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Progress Canada
by Created and hosted by Theresa Lubowitz
The Progress Canada Podcast explores the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. Each episode brings thought-provoking discussions with policymakers, activists, and experts who are driving change across Canada. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to deliver progressive change that builds a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future for us all.
Episodes
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Wrap-Up Ontario | The Final Stretch of the OLP leadership Race
Our Wrap-Up Ontario panel is back to tackle the final stretch of the Ontario Liberal leadership race, with fresh membership numbers, the candidate list shrinking to four, and a month left until voters start casting ballots.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the…
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The Wrap-Up: Municipal | The 2026 Mississauga Municipal Election
Our municipal politics panel convenes to break down the key issues, stakes, and dynamics shaping the upcoming Mississauga municipal election. Topics include:Mississauga Municipal Election • Local Governance • Public Transit • Housing Affordability & Development • Municipal Budget & Property Taxes…
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The Wrap-Up: Municipal | The 2026 Ottawa Municipal Election
Our municipal politics panel convenes to break down the key issues, stakes, and dynamics shaping the upcoming Ottawa municipal election. Topics include:Ottawa Municipal Election • Local Governance • OC Transpo & Public Transit • Housing Affordability & Development • Municipal Budget & Property...
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On Message Panel | Canada at Home and Around the World
In our latest episode featuring the On Message communications panel, we evaluate Carney’s middle-power summer, Canada's positioning at the UN, and the state of our domestic agenda as Parliament returns.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy...
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Tyler Watt | Doug Ford's Attack on Post-Secondary Education
Tyler Watt, MPP for Nepean and Ontario Liberal Critic for Training, Colleges, and Universities, joins the podcast to break down the ongoing crisis facing higher education in Ontario. We examine the Ford government’s shift from tuition grants to loans and the questionable math behind OSAP funding...
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Wrap-Up Ontario | The State of the OLP Leadership Race
With the Ontario Liberal Leadership race half over, our Wrap-Up Ontario panel tackles the state of the race so far, the candidates and their performances, and the drive to sign up new members before the September deadline.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the…
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Progressive Passport | A Circuit Breaker Moment for Britain
In the premiere episode featuring our Progressive Passport panel, we tackle Andy Burnham’s sudden rise to UK Prime Minister and his bold circuit breaker agenda aimed at reversing forty years of deindustrialization, privatization, and austerity.We break down his "Manchesterism" political…
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John Taylor | Moving Newmarket Forward
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor joins the podcast to share his blueprint for building one of Canada’s most livable communities.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working,...
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Scott Hamilton | A Cambridge that Works
Cambridge City Councillor and mayoral candidate Scott Hamilton joins the podcast to lay out his vision for municipal leadership ahead of this fall's election. Topics include:Scott Hamilton • Cambridge Ontario Mayoral Race • Municipal Election 2026 • Local Affordability • Smart Urban Growth •...
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Pulling Back the Curtain on Party Nominations
Past candidates and long-time Liberal organizers Tyler Banham and Sumi Shan join the podcast to pull back the curtain on the contentious and secretive world of political party nominations. We break down the immense power of nomination commissioners, the reality of candidate vetting, and the...
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Targeted | The Future of Digital Campaigns
In this episode, the Targeted panel debates the end of the traditional media monoculture, the rise of algorithmically siloed voter feeds, and the critical need to embed digital strategy directly into senior campaign leadership.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the...
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Online Safety, Digital Surveillance, and Canada's AI Future
Canada's leading digital policy expert, Dr. Michael Geist, joins the podcast to discuss youth social media bans, the privacy risks embedded in the federal government’s proposed lawful access legislation, and how Ottawa’s national AI strategy will reshape our economy. About Progress Canada:The...
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Reporting from Queen's Park
With the spring legislative session wrapping up, journalists Colin D'Mello (Global TV), John Michael McGrath (TVO and the #onpoli Podcast), and Jessica Smith Cross (The Trillium) join the podcast to break down the biggest stories and shifting dynamics at Queen’s Park. From the impact of gutted...
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Rob Cerjanec | The Next Ontario Liberal Party Leader
As part of our 2026 Liberal Leadership Series, the Progress Canada Podcast is sitting down with every Ontario Liberal Party leadership hopeful to discuss their vision for the province. In this episode, we're joined by Rob Cerjanec. You can learn more about Rob at https://joinrob.ca/.About…
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Young Liberal Leadership
Ontario Young Liberal President Palwashah Ali joins the podcast to discuss how the youth wing is participating in the Ontario Liberal leadership race, mobilizing student outreach on campus, and pushing back against provincial cuts to OSAP.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves...
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Eric Lombardi | The Next Ontario Liberal Party Leader
As part of our 2026 Liberal Leadership Series, the Progress Canada Podcast is sitting down with every declared candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership to discuss their vision for the province. In this episode, we're joined by Eric Lombardi. You can learn more about Eric at...
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The End of the CBC?
Joining the Progress Canada Podcast is Chris Waddell, former CBC Parliamentary Bureau Chief and co-author of "The End of the CBC?", to discuss the path forward for the CBC as it approaches its 90th anniversary.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social…
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Lee Fairclough | The Next Ontario Liberal Party Leader
As part of our 2026 Liberal Leadership Series, the Progress Canada Podcast is sitting down with every declared candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership to discuss their vision for the province. In this episode, we're joined by Lee Fairclough. You can learn more about Lee at...
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Lead Where You Live: Running for Municipal Office
Robin Jones, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, joins the podcast to provide an essential rundown of municipal politics for anyone considering running in 2026.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations...
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Dylan Marando | The Next Liberal Leader
As part of our 2026 Liberal Leadership Series, the Progress Canada Podcast is sitting down with every declared candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership to discuss their vision for the province. In this episode, we're joined by Dylan Marando.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada...
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Defending Journalism and Human Rights
On World Press Freedom Day, we're joined by Rachel Pulfer, President of Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), to discuss the escalating global campaign to silence the truth.Pulfer breaks down the actors and tools working to undermine the fourth estate and offers a roadmap for how the public can...
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Targeted | Guardrails on Digital Democracy
The Targeted panel breaks down the latest digital ad spending trends, the impact of the Strong and Free Elections Act on AI deepfakes, and the strategic battle behind Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre’s duelling YouTube videos.About Targeted:The Targeted political panel pulls back the curtain on…
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How Mark Carney Became Prime Minister with Andrew Bevan
How did the Liberal Party pivot from a 20-point deficit to a historic election victory in just six months? Liberal Campaign Director Andrew Bevan joins the podcast a year later to provide a deep dive into the strategy that took Mark Carney from political rookie to Prime Minister, redefining...
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Communicating Climate
Amber Bennett, Executive Director of Re.Climate at Carleton University, joins the podcast for a special Earth Day episode to discuss why the national climate conversation is stalling, just as the stakes are reaching a breaking point. About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into…
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A Safer and More Affordable Toronto with Olivia Chow
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow joins the Progress Canada Podcast to discuss her mission to restore stability and affordability to a city in transition. Focusing on results over rhetoric, Chow breaks down her strategy for making the city more livable by restoring the TTC, improving public safety, and...
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Carney at the One-Year Mark
The On Message panel evaluates Mark Carney’s first year as Prime Minister, analyzing his international successes at Davos and with the Nordic Alliance, against the domestic pressure of a razor-thin majority and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis. As by-elections and CUSMA negotiations take center...
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Rebuilding the NDP with Brian Topp
Following the 2026 NDP Leadership Convention, veteran strategist Brian Topp joins the podcast to map the party’s recovery from its historic 2025 blowout. Topp discusses Avi Lewis's new mandate, the path to regaining official party status, and how to leverage provincial victories to restore the…
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Democracy as a Team Sport
As the 2026 Democracy xChange conference prepares to take over Toronto this April, Victoria Kuketz joins the Progress Canada Podcast to discuss the summit’s mission to democratize access to big ideas.Topics include:Democracy xChange 2026 • Victoria Kuketz • Daron Acemoglu • Cory Doctorow •...
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Journalism and Accountability Under Doug Ford
As Ontario Queen’s Park reporters Colin D’Mello and Isaac Callan (Global News) reveal, a 14-week break in legislative sittings hasn't stopped the flow of troubling revelations about the Ford Government. In this episode of the Progress Canada Podcast, we dive into their latest investigative...
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Stable, Experienced Leadership for PEI with Liberal Leader Rob Mitchell
What does it take to lead the PEI Liberal Party back to power, and can a return to principled experience be the key to unseating a long-entrenched government?The PEI Liberal Party has a new leader and a renewed sense of momentum. Robert Mitchell, a former Minister with over a decade of experience...
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From City Hall to Parliament Hill with MP Shannon Miedema
From City Hall to Parliament Hill, Halifax MP Shannon Miedema joins the Progress Canada Podcast on International Women’s Day. We discuss her transition from municipal climate leadership to federal politics, her work on the Environmental Caucus, and the push for a National Women’s Health...
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Protecting Canadian Agriculture with CFA President Keith Currie
As Canada prepares for renewed trade negotiations with the United States and Mexico, Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Keith Currie joins the Progress Canada Podcast to explain what’s at stake for farmers, food producers, and Canada’s economic sovereignty. Topics include:Canadian...
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The Final Stretch of the NDP Leadership Race
Who will lead the federal NDP into its next era, and can the party rediscover the politics of possibility before the next election?With the NDP leadership race entering its final month, our National Wrap-Up panel convenes to dissect the state of the contest following the high-stakes debate in...
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The Singles Tax with Renée Sylvestre-Williams
As more Canadians live alone and shoulder rising costs on a single income, finance journalist Renée Sylvestre-Williams joins the Progress Canada Podcast to unpack what she calls "the singles tax."Drawing on her new book, "The Singles Tax," Sylvestre-Williams breaks down how Canada’s tax system,...
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The 2026 Ontario Liberal Leadership Election
What does it take to lead the Ontario Liberal Party back to power, and can a nearly year-long endurance test actually build the muscle the party needs to defeat Doug Ford?Following the official launch of the 2026 OLP Leadership race, our Ontario Wrap-Up panel is back to break down the newly...
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Rebuilding Provincial Liberalism in Canada with Former Ontario Premier David Peterson
What does rebuilding the Liberal brand require today, and how should Liberals defend their values in an era of cynicism and polarization?As provincial Liberal parties struggle for relevance across Canada, former Ontario Premier David Peterson joins the Progress Canada Podcast to reflect on how he...
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On Message | Canada versus Trump
As Donald Trump asserts a more aggressive vision for U.S. power in the Western Hemisphere, our panel digs into where Canada fits in those plans—and where it doesn’t. We explore how Trump’s approach to trade, security, and hemispheric dominance challenges long-standing assumptions about…
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The People's Opposition with MPP John Fraser
In this episode, we’re joined by John Fraser — five-term MPP for Ottawa South and the Ontario Liberal Party’s Leader in the Legislature — for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of Ontario politics heading into 2026, what constructive opposition looks like, and the work required to…
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Fighting Poverty and Hunger in Canada with Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington
In this episode, we sit down with Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, for a wide-ranging conversation about poverty, hunger, and the alarming rise in food bank use across Toronto and beyond.We discuss the findings from Daily Bread’s 2025 "Who’s Hungry?" report, which shows food...
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Standing with Everyday People with NDP Leadership Candidate Rob Ashton
In this episode, we sit down with Rob Ashton — National President of ILWU Canada and candidate for federal NDP Leader — for a wide-ranging conversation about class politics, worker power, and what it would mean to elect a leader who comes from working class.We explore Ashton’s 30-year career as a...
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Fighting for a Better Ontario with Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles
In this episode, we sit down with Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP and Leader of the Official Opposition, for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2025 election, the party’s fall agenda, and what it will take to build a government ready to deliver for working people.We discuss Stiles’...
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Making Parliament Work for Young People
In this episode, we’re joined by Amandeep Sodhi, Member of Parliament for Brampton Centre. Elected to office for the first time in the 2025 federal election, Sodhi is a member of the so-called “21st Century Club”, a group of four Gen-Z Liberal MPs born in this century.Where to Find Us:Social...
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Supporting Young Business Leaders
In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Emanuel, outgoing President & CEO of the Central York Chamber of Commerce, to talk about the future of young business owners in Canada. With traditional career paths shifting, we explore what young entrepreneurs need to thrive and how chambers of commerce,...
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Holding Doug Ford’s Government to Account with MPP Stephanie Smyth
In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Smyth, the Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto–St. Paul’s and the party’s Critic for Ethics, Integrity & Accountability, for a wide-ranging conversation about ethics, transparency, and the growing controversies facing Doug Ford’s government. We discuss...
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Carney, Poilievre, and Another Election
In this episode of the Progress Canada Podcast, Theresa speaks with pollster Kyla Ronnellenfitsch about her latest national polling on the 2025 federal budget, Mark Carney’s early days as Prime Minister, and Pierre Poilievre’s favourability numbers ahead of his leadership review. We dig into…
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The Future of Nova Scotia with Former Premier Iain Rankin
In this episode, we’re joined by Iain Rankin, the 29th Premier of Nova Scotia and current House Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook:...
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On Message: Carneynomics (and the 2025 Federal budget)
In this episode, the On Message Panel tackles the 2025 federal budget, the first by newly minted Prime Minister Mark Carney. We discuss the Carney Government's new approach to managing government finances, the government's approach to the pre-budget rollout, and how the budget is landing in...
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Defending Canada’s Sovereignty
In this episode, we’re joined by Vass Bednar and Kaylie Tiessen. Vass serves as Managing Director and Kaylie serves as Chief Economist at the newly founded Canadian SHIELD Institute, a public policy organization focused on Canadian sovereignty. We talk about how to define sovereignty, how to...
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Strengthening the Liberal Movement
In this episode, we’re joined by Sachit Mehra, President of the Liberal Party of Canada. First elected in 2023, Sachit led the party through a leadership race and a general election that resulted in a fourth straight term in power for the party. Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube:...
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EVs and an Affordable Clean Economy
In this episode, we’re joined by Joanna Kyriazis. She serves as the Director of Policy and Strategy at Clean Energy Canada, a climate and clean energy think tank at Simon Fraser University. Together, we discuss the future of the electric vehicle industry in Canada and how we can move towards an...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Progress Canada Podcast explores the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. Each episode brings thought-provoking discussions with policymakers, activists, and experts who are driving change across Canada. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to deliver progressive change that builds a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future for us all.
HOSTED BY
Created and hosted by Theresa Lubowitz
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Progress Canada have?
Progress Canada currently has 84 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Progress Canada about?
The Progress Canada Podcast explores the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. Each episode brings thought-provoking discussions with policymakers, activists, and experts who are driving change across Canada. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what...
How often does Progress Canada release new episodes?
Progress Canada has 84 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Progress Canada?
You can listen to Progress Canada on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Progress Canada?
Progress Canada is created and hosted by Created and hosted by Theresa Lubowitz.
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