The Arman and Akhil Show

This week, we kick things off on the pitch where Qatar takes a massive L as Mark Carney shows up to give the Canadian Men's National Team their well-deserved flowers. Moving to global conflict, we parse Donald Trump’s latest posturing on the Iran deal alongside JD Vance’s frantic attempts to explain what the administration's stance actually means for Israel. Closer to home, we examine the collapsi...

Welcome to Episode 40 of the Arman and Akhil Show, broadcasting live from UBC’s Vancouver campus on the unceded territories of the Musqueam people. This week, we dive into a packed lineup of domestic economic grifts and international bizarre-o-world theater. First up, we dissect Prime Minister Mark Carney’s bizarre brand new "Canada Strong" Sovereign Wealth Fund video that could have been used to...

OneCity Mayoral Candidate William Azaroff joins Arman and Akhil in studio. We break down his backstory in film and not-for-profit and what drew him back to Vancouver. He lays out his vision for Vancouver including more housing, faster transit, holistic public safety and more.

We begin by breaking down the current state of the war, including the fallout from Iranian strikes on Qatar’s LNG facilities. We then dive into the absurdity of Donald Trump comparing the Iran conflict to Pearl Harbor; a bizarre analogy to invoke while hosting the Japanese Prime Minister, considering the historical outcome for the empire. That logic extends to JD Vance, who blames "green energy sc...

On this episode of the Arman and Akhil Show, we're cutting through the noise of a pretty chaotic week. We start with the Iran War, looking at why the official reasons for the conflict don't seem to line up and what the actual outcomes might be. We also take a more speculative turn, looking at the feasibility of Trump’s choosing the next leader of Iran. Next, we look at Mark Carney’s recent trip to...

This week, Arman and Akhil unpack Mark Carney’s Davos speech and what it reveals about the pressure facing middle powers in a fractured global order. We explore how that thinking shows up in Canada’s evolving China strategy. Scott Moe’s enthusiasm for the new canola and EV agreement opens a broader conversation about autos, affordability, and why Carney may be leaning on conservative premiers for...

On today’s episode, we start by discussing how India’s air pollution index significantly understates just how polluted the country really is. We then turn to the Federal Conservative Party, where a toxic internal atmosphere has led to a floor crossing and, tragically, left MP Jamil Jivani without a Secret Santa gift. We also break down the MOU between the Government of Canada and the Province of A...

A 30-year-old Reagan speech just blew up US-Canada trade talks. JD Vance’s Hindu wife might soon need to find Jesus. In BC, John Rustad’s Conservatives are eating their own as the leader refuses to quit. Silicon Valley is throwing cash at AI like it’s 1999 as the bubble talk is getting loud. And finally, Mark Carney gears up for his first budget while Ken Sim hits pause on property tax hikes.

On today’s episode, the BC Conservatives are at war again: this time over the firing of staffer Lindsay Shepherd and some suspicious subtweets from MP Aaron Gunn. South of the border, Republicans push a shutdown while yanking health care from millions of young voters who backed them. In the Middle East, Greta Thunberg and others face mistreatment in Israeli custody even as peace talks stumble forw...

In today’s episode, we break down the short- and long-term impacts of Trump’s new $100K fee for H1B visas. We examine the global fallout from the assassination of Charlie Kirk, then uncover the BC government’s questionable accounting as it struggles with the loss of revenue from the rescinded Carbon Tax. Finally, we dig into allegations of rigging and unprofessional conduct within the BC Conservat...

On this episode of The Arman and Akhil Show, we take a closer look at the City of Vancouver’s cancellation of the African Descent Festival and whether it was justified. Then, we shift to global affairs as India moves closer to China following new U.S. tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. We also cover Mark Carney’s announcement to raise military pay, and Canada’s potential recognition of Palestine.

In this episode, we examine FBI Director Kash Patel’s “gangster government” approach to the Epstein saga and Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard’s bizarre attempt to investigate former President Obama. We then cover the recent cabinet shuffle in British Columbia and the provincial government’s U-turn on Charleigh Pollock’s medication. Finally, we discuss Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s decision to fire the...

We unpack the fallout between two of the world’s most powerful figures - President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Then, we examine Trump’s controversial deployment of U.S. Marines to California to suppress escalating protests. Next, we explore how Canada is embracing the Abundance Agenda, with the new Carney government and B.C.’s re-elected leadership fast-tracking infrastructure bills - and sparking...

We talk to Russil Wvong from morehousing.ca about why so many Canadians feel like owning a home is no longer possible. What is driving the crisis, and what needs to change in government to fix it? We also unpack recent comments from new Federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson and look at the latest housing moves from both provincial and federal governments.

In this episode, we break down the final pitches from Canada’s political parties as the country heads into the last week before election day. We also dig into how Trump’s controversial "Liberation Day" tariffs are disrupting global shipping—and examine his latest clash with the Federal Reserve as he attempts to oust Jerome Powell. Finally, we turn our attention to local politics and unpack the rec...

Join us as we chat with organizer George Radner about his time on the Kamala campaign as a 'Ballot Curer.' George sticks around to unpack the latest U.S. headlines, from the bizarre assault on Social Security to ICE detaining a Canadian traveler—and whether Chuck Schumer’s days are numbered. Plus, we dive into Poilievre’s immigration flip-flop and the BC NDP’s eyebrow-raising Bill 7, granting emer...

We break down the latest stories, including Canada's recent victory over the United States in hockey. We then discuss Trump's recent rapprochement with Russia and how his actions against Canada are fueling Mark Carney's rise in the polls. Meanwhile, Mayor Ken Sim expels Councillor Bligh after she suggests Vancouver shouldn't freeze supportive housing. We also look at Trump's supported budget propo...

We speak with the author of "Canada Alone: Navigating The Post-American World", Dr Kim Richard Nossal. Though the book was published two years ago, it forsaw the dystopian world of trade wars we have entered - how to respond.

We spoke with UBC Political Science Professor Cameron Maxwell about how Canadians must respond to Trump's tariffs and whether the US and Canada are descending into oligarchy. We then discuss how the Trump administration seems to be turning its back on the working class and embracing the tech titans through its initial moves regarding the FTC and H1B visas.

We first take a quick detour to Vancouver City Council where a city councilor found children's drawings about climate change "intimidating". We then speak to Dr Robin Shaban of Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project on their recent piece "Are regulatory moats Canada’s form of corruption?". We take a look at Toronto's experience with Uber, and the broader fight to take on monopolies driving up prices, stif...

Continuing our coverage of the US Elections we speak to Berkeley exchange student, Idan Kashani. We look into why he is supporting Harris, his thoughts on immigration policy in the United States and his optimistic view of Vancouverism.

We speak to Texas Conservative Jackie Chea, on her background, why she is supporting Trump, and what's next for the United States. We dive into abortion, U.S. Healthcare, and January 6th.

In this episode we break down the latest developments on City Council, involving a new gym and the Vancouver Integrity Commissioner. We then turn South of the border, where VP candidate JD Vance appears to be on a mission to tank Trump's campaign while humiliating his wife, and chants of "Lock Him Up" color VP Kamala Harris's bid for the presidency.

We first look at the UK elections, from Ed Davies spirited campaign to the racialized surge of the Reform Party. In France we break down Macron's gambit in calling the election and how it went wrong. We wrap up the show by analyzing why it is difficult to replace Biden, and what Trump's shooting means for the state of of our politics.

We kick things off with Archibishop Desmond Tutu's 1986 address at Stanford University on standing up to injustice. As polls tighten, we then discuss why people need to pay close attention to the party platform of the BC Conservatives, and Arman gives some UI feedback to Akhil on the BC NDP's website. We also look at the legality of the recent encampments at Canadian universities by pro-Palestinia...