In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on July 25, 2025, your hosts are back with three hot topics segments — and a healthy dose of concern. Jen is increasingly worried Alberta is heading toward banana republic territory. There’s a lot of money flowing through the province right now, and much of it is funding fringe causes. One local reporter appears to be the target of amateurish surveillance, likely due to reporting that embarrassed the government. Meanwhile, separatist rhetoric is get...
Jul 25, 2025•1 hr 10 min
For OTL this week, we have Brandon Forsyth, a book buyer at Indigo. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Airbnb. It’s no secret that Canada is in a housing crisis. Some think that short-term rentals such as Airbnbs are the problem. But the closer you look, the clearer it gets. Attempts to lower rents by regulating short-term rentals have failed in cities like New York City – which is experiencing record high rents a year after doing so. Canada doesn’t need more regulation; it needs m...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min
In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded July 18, 2025, your hosts tackle three big themes across Canada, the U.S., and the media world. First up, Matt and Jen talk sovereignty — and why every time Canada tries to build domestic industrial capacity (in defence, tech, food, etc.), it seems to end in scandal or failure. Or even just massively inflated costs and huge delays. We say we want domestic capability. So why can’t we build anything without it turning into a boondoggle? This episode o...
Jul 18, 2025•1 hr 25 min
In this episode of On The Line , two big conversations on two critical topics: housing and national security. First up: Mike Moffatt. Mike is one of Canada’s leading housing experts. He’s a professor at Western University’s Ivey Business School, senior director at the Smart Prosperity Institute, and host of the Missing Middle podcast . Matt talks to Mike about the state of Canada’s housing market, why prices are crashing in Toronto and Vancouver, and why that’s both a good and a bad sign. They c...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 22 min
In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on July 11, 2025, y our hosts are back together! Matt returns from Europe and Jen gets him caught up. First up: a full debrief on this year’s Calgary Stampede. Matt wants to talk breakfast, but Jen wants to talk vibes — and this year, the CPC was a much quieter, more cautious presence than last. Poilievre showed up and got the applause you'd expect from a friendly crowd, but even some Conservatives are starting to quietly admit … Carney’s off to a st...
Jul 11, 2025•1 hr 13 min
This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Airbnb. Everyone agrees that Canada needs to take real action to tackle the housing crisis, but only a few people argue that short-term rentals like Airbnb are part of that solution. Countless experts have argued that short term rental regulation is nothing more than a distraction, with the Harvard Business Review recently saying that “Put simply, restricting Airbnb is not going to be an effective tool for solving the housing-affordability problem...
Jul 08, 2025•1 hr 14 min
In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded very early on June 19, your hosts are making the best of a classic summer situation: we're both gone. Jen is off-grid somewhere. Matt is unplugging on another continent. But we didn’t want to leave you hanging — so we figured we’d get ahead of it. How do we do that when we can’t talk about the news of the day? We don’t even try! This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm c...
Jun 27, 2025•1 hr 36 min
This episode of On The Line was recorded in advance, as Matt Gurney is away on summer vacation. But we didn’t want to leave you hanging — so we’ve got two long-form conversations this week that are well worth your time. This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. For generations, Métis communities in Ontario helped build Canada’s first great economy — the fur trade. They farmed, traded, raised families, and fought for their rights. In 1993, they founded the Métis Nation o...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 32 min
In this episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on time on June 20, 2025 — so don't blame us for any catastrophes — Jen Gerson returns from covering the G7 and offers a rare dose of optimism: she’s impressed by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Matt Gurney remains skeptical but gives credit where it's due — Carney has handled everything so far with a steady hand. The question is: can he survive an actual crisis? Or even just some fairly normal politics? This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to yo...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 37 min
In the latest episode of On The Line , Jen Gerson is joined by Dave Cournoyer — Alberta politics watcher, writer at daveberta.ca , and longtime chronicler of this province’s wilder turns — for a conversation that cuts through the noise and gets to the big question: what is actually going on in Alberta right now? This episode is brought to you by the Metis Nation of Ontario. It's the Abitibi River, Northern Ontario, 1854. They called it “the Long Portage.” From the banks of the Abitibi River, Mét...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 11 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded (at great risk) a day early on June 12, 2025, Matt and Jen admit they tempted fate. They had to record on Thursday evening due to travel — and even predicted that a war in the Middle East would probably break out while they were offline. So ... yeah. That happened. And no, they don’t talk about it. But the streak of wild things happening whenever we record early gets extended once more. What they do talk about is the state of federal politics, ...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 41 min
In this episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney speaks with Christian Leuprecht — professor at the Royal Military College and Queen’s University, editor of the Canadian Military Journal , senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and visiting fellow at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies in Brussels. His forthcoming book is The Military’s Response to Domestic Crises and Global Pandemics: Civil-Military Relations for Domestic Operations . Their conversation follows Prime Ministe...
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on June 6, 2025, Matt and Jen open with a wide-ranging look at U.S.–Canada relations — and the increasingly difficult balancing act both countries are trying to manage. The Americans need to show they’re getting wins. Canada needs to show it’s not caving. That creates a dangerous mismatch in incentives, especially under an unpredictable U.S. administration. Matt and Jen also reflect on the passing of Marc Garneau — a Canadian hero and, for man...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 44 min
In this engaging conversation, Jen Gerson and royal watcher Patricia Treble, author of WRITE ROYALTY on Substack, discuss the recent visit of King Charles III to Canada, focusing on the significance of his throne speech and its geopolitical implications. They explore the role of the monarchy in Canadian sovereignty, the authority of King Charles in delivering the speech, and the reactions from both Canadian and British perspectives. The discussion highlights the evolving relationship between Can...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 16 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 30, 2025, Matt and Jen assess the early days of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government — and wonder if things are moving fast enough. Parliament is back, the procedural stuff is over, and it’s go-time in Ottawa. Matt asks whether Carney is pushing hard enough out of the gate — how fast can this ship really go? Jen offers up a strange and oddly perfect anecdote from her family’s recent experience in Calgary that captures the challenge a...
May 30, 2025•1 hr 55 min
This week on On The Line , we’ve got a packed episode with three sharp conversations on three very different fronts — monarchy, cybersecurity, and continental defence. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicin...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 27 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 23, 2025, Matt and Jen check in on the early turbulence of the Carney era. First up: the new cabinet. There’s a new energy minister visiting Calgary, staffing delays across the board, and yes — god help us — Marco Mendicino is still around. That’s bad news for almost everyone, but possibly justice of a sort for Mendicino himself. They also start to sketch out what could prove to be Carney’s eventual undoing. Along the way, Matt makes a ...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 31 min
In this episode of On The Line , The Line 's Jen Gerson interviews David Perlich, a CBC producer and Vatican analyst, about his experiences covering papal conclaves. They discuss the intricacies of the conclave process, the role of Cardinals, and the dynamics of voting for a new pope. Perlich shares insights from his time in Rome, the historical significance of the events, and the unique pressures faced by cardinals during the election. The conversation also touches on the cultural implications ...
May 20, 2025•1 hr 26 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 16, 2025, Matt opens with what he claims is a harmless anthropological observation about Alberta. Jen hadn’t noticed it before — but to her surprise, she agrees. And no, it shouldn’t piss anyone off. (Probably.) From there, they move on to the first days of Mark Carney’s duly elected government. Matt is... fine. Everything that’s happening is exactly what he expected, and he finds that oddly reassuring. Jen is not fine. Because it’s exa...
May 16, 2025•1 hr 23 min
In the latest episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney dives into the geopolitics of trade and the early days of a new Canadian government. First up, Ian Lee from the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University joins Matt to talk about the so-called “deal” recently announced between the United States and China. Ian isn’t here to defend Donald Trump — and says so clearly — but he also offers a sharp take on how Trump’s erratic approach to trade could still end up a political win for the U.S. Tha...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 14 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 9, 2025, Matt and Jen round up the week in Canadian politics — and things are getting weird again. They start with Pierre Poilievre’s decision to run in an extremely safe riding and tap Andrew Scheer as the party’s interim House leader. Matt says both choices radiate loser energy. But he also mounts a reluctant defence of the Tories — agreeing, to his dismay, with the Twitter mob: the CPC can run better campaigns, but it can’t beat the ...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 45 min
In this episode of On The Line, Israeli ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed sits with Jen Gerson to discuss the evolving situation in Gaza, the ongoing hostage crisis, and Israel's strategic objectives in the region. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of governm...
May 06, 2025•1 hr 29 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on May 2, 2025, Matt and Jen debrief the end of a long, weird federal election — and everything it upended. They start with what surprised them about the results and how the political map has scrambled in unexpected ways. Then, naturally, they pivot to constitutional monarchy. Why? Because it works. And because Matt is now on a mission to figure out how he can see the King when he comes to Ottawa to deliver the Speech from the Throne. He’s ser...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 34 min
In the latest episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney is joined by Gregory Jack, senior-vice president of public affairs at Ipsos Canada, as they do their best to unpack what the hell just happened on Monday night. And what might happen next. In the first half, they go tactical. Matt and Greg walk through the horse race numbers — who’s up, who’s down, and who pulled off a surprise. The Conservatives outperformed their polling numbers. The left-wing vote largely consolidated around the Liberals. And...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 2 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on April 25, 2025, Matt and Jen take stock of the final days of the election campaign — and of Canada’s increasingly bizarre political mood. Matt kicks things off by previewing his upcoming final column before election day. He spoils it a little, of course. His basic argument? The Liberal pitch to voters rests on one of two assumptions: either Mark Carney is a once-in-a-generation political superweapon, or Justin Trudeau was uniquely, almost h...
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 37 min
In the latest episode of On The Line , Jen Gerson reunites with journalist Justin Ling for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the federal campaign — and the increasingly surreal experience of covering it. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada’s energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world’s most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, an...
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 12 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on April 18, 2025, Matt and Jen unpack the weirdest Canadian federal election in recent memory. The race feels like it’s tightening, there are reports of massive early turnout in the advance polls, and nobody knows what it means — which, as Matt points out, usually means something is breaking, but no one can say for sure what or in whose favour. Carney remains the presumed frontrunner, despite the fact that no one is particularly blown away by...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 31 min
In the latest episode of On The Line , Matt Gurney sits down for an unusually personal — and sometimes raw — conversation with Marcus Kolga: human rights activist, anti-corruption crusader, and a man who’s been sanctioned by both Russia and China. That wasn’t a figure of speech. He’s literally sanctioned by both regimes. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada’s energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and ...
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr 17 min
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast , recorded on April 11, 2025 , things get unexpectedly emotional right out of the gate. Jen opens with a raw reflection on the state of public discourse in Canada — how partisanship is melting brains, how the media is under attack, and how political parties have become so addicted to campaigning that they’ve forgotten how to govern. Jen reminds Matt that he lives in a society, not alone on an island. He says he gets that, but he'd like to build a fortres...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 52 min
In the latest episode of On The Line , we take a look (through our fingers, which are covering our eyes) at what's happening with the markets, and whole economies, around the world. Guess we'll be delaying retirement a few extra years, eh? This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada’s energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world’s most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, s...
Apr 08, 2025•53 min
