The Bellwether

We’re back with another episode of The Bellwether! This is Part 2 of our series taking a closer look at Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, better known as the “notwithstanding clause”. Host Carter Wynne is joined by Cheryl Oates, a public affairs advisor and communications specialist currently serving as Chief of Staff to British Columbia Premier David Eby. Cheryl began her career in journalism before moving into political communications, previously serving as Communications Chief for the former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. In this episode, Cheryl guides us through the recent use of the notwithstanding clause in Alberta, exploring its political context and the implications of these decisions for public trust, democratic accountability, and the future of Charter politics in Canada. Associated with The Bell, The Bellwether is a podcast hosted and produced by students of the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. Host: Carter Wynne Producer: Carter Wynne, Hermon Afowork Editor-in-Chief: Kimberley Moriarity Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/danger-lion-x/dusk-memory-aesthetic License code: INUUSNRDBATMHVX5

We’re back with another episode from The Bellwether! This is Part 1 of a new series taking a closer look at Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, better known as the “notwithstanding clause.” Host Carter Wynne is joined by Pearl Eliadis, an award-winning lawyer, educator, and author. Pearl is an Associate Professor (Professional) at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and a member of McGill’s Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism. She is also the author of Speaking Out on Human Rights, a leading text on Canada's human rights system. In this episode, Pearl guides us through the normalization of the notwithstanding clause, focusing on its preemptive use in Quebec's Bill 21 and the resulting implications for the protection of minority rights and our democratic institutions. Associated with The Bell, The Bellwether is a podcast hosted and produced by students of the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. Host: Carter Wynne Producer: Carter Wynne Editor-in-Chief: Kimberley Moriarity Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/danger-lion-x/dusk-memory-aesthetic License code: INUUSNRDBATMHVX5

Evidence-based policymaking is often talked about, but less often unpacked. In our first episode of the year, hosts Ayeyi Ohene-Adu and Calvin Campbell examine how evidence is used or ignored in policy decisions and why this matters for effective and accountable governance. They are joined by Dr. Nick King to help navigate these complexities and what they mean for the future of policy. Associated with The Bell, The Bellwether is a podcast hosted and produced by students of the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University.  Hosts: Ayeyi Ohene-Adu and Calvin Campbell  Producer: Calvin Campbell, Ayeyi Ohene-Adu, Carter Wynne Editor-in-Chief: Kimberley Moriarity

In this uncut election special Isabella and Gabe discuss the finer points of political campaigning in Canada with Cheryl Oates. Cheryl draws on her extensive experience working campaigns with the NDP to give an insider's perspective on Canada's political parties during an election period.  Hosts: Gabe Blanc and Isabella Coronado Doria Producers: Gabe Blanc, Isabella Coronado Doria and Kiran Gill  Managing Editor of the Bellwether: Kiran Gill Editor-in-Chief of the Bell: Gabe Blanc

The Bellwether is back with another longform interview! In this episode, Jacob Kates Rose sits down with Maria Popova Associate Professor of Political Science at McGill University and author of the new book Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States. Jacob and Professor Popova have a comprehensive discussion about the state of the war in Ukraine, Western involvement in the conflict and what could come next.  Host: Jacob Kates Rose Producer: Jacob Kates Rose Audio Engineering: Jacob Kates Rose Managing Editor of the Bellwether: Kiran Gill  Music Credits: Jacob Tarasofsky (Instagram: Tarasonic)

The Bellwether is back with an exciting guest! Cameron Adams, from Gimli Manitoba, has been involved with indigenous language revitalization in his community through the creation of an app (Swampy Cree), language camps and academic research. In this episode he speaks with Seth and Isabella about his experiences with indigenous language, language advocacy, policy and reconciliation more broadly.    Hosts: Isabella Coronado Doria and Seth Bumagat  Producers: Seth Bumagat and Isabella Coronado Doria  Audio Engineering: Jacob Kates Rose Managing Editor: Kiran Gill  Editor in Chief of the Bell: Gabriel Blanc Music Credits: Jacob Tarasofsky (Instagram: Tarasonic)  

In this first episode of the new season, we begin with the first edition of a new segment for The Bellwether called Article Spotlight. Kiran Gill, the author of the recent article from The Bell titled, “Anti-Scab Legislation is an Important Win for Organized Labour,” joins hosts Seth Bumagat and Cyrus Nagra. They discuss Kiran’s article, covering topics including the recently passed Bill C-58, 1990s labour history in the Northwest Territories, and class politics.   Seth Bumagat, Cyrus Nagra, and Kiran Gill are all Master of Public Policy Students at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy. The Bellwether podcast is associated with The Bell, a student-run newsletter from students at the Max Bell School of Public Policy.   Subscribe to The Bell: https://maxpolicy.substack.com/ Read Kiran’s Article: https://maxpolicy.substack.com/p/anti-scab-legislation-is-an-important   Hosts: Seth Bumagat & Cyrus Nagra Sound Engineer: Seth Bumagat Production: Seth Bumagat, Kiran Gill, Cyrus Nagra, Husein Pumaya Yakubu Managing Editor: Kiran Gill Editor-in-Chief of the Bell: Gabriel Blanc   —---- Music credits to: TuneTank    ------- Song: Musical Bakery - In Da Hood (No Copyright Music) Music provided by Tunetank. Free Download: bit.ly/3eMHsy4 Video Link: youtu.be/93tW9diWPYM ------- www.facebook.com/tunetankcom twitter.com/tunetank_com www.instagram.com/thetunetank

The Bellwether Podcast is back! Here is a brief introduction from the new team. Stay tuned for new upcoming episodes!   Host(s): Isabella Coronado, Seth Bumagat   Managing Editor: Kiran Gill    Editor-in-Chief of The Bell: Gabriel Blanc    Audio Attribution:  https://freesound.org/people/Jauer13/sounds/660980/?attribution=1   

The fourth episode of the Bellwether features Dirk Druet, a researcher, policy adviser and former official in international peace and security at the United Nations. He is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations of the International Peace Institute and an Affiliate Researcher at McGill University’s Centre for International Peace and Security Studies. This year, he taught a complexity seminar at McGill's Max Bell School of Public Policy called "Trade-Offs in International Policy".    Joined by Dirk are MPP students Michael Kynaston and Chloe Aboud. In this episode, they discuss the resilience of international aid organizations, specifically, the multifaceted challenges that UNRWA faced following funding withdrawals by donor nations in January 2024. It explores the complexities of maintaining aid in conflict zones like Gaza and the trade-offs faced by UN leadership in upholding core organizational principles.    If you want to learn more about this topic, Max Bell student Arwa Emhemed and co-host Chloe Aboud wrote about UNRWA's funding cuts in the Bell newsletter. You can read their op-ed here.   Make sure to subscribe to The Bellwether on Spotify to get notified when our next episode comes out.   ***   Music credits to: TuneTank  ------- Song: Musical Bakery - In Da Hood (No Copyright Music) Music provided by Tunetank. Free Download: bit.ly/3eMHsy4 Video Link: youtu.be/93tW9diWPYM ------- www.facebook.com/tunetankcom twitter.com/tunetank_com www.instagram.com/thetunetank

Regulating the online world is as complex as the diverse content it hosts. For the third episode of the Bellwether, Max Bell School of Public Policy Students Nina Hernandez and Asha Sivarajah unpack Canada’s recently tabled Online Harms Act (C-63) - a pivotal piece of Canadian legislation aimed at regulating harmful online content. This episode, we talk with Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications, and the founding director of The Center for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University. Tune in as we analyze the bill and what the future holds for online safety.   *** Music credits to: TuneTank  ------- Song: Musical Bakery - In Da Hood (No Copyright Music) Music provided by Tunetank. Free Download: bit.ly/3eMHsy4 Video Link: youtu.be/93tW9diWPYM ------- www.facebook.com/tunetankcom twitter.com/tunetank_com www.instagram.com/thetunetank

For the second episode of The Bellwether, we talk to Dr. Jennifer Welsh about the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  Dr. Welsh is the Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill University and teaches Global Politics and Policy Landscape at the Max Bell School of Public Policy. She recently went to Ukraine on a special mission with the Internally Displaced Persons Experts Group. The group supports the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons. In this episode, she tells us about things from her trip to Ukraine and her thoughts on the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war that has been going on for two years. This episode is hosted by Anita Dernovici and Teodora Durca, and produced by Sean Celi. Anita and Teodora also recently published an op-ed about this topic on The Bell newsletter. You can read that op-ed here.   *** Music credits to: TuneTank  ------- Song: Musical Bakery - In Da Hood (No Copyright Music) Music provided by Tunetank. Free Download: bit.ly/3eMHsy4 Video Link: youtu.be/93tW9diWPYM ------- www.facebook.com/tunetankcom twitter.com/tunetank_com www.instagram.com/thetun

For the first episode of the Bellwether, we dive into the 2023 Manitoba elections where Wab Kinew made history by becoming the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province.  In October 2023, The Manitoba New Democratic Party won a majority government beating the incumbent Progressive Conservatives. The NDP’s campaign promises focused largely on healthcare reform and improving the quality of life for all Manitobans.  We will hear from two top campaign strategists, Brian Topp, who was the campaign director of Manitoba NDP who successfully elected Wab Kinew and Cheryl Oates, who also helped in the Manitoba NDP’s campaign and was the Executive Director of Communication and Planning to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley from 2015-2019. They will share their insights on the win and what this means for the future of Manitoba and Canada. This episode is hosted by Jibril Hussein and Soomin Han, and produced by Gagan Gill and Sean Celi.   Music credits to: TuneTank  ------- Song: Musical Bakery - In Da Hood (No Copyright Music) Music provided by Tunetank. Free Download: bit.ly/3eMHsy4 Video Link: youtu.be/93tW9diWPYM ------- www.facebook.com/tunetankcom twitter.com/tunetank_com www.instagram.com/thetunetank