10/3: Canada Covered

The COVID-19 outbreak that has hit the Vancouver Canucks has shown the virulence of the virus and how vulnerable league play is in the face of a pandemic. With the playoffs looming, many are wondering how the league is going to mitigate the danger. Postmedia national hockey writer Michael Traikos joins the show to discuss the impact of the Canucks outbreak, what it means for the rest of the season...

After a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Canadians are feeling the fatigue, but even as vaccines are rolling out, a third wave is setting in.  Variant strains have cropped up and appear to be affecting younger people, and it has now become a race between the variants and the vaccines.  National Post health reporter Sharon Kirkey walks us through why the variants have changed the face of the pan...

The Supreme Court of Canada recently held up the federal government’s carbon pricing scheme, striking down challenges from three provinces.  While the majority of justices felt the plan was in the national concern, those in opposition felt it “rejects the Constitution and rewrites the rules of confederation,” while stepping into provincial jurisdiction.  Columnist Sean Speer walks us through the s...

As we spend more of our lives online, people are looking at more ways to make money online.  From delivering food, to being a YouTube star, to turning your instagram following into cash, the platform economy is growing, and the taxman wants his cut.  National Post politics reporter Christopher Nardi walks us through how lucrative business is for some influencers, how Canada Revenue Agency put a te...

The killing of Colten Boushie and the trial of Gerald Stanley raised concerns about rural crime and racism across Canada.  But the RCMP also faced scrutiny from the start, and new reports offer condemnation of how police handled the homicide investigation, and how they treated Boushie’s family.  Saskatoon Star Phoenix reporter Thia James walks through why these reviews were conducted what the repo...

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney won a decisive victory in 2019 on the strength of his messaging about the economy and jobs and being a stronger option than the NDP.    Halfway through his mandate, and a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, support for the government has dropped and even the party’s base is frustrated.    Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins the show to discuss when things started to tur...

Subject of a lot of scrutiny last summer, the founders of WE Charity, Marc and Craig Kielburger, again found themselves before a house of commons committee this week.  MPs continued to question the brothers about how WE Charity operated and communicated with the government and they responded with accusations that their charity is being dragged through the mud in a “political trial.”  National Post...

Already smarting from the shutdown of the Keystone XL pipeline, Canada’s oil industry is now facing the prospect that a long-operating oil line could be shut down.  Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has revoked an easement for Enbridge’s Line 5, which ships oil from Alberta, through the U.S. and onto refineries in southern Ontario, but also several U.S. states.   This has raised concern, not only...

The bombshell interview between Oprah Winfrey and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, cast damning allegations on the Royal Family.  The pair most notably revealed that comments were made on the skin colour of their son archie and that Meghan was prevented from seeking mental health treatment.  The interview garnered wide reaction around the world, and re-opened a long-simmering deba...

Parliament is set to debate a bill that will introduce a new definition of hate as it aims to tackle hateful content online.  But free speech proponents are concerned the bill could bring back previously repealed provisions of hate speech law that were seen as highly politicized and subjective.  National Post political reporter Anja Karadeglija joins the podcast to discuss the what kind of online...

While COVID-19 cases have spread throughout the population, cases in continuing and long-term care have grabbed headlines due to the size of outbreaks, and the death toll among the elderly.    The pandemic has laid bare problems within the system many will rely on as they age. And reports show a wave is coming as the baby boomers get older    Calgary Herald columnist Licia Corbella joins Dave to d...

Investigations have been opened into allegations of misconduct against the current and former Chiefs of Defence Staff.  Even as the military tries to reckon with a checkered history on dealing with sexual abuse within the ranks, it is looking into claims against retired General John Vance and Admiral Art McDonald.  Ottawa Citizen reporter David Pugliese, who covers defence and military issues, com...

International travellers returning to Canada amid the COVID-19 pandemic now face a mandatory 72-hour quarantine in designated hotels, and a potentially longer stay at a government isolation facility.  The National Post’s Tyler Dawson joins Dave to discuss what these centres are like, why there’s so much secrecy around them, and why people are concerned about the isolation process.  Background read...

The Trudeau government has followed through on more of its gun control plans, with legislation that will allow cities to effectively ban handguns.  But do these measures actually achieve the stated goal of making Canadians safer?  National Post columnist Matt Gurney joins Dave to discuss issues with delegating bans to cities, why the legislation is targeting the wrong people, and why Liberal actio...

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced global change. We work differently, we shop differently, we interact differently.  After a year of living with the virus, Postmedia’s PostPandemic project is taking an in-depth look at the significant social, institutional and economic issues the pandemic has brought to light in Canada. And how it’s re-shaping the country   National Post health reporter Sharon Kirk...

Despite assurances that Canada would receive millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses in the first quarter of the year, shipment delays have put the country off target.  And every delayed shipment has the potential to further push back the goal of re-opening society, and risks more infections of the virus.  National post reporter Tristin Hopper joins Dave to discuss where Canada’s vaccine plan failed, w...

The federal government has added 13 groups to its list of terror groups, including five ISIS affiliates, and a handful of far right extremist groups, including the Proud Boys. The move comes after parliament voted to call on the government to add the Proud Boys to the list in the wake of its involvement in the Jan. 6 events at the U.S. Capitol. But what does the terror designation actually do? For...

The night of Sept 30, 2017 will be burned into the memory of Edmontonians for years. That night, a man ran down a police officer before stabbing him, then used a U-Haul truck as a weapon on a busy downtown street. More than three years after the attacks, there are still questions left unanswered. Edmonton Journal justice reporter Jonny Wakefield joins Dave to discuss new details uncovered in the c...

A Canadian who authorities allege is one of the world’s biggest drug kingpins, has been arrested in the Netherlands. Tse Chi Lop, also known as brother number three, was nabbed on an Interpol warrant at the request of Australian police, who allege he is the head of an international drug smuggling ring, which has earned him comparisons to the likes of Pablo Escobar and El Chapo. National Post crime...

Canadians coming home from abroad are facing tough new restrictions announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The government is hoping to keep cases of new COVID-19 variants at bay as it grapples with a slowdown in vaccine shipments and an ongoing second wave of the pandemic. Ryan Tumilty, who covers federal politics for the National Post, joins Dave to discuss the new restrictions, where Canada...

After members showed up at the Capitol Hill riot in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, the far-right group the Proud Boys have caught the attention of politicians in Canada.  Members of parliament passed a motion on Jan. 25 calling on the government to declare the Proud Boys a terrorist entity.  But some wonder whether it’s the right approach to crack down on such groups.  Freelance investigative journali...

Governor General Julie Payette and the top bureaucrat in her office have resigned amid a review into allegations there was a toxic workplace at Rideau Hall.  The allegations claim they were abusive to staff, sometimes reducing them to tears. These resignations have called into question the vetting process that saw the highly accomplished Payette appointed to the position.  National post political...

The Keystone XL pipeline project has long been a sticking point in both Canadian and American politics. It has been a hot potato for successive American presidents, and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney bet big, with more than a billion in investment, plus loan guarantees. But now, the new U.S. president has put a stop to it. Calgary Herald columnist Chris Varcoe joins me to discuss Joe Biden’s motives...

President Donald Trump has left office, but his political presence will likely be lingering for some time, both in the U.S. and Canada. And that poses a problem for Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole. With the threat of a possible election an ongoing concern, O’Toole has tried to distance himself from claims he is ‘far right’ and quash attacks that his party is Trump-lite Dave's guest is Andre...

Ontario has been hit hard in recent weeks with growing numbers of COVID-19 cases. In response, Doug Ford has announced a host of new restrictions to try to stem the tide. But will they work? Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley joins Dave to talk about what’s driving the new measures, why Ontario didn’t opt for a curfew like Quebec, and where the province it at in terms of its vaccine rollout. Learn...