word of the Week: Populism

An NDP MLA crashed the UCP’s vaccine website, a holiday for only some shows division between the public and private sectors, and Trudeau’s inflation relief only furthers the problem. Also, Pierre Poilievre gets heckled by the media during a speech.

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“First, they hurled obscenities and then started shouting at me. Was it some left-wing protester? Maybe it was a Liberal MP or staffer? No, it was a member of the media. He wasn’t interested in hearing what I had to say, and he certainly wasn’t interested in reporting it in an unbiased way.” – an email from new Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to Conservative supporters.

Duration: 47:56
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• NDP blamed UCP for vaccine portal crash after NDP MLA hacked the system
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• Holiday for some, not for others, causing hardship, confusion in B.C.
• Trudeau announces $4.5 billion inflation relief package for low earners
• Pierre Poilievre’s callous courting of Canada’s ‘deplorables’
• Word of the Week: Heckler

Court documents reveal no basis for Trudeau’s travel ban, Canada bans the importation of handguns, and fake outrage emerges over Alberta’s provincial police future. Also, while Trudeau is on vacation, there are plenty of other things to criticize him for.

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“[The Trudeau] government’s apparent abandonment of Ukrainian embassy employees ahead of Russia’s invasion in February; its continuing abandonment of Afghans who worked for the Canadian government; its enduring and expensive fidelity to COVID-19 theatre; the lack of clarity surrounding allegations of political interference in the RCMP probe following the 2020 Nova Scotia massacre; the federal government’s failure, months later, to publicly provide persuasive evidence justifying its invocation of the Emergencies Act during the trucker convoy crisis; and Mr. Trudeau’s capitulation in returning natural gas turbines to Germany despite Russian sanctions.” – Globe and Mail columnist Robyn Urback, detailing reasons other than a vacation to be concerned with Trudeau’s government.

Duration: 57:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Court Documents Reveal Canada’s Travel Ban Had No Scientific Basis
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• Canada is banning the importation of handguns, effective Aug. 19
• Alberta NDP criticizes United Conservative Party’s new provincial policing website
• A dangerous rage is sweeping the land
• Word of the Week: Basis

A family from China is tracked for money laundering, Edmonton needs to come up with a transit safety plan, and Poilievre fights off the little coalition of Charest and Brown. Also, the media and government imports the US gun control issue once more.

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“We need that full system of justice to come together to affect the required change to keep our communities safe. I think we have the laws on the books but we need the system (to act more strongly)” – Calgary Deputy Police Chief Paul Cook on the current gun laws in Canada.

Duration: 51:12
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Luxury mansions. Millions in suspicious bank transfers. And concern that a Chinese businessman accused of bribery helped froth Canada’s housing market
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• Alberta justice minister demands Edmonton mayor create safety plan for downtown and transit
• Little coalition’ of Charest and Brown spar with Poilievre during French-language leadership debate
• Trudeau signals new gun-control changes coming; here’s what the Liberals have promised
• Word of the Week: Kamikaze

Canada bans Huawei and ZTE from 5G networks, BC will spend $800m to replace the Royal BC Museum, and Jason Kenney will resign after a new UCP leader is chosen. Also, the media and Pierre Poilievre go to war.

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“There’s a small yet spirited minority of grassroot conservatives who’ve come to define their politics in solely oppositional terms. It derives from a position of perceived weakness in modern society. They see mainstream institutions (including corporations, universities, and the media) succumbing to an assertive form of progressivism and feel increasingly embattled in a culture that at times can be quite hostile to their ideas and values.” – The Hub, Editor-at-Large Sean Speer.

Duration: 1:08:01
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada banning Chinese telecom giant Huawei, ZTE from 5G networks
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. to spend $789 million to replace Royal BC Museum
• A lament for conservatism
• The danger Pierre Poilievre’s corrosive campaign poses to Canada
• Word of the Week: Dog-Whistle

A religion poll unintentionally drives a wedge on culture, Alberta energy rates are heavily impacted by the NDP carbon tax, and BC faces a critical shortage of nurses. Also, many MPs owning rental properties could be fueling the housing crisis.

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“Over the past years, we’ve seen a rise in hate crimes, a rise in intolerance and racist acts. Part of it is the pandemic, sure, and the stress and the anxiety that comes from that, but a part of it is a trend toward greater polarization in our politics, greater intolerance in our communities.” – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s theory on the origin of Canadian hate crimes.

Duration: 58:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canadians consider certain religions damaging to society: survey
• Support us on Patreon
• Alberta to shake up energy market by dissolving balancing pool, consumers to pay off $1.34B loan
• We need more nurses now’: B.C. to fast track approval for internationally trained nurses
• Poilievre defends investments in rental properties while campaigning to address housing affordability
• Word of the Week: Extremism

We profile the top four candidates likely to become the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, as we delve into the history, policies, and appeal of Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis and Pierre Poilievre.

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Duration: 55:27
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Patrick Brown
• Support us on Patreon
• Jean Charest
• Leslyn Lewis
• Pierre Poilievre

Alberta moves to lift COVID restrictions, the BC Liberals elect Kevin Falcon as leader, and Trudeau’s own MP’s are questioning their pandemic strategies. Also, Pierre Poilievre shows us the power of social media.

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“From a positive and unifying approach, a decision was made to wedge, to divide and to stigmatize. I fear that this politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public’s trust in our public health institutions. This is not a risk we ought to be taking lightly.” – Liberal MP Joël Lightbound on his government’s approach to vaccine mandates.

Duration: 1:03:08
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Alberta takes steps to safely return to normal
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. Liberals elect former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon as next leader
• Trudeau’s own party is starting to turn on him over Covid restrictions
• Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre says he is running for prime minister
• Word of the Week: Intransigence