Western Context

Canada’s Olympic performance falls short of its target, Alberta’s budget includes a deficit, and the BC NDP try to limit freedom of information requests. Also Eastern Canada imports Australian LNG.

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“It was just a month ago that Prime Minister (Mark) Carney made international headlines with his inspiring speech at Davos. In that speech, he talked in large part about ambition, about the strength of Canada at home and the values we can and should project to the world. Through [the power of] sport, we have a real opportunity, if not a responsibility, to be ambitious about how we want to show up as a nation, both on the world stage and in communities across the country.” – Canadian Olympic Committee Chief Executive David Shoemaker on Canada’s Olympic future.

Duration: 56:11
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• Canada’s Olympic chief calls for sports funding boost as medal target missed
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• Alberta Budget 2026: Province delivers $9.4B deficit that breaks its own fiscal rules
• NDP set to weaken B.C.’s FOI law and keep public in the dark
• Australia ships LNG 25,000 kilometres to Eastern Canada amid Asian slump
• Word of the Week: freedom

More Canadians are turning to food banks, the Alberta NDP and UCP conventions get covered differently, and the BC NDP decide to quash the indigenous-led 2030 Olympic bid. Also, the RCMP is investigating Chinese-run police stations in Canada.

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“It would’ve been nice to sit down with all parties involved … before they make their conclusion. We’ll have to wait and see where this goes from here. But for me, this squashes it. When the minister mentioned it was not a priority … I mentioned it’s bigger than 2030. It’s reconciliation, and it’s working with the nations, government to government, to move forward.” – Musqueam First Nation Chief Wayne Sparrow on the BC government’s decision to not hold dialogue on a possible Indigenous-led 2030 Winter Olympics bid.

Duration: 1:04:10
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• More Canadians are turning to food banks than ever before, new report says
• Alberta UCP and NDP hold simultaneous political conventions to ramp up unofficial election campaigns
• Support us on Patreon
• B.C. government says it won’t support 2030 Winter Olympics bid
• RCMP investigating Chinese ‘police’ stations in Canada
• Word of the Week: Disservice

Trudeau’s dithering hobbles the effectiveness of Parliament, Vancouver explores a 2030 Olympic bid, and Rachel Notley decides to not become a member of the UCP. Also, the auditor general outlines the failures of Trudeau’s quarantine hotel program.

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“Mr. Trudeau is not above Parliament. In a minority government, he only serves as Prime Minister at the pleasure of the House of Commons. It is not his place to choke off the debate and scrutiny that are the oxygen of our democracy, and the fact he continues to get away with doing so should worry all Canadians.” – Globe and Mail Editorial Board on Justin Trudeau’s performance as Prime Minister starting this session of Parliament.

Duration: 55:24
Hosts: Shane and Patrick

• If Justin Trudeau believes in Parliament, he has a funny way of showing it
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• Vancouver and First Nations expected to announce committee to explore possible 2030 Olympic bid
• 3 UCP MLAs vote against Bill 81 over bulk membership purchase issue
• Ottawa has no idea if 75 per cent of air arrivals obeyed hotel quarantine rule: AG report
• Word of the Week: Dither