The Backbench

The spectre of a fall federal election looms large with a flurry of activity in the House, Trudeau calling Parliament toxic, and a high-profile Minister announcing she won’t run again. And further fallout after more unmarked graves were found at a residential school. This week's contributors:  Drew Brown ,  Celina Caesar-Chavannes ,  Jason Markusoff This episode is supported by&nbsp...

Federal politics scrambles to respond to the country finding more and more Indigenous children's remains near residential schools. And Prime Minister Trudeau is the "dean" of the G7 now, allegedly. This week's panelists: Leena Minifie , Jaskaran Sandhu feat. Romeo Saganash Further reading: More on how the federal government still took Indigenous children to court on the day we recorded (Monday) Th...

A new CRTC decision - that critics say guarantees higher wireless prices - suggests that telecom giants are in control. What does Quebec trying to change the Constitution via Bill 96 mean? And host Fatima Syed breaks protocol with her own point of order. This week's panelists: Murad Hemmadi , Emilie Nicolas , & Stuart Thomson ,  This episode is supported by Dispatch and Freshbooks ....

The conflict of interest and ethics commissioner weighs in on the meaning of friendship; is Prime Minister Trudeau home free from WE? And the government steps into a legal battle over the Line 5 pipeline. This week's panelists: Stuart Thomson , Leena Minifie , and Jaskaran Sandhu Further reading: Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's reports on Trudeau and Morneau The Government of C...

The third wave has shattered any remaining notion that we're all in this pandemic together. And the government commissions a new review into sexual misconduct in the military, just six years after the last one. What will it take for actual change? This week's panelists:  Celina Caesar-Chavannes ,  Emilie Nicolas , and  Drew Brown This episode is brought to you by  Freshbooks &n...

Dig into Canadian politics from the best seats in the House. Host Fatima Syed welcomes our rotating roster of panelists from across the country:  Celina Caesar-Chavannes ,  Jason Markusoff ,  Drew Brown ,  Emilie Nicolas ,  Jaskaran Sandhu ,  Murad Hemmadi ,  Leena Minifie , and  Stuart Thomson . Stay on top of things through sharp commentary and incisive an...

Meng Wenzhou was arrested two years ago today in Vancouver and now unlikely MPs are calling for her release. Meanwhile, anti-CCP camps are at odds with each other in Surrey. South China Morning Post's Vancouver correspondent Ian Young unpacks how international politics play out on Canadian soil. Further reading:  Government petition calling for Meng Wanzhou's release, sponsored by Manitoba ND...

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's climate plan may seem at odds with Canada's energy sector — but there's more to consider than just pipeline politics. Senior Researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood  unpacks Biden's climate plan and what it means for Canada. This episode is brought to you by Paradigm. Support the show: https://backbench.sup...

It's crowdfunding month! Support us at canadaland.com/join .   It's Election Day in the U.S. As Joe Biden heads to the polls having run his presidential campaign on one of the Democratic Party's most progressive platforms yet, OPPO hosts wonder: Is having a party for “the progressive left” like the NDP the best way for such ideas to gain real traction?  NDP MP for Hamilton Ce...

It's crowdfunding month! Support us at canadaland.com/join . An uncertain outcome in the upcoming U.S. presidential election is a real possibility that Canadians need to navigate. Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute Balkan Devlen explains why and how. Support the show: https://backbench.supercast.tech/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

US President Donald Trump's rallying cry to a hate group warrants a review of where the Proud Boys are at today. Dr. Barbara Perry speaks on this Canadian export and to what extent they pose a threat to Canadian society and the upcoming US election. This episode is brought to you by CI Direct Investing. Support the show: https://backbench.supercast.tech/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

BC's new Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau weighs in on Premier John Horgan's snap election and ‘cynical' political calculation. And some Liberal MPs are so passionate about a basic income ahead of the throne speech that we had to bring on ‘CEO activist' Floyd Marinescu to offer his lobby group's cost-benefit analysis.   This episode is brought to you by CI Direct Investing . Sup...

Snap election this fall? Erin O'Who? How many jobs can Chrystia Freeland have? And will the U.S. melt down in an apocalyptic civil war that will render it all meaningless? Jen and Sandy look at the season ahead.  This episode is brought to you by CI Direct Investing . Support the show: https://backbench.supercast.tech/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See...

Can you guess which OPPO host has downloaded the app? Citizen Lab's Christopher Parsons joins us to assuage privacy concerns and/or irrational fears about the federal government's new app to contain the coronavirus. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . While OPPO is not made using supporter funds, CANADALAND's other shows rely on listen...

Cars, machinery, and now conspiracy theories. The U.S. continues its proud tradition of exports to Canada as QAnon gains traction north of the border. Marc-André Argentino joins to walk us through the origins and future of QAnon in Canada. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by We...

The pandemic has already had a disproportionate impact on women, especially those with children. But how much worse could that be if schools don’t reopen soon? Dr. Sylvia Fuller joins to explain. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar and Rotman School of Management . While OPPO is not made using Patreon funds, CANAD...

As calls to defund continue to grow, why not imagine what Canada would look like without police? Robyn Maynard joins us to unpack the idea. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar . While OPPO is not made using Patreon funds, CANADALAND’s other shows rely on listener support. Please consider  becoming a monthly suppor...

Now that Jen has thrown out her sourdough starter, it’s time to start paying attention to the race to replace Andrew Scheer. James Moore joins us to run through the field of candidates and explain where the Conservatives stand on the eve of the first party debate. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar . While OPPO i...

China and the US are facing off in what’s being dubbed a new Cold War. And Canada’s stuck in a tight spot. Last week, a BC judge ruled that Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou’s charges meet the bar of “double criminality,” which means she’s one step closer to being extradited to the US. China is not happy. To dig into what’s at stake, we’re joined by Philip Calvert, a former diplomat in China and Senio...

Violent attacks on racialized people are on the rise in Canada — especially against those who look East Asian. We’re joined by reporter Joanna Chiu to discuss what happens when we conflate the actions of a government with individual people. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar . While OPPO is not made using Patreon...

What does the new ban on assault-style firearms in Canada mean? And what’s going on with the dog-whistle racism in the Conservative leadership race? Zain Velji co-hosts. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar . While OPPO is not made using Patreon funds, CANADALAND’s other shows rely on listener support. Please consi...

Can Canada get diaper pail-ready? We’re joined by economist Dr. Lindsay Tedds to help make sense of the long-term economic impacts this recession could have on Canada. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar , Audible , and HelloFresh . While OPPO is not made using Patreon funds, CANADALAND’s other shows rely on liste...

It’s everywhere. It’s all anyone’s talking about. It’s dominating headlines and social media feeds. So of course we’re going to talk about Tiger King. There’s also been plenty of erratic behaviour created by the pandemic, from volatile markets to a volatile Albertan health minister and Jen’s emergent prepper tendencies. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This epis...

As the realities of COVID-19 begin to take hold in Canada, the strains on our society become most visible where we're most vulnerable. A veteran SARS reporter, Ian Young of The South China Morning Post joins to help put it all in perspective. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar and FreshBooks . While OPPO is not m...

What does the largest single-day drop in the price of oil in almost two decades mean for Canada’s economy? How will it affect growing frustration in Alberta? And have you washed your hands since you started reading this? Wash your hands. Get in touch at  oppo@canadalandshow.com  or on Twitter  @OPPOcast . This episode of OPPO is brought to you by WealthBar and FreshBooks . While OPPO is not made u...