The Line Podcast

In this episode of 'On The Line Podcast,' hosts Jen Gerson and Andrew Potter discuss trade, immigration, and the attempts to "Globalize the Intifada." Firstly, on the trade file, US trade rep Jamieson Greer has issued a list of grievances. The Americans are villainously committed to giving Canadians more options for eggs, chicken, and dairy. StatsCan shows a dramatic drop in immigration as the LIb...

Today On The Line, host Jen Gerson talks to Brandon Forsyth, long time book buyer at Indigo. They chat about the hottest books heading into the Christmas season which, if you're anything like us, you are absolutely not yet prepared for. He's a list of kids' books, fiction, and non-fiction for the readers in your life.  (Note, no, we at The Line are not taking any cuts for any of the books suggeste...

In Today's The Line Podcast, recorded Dec. 12, 2025, host Jen Gerson is joined by special guest Andrew Potter to discuss this country's culture of complacency. We were once a nation that put its engineering achievements -- such as the Syncrude oil sands on a stamp. Now, the very idea that we should strive to be a culture that builds things, grows, and prospers has been sublimated by a culture that...

In this episode of On The Line , host Matt Gurney is joined by Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Global Public Affairs. Darrell and Matt have both just returned from the Halifax International Security Forum, where Darrell presented a major new global survey to policymakers, military leaders, and security experts from around the world. Matt and Darrell walk through the findings and what they reveal abo...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on December 5th, 2025, hosts Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson open with the newly released U.S. foreign policy document, and they’re not exactly thrilled. They agree it’s an accurate reflection of how the White House sees the world — uncomfortably accurate, in fact. They’ve been flagging many of these issues for months, hoping Canadians and Canadian po...

In the latest episode of On The Line , host Jen Gerson sits down with Toronto writer Phoebe Maltz Bovy, who has just completed her new book The Last Straight Woman . Together, they dive headfirst into what Phoebe jokingly calls “the Discourse” — the current state of heterosexuality in a post-#MeToo, post-dating-app world. Jen and Phoebe dig into everything from sexual harassment and “cosplay oppre...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on November 28th, 2025, your hosts start with the biggest story of the week before veering off into a surprisingly long but very entertaining tangent about seafood and the possible unsustainability of our entire civilization. Trust us, it’s a good one. They do eventually get to the Memorandum of Understanding signed this week between Ottawa and...

In the latest episode of On The Line , host Jen Gerson sits down with Ross Douthat, a columnist with the New York Times who was in Ottawa this week to deliver the inaugural Ian Shugart Lecture, hosted by Christian think tank Cardus. Jen presses Ross on his now-infamous column from earlier this year arguing that Canada should “join Empire America” — and why he thinks that idea was worth advancing....

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on November 21st, 2025, both of your hosts are on the road, and both of them bring stories and observations from where they’re visiting. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solutions. Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to leverage Canadian wood in modern c...

In the latest episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney welcomes two very different guests for two very different conversations — and both of them are well worth your time. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solutions. Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to leverage Canadian wood in modern construction. Wood-bas...

In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded one day early on November 13th, 2025 — and yes, your hosts are aware they’re tempting the wrath of the news gods every time they do that — Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson dive into the story that continues to reverberate this week: what happens when MPs decide to leave their party? This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Futu...

This week on On The Line , Jen Gerson sits down with entrepreneur and policy advocate Matt Spoke to talk about Project Ontario — a new movement of small-c conservatives who say Doug Ford’s government has lost its way. Spoke argues that after more than seven years in power, Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives are governing like Liberals: spending more than ever, doling out billions in corporate sub...

In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on November 7, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson react to a remarkably busy week in Canadian politics. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solutions. Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to leverage Canadian wood in modern construction. Wood-based methods like mas...

In this episode of On The Line , host Matt Gurney sits down with Peter Sankoff, a Alberta-based criminal defence lawyer and law professor, to talk about one of the country’s more heated current debates: should non-citizens receive legal leniency in criminal cases to avoid disrupting their immigration status? This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s ho...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on October 31, 2025 — spooky! — your hosts take on the big political issues in Canada today, including, God help us, the prospect of a federal election. They don’t think it’s likely, but they do think it’s possible. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solut...

In this episode of On The Line , host Jen Gerson is joined by Dr. André Gagné, a theology professor at Concordia University and author of American Evangelicals for Trump: Dominion, Spiritual Warfare, and the End Times. Together, they dive into the curious case of Peter Thiel — the Palantir CEO, multi-billionaire, and deeply influential figure in both Silicon Valley and Donald Trump’s orbit. Thiel...

In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on October 24, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson can’t help but respond to the breaking news of the day. God help us all. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solutions. Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to leverage Canadian wood in modern construction. Wood-bas...

In this episode of On The Line , Jen Gerson is joined by Vivian Bercovici, Canada’s former ambassador to Israel, appointed by Stephen Harper. Together they unpack the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — what it really means, how it came together, and why it’s unlikely to last. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bo...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on October 17, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson start off with a quick recap of Alberta’s teacher strike — and the feedback Jen has been getting since last week’s show. Matt mentions something else they’ve been getting. Notes of thanks from struggling parents. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’...

This week on On The Line , Matt Gurney is joined by Gregory Jack, senior vice president of public affairs at Ipsos Canada, for a conversation about the issues that are animating — and dividing — Canadians today. This episode of the On The Line is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solutions. Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to leverage Can...

In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded before the Thanksgiving long weekend on October 10, 2025, your hosts Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson put forward something of an unusual episode. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solutions. Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to leverage Canadian wood in modern co...

This week on On The Line , host Jen Gerson has Globe and Mail columnist Tony Keller to discuss his new short book, Borderline Chaos: How Canada got Immigration Right, and Then Wrong . This episode of the On The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canada’s housing crisis demands bold, scalable solutions. Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to leverage Canadian wood in modern...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on October 3, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson dive right into the top stories of the week — and a few other ones, too. They start in Alberta, where Matt argues that Premier Danielle Smith has set a pipeline trap for the federal government and her neighbours in B.C. — and he says that with admiration. Jen agrees, but also notes how wearying it i...

This week on On The Line , Matt Gurney is joined by Clayton Campbell, president of the Toronto Police Association, for a frank conversation about the state of law and order in Canada’s biggest city — and beyond. They start with morale inside the force, the kinds of work officers are being asked to do, and the kinds of work no one ever wants to do again. They also talk about ways to prevent people...

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on Sept. 26, 2025, Jen and Matt start off by digging into the reckless and needless fight Mark Carney and his attorney general, Sean Fraser, have decided to pick with the Constitution. Jen has some strong words about the notwithstanding clause, while Matt has some blunt advice for the guy who just destroyed Canada’s multi-decade immigration cons...