The Backstage Podcast

Welcome to QC Brief with Michael Forian! On this episode we talk about the first leaders' debate. Who performed well, not so well, the challenging questions, the good and bad answers and of course, the "tip of the hat" and "wag of the finger" moments.

Quebec Elections 2022 On this episode of Car Ride Conversations we're in the riding of Laval-Des-Rapides with the incumbent MNA and Liberal candidate, Saul Polo. Enjoy the podcast!

Welcome to QC Brief with Michael Forian! The Quebec provincial campaign is officially under way. On this first episode we go over the different parties, their campaign launches, some strategies going forward, early polls and of course, the "tip of the hat" and "wag of the finger" moments.

He’s back! My guest today is none other than Michael Forian. We quickly get the formalities out of the way because there is much to talk about, between the United Conservative Party leadership race out west in Alberta, the Conservative Party of Canada leadership race and the upcoming provincial elections in Quebec! I hope you enjoy this conversation!

My guest today is Julian Spencer-Churchill. He is quite frankly the reason I remained in the Political Science program at Concordia University. His Strategic Studies courses were absolutely mesmerizing and I couldn’t think of anyone better to explain what is happening on the ground in Ukraine. In addition to being an incredible University professor, Julian is an author, the Chairperson of the Cana...

My guest today is an old friend that I haven’t seen nor spoken to in a fairly long time. Marios Efthymiopoulos is the President of Strategy International, as well as an academic specializing in strategy and security, crisis management, EU and NATO affairs and foreign policy and diplomacy, just to name a few. I asked him to come on the podcast and share his wealth of knowledge while discussing the...

My guest today is someone I’ve been trying to get on the podcast for a while! Elyas Felfoul is an old friend and former colleague who quickly climbed the ranks in Quebec politics and while he was at - what some may describe as - his peak, he decided to completely turn the page and seek new horizons that have brought him to all corners of the world. He is the Director of Policy Development & Partne...

The Backstage Podcast - Édition Élections 2021 Mon invité aujourd'hui est Victor Henriquez. Il est le fondateur de Public Stratégies et Conseils et ensemble nous discutons de la politique, des élections, des débats des chefs et à quoi s'attendre d'ici la fin de la campagne. Bon balado tout le monde!

The Backstage Podcast - Elections Edition 2021 My guest this week is Marc Miller. He's the Minister for Indigenous Services, incumbent Member of Parliament and candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada for the riding of Ville-Marie-Le Sud-Ouest-Ile-Des-Soeurs. I hope you enjoy this conversation!

The Backstage Podcast - Elections Edition 2021 My guest today is the Honorable Leo Housakos. He's a member of the Canadian Senate and although he's not running for a seat in the current federal election, I thought it would be great to discuss the role of Senators during a campaign and to pick his brain on a variety of issues revolving around this election. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

The Backstage Podcast - Édition Élections Mon invité aujourd'hui est Gérard Deltell. Il est le député sortant et candidat du Parti Conservateur du Canada dans la circonscription de Louis-Saint-Laurent. Bon balado tout le monde!

The Backstage Podcast - Elections Edition 2021 My guest today is David Freiheit. He is the candidate for the People's Party of Canada for the riding of Notre-Dame-De-Grâce-Westmount. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

My guest this week is Greg Kelley. He is a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Jacques-Cartier. He also happens to be the Official Opposition Critic for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers and for Indigenous Affairs, two files that have kept him busy and quite solicited these last months. On this episode he gives his take on Bill 96, which proposes new amendments to Q...

My guest this week is Christopher Skeete. He is a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the riding of St-Rose, a district in the northern part of the city of Laval. He also happens to be the Parliamentary Assistant to Quebec Premier, François Legault, for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers and, very recently, he was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister Responsible for t...

Mon invitée aujourd’hui est Dominique Anglade, la cheffe du Parti libéral du Québec. C’est la deuxième fois qu’elle accepte mon invitation, mais cette fois-ci, nous mettons un peu la politique de côté afin de discuter de son nouveau livre, Ce Québec qui m’habite. C’est un livre dans lequel elle raconte l’histoire d’une fille d’immigrants, son parcours et ses multiples accomplissements dont, bien é...

Bonjour tout le monde et bienvenue à un autre épisode francophone du Backstage Podcast. Mon invité cette semaine est un ami de longue date. En fait, il est parmi les premières personnes que j’ai rencontrées quand j’ai fait mon entrée dans le monde de la politique. Winston Chan est une des personnes les plus impliquées dans toutes les sphères de notre société, que ce soit socialement, en politique,...

My guest this week is Adam Scotti. Perhaps that name doesn’t tell you much, but I can assure you that you’ve seen his work and you’ve most certainly been impressed! Adam is the guy behind almost every official picture of Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. He is an exceptionally talented photographer who, through his unique style, keeps setting the bar higher and sets the example among his pe...

My guest this week is someone I met very early on during my career in politics. Evangelos Ligeros is one of the most prominent personalities in Canadian Taekwondo. He is the face behind Chong Lee Taekwondo, an institution through which Taekwondo was first introduced to Canada and founded by his father-in-law, the late Grandmaster Chong Lee, nearly 60 years ago! Evangelos is a Grandmaster 7th dan,...

I am so excited to finally have John Parisella on the podcast. When I started working in politics, in 2007, I was almost immediately immersed in a world where legends were real. John had already and rightfully earned that title. When we talk about “The Backstage” of politics, John Parisella is most definitely the very definition of that statement! His involvement with the Quebec Liberal Party star...

It’s very difficult to forget the day a very talented young man met with my colleagues and I with a request to provide any and all help to win his nomination as a Liberal Party of Canada candidate for the 2015 general election for the riding of Ahuntsic, in Montreal. I remember how much Anthony Di Carlo impressed us and demonstrated to us his passion for politics and his exceptional knowledge of t...

Mon invité cette semaine est Ali Nestor. Un individu quand même assez connu, surtout dans le quartier de Saint-Michel à Montréal. Pour plusieurs, Ali est le fondateur d’une école de boxe et d’arts martiaux à travers laquelle il a créé des programmes variés qui visent à encadrer des jeunes en difficulté et à les guider vers un chemin autre que celui pouvant les conduire vers le monde du crime. C’es...

My guest this week is Louis-Martin Leclerc. Louis and I met when he came over my studio while accompanying Alexandre Cusson, then candidate for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party (Episode #22). I later discovered that he is passionate about American politics and with the US elections due in less than a month, I thought it would be great to have his insight! Louis isn’t only knowledgeable o...

My guest today is someone who always amazes me by his positive outlook, down-to-earthness and his constant desire for simplicity, despite the fact that he’s a pretty popular guy! Francisco Randez is a model, actor, TV and radio personality, entrepreneur, but more importantly an amazing humanitarian and philanthropist having associated himself with some exceptional causes. That’s quite an impressiv...

My guest this week is a young man who I met at the very beginning of my career in politics. Varante Yapoudjian is an extremely active member of the Armenian community involved mostly in its various advocacy efforts but who also has a keen interest in political engagement at all levels of government. On this episode we discuss the destructive and unfortunate events that have unfolded in Lebanon in...

Welcome to another French episode of The Backstage Podcast! If you understand French, please stick around because we have an extraordinary guest on the podcast this week. If you don’t understand French, feel free to watch or the listen to any other episode that’s available and come back again as we will have more English episodes in the upcoming weeks. Alors bonjour tout le monde et bienvenue au B...