Afleveringen
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In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on February 14, 2025 — Valentine's Day, bummer — your hosts are skeptical that the premiers have accomplished much by their recent jaunt down to Washington, D.C., but we hope they had a lovely time.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
It's not that we object to them going. We are a little cynical about their motives, but we understand that navigating this new era is going to involve a measure of diplomacy. But do we think we're better off sending 13 people to be politely received by the deputy White House chief of staff? Who then dismissively tweeted about the entire visit and said Canada being annexed was still on the table? Like does that make us look stronger? Does Trump respect us more now? Are we sure we know what we're doing?
This episode has also been brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Forestry supports 200,000 Canadians in hundreds of communities, generating $87 billion in annual revenues and $37 billion in exports — including $29 billion to the United States. It's also key to addressing some of our biggest challenges. We need an action plan for our forest sector and its employees, one that will help build the homes we need with Canadian wood, reduce the risk of wildfires and create more family-supporting jobs right here at home. To learn more about what forestry can do for Canada, visit https://www.forestryforthefuture.ca/
After that, your hosts move onto chatting about the polling bump that the Liberals have clearly received ... but the latest poll, which came out as we were sitting down to record, actually muddies the water somewhat. Something is happening in the polls, certainly. But is it what people think? They discuss. They also discuss, at some length, matters of identity. How Canadians see themselves, how Americans see us, and what Americans are blind to in their own country. Jen also makes a confession: she's more sympathetic to American progressives than she was last week. She explains why.
All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like and subscribe to our main page at ReadtheLine.ca. -
Each week, On The Line will bring you an extended conversation with Matt Gurney or Jen Gerson and a guest — or guests! — that can speak with authority on whatever is in the news. In this episode, Jen Gerson interviews Rob Huebert, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, and director at the Centre of Military, Security and Strategic Studies, to discuss Arctic sovereignty and security. Is Trump serious about Canada becoming a 51st State — and if so, what does the Arctic have to do with his overall strategy?
The week's episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Motion Picture Association of Canada. For decades, Ottawa controlled what is “Canadian” and what isn’t when it comes to series and movies available to Canadians. The rules are out of date and costing Canadians opportunities. It’s time for Ottawa to focus on helping Canadian film and TV workers, and encourage efforts to showcase Canada. To learn more visit https://www.mpa-canada.org/
They talk about Arctic geopolitics, particularly in light of climate change and the shifting military dynamics involving the U.S., Canada, Russia, and China. With a growing potential for conflict in the region, Canada's military unpreparedness has never been more obvious, or more alarming to our allies in Washington.
This week's episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. The Métis in what is now Ontario were not just traders or voyageurs — they were strategists and warriors ready to defend their lands and water from invaders, who chose self-determination and freedom from the United States generations before Canada even existed. To learn more, go to https://www.ontariometisfacts.com/
They also talk about America's rapidly shifting foreign policy goals under the second Donald Trump administration, the notion of hemispheric security as laid out recently by former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, the urgent need for Canada to bolster its military capabilities, and the dangers of complacency in the face of emerging threats.
As always, like and subscribe. And we'll see you next week for the next installment of On The Line.
On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up at https://www.readtheline.ca/ but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations. -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on February 7, 2025, your hosts take in the sight of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warning Canadians that he thinks Donald Trump is serious about annexing us ... but only doing it behind closed doors to a private business audience. And they just have to laugh. Or cry. Or both.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more https://www.unsmoke.ca/
Seriously. Does that sound like the sort of thing that maybe should be getting a bigger audience? Or has the Canadian compulsion toward managing communications so thoroughly eaten our brains that even a matter of national survival is now to be considered just a problem to be comms'd away? Your hosts also talk about Mark Carney, how our leaders are reacting (or not!) to the threat we face, and then Matt issues a challenge to any/all Canadian premiers willing to take up the task. He has a proposal for you all. And he's calling it the Ice Bucket Challenge for National Survival. Yes, it's come down to this.This episode has also been brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Forestry supports 200,000 Canadians in hundreds of communities, generating $87 billion in annual revenues and $37 billion in exports — including $29 billion to the United States. It's also key to addressing some of our biggest challenges. We need an action plan for our forest sector and its employees, one that will help build the homes we need with Canadian wood, reduce the risk of wildfires and create more family-supporting jobs right here at home. To learn more about what forestry can do for Canada, visit https://www.forestryforthefuture.ca/
After that, your hosts spend some time on the shifting polling numbers, and why they aren't surprised ... and why the Conservatives also aren't worried, and shouldn't be, yet. They wrap up with an update from their respective provinces.
Things could honestly be going better.
As always, like and subscribe to our main page at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
Thanks for checking out our first regular episode of On The Line, The Line's latest podcast offering. Each week, On The Line will bring you an extended conversation with Matt Gurney or Jen Gerson and a guest — or guests! — that can speak with authority on whatever is in the news.
And this week, well. Like, look around. OMG.
The week's episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Motion Picture Association of Canada. For decades, Ottawa controlled what is “Canadian” and what isn’t when it comes to series and movies available to Canadians. The rules are out of date and costing Canadians opportunities. It’s time for Ottawa to focus on helping Canadian film and TV workers, and encourage efforts to showcase Canada. To learn more visit https://www.mpa-canada.org/
All kidding aside, and we suspect our viewers and listeners will understand, we had to change our plans like nine times before recording this, trying to keep up with developments. But we stuck the landing! Our first guest is Stephen Gordon, a professor of economics at Laval University. He joins this week's host Matt Gurney to talk about what Trump's tariff war would mean for Canada. How it would hurt. How Canada would adapt. How you can adapt. And also what could happen if this resumes and escalates. It's not great news. But it might not be as bad as you fear.For clarity: when we recorded this, the tariffs were still happening, but we knew there was a chance they’d be lifted. There was a lot going on! We treated it as something that would happen, but Stephen also told us why even the U.S. would be keen to avoid them …
This week's episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. The Métis in what is now Ontario were not just traders or voyageurs — they were strategists and warriors ready to defend their lands and water from invaders. Their contributions in the War of 1812 shaped the borders of a future Canada. To learn more, go to https://www.ontariometisfacts.com/
Our next guest is P.J. Fournier, creator of 338Canada. (Check out his main page at 338Canada.com, and also his newsletter at 338Canada.ca.) P.J. gives us an update on federal polling, and addresses why some of it seems so wonky. He also gives us an update on two provinces — Ontario already has an election underway, and next door in Quebec, an unpopular premier is no doubt watching to see if his pal Doug pays a price for calling an early vote ...
As always, like and subscribe and check out our main page at ReadtheLine.ca. And we'll see you next week for the next installment of On The Line. -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Jan. 31, 2025, we've gotta be honest. Your Line editors could be doing a bit better. Jen had dental surgery. Matt has norovirus and potentially a concussion. But they showed up and did the thing anyway. We love you all that much.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
They start off with the Foreign Interference report, which didn't tell us a ton that we didn't already know. We know a lot of people thought it was going to be the end of Pierre Poilievre. This would appear not to be the case. Jen walks us through the findings and why she is totally underwhelmed by the recommendations. We don't think a lot of it will surprise you.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. TikTok Canada has a team of hundreds of local employees supporting the success of Canadian creators, businesses and advertisers. The federal government, however, has ordered TikTok to shut down its Canadian offices. Shutting down TikTok Canada doesn't make Canadians safer — but it does eliminate jobs and investments in this country. Learn more at https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-ca/tiktokcanada-notice-to-challenge-local-shutdown
They also talk about the latest developments in the Liberal leadership race, including yet more disavowals of plans and proposals that would have been Liberal party orthodoxy all of three months ago. Matt says the party is reeling under the weight of its own refusal to do unpleasant things when they were still just unpleasant, and instead they waited to do them when they'd be catastrophic. Good work. And they end with the latest from Washington, as Trump gets set, maybe, hit us with tariffs. It's a busy day, guys. What can we say?
All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like, subscribe, and visit us for more at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Jan. 24, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson make some utterly bonkers proposals. And they want you to make some, too.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
Your hosts get you started by talking about the latest developments in the ongoing Liberal leadership race. They make some observations and get you all caught up on the latest from Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland, but what they really ask for, and they're asking you, too, are suggestions on radical things Canada can do to become ruthless scary. Literally. How can Canada fight? How can we make Donald Trump think twice? How can we make China and Russia decide we aren't worth the hassle of messing with. This would require some pretty radical changes, but if our politicians mean it when they keep saying that all options are on the table, well, great. Let's put some absolutely psychotic stuff on the table and dare the world to respond.
"Canada's back" needs to stop being a promise and a quip, an applause line for preening Canadian officials basking in the warm glow of cozy international summits. "Canada's back" needs to become a threat. We've got some ideas. What do you have?
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. TikTok Canada has a team of hundreds of local employees supporting the success of Canadian creators, businesses and advertisers. The federal government, however, has ordered TikTok to shut down its Canadian offices. Shutting down TikTok Canada doesn't make Canadians safer — but it does eliminate jobs and investments in this country. Learn more at https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/
They wrap up by getting everyone caught up on what the premiers are up to. Some of it is good. We just aren't sure a lot of it is deliberate.
Anyway. Make Canada Scary Again.
All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like, subscribe, and visit us for more at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Jan. 17, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson try and remember all the things that happened this week. Because it was a busy one!
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
First, your hosts spend some time discussing the (at last) official start of Mark Carney's political career. They talk about the choice to launch on Jon Stewart's American late-night show, and it was indeed quite the choice. They talk about polls which show a slight tightening of what had seemed an imminent Conservative landslide, but they aren't sold on it yet (though the Liberals will bounce a bit, we suspect, especially as the leadership race gets attention). They talk about Carney's resume, and Pierre Poilievre's, and why they aren't as mismatched as some want you to believe. And Matt notes that he hasn't seen progressive voters as excited about a replacement candidate since ... the summer. With Kamala Harris. Remember how that turned out?
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. TikTok Canada has a team of hundreds of local employees supporting the success of Canadian creators, businesses and advertisers. The federal government, however, has ordered TikTok to shut down its Canadian offices. Shutting down TikTok Canada doesn't make Canadians safer — but it does eliminate jobs and investments in this country. Learn more at https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-ca/tiktokcanada-notice-to-challenge-local-shutdown
Jen and Matt then gab about why they think it would be good for national unity if "Team Canada" didn't seem to always mean "Alberta sacrifices." Seriously. Can someone let us know when anyone is proposing an export ban on Ontario auto parts or B.C. lumber or Atlantic fish? STOP IT. YOU ARE RUINING THE COUNTRY.
Last but not least, they offer their final thoughts on the Biden years and the imminent re-inauguration of Donald Trump. We're sure it's gonna go great!
Sigh.
All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like, subscribe, and visit us for more at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded very early on Jan. 10, 2025, your hosts take in the week that was. Justin Trudeau's semi-resignation five days ago has been all that anyone has wanted to talk about this week. So we do that, and also wonder what it tells us about the modern Liberal party that they allowed this to drag on as long as they did.
Nothing good!
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
They also chat a bit about the Liberal leadership race. Things were moving fast as your hosts gabbed so they were carefully not to weigh in too deeply lest news developments outpace them. But Matt has some thoughts about Christy Clark, premier of some province he forgets, and Jen has some thoughts on Chrystia Freeland. Don't, Liberals. Just don't.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. TikTok Canada has a team of hundreds of local employees supporting the success of Canadian creators, businesses and advertisers. The federal government, however, has ordered TikTok to shut down its Canadian offices. Shutting down TikTok Canada doesn't make Canadians safer — but it does eliminate jobs and investments in this country. Learn more at https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-ca/tiktokcanada-notice-to-challenge-local-shutdown
After that, they talked about the latest ruminations from Donald Trump, and what it means for Canadian identity. It got dark. Matt thought Jen should go have a cheese stick to perk up her mood a bit. Snacks always help.
All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like, subscribe, and visit us for more at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded very early on Dec. 30, 2024, your hosts make the best of a weird situation. Here's the thing: we are both going on holiday now. Matt is leaving the country. Jen is going down her hobbyist rabbit holes. But we wanted to get you guys an episode. How do we do that when we won't be able to respond to breaking news events?
We don't even try!
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
That's right. Normally we record our episodes as close as possible to the date of publication. This week, we didn't bother. We took this opportunity to respond to your questions. Specifically, the questions from our paid-up subscribers, which they left at ReadtheLine.ca. The questions were fantastic and we couldn't get to all of them. But we got to as many as we could. We talk politics! We talk culture! We even answer a few questions about ourselves.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. TikTok Canada has a team of hundreds of local employees supporting the success of Canadian creators, businesses and advertisers. The federal government, however, has ordered TikTok to shut down its Canadian offices. Shutting down TikTok Canada doesn't make Canadians safer — but it does eliminate jobs and investments in this country. Learn more at
https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-ca/tiktokcanada-notice-to-challenge-local-shutdown
We had a lot of questions about what Pierre Poilievre will be like as PM. A lot of questions about just how low the Liberals can go. And a few questions about just our personal hobbies and interests. Including one Matt knew would make Jen mad.
But overall, it was tons of fun. We'll figure out a way to answer the rest of your questions at a later time. For now, we wanted to wish you all a wonderful 2025. A very Happy New Year to everyone, and as always, like, subscribe, and visit us for more at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Dec. 27, 2024, your hosts give listeners a quick update on all that's been happening this week. And a bunch of stuff has been happening!
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
The main topic is the fact that Justin Trudeau has seemingly succeeded, at least temporarily, in escaping his critics within his own party. He survived Freeland Week. He made it to the holidays. But ... why? What is he hanging on for? What purpose is served by dragging this out another day, week or month? Matt says the entire Liberal party reminds him right now of one of those terrible tragedies when someone is hanging onto a bouncy castle or balloon that has become unmoored. The smart thing to do is to let go right away, fall a little bit and maybe bust a leg. If you hang on a few extra seconds, you get too high and probably end up dead. The PM and his caucus have already hung on too long. But they can always fall further! They also chat about how the Conservatives are trying to use some procedural stuff to force an election as soon as possible. It might not work. But the pressure on the PM keeps ratcheting up.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by the Digital Media Association. Costs are going up everywhere, and now streaming could cost you more. Why? Because the federal government has decided to tax your streaming services. This new tax could make life even more unaffordable. To learn more, visit https://scrapthestreamingtax.ca/
Next up: the latest out of the U.S., where president-elect Donald Trump is only 24 days from taking office. He's talking about buying Greenland and taking control of the Panama Canal again. Matt has another proposal, and he's semi-serious: the moon! Go colonize the moon! That can be his Louisiana Purchase! The first extra-planetary president! Your hosts also talk about the best way of handling Trump's pressure on Canada. Jen has absolutely zero patience for the people who are only now realizing that maybe Canadian sovereignty was worth investing in and defending all along.
A special note: our next podcast is going to be recorded a few days early so that we can both take a vacation. It won't be possible to stay current with the news. So we're going to have some fun with it. For our paid subscribers only, go to ReadtheLine.ca. Find the post for this episode. And leave us a comment, again at ReadtheLine.ca, that includes a question for either or both of your hosts. We're going to use the next episode to answer your questions. It'll be a fun way to start off 2025. To repeat this very important point: this is a perk only for our paid subscribers. The only way we can confirm that you are paid up is if you leave your questions under this podcast post at our main website, ReadtheLine.ca. Questions on other platforms will be ignored with extreme prejudice.
So now, more than ever, like and subscribe, and visit us at https://www.readtheline.ca/ And, of course, Happy New Year! Talk to you next in 2025. -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Dec. 20, 2024, your hosts are honestly just embarrassed. This is embarrassing. It's unhealthy and it's getting kind of scary.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at https://www.unsmoke.ca/
First up, of course, is their best guess at the latest in Ottawa. The PM is hanging on. Jen thinks he'll never leave. Matt isn't so sure. They talk about the cabinet and how pathetic a spectacle it is to see grown men like Rob Oliphant, Matt's MP, so overtly begging to be picked for cabinet ... and then failing. They talk speculation and buzz. They talk cabinet picks. They talk leadership drama. And they talk just how cringe it is to see adults acting this way. They also talk about how Justin Trudeau and his enablers did this to themselves. They have no one else to blame, but the country is going to pay the price for their hubris. It's bad.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by the Digital Media Association. Costs are going up everywhere, and now streaming could cost you more. Why? Because the federal government has decided to tax your streaming services.This new tax could make life even more unaffordable. To learn more, visit https://scrapthestreamingtax.ca/
Next they talk some of the other big problems this country has that no one is paying attention to, because our entire government is focused on devouring itself alive. They talk more horrifying anti-Semitic violence in Toronto. They talk Trump's trolling of Canada. They talk about the collapse in Canadian national pride. These are all important issues. No one is paying attention to them, though, because, like, Trudeau, in or out, right? God help us.
Finally, a quick update on plans for the holidays, and our thanks to all the people who make this possible.
All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like, subscribe, share, leave glowing reviews and as always, visit us at https://www.readtheline.ca/ for more. -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Dec. 13, 2024, Jen Gerson comes crashing back down to reality. Last week, she was feeling better about everything. She thought Trudeau was figuring it out. She thought the premiers were going to play their parts. She thought Team Canada would rally to take on Donald Trump.
She doesn't think that anymore. Matt Gurney is glad to have her back.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
There's a lot else to discuss. They deal with breaking stories not once but twice during this episode. The federal government has ordered the post office back to work. They chat about that briefly. Jen's Christmas cards are saved, to Matt's enormous relief. They also react to a new poll showing that Canadians are feeling pretty down on their country. They also chat a lot about how different premiers are responding to Donald Trump's tariff threats. Doug Ford and Danielle Smith take some criticism. Scott Moe gets some praise. Francois Legault gets laughed at, but also gets some praise.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by the Digital Media Association. Costs are going up everywhere, and now streaming could cost you more. Why? Because the federal government has decided to tax your streaming services.This new tax could make life even more unaffordable. To learn more, visit ScrapTheStreamingTax.ca.
Also on the agenda today: is Trump going full manifest destiny on us, or is he just trolling Trudeau? Or both? How is Trudeau handling it? What do we make of rumours coming out of Ottawa about Chrystia Freeland being on the way out and Rachel Notley on the way in?
And, also, while we're on the topic: don't shoot CEOs. Just don't.
All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like, subscribe, share, leave glowing reviews and as always, visit us at ReadtheLine.ca for more.
If you think you can handle it. -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded a day early — and when has that ever backfired on us?! — on Dec. 5, 2024, your hosts start with a talk about what happened after we did the last episode. Justin Trudeau flew to Mar-a-Lago to meet with president-elect Donald Trump. Jen feels better. Matt doesn't. They discuss.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
Matt also hits Jen with a surprise "vibe" question. He told her before they clicked record that he was going to ask her about federal politics. He didn't tell her what he was going to ask, so you'll get to hear her reaction to the question as she hears it. We won't tell you what she says, but we'll tell you the question: Is Pierre Poilievre high in the polls because Canadians are sick of the Liberals, or is he actually ... popular? At least among some Canadians? (Enough Canadians, apparently.) You'll have to tune in to see how Jen answers. But Matt agrees with her.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by the Digital Media Association. Costs are going up everywhere, and now streaming could cost you more. Why? Because the federal government has decided to tax your streaming services.This new tax could make life even more unaffordable. To learn more, visit ScrapTheStreamingTax.ca.
From there, your hosts move onto some more examples of the Canada-is-not-good-at-governmenting file. Both your hosts bring an example. And then they pivot to a theory Matt has, which he hangs off the non-response to the latest Liberal gun-control announcement: no one cares what this government says or does anymore. No one bothers listening. Everyone is already planning for the next government and going through the motions with this one. The Liberals have been tuned out. They're a dead government walking, and everyone knows it.
Except, maybe, the Liberals themselves.
Lots of fun!
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In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on November 29, 2024, your co-hosts look hard and deep into the Canadian news and just ... sigh. They sigh. They also giggle a bit, but it was bad giggling. You know?
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
The first topic, as you'd imagine, was the announcement by president-elect Donald Trump that he would be targeting Canada, Mexico and China with a 25-per-cent tariff upon taking office. Like, immediately upon taking office. The hosts don't actually spend a lot of time talking about that. They spend more time talking about how Canadian officials are responding to the announcement. And they aren't encouraged. To give you all a bit of a heads-up on where the conversation goes, Matt asks listeners and viewers to imagine a gigantic snake devouring a penguin. Guess what? We're the penguin. Matt and Jen also mock each other's provinces.
This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by the Digital Media Association. Costs are going up everywhere, and now streaming could cost you more. Why? Because the federal government has decided to tax your streaming services.This new tax could make life even more unaffordable. To learn more, visit ScrapTheStreamingTax.ca.
They also talk about Matt's recent trip to Halifax, for the Halifax International Security Forum. When we recorded our last podcast, Matt had arrived in Halifax, but he hadn't yet attended the event. Having returned, he has lots of interesting things to share. But also a bit of bad news: Mélanie Joly, our top diplomat, became talk-of-the-event for a bad reason after being gutted like a fish on stage by a man who ... wanted a specific answer to a specific question. She isn't cut out for the world we're in now. But she is, sadly, also pretty emblematic of the Trudeau style of governance.
Which leads us to our third topic: we send a message right to the federal Liberals. For the love of God, you gormless weasels. You dessicated husks of once-humans who now roam the halls of Parliament like spirits, passing through solid objects and rattling your chains as you hand out rebate cash like zombie game show hosts. You need to stop doing this. This country is adrift. We are rudderless at the very top. You are hurting us. You are hurting the country. If that isn't enough to get you to just end this charade, why isn't the fact that you're humiliating yourselves enough? What's wrong with you?
And finally, they wrap up with a quick chat about their weeks. Highs and lows, folks.
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Hello, viewers and listeners of The Line Podcast. Your hosts cover a ton of issues this week, including one that leaves Jen in literal tears of outrage and indignation. Or something like that.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
The first topic is the latest, humiliating phase of Justin Trudeau's slow decline. He's announcing temporary tax breaks and handing out rebate cheques in a desperate attempt to shore up his fading political fortunes. It's terrible policy, as even some normally Liberal-friendly people will acknowledge, but it's also just so patently desperate and craven that we doubt it'll even be good politics. Recall what we said directly to our Liberal friends in recent episodes of the podcast: this doesn't get better. It only gets worse and more painful and more humiliating. A PM who came into power as a leading figure of the triumphant global progressive movement is now reduced to Doug-Ford-esque impersonations of a daytime game show host. And worse is always possible.
Up next, your hosts tackle two other major federal stories. A new big poll from a reliable company is out, and shows no evidence of any "Trump Bump" for the Liberals. Which we've been trying to tell y'all would be the case. Also: we share our shock and horror at an absolutely appalling nickname we heard for the latest man to tumble out of Trudeau's cabinet, and also opine on how the PMO's handling of this political fiasco is cause for alarm. If they can barely figure out how to handle a pretty bog-standard political scandal, are we confident that they can handle what's happening to our world? Friends, we are not confident. Not confident at all.
Last up, Matt explains why he has left the comforting confines of the Centre of the Universe to visit one of his other favourite Canadian cities. He's in Halifax, for the Halifax International Security Forum, an annual gathering of allied military leaders and other defence and geopolitical experts. (And he thanks the organizers for inviting him back once more.) It's a great place for Matt to be as he and Jen discuss how Canada is responding thus far to Trump's win, specifically, why they have a bad feeling that Mélanie Joly doesn't realize she's be punted down to the kiddie table. They also chat about the ICC issuing arrest warrants for senior officials. They aren't that confident in Canada's response on that score, either.
Sigh.
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In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Nov. 15, 2024, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson take in a week that was incredibly busy, but also felt shockingly quiet. Maybe it's because we're all still deafened by all the news from last week?
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
First up: a quick review of what U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has already announced in terms of key staffing positions in his cabinet and White House political team. Some of them are very good, even if they might pose particular problems for Canada. Others are just bonkers. Jen remembers enough of Trump 1 to suggest that the bonkers is the point. Feature, not bug.
Matt takes over then and offers Jen a theory. He has been reading up about why certain large U.S. cities moved sharply toward the GOP this cycle, and agrees with an American columnist who suggested it was a rejection from the actual policy failures of progressive municipal leaders in the U.S., who are too captured by the appeal of what they're trying to do in theory to ever admit that it's failing in practice. Matt warns that that is likely to play out in Canada, and they then chat about how, across a number of fronts, Canada works in theory. But not in practice. And if we're going to survive Trump 2, we want to survive in practice. Not just in theory.
Next: two grim stories out of the GTA this week remind us anew of why our Jewish friends and family are so stressed out these days. It's not encouraging, folks. The trendlines are bad. Then Jen wraps it all up by proposing a radical suggestion: don't ruin Remembrance Day by trying to make it into something it's not. Just let it be what it is.
Dangerous thinking, eh?
All that, and more, the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like, subscribe, share, leave a glowing review, and as always, check us out at our main website, ReadTheLine.ca. -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Nov. 8, 2024, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson provided viewers and listeners with the scintillating experience of a sustained bout of silence, because they have no idea what to say.
Like, they also talk and stuff, but, like, wow. Right?
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
First up: a chat about the vibe. The feels. What they are thinking and feeling since the decisive electoral victory of Donald Trump over Kamala Harris this week. They take a look at the latest available numbers, and note the broader societal and political trends that they speak to. They discuss Trump's failures as a human being, and why the Democrats still somehow managed to convince 75 million people that they were fine, or even virtues. They talk about history, and how it feels when one age transforms into another.
It's all very uplifting.
Next: they zoom in on Canada, and speculate about what's next for us. Trump won't have Canada at the top of his shit list, but we might not be all that far from the top, given how Justin Trudeau and his government have made many public comments about Trump that we suspect the president-elect remembers. We talk about how Canada actually (and sincerely!) excelled at adapting itself to a global order that is now dead, and how we should have begun hedging our bets years ago. But we didn't, so now we need to adjust right now, all at once. And we aren't sure the Trudeau government will survive the G-forces such a sudden pivot is going to create.
Last up, and still on the topic of a changing world, your hosts note with alarm and sadness the pogrom in Amsterdam this week. And they add it to the list of things that Canadian officials ought to be worried about, but don't seem to be.
All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe! Tell all your friends! And check out the rest of our work at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded during the week of Oct. 28, 2024, Matt Gurney finds a way to make a podcast without Jen Gerson. And, it turns out, it involves bringing in Jen Gerson.
Okay, okay, let us explain: this episode of the podcast is different than normal since Jen is in Israel. So for the first segment, she joins Matt from her hotel room in Jerusalem for a talk about what she has seen overseas (and she has seen more than planned!) and also, how it's left her feeling. Feeling about the conflict itself, of course, but also feeling about humanity.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
Matt still had a whole podcast to fill, though, so after his chat with Jen, he got by with a little help from his friends. First up was David Shipley, an old friend and colleague of Matt's who is a former reporter, former soldier and, today, a cybersecurity expert at Beauceron Security, where he is co-founder and CEO. David recently saw a story in the CBC that made his blood run hot — the Canada Revenue Agency has timidly and belatedly acknowledged a major error, and the official reaction was ... nothing? No one cared. David wants us to get mad. Matt thinks he's right.
Next, Matt is joined by two friends, who happen to be seasoned political operatives. He has been wanting to get someone to answer — on the record! — a question about what it feels like to lose a campaign. What it feels like when a war room knows it's all going wrong. When the bad news keeps coming. When a winnable campaign starts to slip through your grasp. He has had a hard time finding people who wanted to talk about that — because, honestly, it's asking them to relive something that was upsetting and maybe even traumatic.
But he finally found his people! Mitch Heimpel is a regular contributor to The Line, and a consultant today, but spent years inside the Conservative Party of Canada as a staffer and war-room guy. He's with public-affairs firm Enterprise Canada. Erin Morrison has been a political communicator and strategist in two legislatures and at the House of Commons for over a decade, working for multiple NDP leaders. She’s been the director of communications and campaign deputy director on campaigns across Canada and federally. She’s the founder of Morrison Comms Inc.
It's an unusual episode of The Line Podcast, but we think a pretty good one, and we hope you enjoy it. God willing, Jen will be back to Calgary safe and sound by next week, and we'll get back to our normal episodes, but we hope this one tides you over. Like and subscribe! Tell all your friends! And check out the rest of our work at ReadtheLine.ca. -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Oct. 24, 2024, your hosts take a long, hard look at the federal stories that all came out this week and rub their temples long and hard.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.
The big story this week was the caucus coup/mutiny/insurrection/kerfuffle that ... wasn't. After weeks of speculation, the restless Liberals didn't even take their best shot. They basically wimped out and the PM thanked them for their donation. Sorry, we meant for their comments. We don't rule out there being another flare up later, especially if the polls remain so bleak, But if nothing else, the PM has a bit more breathing room than before. Matt told Jen that he thinks the lame munitineers have basically handed Pierre Poilievre the next election. And they probably, on some level, know that.
Also this week: a long talk about what the LPC used to change the channel from their internal problems. They've announced a big cut to immigration targets, and have come as close as they ever do to admitting they screwed up. But they're taking responsibility in such a grudging and timid way that it's reminding Matt of another election he can remember. It didn't go well for the incumbents. Jen also underlines, correctly, that the damage is done. The cut announced this week will feel big for the Liberals. But it won't be nearly big enough to actually begin to address the problems we now have. Those are baked in for years to come.
They end by chatting about two provincial elections that took place in recent days. In B.C., who knows? In New Brunswick, at least, we have a clear result!
All that, and much more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. To subscribe and read more, check us out at https://www.readtheline.ca/ -
In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Oct. 18, 2024, your hosts take a long, hard look at the federal stories that all came out this week and rub their temples long and hard.
This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.In Ottawa, well, gosh. That was a lot. Matt and Jen discuss, at length, what came out of the foreign interference inquiry this week. That includes everything Matt covered in his column, but also some of what he did not cover in the column, because there was just no way that any one article could even scratch the surface on that shitshow. They also chat about the serious allegations Canada has made against India, and why they find them plausible ... and why they wish the Conservatives and some of the right-leaning members of the media would stop treating this as a ploy by Justin Trudeau. It isn't. Stop saying it is. They also chat about the continuing signs of the Liberal party coming unglued, and politely request that the Liberals either toss Trudeau or stop talking about it, because we're getting bored.
Also: Jen checks out an Associated Press report on MAID, and is concerned. Matt is less concerned, but admits he's the weirdo. They also talk about how Canada had a pretty good thing going with immigration for a while, but ... we broke it. And that's lousy.
They end with two small notes: Jen with a shoutout to a viewer who asked a good question, and Matt offers a brief reflection on working with journalist Robert Fulford, who passed away this week. Our condolences to his family.
All that, and much more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. To subscribe and read more, check us out athttps://www.readtheline.ca/
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