Western Context

Canada’s cold snap raises questions of BC Hydro’s future, Rachel Notley is stepping down as Alberta’s NDP leader, and even Liberal ministers agree that immigration is out of control. Also, an opinion piece questions Poilievre’s commitment to queer issues.

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“I’m a bit of a polarizing figure in the province.” – Outgoing Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley on part of the reason why she is leaving.

Duration: 1:10:46
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• BC experiences record-breaking electricity demand amid cold snap, says BC Hydro
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• Notley says she’ll step down from Alberta NDP helm to make way for fresh voices
• Elements of immigration system ‘out of control,’ says federal minister as pressure to make changes increases
• Concern about queer rights under a Poilievre-led government keeps me up at night
• Word of the Week: Import

A video of Jagmeet Singh being heckled takes off in the media, an oilsands company defends Notley’s carbon tax, but who’s paying? Also, Horgan’s “slimy” remarks lead to a taxpayer funded lawsuit, lastly, some insensitive articles posted on Sept 11th.

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Duration: 37:54
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• John Ivison: Jagmeet Singh heckler video may be his Trudeau boxing match moment
• Company defends Rachel Notley’s support for the oilsands after Brian Jean attacks NDP
• B.C. taxpayers likely to foot bill in Horgan/Wilson fiasco
• What happens when an ISIS member returns to Canada? The story of one Toronto-area man
• Word of the Week: insensitive

Is Kenney’s balanced budget feasible? The NDP calls it “mean spirited”! A BC Liberal “betrays” his party to become speaker, the federal government want to change taxes impacting small businesses, and McKenna virtue signalling in the NAFTA negotiations.

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Duration: 37:36
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Jason Kenney proposes drastic cut to Alberta’s per capita spending, balanced budget in 3 years
• BC Liberal goes against party wishes, acclaimed as Speaker of the House
• Jack Mintz: Mere ‘tweaks’ won’t fix the Liberals’ draconian tax-reform plan
• Catherine McKenna says she is ‘done’ with ‘ridiculous’ Tory language on environment
• Word of the Week: Virtue signalling

Plunging approval ratings for Premier Notley, and a surprising shift to the left in the BC Liberal’s throne speech. Meanwhile, there are questions of accountability in the Senate, and bad journalism leads to misplaced anger over the Syrian Refugee plan.

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Duration: 42:20
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Premier Rachel Notley tied for second as Canada’s least popular premier: Poll
• B.C. legislature hears Throne Speech / Clark’s left turn worries her party’s conservatives, could endanger Liberals free-enterprise coalition
• Tie vote defeats Senate motion to split infrastructure bank from budget bill
• Kellie Leitch criticized over tweet attacking Syrian refugee program
• Word of the Week: Accountable

Did the Trudeau government do its research on the Paris deal and a carbon tax? A so called “strong stable minority” in BC, Rachel Notley appeals to conservatives, and the media hit job on Andrew Scheer.

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Duration: 48:15
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trump dumps climate and Trudeau says we’ll always have Paris
• BC Greens strike deal to force end of Liberal era, support NDP government
• Rachel Notley makes appeal to conservatives turned off by potential merger between Wildrose and PCs
• The Hit Job on Andrew Scheer
• Word of the Week: Smear