Viewpoints

In this holiday bonus   episode of Viewpoints, host Sean Rasmussen sits down with Eli Singer, a pioneer at the crossroads of people and technology, to explore our complicated relationships with screens and devices. After two decades in social media marketing—helping early teams at Google, Coca-Cola, Ford, and MoMA—Eli Singer watched the internet transform from a tool for community building into an...

Host Sean Rasmussen sits down with Geoff Horsman, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at  Wilfrid Laurier University  and contributor to the new book “ The War on Science. ” Together, they dive into the growing ideological influences affecting research and scientific inquiry in Canada. From the challenges posed by mandated equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) requirements to the po...

Host Sean Rasmussen sits down with Brian Dijkema, president of Cardus Canada , for a lively and honest chat about what’s really going on in Western societies. Why are we so divided? What’s happening with our institutions? Is a return to faith part of the solution? Brian Dijkema weighs in on everything from housing troubles and debt to the rise of progressive activism and the decline (or revival) o...

Surely, the thinking goes, authoritarianism is a problem on the right, not the left. For many, especially here in Canada, ‘right wing’ is basically synonymous with authoritarianism. But, a surprisingly high percentage of self-identified progressives are punitive, bullying and intolerant of disagreement: authoritarian traits. This phenomenon is largely undocumented in the media or in the academic r...

In this episode of Viewpoints, host Sean Rasmussen sits down with Adam Swart, founder and CEO of Crowds on Demand, to pull back the curtain on the protest industry. Adam shares his unique perspective from years of organizing advocacy campaigns—ranging from high-profile demonstrations to publicity stunts—and challenges the idea of what makes a protest truly “grassroots.” The conversation explores t...

This one is about rethinking economics. I speak with Bart Wilson, professor of economics and law at Chapman University (California) about experimental economics and what it has to say about how societies prosper. I also pick his brains about some current affairs, such as the growth of the Canadian government, Javier Milei, Carbon Taxes and much more! Guest Links: https://www.bartjwilson.com/ The S...

Why does socialism keep coming back, even after so many failed experiments? In this episode of Viewpoints, host Sean Rasmussen sits down with Dr. Kristian Niemietz, author of "Socialism: The Failed Idea That Never Dies," to explore the resurgence of "millennial socialism" and why each new generation believes they can succeed where others have failed. Niemietz discusses his own...

Welcome to Viewpoints, the podcast where we dig beneath the headlines to challenge assumptions and explore ideas that shape our society. In this episode, host Sean Rasmussen sits down with Steven Reich, a PhD student in educational policy at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) , for a frank and eye-opening conversation about the state of our schools. Why h...

Host Sean Rasmussen sits down with political scientist Frances Widdowson to tackle the Kamloops unmarked graves controversy and the broader implications for indigenous affairs in Canada. They highlight the effects of the so-called "Aboriginal industry," and discuss the importance of truth-seeking for real progress. Frances shares her personal experiences facing academic backlash, emphasi...

Host Sean Rasmussen speaks with Sociologist Neil McLaughlin about the challenge of political polarization on campus and the wider society -- and how we might move to a better place. We cover a lot of ground: The Jordan Peterson controversy, the Heterodox Academy, public intellectuals, Chris Rufo's activism, Erich Fromm, elitism, the crisis of meaning, leftist authoritarianism, the CBC, Canadia...

In this episode Sean Rasmussen speaks with Melanie Bennet, co-host of the popular YouTube channel,  The Canadian Culture Wars Report , about the activist takeover of Ontario’s K-12 Education system. K-12 Education in Ontario has undergone a transformation in the past twenty years, by taking some fairly radical and untested concepts and methods from obscure academic disciplines and pushing them thr...

Host Sean Rasmussen speaks with Mia Hughes, author of  The WPATH Files . If you have felt like mainstream Canadian coverage you’re seeing on gender issues has been lacking, you’re right, and you’ll want to listen to what Mia has to say. We discuss gender ideology, gender medicine and how Canada’s handling of gender issues is lagging years behind Europe and the UK–who have all changed their policie...

In this episode host Sean Rasmussen speaks with Mark Milke, the president of The Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy . It's a wide ranging conversation that gets to the heart of what it means to be Canadian. We also discuss the anti-reality of many of the utopian political movements in the 21st Century, Trump's trolling statements about being the 51st state, the role of think tanks and much mor...

Many of the guests on Viewpoints , so far, have been critical of the mainstream media for being too left -leaning. Well, in this episode you're going to hear from someone who thinks that mainstream media is, if anything, still too right -leaning. Josh Elstro is a podcast and multimedia producer for Convergence Magazine , a publication that works with organizers and activists to promote socially pr...

There is a bill before the Canadian Senate right now, Bill C-293, titled “An Act respecting pandemic prevention and preparedness.” But, despite its innocuous and bureaucratic sounding title, it could have far-reaching implications for Canadians. At least according to my guest today... Returning guest Lisa Miron has been raising the alarm about the potential dangers of this bill to the Canadian dem...

You may have heard of the "Smart City" before, or maybe the "15 minute city" or "C40 city". But, do we really understand what they are and what they mean to our democracy? Host Sean Rasmussen speaks with Lisa Miron about how these related initiatives are quietly changing the nature of municipal politics not just in Canada but around the world. And, why that might not be a good thing. Lisa Miron ha...

Whether your political leanings are right, left, or centrist today's guest, historian Scott Miller, will help you understand today's extreme polarization and how conservative thought fits into the picture. Topics discussed: Political prejudice in academia The origins of left and right in politics What it means to be a Canadian conservative Rousseau and socialism Left-of-liberalism and the...

Host Sean Rasmussen speaks with Dr. Eric Kaufmann about his new book, The Third Awokening , which is a deep dive into the politics of the left. Eric's breadth of knowledge and unique perspective on what drives left-liberalism make this episode a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand the past, present, and future leftist politics in Canada and abroad. About the Guest Dr. Eric Kaufmann is p...

In this episode host Sean Rasmussen speaks with Marco Navarro-Génie, co-author of the book Canada's Covid: The Story of a Pandemic Moral Panic . If you want to understand what happened during Canada's pandemic response this is a must-listen. Topics discussed: Canada’s response to the covid pandemic and how moral panic derailed it. What did we know and when? Why we jettisoned solid emergenc...

Floyd Marinescu has been a long-time advocate for Universal Basic Income, and more recently, the Land Value Tax (a significant rejigging of the way we tax people). Is he a dreamy radical? Or are his ideas, in fact, sensible policy strategies to build a fairer, more productive Canada? Listen and find out. Floyd is CEO and co-founder of C4Media, which provides software development news and learning...

Host Sean Rasmussen speaks with James Pew from Woke Watch Canada. Pew thinks wokeism is the wrong direction for Canadians. He founded Woke Watch Canada to investigate these ideas and provide a rigorous counterpoint to what he calls radical ideologies. In this conversation, you'll hear about his inspiration for founding Woke Watch Canada, what he means by “woke”, how it has become a part of K-12 ed...