The West Block

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair tells Mercedes Stephenson that protesters are hurting Canada and he urges police to restore order and enforce the law. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney explains why it is time to pull back on Covid restrictions. National security expert Dean Alexander discusses American support for the blockades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino discusses Ottawa's response to the blockades. Former Conservative Cabinet Minister John Baird endorses MP Pierre Poilievre in the leadership race to replace Erin O'Toole. Retired Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau explains the challenges for police in ending the blockade in the nation's capital.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

This week on The West Block, Eric Sorensen speaks to Transport Minister Omar Alghabra about vaccine mandates for truckers and the protests against pandemic restrictions in Ottawa. Former Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada, Andriy Shevchenko discusses Canada's response to the crisis in Ukraine. Former Conservative MP James Cumming reveals highlights of his report from the last federal election.   Learn...

Defence Minister Anita Anand discusses Canada's efforts to support Ukraine as it faces the threat of an invasion from Russia. Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney about vaccine mandates, his pandemic response and the controversy involving his Justice Minister. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on the Omicron surge, vaccine mandates and the challenges facing Canada's health care system. The WHO's Dr. Peter Singer explains why vaccinating the world is the best way to stop the next Omicron from spreading.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on ‘The West Block’, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly joins host Mercedes Stephenson to discuss Canada’s role in addressing Russia amassing troops on Ukraine’s border and relations with China. Then, millions of students across Canada are once again remote learning. MacLean’s Ottawa bureau chief Shannon Proudfoot shares her family’s struggle with navigating virtual schooling. Plus, t...

Mercedes Stephenson sits down with Governor General Mary Simon for a feature  interview. Simon reflects on her appointment as Canada's first Indigenous Governor General. She speaks about the need for an ongoing conversation about reconciliation with Indigenous people. She describes her childhood and bridging two cultures. She also explains why she wants to be a unifying force for all Canadians. Le...

Mercedes Stephenson sits down with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a revealing and candid year-end interview. Trudeau discusses the impact the pandemic is having on Canadians and the way forward. He reflects on the release of the two Michaels' and navigating Canada's relationship with China. Trudeau addresses criticism of his government's efforts in getting Afghan refugees to Canada. He also dis...

This week on ‘The West Block’, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra joins host Mercedes Stephenson to discuss why the federal government is reintroducing travel restrictions when most Omicron spread in Canada is community based. Then, Stephenson sits down with Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan to talk about her five-year plan to reshape military culture following the sexual misconduct scandal. Learn more about...

Host Abigail Bimman speaks to Conservative Party MP Melissa Lantsman and NDP MP Jenny Kwan about the Auditor General Report critical of Ottawa's quarantine measures for travellers. Former Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz weighs in on inflation, cost of living and the fiscal update. Former Canadian Ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques on the implications for Canada after Ottawa announces a di...

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra explains the new travel rules for air passengers on international flights and defends why flights to the United States are not included. Infectious diseases physician Dr. Zain Chagla answers questions about the new Omicron variant and why increasing vaccine rates globally should be a priority. An update on Canada-US trade irritants and why the new US Ambassador to...

The Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre explains why changing military culture is so important for the future of the Canadian military. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh weighs-in on rising inflation and the cost of living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canada's Ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, discusses some of the challenges facing Canada-US relations ahead of the "Three Amigos" Summit in Washington. Green Party Parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May explains why Canada's commitments at COP26 don't go far enough when it comes to fighting climate change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Defence Minister Anita Anand explains what she's doing to address sexual misconduct cases in the military. Canadian veterans and volunteers are forced to close safe houses in Kabul due to lack of funding.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest host Eric Sorensen speaks to Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc about Ottawa's priorities as a new federal cabinet is sworn in. Former federal cabinet ministers Lisa Raitt and Anne McLellan discuss the importance of women at the cabinet table. Canadian climate change activist Tzeporah Berman says the Trudeau government doesn't have the best record heading to COP26 in Glasgow....

Guest host Mike Le Couteur speaks to Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough about Ottawa's changes to its pandemic support programs and whether workers who refuse vaccine mandates and leave their jobs can qualify for employment insurance. Former Liberal cabinet minister Catherine McKenna takes her fight against climate change to the UN. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gets ready to unveil his new cabi...

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair speaks to guest host Abigail Bimman about what Canadians need to know when the Canada-US land border reopens on November 8th. A newly-elected MPs panel debates the re-opening of parliament and vaccine mandates for MPs. An emergency room nurse in Montreal reacts to Quebec's decision to delay suspending unvaccinated health care workers. Learn more about your ad choi...

AFN National Chief RoseAnne Archibald describes how she spent Canada's first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and why she's disappointed in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson discusses Canada's climate change goals ahead of next month's major UN Summit in Glasgow. The Chief Medical Officer for the Saskatchewan Health Authority describes the health care c...

Freed Canadian detainee Michael Kovrig thanks Canadians for their support. While Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau discusses the future of Canada-China relations. And Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley explains why she believes the province's health care crisis could have been avoided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The West Block's Political Panel weighs in on the highs and lows of the federal election campaign. And Ipsos CEO Darrell Bricker explains why he thinks this election is one of the most exciting in years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has a growing following on social media. He wants Canadians to know he can be that guy and Prime Minister too. The West Block Political Panel weighs in on negative campaign ads and the upcoming leaders debates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Minister of Foreign Affairs says Ottawa is focused on helping Canadians and vulnerable Afghans leave Afghanistan despite Canada's air mission wrapping up. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's campaign is hounded by angry protesters. The West Block Political Panel weighs in on Week Two of the election campaign.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino discusses the latest efforts to get Canadian citizens and Afghans who helped Canada out of Afghanistan. The West Block Political Panel weighs in on the issues and stories that dominated the first week of the campaign trail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the West Block, a feature interview with Opposition leader Erin O'Toole as election speculation heats up in Ottawa. First Nations children's advocate Cindy Blackstock says Canada is failing Indigenous children. And the debate surrounding Canada Day. Plus, Global News Chief Political correspondent David Akin and Mercedes Stephenson reflect on the challenges of holding politicians to ac...

 Changing vaccine guidance, military misconduct and why the Winnipeg lab incident is making waves on the Hill    On this week’s edition of ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with one of the country’s top medical minds - Dr. Peter Jüni, director of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table – about how Canadians should respond to the evolving vaccine advice.  She also speaks with two k...