When the Iran War started it was hard to know why Donald Trump ordered the attack. Lately he's settled on just one reason and had all his people parrot the same line. Nuclear. So what do we really know?
It’s running short of oil, electricity, food, medicine and currency, but Cuba’s communist regime is digging in as the Trump administration demands economic and democratic reforms. Brian discusses the situation with his guests, former State Department insider Mike Gonzalez, now with the Heritage Foundation, and author and longtime regime critic Humberto Fontova. They explain Washington’s imperative to finally curb Cuba’s...
During the spring, farmers around the globe work to get the seeds and enough fertilizer in the ground to maintain the growing season. If that doesn't happen, food prices spike and farmers could face lower crop yields. That is very much at risk of happening right now because of the Strait of Hormuz’s closure. About a third of the world’s...
Sage regular Peter Nicholson and guest Janice Stein, Founding Director at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, join hosts Allan Gregg and Edward Greenspon to talk about AI through a geopolitical lens. We are at a point in the development of AI where even creators like Dario Amodei and Sam Altman are anxious about its expanding powers...
Almost two months ago, Pierre Poilievre seemed to have rounded a corner. The "attack dog" politician became, or so it seemed, the friendly one, talking about respect and a time for unity. Well those days are gone, long gone, after a week where the old Poilievre seemed back in full force. Bruce and Chantal are back with their assessments of...
After weeks of war in the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz is now open — and ceasefires in Lebanon and Iran continue to hold strong. So is an end to the war in sight? Host Catherine Cullen asks Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand if she believes the ceasefires will last and if Canada is considering helping efforts to open...
On a Liberal majority. CPC loser energy. And more about our collapsed political immune system, at every level.
Sheila Copps joins The Hot Room to talk about the new Liberal majority government, questions about its legitimacy, and how it could change the dynamic on the Hill for Prime Minister Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives.
At Issue this week: Prime Minister Mark Carney returns to the House of Commons with his newly-minted majority government. The Conservatives try to chart a new path forward with Pierre Poilievre as leader. And, could Canada really join the EU?
U.S. President Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, following diplomatic talks in Washington. This follows an intense period of violence, in which more than 2100 people have been killed in Lebanon, including a Canadian citizen.
Greetings, you curiouser and curiouser Herle Burly-ites! With me today is Carla Beck, leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, the official opposition in the Saskatchewan Legislature ... and a heartland NDPer.
With the majority now secured, Mark Carney’s Liberals can look ahead to another 3.5 years in office without going back to the polls. That is, of course, if they don’t want to go back to the polls before then. This week on The Numbers, we discuss the current polling landscape and the fallout from Monday’s byelections and what they could...
Reaction to the Liberal majority ripples through the Conservative caucus as Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Calder McHugh dig into what the result means inside the opposition benches. Carney and Poilievre present duelling policies for high gas prices — each with its own gloss on tax relief at the pump. Finally, an international bromance blossoms. Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander Stubb...
For a year the Liberals have been trying to cobble together a majority out of their election night minority. Now they seem to have attained one. What's the big deal? James Moore and Gerald Butts have their say on that, plus, AI and how we are simply just not ready for what is already here.
The Liberals swept all three byelections yesterday, winning as expected in University—Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest and prevailing in a close fight with the Bloc Québécois in Terrebonne. The three wins give Mark Carney a majority government, something the Liberals have not had since 2019. Meanwhile, the Conservative vote tanked across the board and the NDP had a small moral victory...
With last night’s byelection wins, Prime Minister Mark Carney is now leading a majority government. But after five floor crossers joined the Liberals, spanning from the NDP to the social conservative wing of the Conservative party, there are questions around what exactly that government stands for.
It's a great question and it comes from one of our listeners for our regular Monday conversation with Dr Janice Stein from the Munk School at the University of Toronto. That and a lot more, including how the Pope has entered the discussion about Trump.
After a fourth Conservative MP crossed over last week, the Liberals are now only one seat shy of an official majority. And with two out of three byelections taking place today in safe Liberal ridings, it’s widely expected that Mark Carney and the Liberals will get their majority government after the results come in.
It’s not actually official that Canada’s defence budget meets NATO’s two per cent of GDP target, despite the press releases claiming so. Yes, spending has been going up, but what is it really meant for? This is Brian’s discussion this week with David Perry, president of the Global Affairs Institute, and Christian Leuprecht from the Royal Military College of Canada...
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.
Sage contributors Senator Peter Harder and former Deputy Minister of Defence Jody Thomas join hosts Allan Gregg and Edward Greenspon to discuss the future of the West’s security architecture in the aftermath of the war in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
He's done it again: Prime Minister Mark Carney has convinced yet another Conservative to join his Liberal government. This time, it's Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong MP Marilyn Gladu, who previously said she was "personally pro-life" and opposed a Liberal bill to ban conversion therapy. She's now recanting those positions as Carney insists Liberal values are unchanged. How does it work when the Liberals...
This has to be the worst of times for Donald Trump -- nothing is going right, and the US President looks increasingly unhinged on a daily basis. Even some of his base are abandoning him. With Chantal away, former Washington correspondent Keith Boag joins Bruce for some serious Trump talk. Plus, another Conservative crosses the floor, making a Liberal majority...
Peter Mazereeuw talks with political science professor Alex Marland about MPs crossing the floor to join the Liberal Party, the fate of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and Liberal Party indifference to Mark Carney's small-c conservative policies. Marland holds the Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership at Acadia University, and has written books about party discipline and loyalty in Canadian...
At Issue this week: As former Conservative MP Marliyn Gladu's move to the Liberals further widens the views within caucus, could it impact upcoming byelections? What does another defection mean for Pierre Poilievre’s leadership? And, will Mark Carney address concerns around the independence of Senators?
POLITICO's Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Calder McHugh break down the latest Ottawa bombshell, as another Conservative MP crosses the floor to join Mark Carney’s Liberals ahead of the party’s convention in Montreal. Plus, a closer look at the Liberal mood on the ground as delegates gather for a high-energy weekend. Finally, what the U.S.-Iran ceasefire could mean next, including the potential...
On Friday, negotiators from the U.S., Israel and Iran are set to talk in Pakistan about the future of the war. The Gulf Arab states, who have been attacked during the conflict, will not be party to the talks. But they have a lot depending on the outcome.
After six weeks of war and a fragile ceasefire Iran is going into high-level talks with the U.S. battered but defiant. Whether any kind of real agreement can be reached remains to be seen. The U.S. and Iran are extremely far apart in their demands. Vali Nasr is a professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins...
After the U.S., Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday night, oil prices eased on Wednesday. Many details of the ceasefire remain unclear – including when and how the Strait of Hormuz will become passable again. Since the effective closure of the Strait, the rising cost of oil has been impacting prices across a number of industries –...
A barely-existent ceasefire, and the paralysis of hundreds of ships. The state of the Iran - US Israel war remains muggy, even a day after the three agreed to a two-week ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It comes after US President Trump threatened to wipe out 'an entire civilization' if the strait wasn't opened. And although...
It was rumoured to be in the offing, but on Wednesday news came of the surprising floor-crossing of Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong MP Marilyn Gladu from the Conservatives to the Liberals, putting Mark Carney’s government even closer to a majority. We started the podcast unaware of the news, but we eventually offer some hot takes on the crossing minutes after it was announced...
More than a year after US President Trump curated what he believed was the perfect Cabinet, he's done away with two major figures within his administration, the latest being Attorney General, Pam Bondi. She was recently ousted and moved to what Trump calls an 'important' role in the private sector.
Donald Trump has often said he's a fan of King Charles, and Charles, about to embark on a visit to the United States, clearly feels something for Trump. So how does Canada fit into this? A new book suggests Charles has had an impression on making Trump back off his annex Canada plans. If you buy that then you better...
We've entered the sixth week of the Iran war, and despite threats and counter threats, talks of ceasefires, there's still no end in sight. Is anyone winning this war? Dr. Janice Stein joins us again for her regular Monday talk about our changing world.
Canada’s two national opposition parties, the Conservatives and NDP — now under Avi Lewis — are relentlessly focused on affordability and dismantling a system they say screws non-elites. As this week’s panel discusses, both Lewis and Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre clearly stand for something, which raises questions about what Prime Minister Mark Carney stands for … besides fighting President Donald...
A jury in Los Angeles found that media giants Meta and YouTube were liable for designing their apps in a way that hooked young users in an addictive manner. It came right after a similar ruling in New Mexico, which found Meta is harming children's mental health and safety.
150 years ago this month, the Indian Act became law — a sweeping piece of legislation that governed almost every aspect of First Nations’ lives — and has long been criticized as unfair, racist and “unquestionably sexist." On this special edition of The House, Catherine Cullen explores the history of the discriminatory legislation with Bob Joseph, author of 21 Things...
As a key deadline in the Canada-Alberta MOU came and went without drama, and Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz continued to hold global energy markets hostage, the Sage podcast this week discussed what this all means for future developments in the Canadian energy industry and Canada’s potential as an energy superpower. Do we have the capacity to produce...
Mark Carney juggles risk and reward as the Liberals chase closer China trade ties despite blowback over his human rights comments. Pierre Poilievre's push to derail Alto's high-speed train plan. Plus, Avi Lewis's uphill battle to convince Canadians they still need the NDP.
Quebec's secularism law, Bill 21, prohibits certain public servants from wearing religious symbols while on the job. It was passed in 2019 with a pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding law - a section of the Charter that protects legislation from court intervention if the legislation goes against other freedoms.
This live event was recorded on March 30 at StFX & hosted by The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government.