Western Context

Heavy rainfall causes massive flooding and mudslides in BC, a new national park in Edmonton may cause federal intrusions, and the disaster in BC unearths vulnerabilities in our infrastructure. Also, Trudeau meets with Biden, but gets nothing from it.

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“One has to think about where we’re planning our highways, where we put our wastewater treatment plants (and) pumps … the lower mainland of B.C. needs to be pumped out because it’s at risk of flooding. If we just rebuild what’s there without understanding that we need to essentially revisit how we build things, then we’re just going to have this problem in the future.” – University of Toronto professor Kent Moore on the BC flooding disaster.

Duration: 52:30
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• B.C. floods: Gas to be rationed in some areas, some highways to be essential travel only
• Support us on Patreon
• Could Edmonton be home to a new national park?
• B.C. floods put spotlight on Canada’s infrastructures. Improve them now, experts say
• Justin Trudeau has an auto agenda, but Joe Biden is in the driver’s seat
• Word of the Week: Disaster

CP Rail looks to create a transcontinental rail route, the Supreme Court rules the federal carbon tax to be constitutional, and the auditor general blasts Trudeau’s infrastructure plans. Also, the media calls Conservatives climate deniers.

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Duration: 57:38
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

“We’ve now fought and lost two elections against a carbon tax because voters did not think we were serious about addressing climate change. And I will not allow 338 candidates to defend against the lie from the Liberals that we are a party of climate change deniers. We will have a plan to address climate change.” – Conservative Party of Canada Leader, Erin O’Toole

• CP Rail to buy Kansas City Southern to create first rail network connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico
• Support us on Patreon
• Kenney and Moe slam federal carbon tax after Supreme Court rules it’s constitutional
• Delays plague ‘inconsistent and incomplete’ $188B infrastructure program: auditor general
• I’m in charge’: O’Toole brushes off Conservative grassroots vote on climate change
• Word of the Week: Dissent

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
• Support us on Patreon
• 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
• Support us on Patreon
• 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