Since the end of last year, episodes of The Backbench have been available on the Canadaland feed, alongside lots of other great content — oftentimes featuring voices you may be familiar with from The Backbench. Starting in July 2025, The Backbench feed (this one!) will no longer be publishing new episodes, but you can still find new episodes of this show every Tuesday on Canadaland. Just search “Canadaland” in your podcast player of choice, and we’ll see you there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...
Jul 08, 2025•3 min•Ep. 138
Mark Carney promised one Canadian economy . Now, his signature bill is one step closer to law as Bill C-5 rocketed through parliament with some amendments. The changes haven't quelled concerns from Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, who broke ranks in the final vote. Host Noor sits down with MP Erskine-Smith to talk about why he voted no, and what he really thinks of Carney’s CEO-style politics. And, you’ll hear concerns from the Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak about...
Jun 24, 2025•6 min•Ep. 136
Canada is hosting the G-7 in Alberta, one of the most consequential meetings yet. Is this Carney’s moment to become a world leader, reorient our economy, and possibly the world order? With the predictably unpredictable Trump, growing regional wars, rampaging wildfires, and some controversial invitations, there’s a lot of room for error. Could Carney play the role of global power broker? And the latest on Pierre Poilievre’s one-on-one phone calls, our rekindling relationship with India, and anoth...
Jun 17, 2025•36 min•Ep. 135
The Liberals’ first piece of legislation, Bill C-2 is a sweeping 139-page omnibus bill. It would allow police to open and inspect mail from Canada Post, restrict cash transfers over $10,000, bolster surveillance, and expand what law enforcement can do…without a warrant. But it will also overhaul our asylum-seeking process. And with the riots below the border, we can’t but ask: are we going down the same path? Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noo...
Jun 10, 2025•39 min•Ep. 134
Political divides are growing, and it’s not just over basic issues anymore. Increasingly, people are feeling differences in basic conduct, morality, and how they approach discussions. These divisions feel too big to ignore. How do you go about fixing that divide? This week host Sam Konnert sits down with Ryan Broderick to iron things out. And the latest on the grand meeting of the Premiers in Saskatoon, Carney’s new chief of staff pick and Trump’s doubling of the steel and aluminum tariffs. Host...
Jun 03, 2025•31 min•Ep. 133
Earlier this year, Jagmeet Singh laughed off the idea of losing. Now, he’s out and the NDP is in free fall. They lost official party status. They lost ground with key voters, organized labor, and their traditional strongholds in B.C. and the GTA. So, did the NDP learn anything from this catastrophic loss? To answer that question, host Noor Azrieh asks Heather McPherson, one of the 7 NDP MPs left. And, the latest on King Charles Canadian tour, who’s gonna babysit rowdy MPs in the House of Commons...
May 27, 2025•30 min•Ep. 132
After a couple of weeks of pats on the back and trying to find Pierre Poilievre a new home, we’re finally seeing how Mark Carney’s government plans to tackle the country’s biggest problems and who he’s putting in charge to do it. Next week, King Charles is set to kick off parliament with the throne speech, and we’ll finally have MPs back in the House of Commons after months of parliamentary paralysis. We’re at the top of the hill before things start to inevitably crumble, so Host Noor Azrieh ask...
May 20, 2025•33 min•Ep. 131
Mark Carney promised tougher bail and more police – a “get tough” agenda that the Liberals shoplifted right off the Conservative shelf. Host Noor sits down with Adelina Iftene, a criminal law professor, who calls Mark Carney’s revival of “tough on crime” a “slippery slope”. Will Mark Carney’s revival of “tough on crime” fix anything? What actually makes communities safer? And what happens if we get this wrong? And the latest on Canada’s unemployment problem, the one vote that changed Terrebonne,...
May 13, 2025•39 min•Ep. 130
Pierre Poilievre is packing his bags to rural Alberta, after losing his seat to Bruce Fanjoy. How the hell did Fanjoy do it? We asked him. Plus, pollster David Coletto breaks down things you may have missed in the election results. Host: Sam Konnert Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork) Guests: Background reading:...
May 06, 2025•34 min•Ep. 129
Carney wins, Poilievre loses, Jagmeet steps down. What went down? Politico’s Mickey Djuric breaks it down for us, way past bedtime. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork) Guests: Mickey Djuric Background reading: Poilievre's Carleton riding had the most advance voting in Canada | CBC Liberals proj...
Apr 29, 2025•26 min•Ep. 128
Today we are bringing you a great episode from our friends at Canardian! Sault Ste. Marie. Population 71,000. A place best known as the hometown of Roberta Bondar, the first woman in space, Treble Charger, and countless NHL players. Douglas Soltys, host of The BetaKit Podcast, joins the show (instead of going to therapy) to discuss the best pizza in town, being a 90s indie rock kid, destructive hockey teams, and WAY more. Listen to Douglas's podcast, The BetaKit Podcast , on your favourite podca...
Apr 25, 2025•54 min
It’s the final election stretch, and the vetting continues. This week we talk conversion therapy, million-dollar pyramid schemes, & the dangers of doorbell cameras Host: Sam Konnert, Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 24, 2025•8 min
While most Canadians are gearing up to head to the polls, some are looking for an escape plan. This week, we’re examining the deep roots of Western alienation, Danielle Smith’s separatist flirtations, and what could erupt if Mark Carney’s Liberals sweep to power. To do that, producer Sam Konnert heads out to Alberta to talk to some voters, and calls up Preston Manning, the man behind the conversation. Later, host Noor Azrieh sits down with Dr. Lisa Young for a serious reality check. And the late...
Apr 22, 2025•44 min•Ep. 127
There are 1959 people running to represent YOU in this federal election in the year of our lord 2025 - and we’re looking for dirt. This week - a liberal candidate that didn’t want to be a distraction was replaced by an EVEN bigger distraction, a far-right media personality has some INSANE takes, and independent candidate Elliot Moose is on the loose. Host: Sam Konnert, Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (...
Apr 17, 2025•7 min
With two weeks out from election day, Ottawa is buzzing. Staffers are partying late into the night and reporting to work at 7 a.m., Chipotle’s are turning into war rooms, and the polls are telling stories. We went to three party-specific events in Ottawa for a pulse check on how people feel in the nation’s capital. From 11-year-old door knockers to Jagmeet Singh to Trump’s former trade representative, we heard a LOT of opinions. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Kon...
Apr 15, 2025•41 min•Ep. 126
It’s an election, we’re googling your candidate. There's a candidate for the Green Party who’s actively campaigning for the Conservative Party. There’s a famous YouTuber candidate with an icky social media history, there’s a guy who is promising to fix housing problems that HE created. And then we’ll get to the explicit Garfield porn. It gets crazy. Host: Sam Konnert Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor a...
Apr 10, 2025•6 min
Last week, Pierre Poilievre said tick tock goes your biological clock. This was the first time that host Noor Azrieh noticed, during the campaign, that someone ( anyone! ) was speaking to women directly and explicitly. And it prompted a wave of pushback…and some praise. The gap between men and women is widening. If the election happened today, and only women voted, Mark Carney would be on track for the biggest landslide in Canadian history. Gender gaps have been a mainstay of Canadian politics f...
Apr 08, 2025•40 min•Ep. 125
There are hundreds of unvetted candidates vying for a seat in Parliament… Canada has 343 federal electoral districts stretching from coast to coast to coast. In every riding, candidates are stepping up…some for the first time. This means there are hundreds of unvetted candidates vying for a seat in Parliament. This week, we’re looking at a few standouts: a candidate who bragged about making coin flipping condos, an MP that’s a “published writer on Mi’kmaw laws, history, and knowledge” but said a...
Apr 03, 2025•5 min
With 78 of the 343 seats in the House of Commons, Quebec isn’t just a battleground…it could decide the entire election. And this time, the usual Bloc-Liberal-NDP tug-of-war is taking some unexpected turns. We hit the streets of Montreal to find out what is on people’s minds, and host Noor Azrieh sits down with Martin Patriquin to unpack what it all means. And, you’ll hear from Philippe J. Fournier, founder of 338 , to talk about where the parties are at in the polls, and if we can even trust the...
Apr 01, 2025•43 min•Ep. 124
And we’re off to the races! It’s time for the matchup, and election, of a generation. Newly minted Prime Minister Mark Carney is taking on former front-runner Pierre Poilievre on April 28th. It’s a 5-week campaign. In the backdrop of a trade war, Trump’s annexation threats, And almost 10 long years of Liberal leadership. For over a year, Poilievre pretty much held a 20-point lead. A landslide Poilievre win wasn't just possible, it felt inevitable. But now? The game has changed. Somehow, against ...
Mar 25, 2025•42 min•Ep. 123
Is AI slop the ultimate weapon for foreign interference? Or are we spiraling into another internet-fueled moral panic? Last week several AI-generated photos of Mark Carney and Ghislaine Maxwell looking chummy went viral. It was easy to spot the fake, but it raised an important question: should we be worried about AI in this election? Ryan Broderick, author of the Garbage Day newsletter, and host of his own podcast Panic World, doesn’t think so. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Pr...
Mar 18, 2025•44 min•Ep. 122
Canada is deep in the trenches of a trade war with the United States. After U.S. President Trump unpaused the 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports, all hell has broken loose: the federal government has fired back, provincial leaders are firing shots of their own, and more threats have been made - and then walked back - by the White House. All this, while Canadians are caught in the middle. What sense can we make from the mudslinging? If the chaos unfolding only covers one week of this dispute, wh...
Mar 11, 2025•35 min•Ep. 121
For the first time since 2021, the Liberals are beating the Conservatives in a recent poll. We’ll find out on March 9th if Carney is officially sticking around for the long haul. And then? He’s going to be the Prime Minister - at least for a little while. Carney-mania is going around - is it real? Or seriously overblown? Is he Canada's Kamala Harris - mild, overhyped, and fated to lose - or a serious contender? Host Noor Azrieh and Luke Savage try to diagnose what's behind Carney-mania– how a so...
Mar 04, 2025•42 min•Ep. 120
The Arctic is quickly becoming the center of a geopolitical shitstorm. We’re talking power, resources, and territory at stake. And everyone wants a piece of it. Donald Trump floated taking Greenland and Canada to make his claim. But he’s not the only one. Russia’s making moves. So is China. And Canada? Politicians, left and right, are talking about it. Host Noor Azrieh sits down with Gavin John, a freelance journalist embedded in the Arctic, and asks, what’s really at stake for Canada in the Arc...
Feb 25, 2025•37 min•Ep. 119
Jagmeet Singh has taken a lot of shit: his nice watch, his ambivalence on taking down the Liberals, and of course his polling. But he says he’s not giving up. He says he’s here to win. Sit down with Noor as she goes past the “corporate interest” talking points and grills the leader on all things NDP. Why doesn’t he have a successor? Why won’t he step down? Why is he so fancy for a lefty? Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Produce...
Feb 18, 2025•36 min•Ep. 118
The government hired 110,000 workers over the past 10 years, did we get 110,000 times more efficient? It doesn’t look like it, but veteran public servant Michael Wernick breaks it all down for Noor. And, yes folks, we’re talking about tariffs again, because Donald Trump enacted a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, with NO exceptions. Plus, our nominations for Fentanyl Czar, and the defamation case against Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman, CIJA, and Ezra Levant. Host:...
Feb 11, 2025•28 min•Ep. 117
On Saturday, President Trump followed through with his promise of 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods and 10 percent on energy. We clapped back with our own. But late yesterday, after a couple of calls between the two leaders, Trump relented after Trudeau said he outlined Canada’s $1.3 billion border plan and also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl. Trump said he’d pause for 30 days. A trade war is bad, but some businesses might fare better than others. Our prod...
Feb 04, 2025•29 min•Ep. 116
When Justin Trudeau stepped down earlier this month, it should have been the perfect opportunity for Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to swing the narrative. To seize control. But they haven’t done any of that. What used to be Canada’s worker’s party seems like a shell of its former self. Why can’t they reach voters when everything is up in the air? This week Noor sits down with columnist and critic Max Fawcett, and former NDP strategist Mélanie Richer to unpack Singh’s woes. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits:...
Jan 28, 2025•31 min•Ep. 115
The Copernic Affair is available now, wherever you get your podcasts. The life of an unassuming sociology professor in Canada gets turned upside down when he is accused of carrying out a 1980 bomb attack on a synagogue in Paris. Hassan Diab says heʼs innocent, but French investigators are determined to prove otherwise. Journalists Dana Ballout and Alex Atack take listeners through the twists and turns of this extraordinary story, all the while asking… Is Hassan Diab guilty, or is he a scapegoat?...
Jan 22, 2025•4 min
Donald Trump’s back, but Canada is STILL divided on how to respond. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has gone rogue, Doug Ford just wants everyone to look at his cool new hat. It’s an economic threat, but also threatens to pull our very identity apart. Are we just supposed to sit and wait? To break it down, Noor welcomes Wall Street Journal reporter Vipal Monga, and UBC lecturer Stewart Prest. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Pro...
Jan 21, 2025•38 min•Ep. 114
