The Hill Times' Hot Room

Rebecca Bligh, the president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, joins the Hot Room to talk about how she and Canada's mayors are pushing back against a trade war with the U.S., and what tariffs could mean for your town or city. 

Peter Mazereeuw walks you through Justin Trudeau's high-speed rail proposal, and what's happening in the week ahead in this solo mini-pod. 

Peter Mazereeuw speaks with conservative strategist and Hill Times columnist Gerry Nicholls about Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's pivot to a new message, as the Liberals choose a new leader and Donald Trump takes aim at Canada.

Peter Mazereeuw talks with Alasdair Roberts about the reasons Canada's governments have struggled to work together to achieve big things, and how to build better political practices to help Canada survive through the tumultuous years ahead.  Roberts is a professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts and author of The Adaptable Country: How Canada Can Survive the Twenty-First Centur...

Eric Miller is a Washington-based trade consultant who used to work in Canada's government. He joins The Hot Room to explain the how a trade war between Canada and the United States is likely to play out, and how it could affect ordinary Canadians. 

Frank Baylis talks with Peter Mazereeuw about his campaign for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. 

Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Sheila Copps, a former deputy prime minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government, about Chrystia Freeland's resignation from the cabinet and the troubles plauging the Liberal Party. 

Host Peter Mazereeuw explains how the government might pass legislation to create a two-month sales tax holiday through a House of Commons paralyzed by a Conservative filibuster. Then, he speaks with Corinne Pohlmann, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business's vice-president of advocacy, about the challenges facing businesses that will have to implement the temporary tax break. 

The Hot Room takes another look at the housing shortage with Carolyn Whitzman, a PhD in urban planning and author of, Home Truths: Fixing Canada's Housing Crisis.  

Foreign actors have been funding crime and democratic corruption in Canada. Jessica Davis of Insight Threat Intelligence explains how the money gets in, what it's used for, and how we can help authorities to stop it. 

Canada's environment commissioner, Jerry DeMarco, rejoins The Hot Room to talk about his audit of the government's Net Zero Accelerator initiative. DeMarco's team found that the government has awarded billions to businesses without requiring any commitment that the money will be spent effectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a significant cut this week to the number of temporary and permanent immigrants who will be admitted to Canada in the coming years. Peter Mazereeuw speaks to Elizabeth Long, an immigration lawyer and partner at LM Law Group in Toronto, to get her perspective on this shift and what it could mean for immigrants who have alr...

Hill Times columnist Bhagwant Sandhu weighs in on the dispute between Canada and India, and what you need to know about the politics of Indo-Canadian communities.

Hill Times reporter Irem Koca joins The Hot Room to explain the fight over documents that has led to a week-long filibuster in the House of Commons. 

Peter Mazereeuw talks to Health Minister Mark Holland about the launch of HERC, or Health Emergency Readiness Canada, a new organization that will fund pharmaceutial research and manufacturing, and help coordinate the government's response to future pandemics.

Peter Mazereeuw talks with Yaroslav Baran, a Pendulum Group consultant and former chief of staff to a government House leader, about how confidence votes work, and how the big parties will strategize around them in the coming months.

Hill Times columnist David Crane and Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association president Flavio Volpe debate the best way forward for Canada, as China aims to export high-quality, low-price electric vehicles around the world.

Former NDP strategist Karl Bélanger joins The Hot Room to discuss NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's move to withdraw from his party's "supply and confidence" deal with the governing Liberals, and what it means for the months ahead.

Peter Julian, the House leader for the New Democratic Party, speaks with Peter Mazereeuw about the upcoming return of Parliament, the NDP's supply and confidence agreement with the Liberals, and more. 

Senator Ratna Omidvar speaks with Peter Mazereeuw about the problems with Canada's temporary foreign worker program, and how the federal government could make it better for migrant workers and businesses that rely on them.

Peter Mazereeuw talks with Nneka Otogbolu and Leah Sanford of the Foundation for Black Communities about the 100-plus Black charities funded by their organization so far, their call for more Black community members to help them choose new recipients, and more. 

Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Ben Rowswell, the convenor of the Circle for Democratic Solidarity and Canada's last ambassador to Venezuela, about the crisis unfolding in that country. 

Former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps joins The Hot Room to discuss rumours, leaks, and the fortunes of Justin Trudeau, Chrystia Freeland, and Mark Carney. 

Peter Mazereeuw talks with Stephen Saideman, the director of the Canadian Defence and Security Network and Paterson chair in international affairs at Carleton University, about the NATO leaders' summit in Washington; what a Trump presidency would mean for the alliance; Canada's commitment to the two per cent target; and its plan to buy a new batch of attack submarines. 

Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain talks to Peter Mazereeuw about the Senate reforms passed this spring, what will top the Red Chamber's agenda this fall, and gives a warning to the government about its use of omnibus bills.