Timothy Garton Ash has chronicled some of the biggest moments in European history for over 40 years. In his new book, Homelands: A Personal History of Europe, he offers a history of postwar Europe, told through personal memoir. He talks to Paul about the future of Europe, the war in Ukraine, advising George W. Bush on how to think about the European Union, having Victor Orbán as a student, and why these days, his main concern is about the United States. This episode was recorded at the Universit...
Jun 25, 2025•53 min
Friday Night Lights author Buzz Bissinger joins Paul to talk about his storied career and his new book, The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II. He also discusses ghostwriting Caitlyn Jenner’s memoir, why he left Twitter, his time at Vanity Fair, and why he’s considering leaving the US. Thank you to Perfect Books in Ottawa for hosting this conversation. This episode was originally published February 8th, 2023.
Jun 18, 2025•43 min
How do people like Stephen Sondheim, Sofia Coppola or David Simon create something from nothing? And what are the threads that tie their work together with making a cookbook or a cartoon? Former New York Magazine and New York Times Magazine editor Adam Moss talked to dozens of creative people to find out how they do it. In his new book, The Work of Art, artists from a wide range of mediums break down the process behind a single piece, sharing sketches, outlines and rejected attempts they worked ...
Jun 11, 2025•39 min
As Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae is not afraid to speak his mind, even when it’s not clear whether the government stands behind him. In this episode, he talks about the role of the UN in an age of mounting skepticism towards global institutions, his reputation for being outspoken, and dealing with the "cascade of crises" taking place around the world. He also challenges Paul on a column he wrote in 2020, questioning Rae’s appointment to his current job. This episode originally aired on ...
Jun 04, 2025•47 min
Ben Woodfinden was Pierre Poilievre's communications director from 2022 until the end of April. He's no longer working for the Conservative party, but he defends the election campaign. He has a lot of thoughts about what just happened to Canadian conservatism, and what needs to happen next.
May 28, 2025•45 min
How should people outside government be involved in shaping government policy? Who has the government's ear, and how do they decide which voices to listen to? Those are the questions Paul puts to this week's guests, Taylor Owen from McGill’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, and Rachel Samson from the Institute for Research on Public Policy. This panel was organized by the Max Bell Foundation and the episode was recorded live at McGill University.
May 21, 2025•53 min
k.d. lang reflects on her four decade-long musical career, which may have reached its end. “All music tends towards silence and I have to honour the silence,” she tells Paul in an open and wide-ranging conversation in Calgary. We originally released this episode in March, 2023.
May 14, 2025•35 min
Today, we're sharing an episode from our friends at the podcast WONK, which Paul appeared on this week. Paul talks to host Amanda Lang about some surprising shifts in the wake of the federal election, including an easing of the 'ever-deepening animosity' that’s become a trademark of politics, evidence of a common understanding of what's good for Canada and why we should be grateful Trump isn’t better at his job.
May 08, 2025•35 min
Two top Liberal advisors and one Conservative MP look back at the election. Andrew Bevan was the national campaign director for the Liberal Party. Gerald Butts was a senior advisor to the Carney campaign and formally acted as Justin Trudeau's principal secretary. Scott Aitchison is the MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka.
Apr 30, 2025•51 min
With less than a week left until election day, Paul calls up a few colleagues to talk about what we’ve learned and what will come next. They also talk about how politicians have changed their relationship to the press. Our panel this week features political journalists Vassy Kapelos, Hélène Buzzetti and Steve Murphy. Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.
Apr 23, 2025•39 min
Someday we should probably sit down and have a talk about election platforms. Count this week’s instalment of The Panel as a down payment on that conversation. Platforms are weird: if you release yours on Easter Saturday, after the television debates are already over, and a month after the election campaign started, your body language doesn’t say “Key piece of voter information.” But nobody dares not release one. Anyway, we’ve got Allison Gifford, Marci Surkes and Jason Lietaer to discuss the pl...
Apr 22, 2025•23 min
How concerned should we be about election interference online? Taylor Owen and his colleagues at the Media Ecosytem Observatory keep a close eye on who's trying to sway our elections, and whether or not they're succeeding. He joins Paul to discuss that work and share his wish list for the next government’s digital policy. Taylor Owen is the founding director of the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University. You can hear him every other Tuesday on his podcast Machines Like U...
Apr 16, 2025•51 min
This week is mostly about Quebec. Sorry, people who get bugged by that. The Conservative and Liberal leaders were on Tout le monde en parle, the only talk show in either official language that’s a must-attend for the Carneys and Poilievres of this world. On Wednesday they’ll be at the French-language leaders’ debate, followed by the Thursday English-language debate, both in Montreal. (The leaders of the emergency back-up parties will join them.) Mark Carney, at least, decided to stay in the Mont...
Apr 15, 2025•25 min
We are living in "the age of coercion," says Michael Wernick. The former Clerk of the Privy Council talks about what the civil service (and the government) will be up against after the election. Geoff Meggs, former Chief of Staff to B.C. Premier John Horgan , weighs in on drug policy on the campaign trail and the unique politics of British Columbia. You can hear more of Geoff Meggs on the Hotel Pacifico podcast. And Shannon Proudfoot, feature writer in the Globe and Mail's Ottawa bureau, trades ...
Apr 09, 2025•53 min
Surely by now you've learned to mistrust an empty schedule. Time for my weekly campaign meeting with The Panel — Marci Surkes, Allison Gifford, Jason Lietaer — to discuss the strangest federal election in many years. On paper, it’s a quiet week. Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariff announcement was last week, the leaders’ debates are more than a week in the future. But while we’re still lousy at predicting surprises, I think we’re better than we used to be at realizing surprises are bound to hap...
Apr 08, 2025•24 min
Our election coverage continues! Stephen Gordon, economics professor at University of Laval, evaluates the economic policy we’ve seen on the campaign trail so far, from tax cuts to housing plans. Author Mark Bourrie talks about his new book, Ripper: The Making of Pierre Poilievre. CTV host and chief political correspondent Vassy Kapelos trades notes with Paul on the campaign so far.
Apr 02, 2025•47 min
The election campaign heads into its second week, and everything feels brand new. The Liberal campaign plane finally has the Liberal logo on it. Mark Carney has a candidate he should probably drop . Pierre Poilievre is having a very hard time moving the debate from the issue he can’t win on to an issue he might win on. And Jagmeet Singh would just like to be noticed. We’ve got Allison Gifford, Marci Surkes and Jason Lietaer to break it down for you....
Mar 31, 2025•29 min
This is an elections podcast now. Each week throughout the election, we'll bring you a variety of smart commentators to keep you upto speed. This week, former Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod talks about her old riding of Nepean, where Mark Carney is running, with Pierre Poilievre running just next door. MacLeod has also worked with Poilievre, and weighs in on his leadership. And Hélène Buzzetti, political columnist for les Coops de l’information, talks about the political landscape in ...
Mar 26, 2025•36 min
Campaign Week 1, featuring an assist from Danielle Smith The original Conservative on our Panel, the great Garry Keller, won his nomination battle in Nipissing—Timiskaming. Now he’s off trying to get elected to Parliament. (Note to readers who worry that this corner might be endorsing somebody: Please vote for whoever you want!) So, in a move reminiscent of Season 2 of Bewitched , we’ve got a new Darrin: Say hi to Jason Lietaer , the veteran of Harper-era campaign tours who is now President of E...
Mar 25, 2025•35 min
This week, we’re replaying one of our favourite interviews. What can history tell us about the world we live in? Paul is joined by acclaimed historian Margaret MacMillan, author of books including Paris: 1919, Nixon in China and History’s People. They discuss some of the major events shaping the world today, including the war in Ukraine, the fallout of Brexit, Xi Jinping’s regime in China, and where Canada fits in to it all. This episode was recorded live at the University of Toronto’s Munk Scho...
Mar 19, 2025•41 min
Former Defence Minister and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been horrified by what he’s been seeing from the new Trump administration. He got so mad that he ended a lengthy Twitter hiatus to sound off about it. He joins Paul to share his views on Trump’s takeover of America conservatism, Trump’s relationship with Ukraine, and what Canada should do about U.S. aggression.
Mar 12, 2025•37 min
Paul breaks down some of the major challenges facing higher education in Canada, including a lack of political will to invest in the sector. He is then joined by a panel of insiders for their takes on what to do about it. How are they handling this moment? What does the future look like? And how can universities make the case for their relevance in a changing world? The panelists are: Graham Carr, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University Maud Cohen, President of Polytechnique Montré...
Mar 05, 2025•53 min
Writer, professor and cousin-of-Paul Ira Wells was concerned about the rise of censorship coming from both sides of the political spectrum. So he wrote a book about it, diving into the history of people trying to control what you read. That book is called On Book Banning: Or, How the New Censorship Consensus Trivializes Art and Undermines Democracy. He talks to Paul about the personal incident that sent him down this path, how the censors justify their actions, new threats to books in the digita...
Feb 26, 2025•42 min
Mark Norman believes an attack from the U.S. in not hypothetical. It’s already happening. And Canada’s lacking a strategy to respond. He first laid out his argument in an opinion piece for the National Post titled “ Canada’s relationship with the U.S. can’t be saved .” He joins Paul to explain why he thinks we need to change our national mindset towards the U.S. Mark Norman is the former Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Vice Chief of the Defense Staff of Canada. Season 3 of The Paul Well...
Feb 19, 2025•33 min
The Conservative leader is planning a big rally in Ottawa this weekend. It follows a sustained slide in the polls. Can he change his message for a world of Donald Trump and Mark Carney? Does he even want to? Our Panel — Garry Keller, Allison Gifford, Marci Surkes — discusses all of this and more.
Feb 14, 2025•21 min
Jonathan Wilkinson has a lot going on. As the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, he holds a critical position in trade disputes with the U.S. He talks to Paul about dealing with the Trump administration, adapting Canada's energy strategy to a new reality, and the difficult decision not to run for Liberal leadership. Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy.
Feb 12, 2025•31 min
Canada often seems "unready and out of step” with the world’s current challenges, according to the editors of a new book on foreign policy. With the rise of authoritarianism around the world and increasing hostility from the U.S., are we taking our place on the world stage seriously enough? Or does our foreign policy need an overhaul? Philippe Lagassé and Vincent Rigby are two of the editors of the latest edition in the Canada Among Nations series. They join Paul to talk about what’s lacking and...
Feb 05, 2025•41 min
Donald Trump’s return to power could have serious consequences for Canada. First, there’s the threat of tariffs. Then there’s that other thing about making us the 51st state. This week, we get two takes on the situation. First on the show, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith talks about why she opposes the threats to cut off energy exports to the U.S. in retaliation for tariffs. It's a position that has caused some politicians to say she’s working against Team Canada. Then, Penn State historian Amy G...
Jan 29, 2025•39 min
Saxophonist Branford Marsalis has won Grammys, played with artists including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Sting, and was the leader of Jay Leno's house band. In recent years, he has also been scoring movies and playing more classical music. He dropped by Paul’s office while was in Ottawa to perform with the National Art Centre Orchestra. He talks about life on the road, his recent homecoming to New Orleans, teaching, American politics, and of course, music.
Jan 22, 2025•47 min
U.S. Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen gives a long and wide-ranging interview as his time in the role comes to an end. As Biden’s man in Ottawa, he was an important figure in trying to usher in a new era of Canada-U.S. cooperation. As he gets ready to head home to Philadelphia, Paul asks him about Biden’s mental acuity, Trump’s comeback, a potential trade war, Canada’s military spending, and more. Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Po...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 2 min
