The discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves on the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan has once again renewed focus on Canada’s track record on reconciliation and its treatment of First Nations peoples. The find is the latest in a series of discoveries since 215 unmarked graves were found at a Kamloops site, drawing international attention on Canada. National Post reporter Chris Nardi joins Dave to discuss what led to the latest discovery, how the local First Nations community h...
Jun 25, 2021•18 min
Just when we think we have a handle on the pandemic, we get thrown another curveball. COVID-19 cases in Canada are on the decline, vaccinations are up, and provinces are starting to re-open, but a new variant has taken hold here, potentially leaving us vulnerable to a new spike in infections. National Post health reporter Sharon Kirkey joins Dave to talk about where the variant has taken hold in Canada, how serious it is, and how it factors into whether Canadians are feeling comfortable about re...
Jun 22, 2021•16 min
As the COVID-19 pandemic has dragged on, some businesses have raised concerns over their ability to keep workers on staff due to shutdowns, but also due to government benefits and COVID anxiety keeping people at home. And as the government looks to roll back some of these benefits, there are concerns that it’s too soon, as it’s unclear whether we’re approaching a true return to normal. National Post political reporter Jesse Snyder joins Dave to discuss why businesses are worried about filling va...
Jun 18, 2021•16 min
In the plan to reduce Canada’s carbon emissions, Alberta’s oil industry has stuck out as a question mark. It’s a major driver of the economy, but does produce a lot of emissions. But 5 of the biggest players in the oilsands have announced they plan to get to net-zero by 2050. Calgary Herald columnist Chris Varcoe joins Dave to discuss what’s behind the announcement, how the companies plan to get there, and other innovations in Alberta’s energy sector that could help capitalized on low-carbon opp...
Jun 16, 2021•18 min
Four members of a Muslim family in London Ontario were killed and their young son injured when a driver plowed into them. That driver has been charged with murder and police say it’s a hate-motivated crime based on the victims' religion. London Free Press reporters Jennifer Bieman and Jonathan Juha join Dave to talk about the victims, the police investigation and how this horrific crime has rocked London. Background reading: Alleged hate killings suspect wore body armour. What do experts say tha...
Jun 10, 2021•14 min
As Canada appears to be nearing the end of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Manitoba is still facing a crisis point at its hospitals. The peak for hospitalizations is expected to hit this week in Manitoba, even as cases are declining, forcing the transfer of patients to other provinces, such as Alberta and Ontario. Winnipeg Sun columnist Josh Aldrich joins Dave to discuss the current strain on Manitoba’s health system, the political fallout for Premier Brian Pallister, and whether Manito...
Jun 07, 2021•17 min
Canada’s dark legacy of residential schools has forced back into the spotlight with the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at a site in Kamloops. It has renewed calls for reconciliation, while reminding Canadians that thousands of Indigenous children who were taken from their homes never returned. And it has once again sparked pressure on governments to do their part to find where children may be buried National Post political reporter Ryan Tumilty joins Dave to discuss the push to search other si...
Jun 03, 2021•18 min
The light is at the end of the long COVID-19 tunnel. That is at least the message Canadians are getting from many provincial premiers, who have released re-opening plans as we sit on the cusp of summer. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. National Post reporter Tyler Dawson joins Dave to discuss what’s behind the differing approaches, why we’re getting these plans now, and when we could expect to see normalcy in Canada. Background reading: Saskatchewan shuns a 'Trudeau summer' and plans i...
May 31, 2021•15 min
Quebec is in the midst of another debate over language. The CAQ government has tabled Bill 96, which seeks to update the longstanding Bill 101, in an effort to protect the French language in Quebec. But as these things usually go, the government has courted controversy. Montreal Gazette political reporter Philip Authier joins Dave to discuss what the bill covers, concerns being raised over Anglo rights in Quebec, and how this debate has carried over into federal politics. Background reading: Tru...
May 28, 2021•20 min
Could all the talk about COVID-19 in the last 14 month have made us more fearful of the virus than we should be? There’s no doubt COVID-19 is a serious virus and that public health measures have been needed to try to stem the spread, but along with those have come stress and anxiety — especially among younger people — tied to inflated perceptions of the virus’s risk. National Post reporter Tristin Hopper joins Dave Breakenridge to talk about why this anxiety is hitting younger people, what is dr...
May 25, 2021•17 min
COVID-19 has effectively cancelled many activities we enjoyed and even took for granted. Sporting events, dining out, but also, concerts, movies and plays. The arts sector in Canada is a big contributor to the economy but has taken a beating over the last 14 months. Calgary Herald arts reporter Eric Volmers joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss what facets of the arts sector have been hardest hit, what artists have done to stay creative and keep performing, and how quickly we could see concerts and...
May 20, 2021•19 min
Conservative infighting in Alberta came to a head last week, when Jason Kenney’s UCP caucus kicked out two of its members. The vote came after one MLA stepped down as chair of the caucus and told the premier it was time to resign. But it’s just the latest in attempts by some MLAs to undermine the premier. Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins Dave to discuss why the MLAs were voted out, whether Jason Kenney is in deeper trouble with the party’s base, and where the party goes next. Background rea...
May 17, 2021•19 min
Could a federal bill really seek to regulate your cat videos on YouTube, or dance challenges on Tik Tok? Will it control what you see when you log onto popular streaming sites? That’s been the concern as MPs have debated Bill C-10, which updates Canada’s Broadcast Act. But what will the bill actually do? National Post political reporter Anja Karadeglija joins Dave to discuss the overall intent of the bill, concerns over what it will regulate, and the government’s communication missteps in promot...
May 14, 2021•16 min
Notorious NHL tough guy Tom Wilson found himself at the centre of more controversy when he was fined, but not suspended, for violations on the ice in a game against the New York Rangers. The $5,000 penalty for the Washington Capitals forward sparked a brawl-filled rematch, but also plenty of criticism of how the league dealt with the whole incident Postmedia National Sports columnist Scott Stinson joins Dave to discuss the how the league handles frequent flyers, whether Wilson’s kind of play has...
May 11, 2021•21 min
Alberta has been battered by the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a case rate higher than any U.S. state or Canadian province. And after weeks of pressure, and various smaller measures, Premier Jason Kenney announced a host of new restrictions this week to try to flatten the curve. Lisa Johnson, who covers provincial politics for the Edmonton Journal, walks us through the new measures, why they’re being brought in now, and the presser Kenney is facing from people both in favour of and o...
May 06, 2021•19 min
Amid growing pressure to address allegations of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Forces, the federal government announced an external review of how the military handles these cases. The announcement follows high-profile allegations against current and former high-ranking soldiers in the Canadian Forces, including the former Chief of Defence Staff National Post Political reporter Christopher Nardi joins the show to discuss why we’re getting a review now, what the review will address, and whether...
May 04, 2021•20 min
As a horrible second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic ravages India, there has been pressure on the Trudeau government to enact travel measures to prevent further spread of variants in Canada. In response to that pressure the government announced a ban on direct flights from India and Pakistan for 30 days. But did it come too late to make a difference? Toronto Sun reporter Bryan Passifiume joins Dave to discuss what the ban covers, why it’s important to keep an eye on COVID hotspots, and whether th...
Apr 28, 2021•18 min
The Canadian Football league has unveiled a bold plan for a return to play this year after missing the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the start of the season has been pushed back later into the summer, the league is eyeing games with fans in the stands, and the latest Grey Cup Ever. Postmedia national sports writer Dan Barnes joins Dave to discuss the plan, why having in-person attendance is crucial to the league, and whether it can survive another lost season. Background readin...
Apr 26, 2021•21 min
The Trudeau Liberals delivered their first budget since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an eye to post-pandemic economic recovery. But it also shows the government eyeing an election. Parliamentary Bureau Chief and National Post Columnist John Ivison joins Dave to discuss the spending priorities of the budget, what it means for Canada’s bottom line long term, and how it potentially disadvantages Trudeau’s biggest rivals come election time. Background reading: John Ivison: A feder...
Apr 22, 2021•17 min
In the debate over provincial restrictions to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been holdouts. Restaurants who ignore bans on indoor dining, hair salons cutting instead of closing. And there have been churches keeping their pews filled instead of abiding by capacity restrictions or moving services to the web. In Alberta, one Edmonton-area church has become a flashpoint in the COVID culture war between the power of the government to impose restrictions and the rights of those opp...
Apr 20, 2021•20 min
Canada’s economy may have slowed through the pandemic, but the housing market has remained hot. And, unlike past years where price increases have been focused on major centres, we’re seeing growth right across the country, due in part to an exodus to the suburbs. Tristin Hopper from the National Post explains why people are flocking to smaller centres, how that’s affecting the market across the country, and whether this is a bubble that could eventually burst. Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Apr 15, 2021•17 min
While the country has been consumed with COVID-19, a deadly epidemic continued unabated. Drug overdose deaths linked to the opioid crisis hit record levels in 2020, in part due to the pandemic, and 2021 is shaping up to be another tragic year. Alanna Smith, who covers the opioid crisis for the Calgary Herald, joins the show to discuss the role the pandemic played in a spike in overdoses, what is being done now to limit the death toll, and what’s behind the push to explore safe supply programs an...
Apr 12, 2021•24 min
The COVID-19 outbreak that has hit the Vancouver Canucks has shown the virulence of the virus and how vulnerable league play is in the face of a pandemic. With the playoffs looming, many are wondering how the league is going to mitigate the danger. Postmedia national hockey writer Michael Traikos joins the show to discuss the impact of the Canucks outbreak, what it means for the rest of the season, and how the NHL could be preparing for the playoffs. Background reading: COVID-19: Canucks winger ...
Apr 08, 2021•21 min
After a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Canadians are feeling the fatigue, but even as vaccines are rolling out, a third wave is setting in. Variant strains have cropped up and appear to be affecting younger people, and it has now become a race between the variants and the vaccines. National Post health reporter Sharon Kirkey walks us through why the variants have changed the face of the pandemic, why it’s crucial to get more vaccines to more Canadians, and what’s driving vaccine hesitancy i...
Apr 07, 2021•19 min
The Supreme Court of Canada recently held up the federal government’s carbon pricing scheme, striking down challenges from three provinces. While the majority of justices felt the plan was in the national concern, those in opposition felt it “rejects the Constitution and rewrites the rules of confederation,” while stepping into provincial jurisdiction. Columnist Sean Speer walks us through the significance of the minority opinion on the court, the Justice who penned it, and what it could mean fo...
Apr 01, 2021•19 min
As we spend more of our lives online, people are looking at more ways to make money online. From delivering food, to being a YouTube star, to turning your instagram following into cash, the platform economy is growing, and the taxman wants his cut. National Post politics reporter Christopher Nardi walks us through how lucrative business is for some influencers, how Canada Revenue Agency put a team together to track posts from social media influencers, and the ways in which people have been caugh...
Mar 29, 2021•22 min
The killing of Colten Boushie and the trial of Gerald Stanley raised concerns about rural crime and racism across Canada. But the RCMP also faced scrutiny from the start, and new reports offer condemnation of how police handled the homicide investigation, and how they treated Boushie’s family. Saskatoon Star Phoenix reporter Thia James walks through why these reviews were conducted what the reports into the RCMP investigation dug up, and what it means to Boushie’s family. Background reading: Wat...
Mar 26, 2021•16 min
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney won a decisive victory in 2019 on the strength of his messaging about the economy and jobs and being a stronger option than the NDP. Halfway through his mandate, and a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, support for the government has dropped and even the party’s base is frustrated. Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins the show to discuss when things started to turn for the UCP, why voters are frustrated, and what Kenney could do to turn things around. Background readi...
Mar 22, 2021•25 min
Subject of a lot of scrutiny last summer, the founders of WE Charity, Marc and Craig Kielburger, again found themselves before a house of commons committee this week. MPs continued to question the brothers about how WE Charity operated and communicated with the government and they responded with accusations that their charity is being dragged through the mud in a “political trial.” National Post Reporter Brian Platt walks us through why this issue is lingering from last year, what the committee ...
Mar 19, 2021•15 min
Already smarting from the shutdown of the Keystone XL pipeline, Canada’s oil industry is now facing the prospect that a long-operating oil line could be shut down. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has revoked an easement for Enbridge’s Line 5, which ships oil from Alberta, through the U.S. and onto refineries in southern Ontario, but also several U.S. states. This has raised concern, not only in oil-producing Alberta, but in Ontario and Quebec. Financial Post energy reporter Geoffrey Morgan jo...
Mar 15, 2021•16 min
