10/3: Canada Covered

Polls show Alberta’s election will be a close race, and could ultimately come down to which leader voters like more. UCP leader Danielle Smith and NDP leader Rachel Notley are definitely political opposites, but as people? They may not be as different as you’d imagine. National Post reporter, and producer of this podcast, Tyler Dawson joins the show to discuss how each leader got her political sta...

Albertans go to the polls in late May, but the campaign is already in full swing. Danielle Smith’s UCP and Rachel Notley’s NDP are jockeying for position in what polls are showing is going to be an extremely tight race for control of the legislature. Edmonton Journal legislature reporters Matthew Black and Lisa Johnson join the show to break down key issues of the campaign, which ridings could be...

You’ve seen the headlines: Teen fatally stabbed on Transit in B.C., a man seriously injured after being knifed while waiting for a bus in Edmonton, a woman dying after being set on fire in Toronto. From coast to coast, Canada has seen an uptick in what police are calling unprovoked stranger attacks. They’re not just happening in big cities either. National Post reporter Tristin Hopper joins the sh...

Are social media apps like TikTok causing users to exhibit signs of disorders like Tourette’s or other conditions? Or because people seem to congregate in communities online, is social media just amplifying what’s already there? National Post reporter Tyler Dawson, who also produces this podcast, joins the show to discuss research showing young people are acquiring symptoms via social media use, w...

Nearly three years after Canada’s worst mass killing, a report looking into the RCMP response has been released. The Mass Casualties Commission report has laid blame on the RCMP’s handling of the incident and suggested sweeping police reform. National Post political reporter Ryan Tumilty joins the show to discuss where the inquiry found the RCMP failed, what changes it recommends to the national p...

This is a story of the Sixties Scoop. Of a family torn apart and separated for decades before being reunited. This is also a story of identity, and the long-lasting effects that these separations can have on a family. London Free Press reporter Randy Richmond joins the show to discuss how one family was separated by the Sixties Scoop, ultimately re-united and how they had to reckon with their own...

A number of NHL players have kicked off controversy by refusing to wear rainbow-themed jerseys as part of their teams’ Pride Night festivities. It has put the notion of the players’ individual beliefs at odds with the league’s attempts to grow the game, and make more people feel included in the hockey world. Postmedia national sports columnist Scott Stinson joins the show to discuss how the NHL ha...

As calls grow for more action from the Liberal government on allegations of election interference by China, there were new developments this week. The PMO released the mandate for special rapporteur David Johnston and, after several days of pushing back against the suggestion, it was announced Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff would appear before MPs looking into the issue. National Post political r...

They’re potentially lurking in grasslands and forests across several provinces, prepared to cause devastation, eating and digging their way through crops and gardens, and could even wind up in our cities. Wild hogs are a growing problem in Canada, especially on the prairies, where they’ve become an invasive species. Tyler Dawson, National Post reporter and producer of this podcast, joins the show...

The illegal border crossing at Roxham Road in southern Quebec has seen an uptick of asylum seekers in recent months, taking us close to the record levels we saw in 2017. The surge has seen some politicians call for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to close the entry point once and for all. But some feel that will only cause more problems. National Post political reporter Chris Nardi visited the area...

The recent cyberattack on Canadian retailer Indigo has served as a reminder for how disruptive such invasions can be in a world so reliant on digital properties. But what happens when those attacks disrupt the operations of governments, even small ones. Emma McPhee, a reporter for Brunswick News, joins the show to discuss how a similar ransomware attack affected the city of Saint John, what can ma...

In advance of a spring election, Alberta’s United Conservative government unveiled its latest budget, the first under Premier Danielle Smith. It’s a blueprint for big spending, but is it a recipe for an election win? Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins the show to discuss how the government hopes this fares them well on voting day, whether it leaves any room for the NDP to pick up votes, and whe...

Fuelled in part by people looking for recreational activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, an unlikely sport has become one of the hottest things going in North America. Pickleball, almost a strange hybrid of tennis and ping pong, has gained tens of thousands of new members in Canada in the last two years. But why is it so popular? National sports writer Dan Barnes joins the show to discuss why p...

Chinese government activity related to our elections is once again in the spotlight. Recently uncovered intelligence information suggests a sophisticated plan to interfere in the 2021 federal election, targeting Conservative candidates to the benefit of the Liberals. National Post political reporter Catherine Levesque joins the show to discuss the nature of the allegations, what the response has b...

The much talked about “Just Transition” plan, designed to move workers to greener, more sustainable jobs, has been unveiled, with a new name. Now called the Sustainable Jobs plan, the initiative was released with little fanfare, and light on details, according to critics. Tyler Dawson, National Post reporter and producer of this podcast, joins the show to discuss what the Sustainable Jobs plan cov...

A year to the day after police started dismantling the large-scale Freedom Convoy protest that had blockaded a large swath of downtown Ottawa, Justice Paul Rouleau delivered his report into the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to deal with the movement. While he ultimately found the threshold was met to invoke the act, there was plenty of blame to throw around as to how we got there...

Just a few months into his third term as mayor of Canada’s largest city, John Tory announced his resignation on Friday.  The resignation follows revelations he had an affair with a 31-year-old staffer, and forces the city to hold a byelection in the coming months. National Post columnist Chris Selley joins the show to discuss how the revelations came to light, what it does to Tory’s legacy in poli...

The premiers and the prime minister met in Ottawa to hammer out a new funding agreement that many hope will address some real pressure points in our health-care system. Ultimately, the deal amounts to about $200 billion, but will that be enough to address the strain on hospitals, or get Canadians better access to doctors? National Post political reporter Ryan Tumilty joins the show to discuss the...

Recent violence on Toronto transit has sparked fears among riders and pushed police and city officials to act to address the problem. But some are wondering whether the measures will actually improve safety or deal with underlying issues. National Post reporter Adrian Humphreys joins the show to discuss how severe the violence has been, whether riders feel the measures taken are enough, and if it’...

The notion of the Trudeau government’s Just Transition legislation has created fears in Alberta that the feds are coming for oil jobs. This, in turn, has sparked outrage from politicians on the left and the right, with Premier Danielle Smith leading the charge against legislation, which has yet to be unveiled. National Post reporter, and producer of this podcast, Tyler Dawson joins the show to dis...

It was an international hit that potentially brought Canada’s gang wars to tourist hotspots in Thailand. The violence left one man dead, and sparked an international manhunt for at least two suspects. Vancouver Sun crime reporter Kim Bolan joins the show to discuss the victim’s links to Canada’s criminal underworld, what we know about the suspects, and what this assassination says about B.C.’s ong...

For most Canadians, we think nothing of the ability to wake up and open social media apps on our phones, log onto our laptops for work, or tune into high-definition streaming on our TVs. But in Canada, that is not the reality for many people.  For people living in remote areas, or living on low incomes, the simple act of accessing the internet is either too slow, too expensive, or not available. ...

The federal government is expected this year to unveil the much talked about “Just Transition” legislation. The concept has been the subject of much controversy in recent weeks, with Alberta and its oil industry expected to be greatly affected by the plan But what does it entail? Calgary Herald business columnist Chris Varcoe joins the show to discuss what Just Transition is, how many jobs it coul...

Canada has allowed medical assistance in dying for more than five years now, but the issue has remained charged as the law continues to change. An increase in requests for the practice means providers are stretched thin, and there is an ongoing debate around expanding MAID to include mental illnesses. National Post Health Reporter Sharon Kirkey joins the show to discuss why there is a growing back...

The world of online dating and dating apps have opened up a potentially vast network of possible matches. But as technology changes, and expectations for what makes a good partner change, the dating landscape can be even trickier to navigate. National Post reporter, and producer of this podcast, Tyler Dawson joins the show to discuss how the language of dating has changed, what challenges single C...