The Line

For OTL this week, we have Brandon Forsyth, a book buyer at Indigo.  This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Airbnb. It’s no secret that Canada is in a housing crisis. Some think that short-term rentals such as Airbnbs are the problem. But the closer you look, the clearer it gets. Attempts to lower rents by regulating short-term rentals have failed in cities like New York City – which is...

In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded July 18, 2025, your hosts tackle three big themes across Canada, the U.S., and the media world. First up, Matt and Jen talk sovereignty — and why every time Canada tries to build domestic industrial capacity (in defence, tech, food, etc.), it seems to end in scandal or failure. Or even just massively inflated costs and huge delays. We say we want dome...

In this episode of On The Line , two big conversations on two critical topics: housing and national security. First up: Mike Moffatt. Mike is one of Canada’s leading housing experts. He’s a professor at Western University’s Ivey Business School, senior director at the Smart Prosperity Institute, and host of the Missing Middle  podcast . Matt talks to Mike about the state of Canada’s housing market...

In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on July 11, 2025,   y our hosts are back together! Matt returns from Europe and Jen gets him caught up. First up: a full debrief on this year’s Calgary Stampede. Matt wants to talk breakfast, but Jen wants to talk vibes — and this year, the CPC was a much quieter, more cautious presence than last. Poilievre showed up and got the applause you'd exp...

This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Airbnb.  Everyone agrees that Canada needs to take real action to tackle the housing crisis, but only a few people argue that short-term rentals like Airbnb are part of that solution. Countless experts have argued that short term rental regulation is nothing more than a distraction, with the Harvard Business Review recently saying that “Put simply,...

In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded very early on June 19, your hosts are making the best of a classic summer situation: we're both gone. Jen is off-grid somewhere. Matt is unplugging on another continent. But we didn’t want to leave you hanging — so we figured we’d get ahead of it. How do we do that when we can’t talk about the news of the day? We don’t even try! This episode of T...

This episode of On The Line was recorded in advance, as Matt Gurney is away on summer vacation. But we didn’t want to leave you hanging — so we’ve got two long-form conversations this week that are well worth your time. This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. For generations, Métis communities in Ontario helped build Canada’s first great economy — the fur trade. They fa...

In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on time on June 20, 2025 — so don't blame us for any catastrophes — Jen Gerson returns from covering the G7 and offers a rare dose of optimism: she’s impressed by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Matt Gurney remains skeptical but gives credit where it's due — Carney has handled everything so far with a steady hand. The question is: can he survive...

In the latest episode of On The Line , Jen Gerson is joined by Dave Cournoyer — Alberta politics watcher, writer at daveberta.ca , and longtime chronicler of this province’s wilder turns — for a conversation that cuts through the noise and gets to the big question: what is actually going on in Alberta right now? This episode is brought to you by the Metis Nation of Ontario. It's the Abitibi R...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded (at great risk) a day early on June 12, 2025, Matt and Jen admit they tempted fate. They had to record on Thursday evening due to travel — and even predicted that a war in the Middle East would probably break out while they were offline. So ... yeah. That happened. And no, they don’t talk about it. But the streak of wild things happening whenever...

In this episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney speaks with Christian Leuprecht — professor at the Royal Military College and Queen’s University, editor of the Canadian Military Journal , senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and visiting fellow at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies in Brussels. His forthcoming book is The Military’s Response to Domestic Crises and Global Pa...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on June 6, 2025, Matt and Jen open with a wide-ranging look at U.S.–Canada relations — and the increasingly difficult balancing act both countries are trying to manage. The Americans need to show they’re getting wins. Canada needs to show it’s not caving. That creates a dangerous mismatch in incentives, especially under an unpredictable U.S. adm...

In this engaging conversation, Jen Gerson and royal watcher Patricia Treble, author of WRITE ROYALTY on Substack, discuss the recent visit of King Charles III to Canada, focusing on the significance of his throne speech and its geopolitical implications. They explore the role of the monarchy in Canadian sovereignty, the authority of King Charles in delivering the speech, and the reactions from bot...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 30, 2025, Matt and Jen assess the early days of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government — and wonder if things are moving fast enough. Parliament is back, the procedural stuff is over, and it’s go-time in Ottawa. Matt asks whether Carney is pushing hard enough out of the gate — how fast can this ship really go? Jen offers up a strange and...

This week on On The Line , we’ve got a packed episode with three sharp conversations on three very different fronts — monarchy, cybersecurity, and continental defence. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canad...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 23, 2025, Matt and Jen check in on the early turbulence of the Carney era. First up: the new cabinet. There’s a new energy minister visiting Calgary, staffing delays across the board, and yes — god help us — Marco Mendicino is still around. That’s bad news for almost everyone, but possibly justice of a sort for Mendicino himself. They als...

In this episode of On The Line , The Line 's Jen Gerson interviews David Perlich, a CBC producer and Vatican analyst, about his experiences covering papal conclaves. They discuss the intricacies of the conclave process, the role of Cardinals, and the dynamics of voting for a new pope. Perlich shares insights from his time in Rome, the historical significance of the events, and the unique pres...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 16, 2025, Matt opens with what he claims is a harmless anthropological observation about Alberta. Jen hadn’t noticed it before — but to her surprise, she agrees. And no, it shouldn’t piss anyone off. (Probably.) From there, they move on to the first days of Mark Carney’s duly elected government. Matt is... fine. Everything that’s happenin...

In the latest episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney dives into the geopolitics of trade and the early days of a new Canadian government. First up, Ian Lee from the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University joins Matt to talk about the so-called “deal” recently announced between the United States and China. Ian isn’t here to defend Donald Trump — and says so clearly — but he also offers a sha...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 9, 2025, Matt and Jen round up the week in Canadian politics — and things are getting weird again. They start with Pierre Poilievre’s decision to run in an extremely safe riding and tap Andrew Scheer as the party’s interim House leader. Matt says both choices radiate loser energy. But he also mounts a reluctant defence of the Tories — agr...

In this episode of On The Line, Israeli ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed sits with Jen Gerson to discuss the evolving situation in Gaza, the ongoing hostage crisis, and Israel's strategic objectives in the region.  This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 2, 2025, Matt and Jen debrief the end of a long, weird federal election — and everything it upended. They start with what surprised them about the results and how the political map has scrambled in unexpected ways. Then, naturally, they pivot to constitutional monarchy. Why? Because it works. And because Matt is now on a mission to figure...

In the latest episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney is joined by Gregory Jack, senior-vice president of public affairs at Ipsos Canada, as they do their best to unpack what the hell just happened on Monday night. And what might happen next. In the first half, they go tactical. Matt and Greg walk through the horse race numbers — who’s up, who’s down, and who pulled off a surprise. The Conservatives...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on April 25, 2025, Matt and Jen take stock of the final days of the election campaign — and of Canada’s increasingly bizarre political mood. Matt kicks things off by previewing his upcoming final column before election day. He spoils it a little, of course. His basic argument? The Liberal pitch to voters rests on one of two assumptions: either M...

In the latest episode of On The Line , Jen Gerson reunites with journalist Justin Ling for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the federal campaign — and the increasingly surreal experience of covering it. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada’s energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings...