Resuming Debate

In today's episode, we have Mr. Ali Nazary, the Head of Foreign Relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF). Three years after the U.S. withdrawal from the Afghanistan conflict, we talk about the continued fight for liberation and democracy against the Taliban.  Mr. Nazary's key message is that the fight against Taliban terrorism is not over, that the NRF's ongoing campaign is...

In today's episode, I talk to Dr. Jocelyn Monsma Selby. She is a mental health professional with 43 years of clinical practice experience, she holds a PhD in clinical sexuality, and she is the Chair of  "Connecting to Protect."  We talk about the health effects associated with early exposure to pornography, and why this issue requires a public health response.    Throughout this episode we also ta...

In today's episode of Resuming Debate, I speak to Dr. Mohamed Sawwaf. Dr. Sawwaf is the Co-Founder & CEO of Manzil, the only Canadian Islamic FinTech that manufactures and distributes Halal financial solutions, including mortgages and investment funds. He joins me to provide an understanding of the concept of Halal mortgages, and the philosophical and theological ideas driving distinct app...

In today's episode of Resuming Debate, I speak to the Member of Parliament for Brantford-Brant, Larry Brock.  We discussed Brock's previous career as a Crown prosecutor and how he applies his courtroom technique in a parliamentary setting. 

In today's episode of Resuming Debate, I talk to Dr. Joseph Siegle. Dr. Siegle is the Director of Research at the National Defence University's Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Dr. Siegle and I discussed Russia's influence in Africa, the developing situation in light of the demise of Prigozhin, and the importance of Africa in new global 'Cold War' competition.

In today's episode of  Resuming Debate  I talk to Professor Siddharth Kara the author of the book  Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Ours Lives . Cobalt is an element that is used to make many things we use in our daily lives ranging from our cell phones to aircraft engines. The Congo is one of the largest producers of the world's supply of cobalt. The slave-like conditions of...

We have a bit of a different episode this time. Last week, during International Development Week, I hosted a Symposium in Parliament to explore the relationship between international development and geopolitical competition. Each speaker had 10 minutes to speak and take questions. We recorded the whole event, for your listening pleasure.   The panel of distinguished speakers was: 1. Chinelo Agom-E...

In today's episode of Resuming Debate I talk to David Frum. David is an author, political commentator, and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. We mainly planned to discuss how the US elections stand to shape the trajectory of world affairs, but pursued a number of digressions that I think you will find interesting. David is a controversial and sought-after commentator on both sid...

As Canada slides into a new global Cold War, we are woefully unprepared to respond to new threats, especially in the area of foreign interference. In this episode of Resuming Debate, I talk to Dr. Charles Burton, Senior Fellow at the MacDonald Laurier Institute and China policy expert. We discussed Canada's response to foreign interference and what needs to be done to protect our country from...

In this episode of Resuming Debate, I speak with Amanda Achtman, former political staffer and activist. Amanda and I have worked together for many years. We talked primarily about her work opposing the expansion of euthanasia and magnifying important stories about death and dying. We also talked about the war in the Middle East, the impact on the Jewish community in Canada, and her engagement with...

Resuming Debate is back! Today we’re discussing what’s on Parliament’s agenda as it relates to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In the first half I speak with Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine. He recently appeared before a Parliamentary committee in Canada to discuss the abduction of children from Ukraine by Russia. You can watch his appearance along with formerly abducted children here , watch a...

The private military corporation Wagner Group is responsible for brutal violence in Ukraine, but it has also been active in Syria and parts of Africa. Up until this weekend the Wagner Group was generally understood to be a tool of Russian foreign policy. However this weekend it turned its guns on its patron and appeared to launch a military coup against the Russian government. So what is Wagner re...

Justin Trudeau’s ‘Special Rapporteur’ on foreign interference is a former Governor General. What impact will his role in the ongoing foreign interference debate have on perceptions of Governors General? What about Charles III’s past activism on climate change? Today we discuss David Johnston, Charles III, and the role of the crown in general with Keith Roy. Keith is a realtor and team leader at Ke...

For 30 years, Sudan was led by genocidal dictator Omar al-Bashir. In 2018-19, the Sudanese people came together in heroic resistance against al-Bashir’s regime and forced him out of office. Since then, the transition to civilian democratic rule has been difficult, with violence and political strife interrupting the pursuit of this fundamental human right. Joining me for a discussion on Sudan’s pas...

Recent reports of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong have been the talk of the town. In the interests of cross-party conversation, I reached out to former Liberal and current independent MP Kevin Vuong to share his thoughts on foreign interference. Kevin comes from a family that fled communism in Vietnam. He believes that an allegation of sexual assault again...

The International Human Rights Act (Bill C-281) would be a game-changer for Canadian engagement on international human rights issues. Negotiations on this bill are ongoing at the Foreign Affairs Committee to hammer out a version that all parties support. On today’s episode, I speak to MP Philip Lawrence, the bill’s sponsor. We discuss how his bill will strengthen human rights, and how bills strugg...

What is Conservatism? How do conservatives balance different and potentially contradictory impulses like respect for tradition and promotion of freedom?  On today's episode I discuss these issues with two extremely smart Canadian conservatives: Ginny Roth, Vice President at Crestview Strategy, and MP Tom Kmiec, Member of Parliament for Calgary Shephard. I would love to hear your take on this t...

Ottawa has been buzzing with talk of foreign interference. A CSIS employee has taken a significant personal risk by leaking information about alleged CCP interference in Canadian elections. What does foreign interference mean? How does it affect our daily lives? How can we protect Canadian democracy?  Professor Christian Leuprecht and I discuss these critical questions in today’s episode of Resumi...

All of a sudden, lots of people are talking about "15-Minute Cities". On today’s episode of Resuming Debate , we discuss the concept, the controversy, and the social factors that are driving the debate. Both sides say they want more freedom and subsidiarity. Will 15-Minute Cities lead to more freedom or less freedom? For the first half hour, I interview Professor Douglas Farrow, a Professor in The...

You’ve been hearing a lot about McKinsey in the headlines. This company received over $100 million in contracts from the Trudeau Liberals, and has been the subject of various controversies here in Canada and around the world. But behind the headlines, who is this company, what do they do, and why do people hire them? On today’s episode of Resuming Debate, I interview Duff McDonald, author of The F...

On today’s episode of Resuming Debate , we discuss the growing importance of African nations and the opportunity for strengthened Canada-Africa relations. I am joined by Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, Head of the AfCFTA Unit for Free Trade at The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, and Honourable Lawrence Songa, Member of Parliament in Uganda. We discuss African economic opportunities, global politics, an...

On December 14, 2022, two human rights initiatives that I have been working on for a long time unanimously passed the House of Commons. These were a bill banning forced organ harvesting and trafficking, and a motion endorsing genuine autonomy for Tibet. Joining me for a discussion on these initiatives are guests from key communities being targeted by the Communist Party of China: Grace Wollensak f...

Welcome back to a new year of Resuming Debate ! On today's episode I am joined by Ron Chhinzer, a member of the Peel Regional Police Service and Conservative candidate in the recent by-election in Mississauga. Ron details some of his experiences working in law enforcement over 20 years, and we discuss what needs to be done to effectively fight the rising crime wave. This conversation also clears u...

The oil and gas industry is often attacked by climate change activists, but the industry says that they want to play a critical role in combatting climate change. Is this just PR or is this interest real? Joining me for a discussion on the energy industry's response to climate change is Mark Cameron, Vice President of the Pathways Alliance and former director of policy for the Harper government. W...

In the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are also seeing escalating attacks on the Russian opposition and Russian independent civil society. On today’s episode of Resuming Debate , I am joined by Mrs. Evgeniya Kara-Murza, the Advocacy Coordinator of the Free Russia Foundation. Her husband, Vladimir Kara-Murza, is an opposition political activist who has survived multiple assassination a...