Canada’s gun laws are facing a host of updates, including a freeze on new handgun sales and imports. The bill replaces an earlier version previously proposed by the feds, and also includes a mandatory buyback of assault-style guns previously targeted by the government. National Post political reporter Chris Nardi joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss what’s covered under the bill, how this could impact current handgun owners, and why politics may make this an easier sell for the Liberals. Backgroun...
Jun 02, 2022•22 min
Quebec’s controversial new language bill was passed in the legislature last week. It governs wide swaths of Quebec life, including college spaces and in what language people can access healthcare. Montreal Gazette columnist Allison Hanes joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why the bill is so controversial, how it could affect relations between Anglophones and francophones, and whether it offers Quebec’s premier a federal punching bag when voters go to the polls in September. Background reading: H...
May 31, 2022•26 min
Ontario voters go to the polls in just a few days, but it hasn’t exactly been a barn-burner of a campaign. Despite trying to make a dent in Doug Ford’s support in opinion polls, the Liberals and the NDP still trail the PCs. National Post columnist Sabrina Maddeaux and Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley join Dave Breakenridge to discuss why voters may be feeling disengaged, how the leaders have fared so far, what we can expect in the waning days of the campaign, and what’s at stake for the opposi...
May 26, 2022•23 min
The debate of whether mercy killing can be used as a defence in a murder case is once again in the spotlight after a domestic homicide in Ottawa. Richard Rutherford, a former principal dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and officer with the Canada Council for the Arts, was found dead in his home Easter weekend. His longtime spouse Phillipe Hebert has been charged in his death. Ottawa Citizen reporter Andrew Duffy joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss events that led up to Rutherford’s death, why...
May 24, 2022•19 min
Alberta’s governing United Conservative Party is looking for a new leader after Jason Kenney announced he would be stepping down. Kenney made the announcement after receiving a bare majority of support in a scheduled leadership review. Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why Kenney fared so poorly with members of a party he built, what’s next for the UCP, and how this shapes the remaining year before the next election. Background reading: Bell: What the hell? Kenne...
May 20, 2022•29 min
Canada’s top court has struck down a section of the criminal code that could allow for extreme intoxication to be used as a defence in violent crimes. The ruling upheld the acquittal of a Calgary man who attacked a university prof after consuming alcohol and magic mushrooms. Calgary Herald reporter Bill Kaufmann joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the initial court case, the Supreme Court ruling and why some are concerned about a lack of protection for victims. Background reading: Supreme Court s...
May 18, 2022•17 min
Ontario voters go to the polls June 2, and the much-anticipated election campaign got off to a slow start last week. Much debate centred around highways and transit, as the Liberals and the NDP tried to make a dent in the PCs polling lead. National Post columnist Sabrina Maddeaux joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how the major parties have fared so far, why the province’s COVID-19 response has not been a bigger issue, and what we can expect in the coming weeks. Background reading: Sabrina Madde...
May 12, 2022•22 min
Been feeling the pinch on your utility bills this year, or maybe at the grocery store? You’re not alone. Canada has been hit with rising inflation, which has meant people are paying more for, gas, food and just about everything else. Edmonton Journal columnist Keith Gerein, who has been exploring the impact of inflation on people’s day-to-day lives, joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss where people are really feeling a cash crunch and what’s driving some of these higher costs. Background reading: ...
May 10, 2022•23 min
Devastating floods and fires in B.C. last year showed the havoc these disasters can bring to communities. But it also laid bare how vulnerable some communities are to widespread destruction from future emergencies. Vancouver Sun reporters Gordon Hoekstra and Glenda Luymes join Dave Breakenridge to discuss an investigation that reveals just how unprepared some B.C. communities are, what’s keeping communities from doing the necessary work, and how disaster-plagued residents feel heading into anoth...
May 05, 2022•20 min
The Ontario election campaign is set to get underway this week, but the Ford government gave it the unofficial kickoff, with a campaign-style budget. Rebuilding the economy after COVID will likely be a key theme during the campaign, but so could the government’s response to the pandemic, which still looms over the political landscape. Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how the budget telegraphs the PCs election campaign, what we can expect from the Liberals and...
May 03, 2022•25 min
The NHL playoffs are set to kick off in a return to near normalcy after two years under the shadow of COVID-19. And as the post-season looms, many are wondering whether this is the year Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid will lead their teams to glory, whether the Calgary Flames will up their game, or if the Lightning is poised for a three-peat. National post sports writer Scott Stinson joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why this post-season is so important to the league, what match-ups to keep a...
Apr 29, 2022•24 min
Conservative leadership contestant Pierre Poilievre has wound up an early front-runner in the race to replace Erin O’Toole. The famously combative MP has played up the fight for freedom as one of his key messages, but he has also given a lot of focus to an issue gaining traction across the country: Housing affordability. National Post columnist Chris Selley joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why housing could be a winning issue for Poilievre, how his approach separates himself from the Liberals,...
Apr 28, 2022•21 min
Since last fall, residents of Iqaluit have faced uncertainty over the city’s water supply. The problem, sparked by the discovery of fuel in the water, has left residents in the remote community wary of officials and demanding transparency about how this happened. Emma Tranter, who covers Iqaluit for the Canadian Press, joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how the discovery was made, why there is a lack of trust among people in Iqaluit, and why they could be waiting for answers. Background reading:...
Apr 22, 2022•19 min
In the wake of the fall of Kabul and the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, Canada has attempted to resettle thousands of refugees, including people who risked their lives helping Canadian Forces during the war. However, many have faced bureaucratic roadblocks in their attempts to reach the safety of Canadian soil. National Post political reporter Bryan Passifiume joins host Dave Breakenridge to discuss the struggle faced by a Canadian veteran and his now pregnant wife, a former interpret...
Apr 20, 2022•19 min
Tech giants like Facebook and Google could soon be forced to share online revenues with Canadian news publishers under legislation tabled by the Trudeau government. The legislation follows a similar law in Australia, and seeks to ensure that news outlets are compensated for work shared on the platforms, which control a large majority of advertising revenues. National Post political reporter Anja Karadeglija joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the motivation behind the legislation, how it will be ...
Apr 16, 2022•22 min
The Trudeau government’s latest budget talks of stability and sustainability, while trying to address issues of affordability and economic recovery. But does it do all the things Canadians had hoped it would? National Post columnists Jesse Kline and Sabrina Maddeaux join Dave Breakenridge to discuss budget highlights, where it fell short, and how the Liberal-NDP pact factors into the government’s spending plan. Background reading: Jesse Kline: Chrystia Freeland's budget isn't prudent — it's mere...
Apr 12, 2022•21 min
Canada’s men’s national soccer team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986, buoyed by strong performances from stars like Alphonso Davies, Cyle Larin and Jonathan David. Despite some international success in the 1980s, our men’s program struggled for many years before turning things around to reach the biggest tournament in the sport. Postmedia national soccer writer Derek Van Diest joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why our national program stalled for many years, ho...
Apr 07, 2022•27 min
Among political issues that have been decided by parliament in the last decade, few are as controversial as Medical Assistance in Dying. While many Canadians feel it has given loved ones a sense of autonomy, and has spared them prolonged pain at the ends of their lives, there are some in the medical community who say changes to legislation that expand the practice are a step too far. Dr. Ferrukh Faruqui, a family care physician and freelance writer joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the current ...
Apr 04, 2022•32 min
COVID-19 has been the top health story around the world for two years now, but in Canada, there has been growing health concern looming. For the last several years, cases of syphilis have skyrocketed in the country, and the COVID pandemic has actually made things worse. National Post health reporter Sharon Kirkey joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss what’s driving these cases, why it has doctors concerned, and what they’re advocating governments do about it. Background reading: Syphilis, the centu...
Mar 31, 2022•17 min
The fight within Alberta’s United Conservative Party over Jason Kenney’s leadership took another twist when the planned in-person vote in April was turfed in favour of mail-in ballots. This has created further controversy, with some of Kenney’s own MLAs suggesting he step down, triggering a leadership race. Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why Kenney is facing a leadership review now, why the switch to mail-in voting has caused so much controversy, and what’s at...
Mar 29, 2022•25 min
A few short months after Canadians elected a minority government, the Liberals and the NDP announced they were forming a pact to keep the Liberals in power until 2025. The move, announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as an agreement that will provide stability, will see the NDP support the government on confidence matters. National Post political reporter Christopher Nardi joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss what each of the parties had to give up to formalize this pact, why it could potentia...
Mar 25, 2022•23 min
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta has seen deaths from drug overdoses climb higher than ever before. That culminated in a record year in 2021, with more than 1,700 deaths. Edmonton Journal reporter Anna Junker joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss Alberta’s grim milestone, what’s driving these deaths, and what advocates want to see from the provincial government. Background reading: Toxi-City: Deadly drugs in Edmonton — Overdoses are happening across all neighbourhoods and families are...
Mar 22, 2022•20 min
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave an impassioned plea to Canada’s parliament this week. Zelenskyy is seeking support from NATO leaders to create and enforce a no-fly zone over his country, which raises the prospect of wider conflict. National Post political reporter Ryan Tumilty joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss Zelenskyy’s speech, the mood in the House of Commons, and what Canada is willing to do, short of that no-fly zone. Background reading: Zelenskyy begs Canada to help 'close th...
Mar 17, 2022•17 min
The war in Ukraine has forced millions from their homes amid Russian bombardment. Many of these refugees are heading west to Poland, where organizers are working to keep up with seemingly endless arrivals. National Post columnist Adam Zivo spent time on the ground in Warsaw and Lviv and he joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the effort to help refugees flooding into Poland, what the situation is like on the ground in eastern Ukraine, and the human toll of this war on those who are being displaced...
Mar 15, 2022•26 min
The race to replace Erin O’Toole as leader of the federal conservatives got a little more crowded this week. Ontario MPP Roman Barber, federal MP Leslyn Lewis and former Quebec premier and federal PC leader Jean Charest all announced their candidacies. Charest joins the race as a possible contender to Pierre Pollieve’s frontrunner status. National Post political reporter Catherine Lévesque joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why Charest is joining the race after 10 years outside of politics, how ...
Mar 11, 2022•24 min
As the world has reacted in horror to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global attention has been captured by the steely resolve of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He has positioned himself as a rallying force amid a deadly crisis, in contrast to the authoritarian Vladimir Putin. National Post reporter Joseph Brean joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss Ukraine’s unlikely hero, the stark differences between Zelenskyy and Putin and how his command of image and messaging is helping him win sup...
Mar 08, 2022•24 min
A pair of Canadian men have been convicted in Australia for their roles running a multi-million-dollar criminal drug network. The pair are the latest Canadians lured by a lucrative drug market only to be swept up down under in a high profile drug sting by Australian authorities. National Post reporter Adrian Humphreys joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how the men got involved in the criminal underworld, how they were ultimately brought down, and how Australian authorities want Canada to do more...
Mar 03, 2022•18 min
Canada has joined the international community with a series of escalating sanctions and measures targeting Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. This has included economic sanctions, military supplies and a ban on Russian products. National Post political reporter Ryan Tumilty joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss Canada’s anti-Russia efforts, the international co-operation in support of Ukraine, and what’s at stake if these measures aren’t successful. Background reading: Canada sending bo...
Mar 01, 2022•19 min
Since the start of the pandemic, misinformation and conspiracies about COVID-19 or the government response to it have spread widely online. But a new report from the federal intelligence service suggests that extremist groups could be using that worldview to recruit and attempt to destabilize government, Ottawa Citizen writer Tom Spears joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the groups the intelligence service is warning about, what kind of messaging they’re spreading, and why experts are concerned....
Feb 25, 2022•18 min
The Olympic Winter Games wrapped up in Beijing without a major COVID incident, and Canada wound up with a respectable 26 medals. Despite some judging controversy and questions over whether we might wind up with a bronze in figure skating down the line, Canadian officials feel we fared rather well. Postmedia national sportswriter Dan Barnes joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss our surprise medallists, where we fared worse than expected, and where the Canadian Olympic Committee needs to focus in adv...
Feb 24, 2022•22 min
