Send us a text Join me as I discuss #strngnfr's ups and downs over the past year! What have I learned after one year of Podcasting? What can I improve upon? And most importantly - why I believe balanced discourse is more necessary than ever before! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tiktok @openmindspodcast...
Nov 16, 2019•33 min
Send us a text In this episode, I discuss the 2019 federal election results and proportional representation! As well I examine the Wexit association more closely looking at their constitution. I end the podcast by discussing some of Wexit's demands and how these could potentially be resolved within our curreny Federal system !--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok...
Nov 09, 2019•38 min
Send us a text Western alienation is real in Canada. You cannot open a newspaper without reading an article about it. Listen now to Heon and I, as we break down the underpinnings of western alienation that is rooted in our federal system. We explore Canada's federation, beginning with the near-immediate discontent by Provinces towards the federal government shortly after Confederation. What caused this? How did issues of the economy, taxation and the World Wars play a role? This and subsequent e...
Nov 02, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Send us a text In my last episode on the "Canada Votes" series, I wanted to talk to someone who has worked on the inside of a political party. I had the chance to converse with my friend Emily, who's been involved in politics since University, herself becoming the President of her political riding association. I wanted to understand more about the flexibility inside parties, the openness to criticism and what keeps her going even if she disagrees with the leader and certain public policies. List...
Oct 28, 2019•1 hr 24 min
Send us a text So I was a bit late uploading this. But better late than never! Listen to Heon and I discuss the Bloc Quebecois - examining the Party's history, its current platform and the major issues it is fighting for. An interesting aspect of the Bloc is their platform is quite interesting. While the Party is very much focused on fighting for the rights and freedoms of Quebec and Quebecois, the Bloc also pose interesting initiatives that could garner it support from outside Quebec. The Party...
Oct 25, 2019•1 hr 12 min
Send us a text Nearly 50 percent of Albertans would support secession from Canada, according to an Angus Reid poll completed in 2019. In #strngnfr's first interview, we sit down with Peter Downing, leader of the Wexit movement out of Alberta to understand what is leading to this sentiment. Has Ottawa purposely disempowered Provinces? Or are the concerns of Alberta a result of our federal system that does not address regional issues appropriately? Listen to my conversation with Peter Downing and ...
Oct 19, 2019•41 min
Send us a text Join Heon and I as we discuss the rise in populism in Canada. We also discuss the history and the aspects of populism that are not normally covered in the news today. Let us know your thoughts. Do you think populism is on the rise in Canada? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tiktok @openmindspodcast...
Oct 11, 2019•25 min
Send us a text The Peoples Party of Canada (PPC) is perhaps the youngest political party in Canadian federal politics. Many have characterized the Party as being xenophobic and anti-immigrant. Their leader, Maxime Bernier has been vociferous by openly rejecting Canada’s multiculturalism policy. There is however an underlying philosophy that is guiding the Party and its decisions. Join Heon and I as we try to uncover the PPC more. What are their strengths, weaknesses and threats? And why are they...
Oct 05, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Send us a text Our goal at #strngnfr is to explore political topics with a balanced view. Throughout our #elexn43 coverage, we couldn't help but cover Justin Trudeau's brownface-blackface scandal. Join us in hearing our perspectives and what this may have done to the Liberal Party. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tik...
Oct 02, 2019•36 min
Send us a text The Green Party of Canada has always been intriguing to me. I didn’t know enough about the Party. Is their platform only about responding to the environment? What about their stance on the economy? Immigration? Taxation? What are the Party’s strengths? Weaknesses? What would a Canada look like under the Green Party? And what is the connection with other Green Parties throughout the world? Join us in our continuing Election coverage as we explore the Green Party in more detail. ---...
Sep 28, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Send us a text In episode three of our coverage of the 2019 Canadian federal election, Heon and I discuss the Conservative Party of Canada's history, philosophy, guiding principles, policy objectives and the biggest weaknesses facing the Party. Tune in now!--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tiktok @openmindspodcast...
Sep 19, 2019•1 hr 10 min
Send us a text In our second instalment leading up to the federal election, the Strong and Free Podcast examines the New Democratic Party (NDP). How was the Party formed? What principles does the Party fight for? What could explain the Party's meteoric rise in the 2011 federal election? And what are the Party's biggest challenges heading into the 2019 election? As always, we try our best to answer these questions providing you with as much information to continue having the conversation. Tune in...
Sep 07, 2019•56 min
Send us a text In our new series, the Strong and Free Podcast will be looking at each major political party leading up to the October election. First up, the Liberal Party. What could explain Justin Trudeau's rise in 2015? How could the leader of the third party seemingly overnight become the governing party with a majority? What did the past 4 years under Trudeau look like and what can Canadians expect if the Liberals were to win in October? These questions and others will be answered! Tune in ...
Aug 31, 2019•59 min
Send us a text In our final episode on the Canadian Military, we explore the stories of returning soldiers and the types of government supports for returning Military personnel. Specifically, we examine the supports that help individuals transition back to life in Canada. The sense of duty our military has to defend our country and the values we espouse cannot be understated. This series has fundamentally changed our perspectives and we are forever grateful to the brave individuals that sacrific...
Aug 24, 2019•1 hr 2 min
Send us a text In this week's episode, The Strong and Free Podcast examines four main issues facing veterans: PTSD; Homelessness; Exposure to Chemicals; and Lump-Sum Disability Payments. As always, let us know what you think! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tiktok @openmindspodcast...
Aug 17, 2019•1 hr 10 min
Send us a text In this episode, Heon and I examine the perpetual issue of procurement in the Canadian military. What are the reasons behind procuring the best equipment for Canada's military? And why is military procurement always in the news? Listen now to learn more about military procurement in Canada! Sources used: Library of Parliament, The Evolution of Defence Procurement in Canada , February 2016: https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/201609E#a1 Report...
Aug 10, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Send us a text In this episode, Heon and I begin to explore the Canadian Military. We ask the tough questions of why the military is not front and centre for many Canadians. Sources used: Earnscliffe Strategy Group (2018): Views of the Canadian Armed Forces Tracking Study. http://cdacanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Views-of-the-CF-Exec-Summary.pdf Current Canadian Operations : https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/operations/military-operations/current-operations/list...
Aug 03, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Send us a text Sources used in this episode: Hating Hate: Policy Implications of Hate Crime Legislation Author(s): Beverly A. McPhail Source: Social Service Review , Vol. 74, No. 4 (December 2000), pp. 635-653 Published by: The University of Chicago Press Political Tolerance, Racist Speech, and the Influence of Social Networks Author(s): Allison Harell Source: Social Science Quarterly, Vol. 91, №3 (SEPTEMBER 2010), pp. 724–740 Published by: Wiley The Limits of Tolerance in Diverse Societies: Hat...
Jul 27, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Send us a text Welcome Heon Lee: Strong and Free's new co-host! In this episode we discuss Heon's background, and what made him decide to join the Strong and Free Podcast. Encounters with Canada ( https://www.ewc-rdc.ca/pub/en ) MP Mark Warawa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Warawa --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod...
Jul 20, 2019•1 hr 15 min
Send us a text In part two of our series on Identity Politics, Heon and I examine the Gender Gap. We tackle these four areas: 1) A history of the gender gap 2) Implications for today 3) What do current scholars believe 'cause' or contribute to the gender gap? 4) What can govts do to attempt to address this? Sources used: Complexities of the Gender Gap Author(s): Susan E. Howell and Christine L. Day Source: The Journal of Politics, Vol. 62, No. 3 (Aug., 2000), pp. 858-874 Published by: The Univer...
Jul 14, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Send us a text Identity Politics is a hot topic in today's politics. Listen to Heon and I debate the history of the topic and where the movement can go for the future. Sources used: Medium Article: https://medium.com/strong-and-free/is-the-future-of-identity-politics-doomed-9ca55ef9a1e?source=friends_link&sk=64fc8fa56d10090752c99561a5db2348 Statistics Canada 2011 Report on Women and Education (1990-2009) https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/89-503-x/2010001/article/11542-eng.pdf?st=IyAXyHE...
Jul 07, 2019•1 hr 7 min
Send us a text Friends, this episode is quite special. Strong and Free's special guest, Heon Lee helps unpack the State of Alabama's ban on abortion, with detailed research on the Bill and implications. You don't want to miss this episode (and sorry for the poor audio quality!). Sources used: Bill text https://www.al.com/news/2019/05/alabama-abortion-ban-passes-read-the-bill.html Canada's Prostitution Criminal Law Reform Bill-36 https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/c36faq/ BBC Alabama...
Jun 21, 2019•1 hr 7 min
Send us a text Sources Used: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/6/2/451 https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU10/20171101/106562/HHRG-115-JU10-Wstate-ParkerS-20171101-SD001.pdf https://www.politifact.com/new-hampshire/statements/2015/oct/05/ben-carson/did-margaret-sanger-believe-african-americans-shou/ https://www.academia.edu/38313840/The_Pro-life_Movement_as_a_Liberal_Social_Movement_of_the_1960s --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website...
Jun 17, 2019•30 min
Send us a text Hi everyone - in this episode I discuss a bit of brainstorming on the Strong and Free brand. Take a listen and let me know what you think! Stay balanced, stay informed!--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tiktok @openmindspodcast...
Jun 10, 2019•21 min
Send us a text Listen to my latest podcast on the psychological effects of abortion on women. Sources used: M. A. Biggs, Ushma D. Upadhyay, Julia R. Steinberg and Diana G. Foster, "Does abortion reduce self-esteem and life satisfaction?" Quality of Life Research, Vol. 23, №9 (November, 2014), pp. 2505–2513 Published by: Springer Julia R. Steinberg and Lisa Rubin, Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2014, 1.1: 239–247), “Psychological Aspects of Contraception, Unintended Pregn...
Jun 03, 2019•25 min
Send us a text Medium Article: https://medium.com/strong-and-free/the-abortion-debate-is-being-undermined-part-one-personhood-6a53ca2c1a8?source=friends_link&sk=af23a274e0038f904315ef9360a7b6d5 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tiktok @openmindspodcast...
May 30, 2019•30 min
Send us a text This topic discusses the Anti-vaccination movement noted as one of the top ten threats to health in 2019 by the WHO. MEDIUM ARTICLE: https://medium.com/strong-and-free/the-rise-of-anti-vax-abadf947045c?source=friends_link&sk=8c62c07c22f7965d945aa963fb7240df--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show Visit my NEW Website! https:// www.christopherbalkaran.com Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspod Tiktok @op...
May 20, 2019•30 min
Send us a text Hi Everyone, Sorry for making my content Ontario-focused the last little while! Lots happening over here. Medium Article and YouTube link below. Let me know what you think! MEDIUM ARTICLE: https://medium.com/strong-and-free/im-tired-of-protesters-getting-it-wrong-c04f283b2e46?source=friends_link&sk=86bde70634dcab84c8a6d8ccd87123c3 YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bH4MZSgWk4&t=312s --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strongandfree/support Support the show V...
May 12, 2019•30 min
Send us a text Sources used in this podcast: Liberal Party 2018-19 Education Programs - Other http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/1819/B07_EPO_memo_2018_19_gsn_en.pdf Education Funding 2018-19 - http://www.opsba.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/2018-2019%20Education%20Funding%20Engagement%20Guide.pdf 2018-19 Ontario Budget - http://budget.ontario.ca/2018/budget2018-en.pdf 2019-20 Ontario Budget - http://budget.ontario.ca/2019/contents.html Grants for Student Needs 2019-20 - https://efis.fma.csc.gov....
May 04, 2019•27 min
Send us a text Sources used in this podcast: Congressional Research Service, "Fifth-Generation (5G) Telecommunications Technologies: Issues for Congress", United States Government, January 2019: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45485 Huawei, "5G Network Architecture: A High Level Perspective," 2016: https://www.huawei.com/minisite/hwmbbf16/insights/5G-Nework-Architecture-Whitepaper-en.pdf Kadri Kaska, Henrik Beckvard and Tomáš Minárik, "Huawei, 5G and China as a Security Threat," N...
Apr 15, 2019•33 min
