The Red Passport

Canadians are unusually anxious about the world, polling suggests, but relatively confident about Canada.  Jeremy Kinsman and Peter Donolo welcome back former Canadian ambassador Jon Allen for a wide-ranging discussion on the Middle East, Cuba, U.S. power and Canada's place in a more volatile international order.  Meanwhile, to help with the Quebec government's efforts in trade, co-host Louise Blais has stepped away, for now, from her regular role on The Red Passport after being named the province's Special Envoy for the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. 

What do countries lose when they no longer have diplomats on the ground? Louise, Jeremy and Peter examine how the absence of embassies and diplomatic relations can distort judgment, weaken consular protection and leave governments relying on weaker intelligence, intermediaries and guesswork. Using the long American absence from Iran and Canada's own experience closing missions abroad, they ask what is really lost when states withdraw their diplomatic presence, and whether a country that wants to matter in the world can afford to keep hollowing out its foreign service.

What could Trump's latest threats toward Cuba mean for a country already in deep economic and humanitarian crisis? Peter and Jeremy welcome former Canadian ambassador to Cuba Mark Entwistle to unpack the pressure now bearing down on the island: the long aftermath of COVID, the collapse of tourism and tightening US sanctions. Is Washington pursuing regime change, a transactional economic opening or some mix of the two? And if Cuba becomes another testing ground for the Donroe Doctrine, should Canada defend international law, sovereignty and its own long relationship with the Cuban people?

What will the American and Israeli strikes on Iran unleash? Peter and Jeremy welcome former diplomat and past Canadian International Council president Ben Rowswell to help unpack the cascading consequences of Donald Trump's latest military endeavour, and how it contrasts with his recent operation in Venezuela. Meanwhile, did Carney's initial support for the attack on Iran to destroy its nuclear weapons potentially contradict his messaging at Davos that middle powers should band together to resist superpower unilateralism?

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund is often in the background of global crises, but what does it deliver for children on the frontlines of war, displacement, and climate shocks? And where can't UNICEF go? Louise and Jeremy speak with Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO of UNICEF Canada, about the organization's work in 190+ countries, from emergency response in Ukraine and Gaza to long-term investments in health, education, water, and child protection.

Did Marco Rubio present a gentler view of transatlantic relations than JD Vance did a year ago, or the same vision, in more diplomatic language? Louise, Peter and Jeremy also unpack another busy couple of weeks for Mark Carney who is countering Davos critics with plans for an alliance to preserve rules-based open markets.

Did the Prime Minister's Davos speech really shift Canada's place in the world, or just poke the bear? Jeremy, Louise and Peter unpack the Trump Administration's backlash, Mexico's alternate strategy and what a post‑USMCA Plan B could look like for Canada.

What are the implications of Mark Carney's surprising success in China? Will it make Canada more independent and resilient? Will it provoke the wrath of the Don? Peter, Louise and Jeremy also discuss Trump's Greenland obsession and whether there is light at the end of the tunnel in Iran.

A special edition of Red Passport on Donald Trump's surprise raid on Venezuela. Louise, Jeremy and Peter discuss what the implications are for international law and global stability. They examine the why, the how and what might be next.

Bob Rae talks about his five years as Canada's Ambassador at the United Nations. And with Louise, Jeremy and Peter, he looks forward to the global challenges - and opportunities - of 2026, and how Canada and its allies can step up to reverse the damage caused by the Trump Administration, Russia and China.

Louise, Jeremy and Peter discuss the challenges - and opportunities - facing Canada's next ambassador in Washington. The coming year will be make-it-or-break-it for CUSMA. Can a new ambassador make the difference? And given the dark, threatening tone of the recently-released US National Security Strategy, should we really get our hopes up?

As Donald Trump beats the war drums at Venezuela, his administration is trying to broker an end to the Russian war on Ukraine. How seriously can we take either of these initiatives? Jeremy and Peter try to untangle it all, and get at the motivations and likely outcomes. And—as usual—what it means for Canada... the front line on Trump's America.

As we are rattled by the news every day with something astonishing, often horrifying—scandals, political collisions and war—it becomes hard to keep our connection to the concept of international law. Why is the rules-based order under so much strain? Joining Jeremy and Louise are former ambassadors Sabine Nolke, a Visiting Fellow at Western University and practitioner of international law, and Jon Allen, Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto's Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Canadian International Council.

Donald Trump explodes over Ontario's TV commercial. Mark Carney makes his APEC debut (and meets with Xi Jinping), it's been another head spinning few days for Canada on the world scene.

In this episode of The Red Passport, Jeremy, Louise, and Peter unpack Canada's place in a fractured world order from the stakes in Ukraine and Gaza to the shifting dynamics between Washington, Europe, and Ottawa. With candid analysis and decades of diplomatic insight, they explore how Canada can balance values and interests in an era of unpredictable leaders, stalled peacekeeping, and global crises. It's a conversation about hard choices, skilled diplomacy, and what it will take to navigate turbulent times. Recorded Tuesday August 12, 2025.

The US has abandoned its traditional global leadership role. Respected international relations expert, Professor Jennifer Welsh joins Louise, Jeremy and Peter to talk about what this means in terms of the great global challenges of our day, and how nations like Canada can help fill the gap.

The smoke has barely cleared from the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites. Jeremy Kinsman and Peter Donolo contemplate the geopolitical consequences of Trump's decision. And - yes - even what it means for Canada. Recorded Sunday June 22, 2025

One of Canada's leading experts on Israel and Palestine, former ambassador Jon Allen, returns to the Red Passport to discuss the ongoing crisis, how the region could move toward a lasting and just peace, and what role Canada can play.

Senator Peter Boehm was Canadian sherpa for a record six G7 summits. He joins Jeremy, Louise and (the other) Peter to talk about an early challenge that will face whoever wins Canada's April 28 election - hosting the G7 in Kananaskis in June. One member (guess who?) has launched a trade war against the other six. Should he even be part of the club?

An unfiltered discussion with Louise Blais, Jeremy Kinsman and Peter Donolo about treading water in the Trump Tsunami - from Africa to the UN to the G7. Trump is upending decades of alliances, turning on his friends and cutting loose the most vulnerable populations in the world. What are the real-life implications, and how is the new Canadian PM dealing with it?

Former Prime Minister Joe Clark joins The Red Passport Podcast for an unfiltered conversation on Canada's shifting role in global affairs. From dismantling apartheid to shaping the end of the Cold War, he was at the forefront of historic diplomacy. But today, as nationalism rises and global alliances falter, has Canada lost its voice? In this episode, Clark, alongside hosts Jeremy Kinsman and Louise Blais, reflects on past successes, critiques today's challenges, and offers a bold vision for Canada's future on the world stage. A must-listen for anyone invested in Canada's global impact.

He's threatening allies, purging intelligence and aid agencies, and trial-ballooning land grabs not just in North America, but in the near Arctic and the Middle East. Welcome to the World According to Donald Trump. Louise, Jeremy and Peter discuss what Canada - and other democracies and fair-trading nations - can do to whether this man-made storm.

Dive into this timely episode as Peter Donolo, Louise Blais and Jeremy Kinsman unpack the implications of Donald Trump's second inauguration and its ripple effects across North America and beyond. They explore Canada's evolving relationship with the U.S., the rise of protectionism, and how Canadians can adapt to a new era of uncertainty.

We're barely one week into 2025 and the threats and challenges are already piling up. Peter, Louise and Jeremy discuss how Justin Trudeau's resignation will impact Canada's international role and about Donald Trump's unhealthy 51st State obsession.

It's been a month since Donald Trump's victory, and things aren't looking great for Canada. Louise, Jeremy and Peter discuss why - and what we can do about it. Meanwhile, as the overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria shows, new geopolitical opportunities and challenges continue to demand our attention. Photo by The Now Time on Unsplash

Hosts Jeremy Kinsman and Louise Blais talk with the Hon. Lloyd Axworthy about his new book, Canada's place in the world and Canada's relations with India.

No, not SNL, but this month's even longer running United Nations Annual General Assembly. And chances are - given the state of the world - that the critics will pan this year's version as much as they have the previous 78. Why is that? What value does the UN still have? And what - if anything - can Canada do to help make it work better?

The conventions are over, and the US presidential election is three months away. The race has already been turned upside down once. Will events in Ukraine and the Middle East upend it again? Meanwhile, an internal memo from our country's Department of Global Affairs reveals the constraints that are holding Canada back on the international stage.

How are Canadians feeling about the current conflict in the Middle East? Special guest Jon Allen, former Canadian Ambassador to Israel, joins Louise, Jeremy and Peter to discuss a new survey by the Environics Institute, in partnership with the CIC, that charts how Canadian attitudes on Israel and Palestinians have evolved over four decades. They also discuss the latest dramatic developments in the US Presidential race. A special thanks to Don Bourgeois for providing additional funding for the survey.

Just as the pundits are writing their epitaphs for democracy, two more parliamentary elections - in France and the UK - gave us some reason for optimism. And the NATO 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington brought some good news for the defense of democracy, while also underlining some pretty big challenges.

The Year of the Election is turning into The Year of Living Dangerously for incumbent governments around the world. What is going on? Louise, Jeremy and Peter look at the votes in Europe - the recent EU Parliamentary elections and the upcoming general election in the UK, and France's snap parliamentary elections. Are there common threads? And what do they mean for Canada?

The "Allied" Leaders of 2024 meet in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day ... and at summits in Italy and Switzerland. They will turn their attentions to everything from the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, to Climate Change and the global economy. Can they show any of the determination and unity of that earlier era?

As Mexico, South Africa and India embark on high-stakes elections this year, uncover what these pivotal moments reveal about the future of global democracy. We do a deep dive into why these elections are crucial, not just for the world but for Canada too.

The world has changed dramatically since Lester Pearson accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo almost seven decades ago. The era of "Blue Helmets" may be long over (for Canadians, at least), but how can Canada apply the Pearsonian spirit of global engagement and bridge-building in the 2020s?

In an increasingly fragmented world, how can Canada reestablish its historic role as an international bridge-builder and honest broker?

Ready for Trump: The Sequel? High-stakes elections this year in the USA and Mexico. What does that mean for Canada? How do we prepare for the storm - or the opportunity? Plus, what can Canada do to help resolve the latest Haiti crisis?

In its inaugural episode, the Red Passport dives right into the twin crises in Ukraine and Gaza - and their impact on Canada.