Progress Canada

Amber Bennett, Executive Director of Re. Climate at Carleton University, joins the podcast for a special Earth Day episode to discuss why the national climate conversation is stalling, just as the stakes are reaching a breaking point. About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s...

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow joins the Progress Canada Podcast to discuss her mission to restore stability and affordability to a city in transition. Focusing on results over rhetoric, Chow breaks down her strategy for making the city more livable by restoring the TTC, improving public safety, and making housing more affordable for everyone. Topics Include: Olivia Chow • Toronto City Hall • Municipal...

The On Message panel evaluates Mark Carney’s first year as Prime Minister, analyzing his international successes at Davos and with the Nordic Alliance, against the domestic pressure of a razor-thin majority and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis. As by-elections and CUSMA negotiations take center stage, the team discusses whether Carney’s polished competence can survive the coming year, which is lik...

Following the 2026 NDP Leadership Convention, veteran strategist Brian Topp joins the podcast to map the party’s recovery from its historic 2025 blowout. Topp discusses Avi Lewis's new mandate, the path to regaining official party status, and how to leverage provincial victories to restore the NDP as a credible national government-in-waiting. Topics include:NDP Leadership 2026 • Avi Lewis • Br...

As the 2026 Democracy xChange conference prepares to take over Toronto this April, Victoria Kuketz joins the Progress Canada Podcast to discuss the summit’s mission to democratize access to big ideas. Topics include:Democracy xChange 2026 • Victoria Kuketz • Daron Acemoglu • Cory Doctorow • Enshitification • Economic Democracy • AI and Human Rights • Digital Sovereignty • Civic Engagement • Politi...

As Ontario Queen’s Park reporters Colin D’Mello and Isaac Callan (Global News) reveal, a 14-week break in legislative sittings hasn't stopped the flow of troubling revelations about the Ford Government. In this episode of the Progress Canada Podcast, we dive into their latest investigative reporting on a government that appears to be increasingly moving its business into the shadows. D’Mello a...

What does it take to lead the PEI Liberal Party back to power, and can a return to principled experience be the key to unseating a long-entrenched government? The PEI Liberal Party has a new leader and a renewed sense of momentum. Robert Mitchell, a former Minister with over a decade of experience in the Legislative Assembly, joins the Progress Canada Podcast to discuss the road back to government...

From City Hall to Parliament Hill, Halifax MP Shannon Miedema joins the Progress Canada Podcast on International Women’s Day. We discuss her transition from municipal climate leadership to federal politics, her work on the Environmental Caucus, and the push for a National Women’s Health Strategy. Episode Chapters:0:00 - Intro2:10 - Entering Politics6:45 - Climate leadership in Halifax11:20 - Parli...

As Canada prepares for renewed trade negotiations with the United States and Mexico, Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Keith Currie joins the Progress Canada Podcast to explain what’s at stake for farmers, food producers, and Canada’s economic sovereignty. Topics include:Canadian agriculture • Canadian Federation of Agriculture • CUSMA • Canada–US trade • Agricultural trade • Food secur...

Who will lead the federal NDP into its next era, and can the party rediscover the politics of possibility before the next election? With the NDP leadership race entering its final month, our National Wrap-Up panel convenes to dissect the state of the contest following the high-stakes debate in British Columbia. We break down the mechanics of the race, how momentum is shifting between the candidate...

As more Canadians live alone and shoulder rising costs on a single income, finance journalist Renée Sylvestre-Williams joins the Progress Canada Podcast to unpack what she calls "the singles tax."Drawing on her new book, "The Singles Tax," Sylvestre-Williams breaks down how Canada’s tax system, social norms, and cost-of-living crisis quietly penalize single adults. From paying more in rent and hou...

What does it take to lead the Ontario Liberal Party back to power, and can a nearly year-long endurance test actually build the muscle the party needs to defeat Doug Ford? Following the official launch of the 2026 OLP Leadership race, our Ontario Wrap-Up panel is back to break down the newly released rules, the shift to online voting, and the long road to November 21.Featuring Darrell Dean (former...

What does rebuilding the Liberal brand require today, and how should Liberals defend their values in an era of cynicism and polarization? As provincial Liberal parties struggle for relevance across Canada, former Ontario Premier David Peterson joins the Progress Canada Podcast to reflect on how he once led the Ontario Liberal Party out of the political wilderness—and what today’s Liberals can lear...

As Donald Trump asserts a more aggressive vision for U.S. power in the Western Hemisphere, our panel digs into where Canada fits in those plans—and where it doesn’t. We explore how Trump’s approach to trade, security, and hemispheric dominance challenges long-standing assumptions about Canada–U.S. relations, and what this moment means for Canadian sovereignty. How should Canadian leaders talk abou...

In this episode, we’re joined by John Fraser — five-term MPP for Ottawa South and the Ontario Liberal Party’s Leader in the Legislature — for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of Ontario politics heading into 2026, what constructive opposition looks like, and the work required to rebuild public trust after seven years of Doug Ford. Fraser reflects on how this year’s campaign compares to...

In this episode, we sit down with Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, for a wide-ranging conversation about poverty, hunger, and the alarming rise in food bank use across Toronto and beyond. We discuss the findings from Daily Bread’s 2025 "Who’s Hungry?" report, which shows food bank visits hitting a record 4.1 million this year — a staggering 340% increase since 2019. H...

In this episode, we sit down with Rob Ashton — National President of ILWU Canada and candidate for federal NDP Leader — for a wide-ranging conversation about class politics, worker power, and what it would mean to elect a leader who comes from working class. We explore Ashton’s 30-year career as a longshoreman, how his background shapes his understanding of Canada’s working class, and why he belie...

In this episode, we sit down with Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP and Leader of the Official Opposition, for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2025 election, the party’s fall agenda, and what it will take to build a government ready to deliver for working people. We discuss Stiles’ reflections on her first general election as leader, what she learned from voters across the province, an...

In this episode, we’re joined by Amandeep Sodhi, Member of Parliament for Brampton Centre. Elected to office for the first time in the 2025 federal election, Sodhi is a member of the so-called “21st Century Club”, a group of four Gen-Z Liberal MPs born in this century. Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_can...

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Emanuel, outgoing President & CEO of the Central York Chamber of Commerce, to talk about the future of young business owners in Canada. With traditional career paths shifting, we explore what young entrepreneurs need to thrive and how chambers of commerce, policymakers, and other community members can help build a local economy that supports young people....

In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Smyth, the Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto–St. Paul’s and the party’s Critic for Ethics, Integrity & Accountability, for a wide-ranging conversation about ethics, transparency, and the growing controversies facing Doug Ford’s government. We discuss Smyth’s first year as an MPP, her transition from a decades-long career in journalism, and what she’s l...

In this episode of the Progress Canada Podcast, Theresa speaks with pollster Kyla Ronnellenfitsch about her latest national polling on the 2025 federal budget, Mark Carney’s early days as Prime Minister, and Pierre Poilievre’s favourability numbers ahead of his leadership review. We dig into voter reactions to the Carney budget rollout, where the party horse race stands today, and how Canadians ar...

In this episode, we’re joined by Iain Rankin, the 29th Premier of Nova Scotia and current House Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinked...

In this episode, the On Message Panel tackles the 2025 federal budget, the first by newly minted Prime Minister Mark Carney. We discuss the Carney Government's new approach to managing government finances, the government's approach to the pre-budget rollout, and how the budget is landing in Parliament. Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagr...

In this episode, we’re joined by Vass Bednar and Kaylie Tiessen. Vass serves as Managing Director and Kaylie serves as Chief Economist at the newly founded Canadian SHIELD Institute, a public policy organization focused on Canadian sovereignty. We talk about how to define sovereignty, how to measure it, and the challenges Canadians are facing in standing up for our sovereignty in the world today....