Wonk

You've heard of agentic AI, the next generation of smart technology that will, we're told, transform our lives. But what about identic AI? That's a term coined by Don Tapscott, the author and thought leader who's built a career on seeing what's coming in technology from one of the first books about the internet to a seminal book on blockchain. Now Tapscott and his co-author Joseph Bradley have wri...

When it comes to unprecedented times, 2025 did not disappoint. It was a year of upheaval and change, both at home and abroad. In the year ahead, Canada will grapple with big issues and daunting policy files, from housing to AI to tariffs and trade. Host Amanda Lang speaks with Inez Jabalpurwala, the president and CEO of the Public Policy Forum, about the urgent need for broader policy discussions,...

Steven Pinker has spent his academic and literary career thinking about thinking, and the ways societies have been shaped by our neurology and what we do with it. He is a professor at Harvard University and author of 13 books. The latest: "When Everyone Knows What Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge and the Science of Harmony, Hypocrisy and Outrage". On this episode of Wonk, he speaks with host Amand...

Despite some big advantages, world-leading research and a lot of early promise, Canada does not have a thriving life sciences and biotech sector. Could the elements that would fuel this much sought after industry also fuel growth in other places? Gordon McCauley is the head of adMare BioInnovations, a national life sciences accelerator. He talks to host Amanda Lang about how to lure more anchor co...

Canada’s recent federal budget has been called generational and transformational. Of course, it's been called that by the government that passed it, but there's no question that this budget comes at a pivotal moment for Canada. Host Amanda Lang talks to Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne about changing the investment climate, affordability and following the German economic example.

When it comes to the Team Canada approach to fighting tariffs, the rubber hits the road in the provinces and territories — and with a growing list of major projects. Missing from the list so far is a pipeline from Alberta to B.C., a lightning rod for some very familiar-feeling inter-provincial disputes. Host Amanda Lang talks to Alberta Premier, Danielle Smith, about her optimism around pipeline p...

When it comes to setting the stage for a healthy economy, competition laws are among the most important tools. A lot of Canadians looking at our banks, telcos and airlines might wonder if we're getting it right. Recent reforms have put Canada on a stronger footing, but are we ready for the massive challenges ahead? Canada's competition commissioner, Matthew Boswell, talks to host Amanda Lang about...

For most of human history, free speech was not a welcome concept. The notion that all ideas or expressions are equal is a pretty new one, and it could be argued a dangerous one. Fara Dabhoiwala, a senior research scholar at Princeton and author of ‘What is Free Speech?’ talks to host Amanda Lang about truth, and the history and unexpected outcomes of free speech.

Canada's upcoming federal budget is, by any measure, going to be big. It'll be big in size, symbolism and substance. And it's going to have to find support somewhere in the House to be passed at all. To talk about what’s at stake, we’ve reconvened our policy panel, featuring Armine Yalnizyan and Sean Speer. They talk to host Amanda Lang about the need to fortify the economy, fight tariffs and make...

Canada has a few immediate economic problems, like tariffs and a potential recession. But there are also some long-standing structural problems, including our poor productivity and the erosion of business investment. National Bank Chief Economist Stéfane Marion has highlighted the decimation of investment by Canadian business and the sharp divergence with the U.S. as key factors. He talks to host...

President Donald Trump is having a sizable impact on America and the world. Canada knows that all too well. For better or worse, there's a new economic order afoot. Will the new vision outlast the president? David Frum is a former Bush speech writer, now a senior editor at the Atlantic, author of many books, including two about Trump and the modern Republican movement. He talks to host Amanda Lang...

As Canada’s environment minister in 2015, Catherine McKenna emerged as a leading voice in the climate debate. She also faced some of the unprecedented and disturbing abuse that was aimed at public officials, and became an advocate for the voice of women in politics. McKenna is still a force at the centre of Canada's climate discussion and the global one. She talks to Wonk host Amanda Lang about th...

Sophisticated algorithms, endless scrolling and harmful content have affected a generation of children and young adults in alarming ways. Host Amanda Lang talks to Ava Smithing, advocacy director of the Young People's Alliance, about the addictiveness of social media platforms, advice for parents and the legal efforts underway to hold tech firms more accountable.

The time for slow rolling major energy projects in Canada appears to be ending. The resources sector is increasingly seen as both the low-hanging fruit of economic growth and a core component of clean technology in the future— a seeming contradiction that Ottawa is eagerly embracing. Host Amanda Lang talks to Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson about attracting capital, the Major...

Canada’s Central Bank lowered rates this week to the surprise of no one. Tens of thousands of jobs were lost over the summer, and inflation, if not easing, does appear to be contained. But as the Bank said in its statement, the path ahead will still be very much determined by what happens on trade. Host Amanda Lang speaks to Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, about the decisions ahead a...

Canada just recorded a quarter of negative growth and sits on the edge of a potential recession. U.S. tariffs continue to hit the economy hard. Meanwhile, the country is plowing ahead with plans to build mega projects and diversify trade. We are, to put it mildly, at a pretty consequential fork in the road. Host Amanda Lang talks to one of Canada's top economists, Frances Donald, about the challen...

One thing most people assume about stock markets is that they're an accurate reflection of what's happening in the economy. Yet nothing about markets or politics feels typical right now. Despite global tariffs and unprecedented uncertainty, markets continue to soar. Howard Marks is co-chair of Oaktree Capital Management. He's something of a legend in the investing world and in-depth regular memos...

Jean Chretien, Canada’s oldest living prime minister, isn't taking Western separatism lying down. Having seen Canada through the threat of Quebec separation, his Clarity Act of 2000 could find new currency today. Chrétien — now 91, mentally sharp and still not pulling his punches — talks to host Amanda Lang about Donald Trump, Team Canada and his message to Alberta. This episode originally aired o...

In her incredible career as a journalist and author, Sally Armstrong told stories no one else would about the atrocities of war and became a towering figure for women's rights. She speaks with host Amanda Lang about the ongoing fight for rights, the ‘small group of greedy men' who start wars and how a former phys-ed teacher at a magazine called Homemaker became a groundbreaking war correspondent....

Once eradicated in Canada, measles is making a comeback in Canada. Is it part of a bigger, post-pandemic trend we're seeing of vaccinations declining? What will it take to get public health back on track? Host Amanda Lang talks to Dr. Joss Reimer, president of the Canadian Medical Association, and Dr. Michael Gardam, a leading infectious disease expert about confronting misinformation, acknowledgi...

Canadians are feeling patriotic these days and acutely aware of what we think makes Canada great. But like a lot of good things, our successes should not be taken for granted. In fact, it's been suggested that our democratic processes have fallen so far over time, we’ve lost sight of what "good" even looks like. Host Amanda Lang talks to Andrew Coyne about his new book The Crisis of Canadian Democ...

The housing market dominates conversation for many Canadians, especially when it comes to the lack of affordable homes. Absent a trade war, it is the subject that ranks most important to many of us. And it’s not just about the real estate market — housing now dominates the Canadian economy. Peter Gilgan founded the largest private home builder in North America, Mattamy Homes. He talks to host Aman...

The risks the world faces today feel not just numerous, but in some cases existential. Ian Bremmer is one of the top political scientists and risk experts in the United States. He’s the head of Eurasia Group, a global consultancy, a highly regarded media commentator and the author of 11 books. He talks to host Amanda Lang about America’s ‘dysfunctional democracy’, the threats leading up to the mid...

The One Canadian Economy Act is supposed to streamline new projects in Canada, including big resource projects. Can the government pursue these nation-building efforts while also answering other aims, including securing sovereignty over Canada's Arctic and working in partnership with Indigenous groups? Sean Boyd helped grow Agnico Eagle into the largest miner in the country and one of the biggest...

AI is both a massive opportunity and a big threat. And that is especially true for Google, a tech innovator whose bread and butter business (search) faces an uncertain future in the age of artificial intelligence. Kent Walker is the president of global affairs at Google and its parent company Alphabet. He talks to host Amanda Lang about fending off anti-trust allegations, why Sergey Brin is coming...