Western Context

Stephen Harper’s portrait unveiling shows a media turnaround, a Canadian heritage website was almost lost entirely, and the people behind Alberta’s recalls are unveiled. Also, some Vancouver councillors want to ban ICE during the FIFA World Cup games.

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“Quite ironic that we’re in this age of renewed nationalism and our Prime Minister is telling our story internationally, and yet we were about to let this beautiful resource of Canadian stories just wither.” – Stephen Taylor on creating a new website for Canadian historical places.

Duration: 1:02:15
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Stephen Harper says Canada must urgently reduce its dependence on the U.S.
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• Parks Canada planned to delete a heritage website — but one proud Canadian hit ‘Save’
• End the UCP’: AB Resistance’s two-year mission to dethrone Danielle Smith
• Vancouver councillors push for World Cup to ban ICE agents
• Word of the Week: Heritage

Nutrien decides to export through Washington instead of BC, more UCP MLAs are facing recall campaigns, and the Dakota Nations sue for title over southwest Manitoba. Also, a memorandum sets the conditions for a west coast pipeline.

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“Investing in the United States is going to make some American governor and American officials happy that a Canadian firm is investing in their country. Good for Nutrien. And not so bad for Canada, too, that a company trying to do the best for itself and its shareholders does something that shows Americans that we really are friends and allies.” – Joel Bruneau, department head of economics at the University of Saskatchewan, on the decision for Nutrien to export through Washington rather than BC.

Duration: 1:01:39
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Saskatchewan firm’s plan to export through Washington state instead of B.C. has David Eby fuming
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• 6 more UCP legislature members facing recall petitions, including 5 from Calgary area
• Dakota Nations claim title to mineral-rich corner of Manitoba valued at $1.3B annually
• Carney signs major energy agreement with Alberta, laying out conditions for new oil pipeline
• Word of the Week: Memorandum

Bell lays off more workers and asks for more money, a recall petition starts for Calgary’s mayor Jyoti Gondek, and Selina Robinson is removed from the BC NDP’s cabinet. Also, suspicious HSBC mortgages are fuelling the real estate crisis.

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“This is a radical change. With these proposed amendments, they are moving to give actual rights of First Nations governance over non-First Nations parties. That’s different than Indigenous self-government and to my knowledge, it’s the first time it has been contemplated anywhere in Canada.” – Robin Junger, a lawyer specializing in indigenous law with McMillan LLP in response to the BC government’s plan to reform the Lands Act.

Duration: 56:32
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Trudeau calls Bell layoffs a ‘garbage decision’: ‘I’m pretty pissed off’
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• Calgary receives notice of recall petition for Mayor Jyoti Gondek
• Selina Robinson steps down as B.C. minister following controversial comments
• “Fake Chinese income” mortgages fuel Toronto Real Estate Bubble: HSBC Bank Leaks
• Word of the Week: Mortgage

We look at some policies we would wish to enact in Canada, including promoting corporate competitiveness, a suite of democratic reforms and developing Canadian energy to project global power. Also, we look at the best way to resolve Western alienation.

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Duration: 52:20
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Economic and Corporate Competitiveness
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• Democratic Reform
• Energy and Projecting Canadian Power
• Resolving Western Alienation

A BC NDP MLA faces a recall petition, sparse reasons emerge for the Emergencies Act, and Telus wants to charge consumers even more. Also, the RCMP has used spyware for decades to track Canadians.

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“All three of our telecom providers … have reported increased profits, increased revenue and increased customers for 2021. They are doing better than ever. This is just another way to raise our bills through shady practices and extra fees and adding things on top so that we are paying even more than we already are.” – Rosa Addario, spokesperson for telecom watchdog OpenMedia on Telus’ plan to add a surcharge on cell phone bills paid by credit card.

Duration: 56:26
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• I will not be intimidated’: B.C. MLA facing recall petition from anti-mandate crowd
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• Cabinet heard of potential ‘breakthrough’ with ‘Freedom Convoy’ protesters before Emergencies Act was invoked: documents
• Telus asks CRTC permission to add 1.5% credit card surcharge to customer bills
• RCMP has used spyware to access targets’ communications as far back as 2002: Senior Mountie
• Word of the Week: Surcharge

Alberta wraps up a successful spring session, CBC is turning off Facebook comments, and Trudeau paid more for less in buying vaccines. Also, our Public Health Agency is held in contempt of Parliament as the Trudeau government covers up more and more.

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Duration: 48:31
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“It’s one thing for our journalists to deal with toxicity on these platforms. It’s another for our audience members who try to engage with and discuss our journalism to encounter it on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, where they are almost guaranteed to be confronted by hate, racism and abuse.” – CBC editor in Chief Brodie Fenlon on the fabricated dangers of free speech

• Alberta legislature wraps tumultuous spring sitting, likely to call new session in the fall
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• Why CBC is turning off Facebook comments on news posts for a month
• Canada paid a premium to get doses from Pfizer earlier than planned
• Handing over Winnipeg lab documents has ‘national security’ implications
• Word of the Week: Contempt

Alberta brings recall legislation and citizen initiatives, BC’s vaccine schedule moves up with focus on essential workers, and Rogers attempts to buy Shaw for $26b. Also, the Two Michaels receive court dates while Canada gives money to pro-China groups.

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Duration: 55:26
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“It’s kind of shocking. They have freedom to express their opinion, whether they support the talking points of the Communist Party or not. The problem is they cannot do that with my tax money. Why should I support with my tax dollars their propaganda?” – Mehmet Tohti, executive director of the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project

• Alberta government tables legislation that would allow voters to recall elected MLAs plus citizen initiative act
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• Vaccinated people will get flexibility to do more in B.C., premier says
• Rogers’ $16 Billion Bid for Shaw Jolts Canada Wireless Sector
• Michael Spavor’s trial in China ends without a verdict
• Word of the Week: Essential

A Dart poll shows overwhelming blame for Trudeau’s government, Alberta’s budget shows a return to competitiveness, and the BC Liberals blame foreign money for the blockades. Also, the Teck Frontier Mine is cancelled while Trudeau is nowhere to be found.

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Duration: 48:38
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada is broken,’ say majority of Canadians in poll taken in wake of rail blockades
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• Alberta Speech from the throne: February 25, 2020
• Fair Deal Survey
• BC Liberals say US donations to anti-pipeline groups should be condemned
• The $20B Frontier mine shelved amid escalating rail blockades, CEO says Canada must reconcile climate and oil
• Word of the Week: Trojan Horse

Trudeau invokes Trump rhetoric on carbon tax opponents, the BC Liberals claim David Eby is in a conflict of interest, and a crazy proposal to curb Alberta oil supply. Also, we cover Trudeau’s immigration plan and what could help workers in our economy.

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Duration: 50:23
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• PM says carbon tax critics like Scheer, Ford want to ‘make pollution free again’
• BC Liberals file conflict of interest complaint against David Eby over recall legislation
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• Varcoe: Alberta faces calls to crimp oil output to resolve price discount
• Canada to increase annual immigration admissions to 350,000 by 2021
• Word of the Week: Fearmongering