Politics Is Broken

What happens when the federal government drafts a bill that could override Indigenous treaty rights — without asking first? You get Bill C-5. This week, we break down the protests, the political fallout, and the pushback from First Nations leaders across Ontario. It's a showdown over fast-tracking development, environmental protections, and whether Ottawa actually listens when it says it will.

Ever feel like your dream home is laughing at you? This week, we dive into the CMHC’s jaw-dropping report that says Canada needs to build 4.8 million homes in the next 10 years just to make housing slightly affordable again. We unpack what that means, why it’s such a colossal challenge, and whether we can actually pull it off — or if we’re just pouring foundation into a sinkhole.

After two years of political foot-dragging, the Alberta government quietly dropped the results of its own pension poll — and it’s about as subtle as a fire alarm. Turns out, most Albertans want nothing to do with ditching the Canada Pension Plan. We unpack the fallout, the accusations of secrecy, and why the province is still clinging to a plan almost no one asked for. Spoiler: it’s not about reti...

At this year’s Canadian Screen Awards, the biggest winners were… not Canadian. Industry insiders at Banff ask: Why can’t we build our own stars instead of borrowing them from the U.S. and TikTok? It’s time for Canada to stop being humble and start being famous.

Canada’s growing fast, and Pierre Poilievre wants to hit the brakes—hard. But is it really about the numbers, or just a convenient scapegoat for the housing mess? We unpack the politics of population and why your rent is now a second job.

Trump’s back on his trade war BS, and Canada’s caught in the crossfire. PM Carney is trying to de-escalate while still calling the new tariffs “unlawful and unjustified.” It’s a tense negotiation between allies who act more like exes with joint custody of aluminum.

A peaceful summit with a side of controversy: Canada wants to talk energy and peace, but some of the guest list reads like a political true crime podcast. We break down the strategic tightrope walk of inviting the world's most “complicated” leaders.

Loblaws yanked Folgers coffee off its shelves over "unjustified" price hikes—and Canadians are caught in the middle of a corporate caffeine standoff. We sip through the details of this grocery aisle drama and what it says about the bigger battle over food prices.

Canada’s unemployment rate just bumped up to 7%, and suddenly that "labour shortage" we kept hearing about feels like a distant memory. We break down what’s behind the numbers, why jobs aren’t keeping pace, and what it all means for Canadians trying to make a living.

The government rolled out its "Strong Borders Act"—but is it protecting Canadians, or just making life harder for the most vulnerable? We unpack the fine print of Bill C-2, the backlash it’s sparked, and why "Fortress Canada" might not be the look we think it is.

Western Canada is on fire again—literally. And the smoke? It’s touring the country like it’s got a new album to promote. We dig into why our skies are choking, why fire season is now just "season," and what this says about Canada’s climate future (hint: it’s not great).

In this week’s Podcast Is Broken , Brittlestar, Lisa, and Steve dig into why Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party keep stumbling — and why they seem stuck in endless campaign mode. From budget myths to culture war dead-ends to a base that’s hard to grow, we unpack what’s really going on. Also: puppies, heat maps, and a surprise musical number. The video version of this podcast is only avail...

The gang asks the big question: what is Canada Post supposed to be—profitable business or essential public service? Brittlestar, Lisa, and Steve dive into the ongoing labour tension, funding fiascos, and why your grandma’s birthday card might be the last thing holding the country together. Featuring postal banking, rural mail routes, union beefs, and the great mystery of what Lisa keeps ordering f...

In this very official episode of Podcast Is Broken , Brittlestar, Lisa, and Steve discuss Canada’s newly shuffled cabinet, debate the tallest minister, and offer life-changing (or at least breakfast-improving) life hacks—like how to properly cut a bag of milk and why butter deserves its own peeler. They also dig into the increasingly weird experience of crossing the U.S. border, the dangers of for...

Prime Minister Carney spent some time in the hot seat in the Oval Office with Donald Trump and managed to do his best Jim Halpert from The Office impression. Not content to be ignored Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told Carney and the rest of Canada something like “Nice place you got here… be a shame if something happened to it.” The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscrib...

Canada’s Federal Election is over… or is it?? Join us as we gloat about Poilievre plummeting, marvel at Trump’s transient temerity, guffaw at Doug Ford’s floppiness, and demand a refund from Nickelback. The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlestar.com. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers.

Politicos, nerds, and the generally concerned about the sovereignty of Canada will find it hard to get to sleep tonight as visions of ballots dance through their heads! Join us as we talk about the highs and lows of this lightspeed month-long federal election campaign! The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlestar.com. The audio version is free on your favo...

Blanchet won the Canadian Leaders Debate and he didn’t even want the prize. Join us, if we may, as we recount the barely highs and missable lows of one of politics least useful forums. The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlerstar.com. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers. https://pod.link/1730993828

Why do some people still seem to think Trump has a plan? Why did Poilievre not go faster than 74km/hr on the race track? And is the USA the new Titanic? Is Canada the guy who thwangs his leg falling off the Titanic? The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers. https://pod.link/173099...

Candidates are getting yoinked by the Conservative Party of Canada for some dodgy actions but some dodgier ones remain. What gives? The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers. https://pod.link/1730993828

Yet another week packed to the rafters with news and politics. Carney and Trump spoke on the phone and things look… promising? Trump even referred to Carney as Prime Minister. What did he say to him?! The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers. https://pod.link/1730993828

It’s happening. It’s all happening. The election that was Pierre Poilievre’s to lose is now going to be lost (maybe) to Mark Carney. Plus Steve and Lisa had fun without Brittlestar in Calgary and he’s totally fine with that. The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers.

Remember news cycles? Around the same time as rotary phones? Those were nice days. Now our eyes and ears are permanently tuned into a torrent of “news”. But is it news? The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers.

Special guest David Moscrop fills in for Brittlestar who is in the UK… or is he? They talk about the sorry state of Canada US relations all thanks to Trump. The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers. https://pod.link/1730993828

What happened in the Oval Office between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and DJ Trump and JD Vance and the other Suit Warehouse human hangers was disgraceful, shameful, and revealed where the US is at right now… and it ain’t good, Comrade. Oh, also Doug Ford won. The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all...