10/3: Canada Covered

Brenda Lucki’s time as commissioner of the RCMP has been eventful, to say the least. She entered the post four years ago as the RCMP was confronting issues of workplace harassment, the treatment of Indigenous peoples, racism, and a need for internal reform, but things really came to a head in 2022. National post reporter Adrian Humphreys joins the show to discuss Lucki’s high-profile testimony at...

When it comes to the public service, how do women fare compared to men, especially in higher-ranking positions? Is headway being made when it comes to breaking the glass ceiling? New analysis out of B.C. shows that there’s still a way to go. Lori Culbert and Nathan Griffiths from the Vancouver Sun join the show to discuss their detailed analysis of 125,000 public servants’ salaries, how women stac...

In the city’s most high-profile killing since the death of Tina Fontaine, Winnipeg has been rocked by the serial murders of four Indigenous women earlier this year. And there is controversy around the police investigation and whether enough is being done to recover their remains from an area landfill. Winnipeg Sun reporter Glen Dawkins joins the show to discuss the investigation, what we know so f...

One of the main functions of governments, especially local governments, is building stuff.  And that stuff doesn’t get much bigger than mass transit projects. But what happens when those projects are hit with delays, operational problems, or even safety issues? Ottawa Citizen reporter Blair Crawford and Edmonton Journal columnist Keith Gerein join me to discuss problems two major LRT projects in C...

After months of build-up, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith finally unveiled the legislation that was key to her leadership win. The Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act may have had a softer name than initially proposed, but it was met with controversy over how it would operate. Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins the show to discuss what’s in the new bill, why some aspects of it have fo...

Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has long dealt with social issues stemming from homelessness and addiction, and to many, the situation has only gotten worse. Social agencies are feeling the strain, and the public is pressuring politicians to do more to solve the problem. Vancouver Sun columnist Douglas Todd joins the show to discuss why there’s a feeling that the problems are worse than ever, the ne...

Over the course of six weeks of testimony, Canadians heard from police and municipal officials in Ottawa, provincial representatives and even from organizers of the so-called Freedom Convoy that occupied the capital for weeks earlier this year. This was all building to the appearance by senior members of Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, and the PM himself, as they looked to justify the government’s use o...

Was the Freedom Convoy a threat to public safety when it occupied downtown Ottawa earlier this year? Was the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act justified? Did Ottawa drop the ball in planning for the convoy’s arrival? These are just some of the questions arising from six weeks of testimony before the Public Order Emergency Commission and Justice Paul Rouleau. In the first of a special...

According to reports, intelligence officials have warned the prime minister that China covertly funded candidates in the 2019 election. While it’s not clear yet who these candidates were, it’s not the first time the Chinese regime has tried to influence our politics, and apparently not illegal. National Post columnists Terry Glavin joins the show to discuss how this funding works, the extent of ot...

Canada’s men’s soccer team is playing in its first FIFA World Cup in 36 years, only the second time we’ve qualified for the event. And, unlike 1986, when we didn’t manage to win a game, this group is looking to put Canada on the world soccer map. Postmedia national soccer writer Derek Van Diest, who is in Qatar for the World Cup, joins the show to discuss Canada’s road to get there, how well we co...

Whether it’s politicians or health professionals or even average Canadians, most people will tell you health care in Canada is struggling. While there are many friction points, whether its the strain from the COVID-19 pandemic, staff burnout, or funding, getting at the solutions has proven challenging. Freelance writer Mark Hill, who is part of a joint project between the National Post and the Hub...

Canadians have been hit by rising costs, whether it’s housing, gas prices or even food. But what happens when government policy is helping drive some of those increases? National Post columnist Jesse Kline joins the show to discuss how supply management in the dairy industry is affecting consumers, how it ties into inflation, and whether the federal government is planning on making any changes.  B...

For many, the notion of Canada’s war dead is an abstract concept of tens of thousands of lives lost to history. But behind the numbers are stories of people who gave their lives in our country’s name, and to mark Remembrance Day, journalists in Ottawa will try to provide a picture of the life of one of the nearly 120,000 Canadian war dead. Ottawa Citizen reporter Andrew Duffy joins host Dave Break...

B.C.’s government has made major changes to the way family doctors are paid, with the hope of attracting and retaining medical professionals in that province. But will it help attract enough talent to address severe waits to see a GP in B.C.? Katie DeRosa, who covers provincial politics for the Vancouver Sun and The Province, joins the show to discuss the nature of the changes, why this new system...

New legislation in Saskatchewan could shake up relations between provinces and the feds. The Saskatchewan First Act, unveiled Nov. 1 seeks to assert provincial jurisdiction over resources, and to protect the province from the costs of federal environmental policies. Jeremy Simes, who covers politics for the Regina Leader-Post, joins the show to discuss why the government is bringing this law in no...

The legalization of cannabis in Canada gave people the freedom to choose to consume without fear of arrest or prosecution, and created a new economic driver. But four years later, legacy growers are feeling left out, and the legal market is still in competition with illicit sales. National Post political reporter Bryan Passifiume joins the show to discuss how big the sector has become, why some wh...

Upstart political party A Better City Vancouver won a commanding victory in this month’s municipal election, in part for its approach to tackling the city’s crime problem. But despite Ken Sim’s historic win as mayor, some are skeptical of his central campaign plank. Dan Fumano, city columnist for the Vancouver Sun and The Province, joins the show to discuss how ABC Vancouver managed such a resound...

Danielle Smith’s tenure as Alberta premier has been dogged by controversy in its first few weeks. She has had to walk back controversies around comments on vaccines and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine even as she tries to set a new course for the United Conservative government in advance of a spring election. Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins the show to discuss Smith’s early controversies, what...

Testimony is ongoing at the inquiry into the Trudeau government’s use of the Emergencies Act to dismantle a convoy of truckers and other affiliated groups that blockaded downtown Ottawa for a month earlier this year. The first several days of testimony have largely focused on city officials and residents, as the commissioner attempts to determine whether the use of the act was justified, and how t...

Amid increased concern over China pushing the idea of reunification with Taiwan, American and Canadian delegations have made visits to the country, and have talked of support of officials in Taipei. But how close are we to a possible Chinese invasion of the island, and what happens, in that event? National Post reporter Tom Blackwell, who recently travelled to Taiwan, joins the show to discuss the...

After months of controversy surrounding its handling of allegations of sexual assault against some players, the top executive and board of Hockey Canada have left the organization. The changes come following combative testimony before a parliamentary committee looking into the matter, and as some major sponsors have pulled their support of hockey’s governing body. Postmedia national sports columni...

Alberta Conservatives elected a new leader, and ultimately the next premier, in Danielle Smith, whose return to provincial politics has so far proven successful. As she is sworn in, she has made party unity a key issue for her in the coming weeks, with plans to meet with MLAs and prepare for the party’s upcoming AGM. Lisa Johnson, who covers provincial politics for the Edmonton Journal, joins the...

More than six months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the smaller of the two nations has proven a worthy adversary, forcing back Russian troops and regaining previously held territory. And despite alleged annexation referendums, Russian forces seem unable to hold back Ukrainian advances. National Post columnist Adam Zivo joins me from Odesa to discuss how the war has changed in the last six...

Three western provinces are squaring off against the Trudeau government over the enforcement of the planned firearm buyback program. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have all raised objections to the buyback, with Alberta’s justice minister suggesting the province will ask Mounties not to enforce it. National Post political reporter Ryan Tumilty joins the show to discuss what the provinces’ oppo...

The tragic events that saw 10 people killed in rural Saskatchewan over the Labour Day weekend will get a full public inquest. Saskatchewan’s coroner has announced that in the name of transparency, an inquest will be held next year into the deadly stabbing spree in Weldon and James Smith Cree Nation. Regina Leader Post reporter Larissa Kurz joins Dave to discuss what the inquest will hope to uncove...