Politics Is Broken

Is Mark Carney opening the door for the NDP?This week, Brittlestar and Lisa B talk about Carney’s economic update, the concerns raised in Althia Raj’s Toronto Star opinion piece, and whether cuts or stalled funding to pharmacare, child care, and health transfers could push progressive voters away from the Liberals.They also get into Stewart’s trip to Politics and the Pen, a surprisingly funny Melissa Lantsman, Alberta’s electoral-list breach, and why this may be the NDP’s best chance in years to become the “not Liberal” option... assuming they don’t find a way to fumble it directly into a shrub.Carney may be steadying Canada through a chaotic global moment, but the question is whether progressive voters will accept fiscal restraint when it starts touching the programs they thought they were voting to protect.

There’s a lot of “slop” online right now… and some of it is starting to shape real-world conversations.In this episode, Brittlestar and Lisa unpack the rise of AI-generated content pushing Alberta separation and 51st state narratives — much of it coming from inauthentic sources designed to generate clicks, not clarity.They explore how these videos work, why they spread so quickly, and how algorithms can blur the line between curiosity and influence. Along the way, they look at the broader context… including recent comments about Canada from high-profile figures, and what the data actually says about the country’s stability and quality of life.It’s a conversation about misinformation, motivation, and the very real consequences when people are sold simple answers to complex problems.Or, put another way… Who’s really benefiting from all this?

When political branding stops matching reality… what happens next?In this episode of Politics Is Broken, Brittlestar and Lisa explore what they call a potential “Conservative Death Spiral” — a moment where long-standing messaging around fiscal responsibility and “common sense” begins to clash with real-world decisions and outcomes.From Doug Ford’s controversial government jet purchase to Pierre Poilievre’s attacks on Mark Carney’s credentials, and even contradictions within the MAGA movement, the conversation looks at how narratives can start to collapse under their own weight.They also dig into:The psychology of political loyaltyWhy supporters sometimes defend policies that hurt themAnd whether we’re seeing a temporary wobble… or a deeper structural shiftA sharp, funny, and occasionally incredulous look at modern politics — and the risks of believing your own talking points for too long.

Canada’s political landscape just took a strange turn.In this episode of Politics Is Broken, we break down the wave of floor crossings that has pushed the Liberals to within one seat of a majority government — without an election.Are MPs switching sides out of principle… or pure political survival?We dig into:The recent Conservative → Liberal defectionsWhy Marilyn Gladu’s move is causing backlashWhether Mark Carney is playing 4D chess… or making a risky mistakeWhy majority governments might be more dangerous than they seemAnd what this all says about the state of Canadian politics right nowPlus… A little Trump-induced global anxiety, ketchup chips diplomacy, and why Canadian politics increasingly feels like a group project where nobody trusts each other.

What happens when the headlines are too chaotic to ignore… but too exhausting to fully process?You react.This week on Politics Is Broken, Brittlestar and Lisa react to the biggest, strangest, and most concerning headlines from around the world—because picking just one story feels impossible right now.From war-driven oil spikes to political chaos in the U.S.… to Canada’s policy curveballs… to a moon mission happening in the middle of it all… we break it down the only way we know how: by trying to make sense of it (and occasionally failing).In this episode:Reacting to rising global oil prices and economic falloutBreaking down Trump’s latest moves and loyalty dramaCanada’s “30 days or free” passport policyThe EV debate and what it means for Canadian industryAnd yes… reacting to humans heading back to the moon while everything else feels like it’s falling apartIt’s real headlines, real reactions, and just enough humour to keep you from throwing your phone across the room.

What happens when you stop watching politics… and actually go see it?This week on Politics Is Broken, Brittlestar heads to Ottawa to speak at Carleton University’s Kesterton Lecture… and ends up going behind the scenes of Canadian politics.From touring Parliament Hill and sitting in on Question Period… to meeting politicians in the hallway and eating in what may or may not be called “the cafeteria of power”… this episode is a firsthand look at how politics feels in real life.And the biggest takeaway?It doesn’t feel less broken… …but it does feel different.Less like chaos… more like choreography. Less like villains… more like very tired humans trying to do a very public job.Plus, an Alberta update featuring:The ongoing “Temu Tylenol” sagaRCMP investigationsAnd a golden cat that may or may not explain everythingSo… is Ottawa really a bubble? Or are we just watching it through one?If you want a slightly punchier version (or one with more humour baked into the first two lines), I can tighten it even further.

Ontario’s government says it wants to modernize transparency laws.Critics say it looks more like hiding the paperwork.This week on Politics Is Broken, Brittlestar and Lisa break down the Ford government’s proposed changes to Freedom of Information rules — which could exempt the premier’s office and cabinet ministers from requests while extending response times.The timing is raising eyebrows.Because the same government is also proposing a series of massive ideas — from the Greenbelt reversal to a $2.2 billion spa at Ontario Place and even a 50 km tunnel under Highway 401.So what’s going on?Bold governing? Convenience politics? Or government by vibes?

Brittlestar and Lisa tackle a week that somehow managed to get worse. From Mark Carney's principled Davos speech to his awkward endorsement of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Canada finds itself diplomatically sandwiched between its values and its geography. The hosts dig into why the timing of Operation Epic Fury feels suspiciously convenient — and what the avalanche of newly released Epstein documents might have to do with it.They break down the growing list of resignations and arrests tied to the Epstein files, why Prince Andrew's takedown was no ordinary trade-secrets scandal, and what it means that the US appears to be the only country where nobody powerful has faced real consequences. Plus: cornered-squirrel Trump, a congressman who can't spell "fury," Keir Starmer's deeply unhelpful anger origin story, and the impossible chess game facing a Canadian prime minister who can't afford to tell the truth — but probably can't afford not to.Funny where it can be. Worried where it has to be.

Science says we’re getting dimmer…and politics is sprinting to the cognitive bottom.In this episode of Politics Is Broken, Stewart (Brittlestar) and Lisa unpack the Reverse Flynn Effect (yes, it’s a real thing) and why critical thinking has been quietly leaving the group chat since the mid-’90s. We dig into “cognitive offloading” (Google, GPS, AI doing our thinking for us), the flood-the-zone strategy that keeps everyone overwhelmed, and how a world full of exhausted, distracted people becomes the perfect environment for bad ideas to look like leadership.Along the way: Sharpie hurricanes, disinfectant “solutions,” conspiracy nonsense, and one Canadian MP hunting for “Antifa members” like it’s a sandwich club with a loyalty card.It’s funny…until you remember these people run things.

The "Conservative Party of Canada" is leaking. In this episode of Politics Is Broken, Stewart (Brittlestar) and Lisa dive into the shocking news of Edmonton MP Matt Jeneroux crossing the aisle to join the Liberals. Is this a "dirty backroom deal" as Pierre Poilievre claims, or a sign of a deeper rot within the CPC leadership?The truth may surprise you (if you were just born today).

A heavy week in Canada sparks a tough (and surprisingly data-filled) question: is Canada actually better than the U.S.?In this episode of Politics is Broken, Stewart (Brittlestar) and Lisa start by acknowledging a heartbreaking tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., and the wave of grief, misinformation, and opportunistic culture-war blame that followed. From there, they zoom out and do what Canadians do best… compare ourselves to our loud neighbour with receipts.They dig into the numbers on income, unemployment, healthcare costs, life expectancy, housing pressure, and gun violence, and ask what’s worth defending…and what we still need to fix. Along the way, they talk about political leaders showing unity, why scapegoating communities doesn’t solve anything, and how Canada can protect its “we’re in this together” instinct before it gets imported and ruined like acid-washed jeans.Content note: discussion of a recent act of violence and its aftermath.

What’s really happening in the United States…and how did American democracy get to this point?On this episode of Politics is Broken, Stewart and Lisa are joined by U.S. political analyst, bestselling author, and former congressional staffer Eric Ham for a revealing conversation about Donald Trump, American politics, and the structural failures that paved the way for the current crisis.Eric offers an unexpected and deeply informed perspective on how the U.S. drifted here over decades…from weakened democratic institutions and access-driven media, to the normalization of political extremism, racism, and fear as a governing strategy. He explains why Trump isn’t an accident or an outlier, but a symptom of unresolved American contradictions that many preferred not to confront.The discussion also explores U.S.–Canada relations, trade tensions, immigration enforcement, the future of free and fair elections, and why many Americans are quietly alarmed by what they’re seeing from their own government. Eric breaks down why global concern isn’t overreaction…and what happens when accountability disappears.A sobering, honest look at American democracy, Trumpism, political polarization, and the uncertain road ahead — with rare clarity from inside Washington.

The Conservative Party just held a leadership convention in Calgary and—surprise—Pierre Poilievre walked away with a huge vote of confidence. But was it unity…or just muscle memory?In this episode of Politics is Broken, Stewart and Lisa watch the convention so you don’t have to, unpacking Poilievre’s 87% approval, the party’s fixation on the “good old days,” and the increasingly polished attempt to soften a lifelong attack dog. We talk nostalgia politics, emotional messaging, selective history, and why “remember when things were better” is not actually a governing strategy.They dig into the numbers behind the applause, the age gap in Conservative support, the curious obsession with high-school mock elections, and why younger voters may be buying promises that don’t come with a “how.” Plus: smiling on command, Reagan jokes, used-car-salesman energy, and a political bus that may be heading confidently in the wrong direction.Funny, skeptical, and mildly concerned…just how we like it.

"Nostalgia is not a strategy."This week on Politics Is Broken, Stewart (Brittlestar) and Lisa dive into the fallout from Davos 2026, where Prime Minister Mark Carney finally took the gloves off. From rallying middle powers to reminding the world that Canada doesn't just "live because of the U.S.," Carney is drawing a line in the snow—and the "Board of Peace" is not happy about it.

Brittlestar and Lisa wade bravely into the comment section (together… for safety) to do a little “Reply in the Comments” palate-cleanse… because the world is a dumpster fire and sometimes it’s healthier to fixate on people’s gripes instead. Along the way: suburban snow rituals, the “grandma shuffle,” superbox mailbox rage, why Chinese EVs are both tempting and complicated, and the terrifying absurdity of Greenland becoming a geopolitical storyline. Plus, a few listener comments that hit hard, a quick group therapy moment about news anxiety, and one all-caps hot take that gets exactly the airtime it deserves.

Happy New Year… and welcome to 2026, the future nobody ordered. Stewart and Lisa ask the big question: is Canada prepared for a world where the U.S. goes full rogue-state vibes ... ignoring rule of law, weaponizing trade, and exporting chaos. They talk worst-case vs best-case, what Canada can actually do, and then end with a “Wrong Answers Only” Trump-quote game because of course they do.

It’s the year-end wrap for Politics is Broken… and it’s festive in the way a tire fire is festive when someone tosses a candy cane into it.In “The 12 Months of Crisismas”, Brittlestar and Lisa rip through 2025 month-by-month… Trudeau stepping aside, Doug Ford’s third majority, Carney’s technocratic pivot, election anxiety, internal trade “why didn’t we do this 100 years ago,” Poilievre’s by-election comeback, Alberta’s culture-war legislation, and the ongoing “are we a country or are we a condo America is trying to buy” vibe.Then… the 12 Quotes of Crisismas (a reminder that the things leaders said this year were not normal), followed by the game Folks or Fiction, where you try to guess if a quote came from Doug Ford or a fictional character… and honestly, that’s harder than it should be.Take a breather, laugh a little, remember to vote like it matters (because it does)… and welcome to the year-end episode that politely asks: “Can we all calm down for five minutes?”

This week on Politics Is Broken, Danielle Smith becomes the first Alberta premier in nearly 90 years to face a citizen-led recall petition... and the UCP’s own recall law starts doing exactly what everyone warned it would do (just not to the people who wrote it).Then we pivot south, where the U.S. releases a new “National Security Strategy” that reads less like policy and more like a world dominance mood board... complete with America First everything, Europe-as-a-warning-label, and a not-at-all-chill vibe about the “Western hemisphere.” Plus: the new U.S. visitor rule demanding five years of social media history, and what Canada should do when the neighbour starts acting like the whole street is his driveway.

Canada’s back in the global spotlight… and this time it’s not for policy, it’s for pop. In this episode, Brittlestar and Lisa start with the truly urgent question of our time: is Justin Trudeau actually soft-launching a relationship with Katy Perry, complete with a former Japanese prime minister accidentally hard-launching it to the world?From there, they dig into FIFA’s World Cup draw, the eye-rollingly absurd “Peace Prize” nobody asked for, and what hosting the tournament is really worth to Canada once you factor in copyright goons, bylaw cops, and the joy of not being allowed to say “World Cup.” Back home, BC’s Conservatives implode in a “professionally incapacitated” leadership crisis, while Alberta pulls the plug on two big private surgical contracts at the centre of a growing procurement scandal, raising fresh questions about conflict of interest and who the system is actually serving.Finally, they turn to the most serious story of the week: the deadly U.S. strike near Venezuela, the alleged “kill 'em all” order, and what it says about power, impunity, and where the line actually is for American voters. It’s politics at its most surreal and most dangerous… and as always, Politics Is Broken is here to make sense of the stupid.

In this week’s Politics Is Broken:The death of “statesmanlike” behaviourTrump’s “quiet, quiet, piggy” moment and Ford’s “get a job” clapbackHow recall actually works in Alberta (and why there are so many petitions)What other countries do with recall… and why it’s so rareWhether recall is a dangerous precedent or a much-needed pressure valveAnd why this all “smells a little like hope” in a grim political year

Brittlestar and Lisa tackle Alberta’s chaos spiral - from the government using the notwithstanding clause to target trans kids, to a $125M privatization disaster, to a “not two-tier” healthcare plan that sure feels like two tiers. What the hell, Alberta?

This week on Politics Is Broken, Brittlestar and Lisa tackle a topic that makes you want to wash your hands just for saying it out loud: Jeffrey Epstein. The scandal that won’t die has become a mirror for power, privilege, and the myth that Canada’s too polite for corruption.They dig into how systems protect the powerful, why accountability in Canada feels so slow, and whether or not we’re just naïve enough to think “it couldn’t happen here.

Is anger politics finally over? … and If it is, where do we send the people who still want to yell on Facebook? This week, Brittlestar & Lisa dive into MP jumping parties, a democratic socialist win in New York City, and a federal budget that might have been written entirely by ChatGPT with a positive attitude problem.

This week on Politics Is Broken, Brittlestar and Lisa ask if America’s chaos has finally spilled into Canada. From Trump’s revenge tariffs to Alberta’s teacher strikes and a white supremacist tantrum outside the CBC, it’s all cheese, chaos, and constitutional clauses. Perfect for fans of smart, unhinged politics.Politics Is Broken. A weekly podcast where Brittlestar and Lisa B attempt to make Canadian News and Politics funner. The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlestar.com. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers. Find the podcast here: https://pod.link/1730993828

Big week. Trump’s thrown his toys out of the NAFTA crib, a Canadian MP’s doing his best Charlie Kirk cosplay, and the Blue Jays are suddenly making us believe in something again -which, frankly, is dangerous. Today we’re asking whether American-style politics can actually work here, what ‘ending trade talks’ really means when your biggest customer lives next door, and whether baseball can unite a country that mostly only watches it when we’re winning.The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlestar.com. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers.Find the podcast here: https://pod.link/1730993828

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Brittlestar & Lisa dive into the strange world of good deeds done for all the wrong reasons. From Trump’s ego-fueled Abraham Accords to Doug Ford’s reluctant wins, the crew asks: do motives matter if the results are good?They explore how history’s biggest breakthroughs — from Nixon’s China gamble to Caravaggio’s murderous genius — often came from messy, selfish, or downright awful intentions

Mark Carney built his reputation as the climate banker who’d and help save the planet. Now, as Prime Minister, he’s scrapped the carbon tax, fast-tracked oil exports, and promised “balanced growth.” Gas is cheaper, Alberta’s smiling, but Canada’s services economy — where most people actually work — is shrinking fast. This week, we dig into whether Carney’s pivot is pragmatic politics during turbulent times and tariffs - or a slow-motion betrayal. Can a “dual-energy” Canada work when the climate math doesn’t add up and the barista can’t pay rent?

Britain promised kids would be safe online. Instead, Instagram “teen accounts” are still full of self-harm content, while Keir Starmer pushes a shiny new digital ID — the so-called “BritCard.” Stewart and Lisa dig into why protections for kids don’t work, how governments keep selling surveillance as safety, and why Canada’s patchwork approach might actually be a blessing. Plus: Politics & the Pen, stolen water glasses, and a very blush-worthy Sean Fraser story

Kimmel’s FCC suspension vs. Canada’s CRTC: which country is actually more free? Brittlestar & Lisa B dig into political speech, CanCon, and why the algorithm might be the real censor.Topics: Kimmel/FCC suspension, political speech vs. hate-speech limits, CRTC & discoverability, Canada vs. U.S. free expression, algorithms as gatekeepers.Contact: [email protected]

Green Party leader Elizabeth May joins us to unpack the fallout from Charlie Kirk’s murder, Michelle Rempel Garner’s call for Carney to speak up, and whether Canada risks following America’s path. Plus: PM Mark Carney... has his honeymoon already ended?

The Liberals invited the author of Project 2025 to a cabinet meeting… and then acted surprised when he ghosted them. Meanwhile, a U.S. DOJ official spilled Epstein file gossip on a Hinge date. In this episode, we ask: why do smart people keep engaging with loud idiots, and is Mark Carney just realizing what the rest of us already know?Video version at Brittlestar.com

This one’s the inaugural Politics Is Broken with me and Lisa B… and Owen briefly fighting the intro music. Very professional. Very us.It’s National Payroll Week (Sept 15–19). Share your best payday story with #PowerOfPayroll and #Contest, tag National Payroll Institute, and you could win a $250 prepaid card. Every eligible post also triggers a donation to Food Banks Canada—good deeds with prize potential. Enter!In this episodeThe Power of Payroll: Real people make paydays happen. Let’s celebrate them—and win stuff while feeding people.Back to School, Back to Reality: Millions of students return… and the great Canadian debate: are they duo-tangs or just “those bendy paper binder things”?Poilievre’s New Tone (and Old Habits): Collaboration slogans meet carbon-tax-2.0 speeches. Will the CPC actually change… or just change outfits?Tariffs, De Minimis, and a Border Buzzkill: The U.S. yanks duty-free under $800; Canada Post partners with Zonos; small businesses (including ours) rethink shipping to the States.Alberta Teachers Draw a Line: 95% strike mandate. Class sizes, pay that tracks inflation, and why supporting teachers isn’t optional if you like… society.Why listenBecause it’s smart, funny, and slightly exasperated—like September in Canada. We cut through the noise and still leave room for the important questions… like whether chalk is extinct and if we can weaponize duo-tangs.🎧 Listen & follow the show:Apple Podcasts → Follow on Apple PodcastsSpotify → Follow on Spotify📺 Want the video version? Become a Paid Subscriber at Brittlestar.com to watch the full episode in glorious moving pictures.

It's never easy to say goodbye - and saying hello again to Poilievre isn't so fun either. Thank you for everything, Steve! This week, Brittlestar, Steve and Lisa talk the Air Canada strike coming to an end, the return of Pierre Poilievre, schmoozers in Ottawa, and more! Post your story on Instagram or TikTok with #PowerOfPayroll and #Contest, tag @nationalpayrollinst, and you could win a $250 prepaid credit card. Plus, for every post with those hashtags, NPI donates $1 to Food Banks Canada – up to $25,000.The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlestar.com. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers.

This week we're joined by the incredible Alison Gill, a.k.a. Mueller, She Wrote! Allison also has her own fantastic podcasts, The Daily Bean, and JACK: A Special Counsel Podcast, to talk Canadians held in ICE custody, and the National Guard in D.C., Oh - also, the sandwich guy.Post your story on Instagram or TikTok with #PowerOfPayroll and #Contest, tag @nationalpayrollinst, and you could win a $250 prepaid credit card. Plus, for every post with those hashtags, NPI donates $1 to Food Banks Canada – up to $25,000.The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlestar.com. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers.

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Stewart, Lisa, and Steve attempt to make it all make sense. It's not going well.This week on Podcast Is Broken, Brittlestar, Lisa, and Steve spiral into bread-cutting conspiracies, a Danish 'Wackadoo-Zoo' (Lisa's words) for their predators. Along the way: a man gets caught kayaking into Canada like it’s an Olympic event, Mexico’s president gives Canada the politest cold shoulder, and Trump and Putin plan a tension-filled meet-up.Post your story on Instagram or TikTok with #PowerOfPayroll and #Contest, tag @nationalpayrollinst, and you could win a $250 prepaid credit card. Plus, for every post with those hashtags, NPI donates $1 to Food Banks Canada – up to $25,000.The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers at Brittlestar.com. The audio version is free on your favourite podcast platforms. We love all subscribers.Find the podcast here: https://pod.link/1730993828

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Stewart, Lisa, and Steve attempt to make sense of Canadian politics and news… and fail spectacularly but hilariously. Topics include:Justin Trudeau’s dinner date with Katy Perry’s dog (yes, really)Alberta flirting with leaving Canada (again)Spent fowl fraud at the border (no, we didn’t make that up)A mysterious “Blue Hackle Mafia” in the Canadian militaryAnd why driving a trailer on Calgary’s Deerfoot is basically a live-action video game.Plus, our “Make It Make Sense” game returns with all the accuracy of a drunk weather forecast. Spoiler: Lisa wins, Steve cries capriciousness.Perfect for anyone who likes their politics messy, their headlines weird, and their comedy slightly unhinged.

We're off this week for Summer holidays - so please enjoy a rerelease of one of our favourite episodes! - An interview with the one, the only, the dynamo Leader of the Green Party of Canada - Elizabeth May.May dishes the dirt on Poilievre still not getting his security clearance and tells us what Trump can do with his 51st State talk.The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free here and on podcast platforms. We love all subscribers

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Steve’s off-grid, probably dodging wildfires and responsibilities, so Brittlestar and Lisa are joined by the one and only Amber Mac—tech expert, podcast host, and now… game show contestant? Together, they tackle three confusingly mashed-up headlines in the “Make It Make Sense” game, covering everything from interstellar comets and robo-taxis to a landlord's worst nightmare in PEI.They debate whether 16-year-olds should vote (spoiler: probably), if robot cars will steal your job (spoiler: definitely), and why the Canadian government is picking a weird fight with TikTok while still cozying up to Elon’s rage platform. Also, Brittlestar nearly has an existential crisis about going down a mine shaft.Bonus: The episode ends with possibly the finest improvised theme song ever recorded using a piece of paper, pens, and a phone dial pad. Belizeans, we see you.

This week on Podcast Is Broken, things start weird and spiral from there. We talk cat-print suits, heatstroke-induced hallucinations, and how Belize has (somehow?) made us the #2 podcast in the nation. Steve and Lisa go head-to-head in Make It Make Sense, decoding Frankenstein headlines like “Orcas Threaten Rogers Stadium During Chocolate Recall as AI Chatbot Praises Hitler” — yes, that’s real. Plus: duct tape armour, haunted stadiums, Guelph’s empty hotels, mini-fridge warfare, and the ethics of octopus farming.Also, we debate the correct plural of “octopus,” because of course we do.Subscribe, rate, and maybe send a sympathy mimosa to whoever sat next to us on this mental rollercoaster.

This week, we debut our new game Make It Make Sense—where real Canadian news headlines get mashed into chaotic word salads and Lisa and Steve try to untangle what actually happened. A goat causes highway mayhem, processed meats get cancelled, and the Pope revives an old vacation spot. Also: AI scams, boa constrictors, dishwasher disasters, and why nobody in the UK seems to own a dryer. It’s part quiz show, part news roundup, part fever dream.Who won the game? Who lost faith in humanity? And what does it all mean for your debit card and your salami sandwich? Hit play and find out.

Rob Ford is back in the spotlight nearly a decade after his death, and Doug isn't happy about it. Netflix’s new documentary Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem dives deep into the chaos that defined his wild ride as Toronto’s mayor.Farah Nasser swings by to talk about what the documentary gets right (and what it doesn’t), and shares a shocking moment when she came face to face with the Ford brothers at the height of Rob's powers.

After days of escalating strikes, including reports of U.S. hits on Iranian nuclear sites, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce a 'phased ceasefire' between Iran and Israel. Also, he cussed them out on TV. oh good.Farah Nasser joins to unpack the chaos, the diplomacy, and why Truth Social may be more influential than the U.N. right now.

Naheed Nenshi is in the house. The former Calgary mayor just steamrolled a by-election in Edmonton Strathcona. It’s a major flex for the NDP and sets the stage for a showdown with Premier Danielle Smith when the legislature fires back up this fall.Special guest Farah Nasser drops in to talk about what Nenshi’s win means for Alberta politics, and shares some of her behind-the-scenes experiences with Danielle Smith.

Special guest Farah Nasser joins this week to discuss Canada’s massive leap in NATO defence spending, Trump’s abrupt trade freeze with Canada over the digital services tax, and how Truth Social may be more powerful than the U.N. Farah shares her unforgettable personal encounter with Trump, and Steve talks about material conditions, classic.

Buckle up — or maybe don’t. The Competition Bureau just floated a plan to let foreign-owned airlines fly domestic routes in Canada, with 100% ownership on the table. The goal? End the reign of the Air Canada–WestJet duopoly and finally make cross-country flights cost less than a second mortgage. We look at what this could mean for Canadian travellers, local carriers, and anyone who’s ever paid $800 to fly to Winnipeg.

What happens when the federal government drafts a bill that could override Indigenous treaty rights — without asking first? You get Bill C-5. This week, we break down the protests, the political fallout, and the pushback from First Nations leaders across Ontario. It's a showdown over fast-tracking development, environmental protections, and whether Ottawa actually listens when it says it will.

Ever feel like your dream home is laughing at you? This week, we dive into the CMHC’s jaw-dropping report that says Canada needs to build 4.8 million homes in the next 10 years just to make housing slightly affordable again. We unpack what that means, why it’s such a colossal challenge, and whether we can actually pull it off — or if we’re just pouring foundation into a sinkhole.

After two years of political foot-dragging, the Alberta government quietly dropped the results of its own pension poll — and it’s about as subtle as a fire alarm. Turns out, most Albertans want nothing to do with ditching the Canada Pension Plan. We unpack the fallout, the accusations of secrecy, and why the province is still clinging to a plan almost no one asked for. Spoiler: it’s not about retirement security, it’s about politics.

At this year’s Canadian Screen Awards, the biggest winners were… not Canadian. Industry insiders at Banff ask: Why can’t we build our own stars instead of borrowing them from the U.S. and TikTok? It’s time for Canada to stop being humble and start being famous.

Canada’s growing fast, and Pierre Poilievre wants to hit the brakes—hard. But is it really about the numbers, or just a convenient scapegoat for the housing mess? We unpack the politics of population and why your rent is now a second job.