10/3: Canada Covered

After two seasons impacted by COVID-19, the NHL looks to play a full slate starting on Tuesday, even amid a fourth wave of the pandemic But despite the sense of normalcy that comes with a return to the ice, the league is reckoning with the departure of one of Canada’s biggest on-ice stars. Postmedia’s national hockey columnists Michael Traikos joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why it’s so importa...

The treatment of Joyce Echaquan, recorded on her phone as she languished in a Quebec hospital bed, sparked a national outcry about racism in the healthcare sector. Now, a coroner’s report has found that racism played a role in her death. Montreal Gazette columnist Allison Hanes joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the findings of the report, how it highlights long-standing issues in Quebec, and how...

The debate among police organizations about the existence of systemic racism is complicated. While there has been much talk about racism in policing since the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020, there is still pushback from across the thin blue line. The debate in Vancouver has shown where these divisions lie. Vancouver Sun columnist Dan Fumano joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss...

A mere two weeks after restating Alberta wouldn’t see a vaccine passport, Premier Jason Kenney announced a vaccine passport amid rising cases of COVID-19’s fourth wave. Kenney deemed it necessary at this point as Alberta’s health system faced record numbers of hospitalizations and ICU admissions. The move has also created political pressure within his own party. Edmonton Journal political reporter...

The federal election left a bad taste in the mouths of many voters, and has left us right back where started. We’re facing a minority parliament, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau getting another term in office. National Post political reporter Chris Nardi joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the factors that led us to another minority for the Liberals, the post-election relationship between Trudea...

Canada’s election campaign hit the homestretch this past week, as leaders made their final pitches to voters as to why they should be given the opportunity to govern. But will we see a change in Ottawa, or will this election leave us back where we were before? Tasha Kheiriddin, a columnist for the National Post and principal for Navigator LTD, joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how the leaders far...

Despite not winning any seats in its first election campaign in 2019, Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party of Canada is back for the 2021 vote, trying to paint itself as a true conservative alternative. But the PPC has been dogged by controversy over past ties to white supremacists, its opposition to measures to stem COVID-19 and its courting of anti-vaxxers, and the involvement of members in angry gro...

All five major party leaders faced tough questions and each other in the two official debates. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was the main target for his four opponents, as he faced attacks over broken promises and calling the election. But was the debate voters deserve? National Post columnist Sabrina Maddeaux joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how each of the leaders fared, how the debates set th...

Faced with rising COVID-19 cases and flagging vaccination rates, the Alberta government brought back some familiar measures, like a mask mandate, and a 10 p.m. booze cutoff. But Premier Jason Kenney also courted controversy by announcing vaccine holdouts would be offered $100 to get the shot. Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the announcement, the political fallout...

The election campaign has passed the halfway point, and things are starting to heat up. Leaders squared off in the first French debate, which saw arguments over the snap election call, vaccines and sexual misconduct, and the Liberals unveiled their platform. In the second of our election panels, Tasha Kheiriddin, principal with Navigator LTD and a columnist for the National Post, and Warren Kinsel...

Despite rising vaccination numbers, Canada is contending with a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, fuelled by the Delta variant. Cases and hospitalizations are rising across the country, as provincial governments look to bring in new measures such as vaccine passports and old measures like masking. National Post health reporter Sharon Kirkey joins Dave to discuss why Delta is proving so tricky,...

The resurgence of the Taliban has thrown Afghanistan into chaos and has put thousands of lives in danger, as those who helped Canada and its military allies fear for their safety. But after Canada stopped its evacuation flights last week, many are wondering what can be done to help those left behind. Toronto Sun reporter Bryan Passifiume walks us through the chaos people faced trying to get out of...

Canadians go to the polls on Sept. 20, and this election campaign was pitched by Justin Trudeau as a chance to have a say in the direction of the country in the next 17 months. Based on the first third of the race, do we have a sense of what that will look like? In the first of a series of election panels National Post columnist Sabrina Maddeaux and Edmonton Sun columnist Lorne Gunter join Dave to...

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister surprised many political watchers with his sudden resignation announcement, less than two years since his PC party won a resounding mandate from voters. The move comes amid questions about his handling of the pandemic, as well as controversial comments about colonization and residential schools from within his government. Winnipeg Sun columnist Josh Aldrich joins D...

Imagine being arrested and charged with a pair of murders, but you weren’t the person responsible. That was the case for an Ontario man, who spent more than two years in jail suspected in a pair of 2017 killings linked to the criminal underworld.  National Post senior reporter Adrian Humphreys joins Dave to discuss the slayings, how police zeroed in on suspects and one man was left holding the bag...

Less than two years since Canadians handed the Liberals a minority government, we’re heading back to the polls again. Justin Trudeau hopes to see his party win a majority government, despite many wondering whether there’s any need to take Canadians to the polls now. National Post columnist and Ottawa bureau chief John Ivison joins Dave to discuss Trudeau’s motivation to call an election, what issu...

At the Tokyo games, Canada put up its best performance outside the Soviet boycotted 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. We hit new heights in terms of medals, while athletes set new national benchmarks, even after a year delay and interruptions to training due to the pandemic. Postmedia national sportswriter Scott Stinson joins Dave to discuss Canada’s successes, some missteps, and how the Tokyo games w...

A break-in on a rural Alberta property left a resident of the home badly beaten and the intruder dead. The tragedy unfolded after the intruder had already broken into the home twice and released by Mounties. Calgary Herald columnist Licia Corbella joins Dave to discuss the deadly confrontation, the toll it has taken on the residents of the home, and why the intruder was let go, only to return to t...

Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak made history at the Tokyo Games by becoming our most decorated Olympian. She collected her seventh medal in the pool, and at just 21 years old, it’s not a stretch to think she’ll add more hardware in Paris just three years from now. Wes Gilbertson, covering the games for Postmedia, joins Dave to discuss Oleksiak’s jump to prominence at the 2016 Games, what her perfo...

Since they have been introduced, COVID-19 vaccines have been seen as the ticket out of the pandemic. But as the delta variant takes hold in Canada, and second-dose uptake slows, debate has grown around whether we should introduce vaccine passports, as has been done elsewhere. Tasha Kheiriddin, a columnist at the National Post and principal at Navigator LTD., joins Dave to discuss how a vaccine pas...

Two of the most notable athletes at the Tokyo games have made headlines, but not for their podium finishes.  Tennis phenom Naomi Osaka and gymnastics star Simone Biles both made early exits from the games, and both have cited concerns over their mental health.  National Post columnist Sabrina Maddeaux joins Dave to discuss the significance of Osaka’s loss and Biles’ departure from the team and all...

Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-essential travel between Canada and the U.S. has been shut down.   But there are signs we could see a return to cross-border traffic by the end of the summer, with both Canada and the U.S. offering re-opening dates.   National Post political reporter Anja Karadeglija joins Dave to discuss the plan for reopening, how crucial the border is for busin...

After a year delay, and mounting concern due to rising COVID cases, the Tokyo Olympics are upon us.   Thousands of athletes, officials and media are descending on the city, and while everyone is hoping things go smoothly, not everyone is happy about the games going ahead.   Postmedia national sports writer Scott Stinson, in Tokyo for the games, joins Dave to discuss the mood in Tokyo, concern over...

Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s big cities will be facing a number of economic challenges, and two of the biggest in the west will be doing so with fresh leadership.  Calgary and Edmonton will elect new mayors in the fall as Naheed Nenshi and Don Iveson bid farewell.  The National Post’s Alberta correspondent Tyler Dawson walks us through what both mayors will be most remembered for,...

After the controversy-plagued tenure of Julie Payette, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Mary Simon will be Canada’s next Governor General.    Our country’s first Indigenous vice-regal comes with an impressive diplomatic resume and extensive experience as a First Nations advocate. And it comes as Canada is reckoning with reconciliation.    National Post political reporter Chris Nardi joins D...