The Andrew Lawton Show

With rampant inflation and a rising cost of living, Canadians can't catch a break. While life is getting more expensive in pretty much everywhere, government is the big beneficiary. A new report from the Fraser Institute breaks down how Canadians are spending more on taxes than they are on food, clothing, and shelter combined. True North's Andrew Lawton discusses with Kris Sims of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Also, critical theory has taken over Canadian schools, in large part because of a leftward shift in teacher training programs, a new essay charges. James Pew joins the show to talk about his piece "Transforming Children" in this month's C2C Journal. Plus, Andrew makes a big announcement, so you don't want to miss this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadians are turning on the immigration system, with recent polling showing Canadians think immigration rates are too high. This is Justin Trudeau's fault, True North's Andrew Lawton says. By setting arbitrary targets and making virtue signalling the goal over a sensible, measured approach to immigration, Trudeau has let the system get out of control. Can it be fixed? Also, the federal government has given the health minister, right now Mark Holland, the right to override Health Canada and unilaterally ban some products based on harm concerns – with no need for study or legislation. David Clement of the Consumer Choice Center says Canadians should be concerned about this consolidation of power in one person's hands. He joins the show to explain why. Plus, leaders around the world are condemning the sham election in Venezuela that Nicolas Maduro claims re-elected him. Ana Rizo of the Ladies of Liberty Alliance joins to discuss what's happening and why it matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The International Olympic Committee has apologized for the 2024 Paris Olympics' controversial opening ceremonies, which included a Last Supper depiction featuring drag queens and a "fat acceptance" activist playing the part of Jesus. The organizers insist that no mockery or offence was intended, but True North's Andrew Lawton points out that Christians are pretty well the only religious group anyone would dare make such a performance about. Also, Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta director Kris Sims went by Edmonton City Hall to take a stock photo and was shocked to find the area around it filled with garbage and urine. Cities across the country are falling into similar states with no one seemingly doing anything about it. Plus, a new report from the Aristotle Foundation finds that Canada and the United States have the most permissive approaches – making younger patients eligible for "invasive surgeries and/or potentially irreversible and medically harmful dispensation of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took aim at legacy media reporting on drugs at a London, Ont. press conferences, calling reporters "irresponsible" for interviewing the so-called harm reduction efforts who are profiting from the system and on whose watch things have gotten so out of hand. He also told True North's Andrew Lawton that he's open to making treatment mandatory but wants to see evidence on how or if it would work. National Post columnist Adam Zivo also weighs in. Plus, a new documentary from SecondStreet.org draws attention to the urgent need for healthcare reform. The organization's president, Colin Craig, joins the show to explain why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Trudeau and his office routinely bar and block independent journalists from attending their press conferences and otherwise having any opportunities to ask him questions. And yet, when Keean Bexte of the Counter Signal tracked Trudeau down to a Tofino beach, many of Trudeau's defenders said it was in poor form to hassle a man on a vacation with his family. True North's Andrew Lawton says he would agree if Trudeau didn't shield himself from journalists he didn't like during the rest of the year. Also, the Competition Bureau is looking at what it suspects might be "anticompetitive" practices guiding gas prices. Dan McTeague from Canadians for Affordable Energy joins to weigh in. Plus, despite how much politicians love to talk about free trade with other countries, there isn't even free trade within Canada. Interprovincial trade barriers are costing the economy $200 billion a year, a new report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says. CFIB interprovincial affairs director Keyli Loeppky joins the show to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Justin Trudeau has "failed" as a prime minister. But when asked if that means he'll pull the NDP's support for the Liberal government, Singh just said there's already a scheduled election coming in October 2025 and he just wants Canadians to know they have an alternative. True North's Andrew Lawton says it's clear the NDP and the Liberals are one party, so Singh should stop pretending otherwise. Also, a new decision by the Supreme Court of Canada allows judges to award compensation if Parliament or provincial legislatures enact unconstitutional legislation. However, legal scholars warn that the judiciary is vastly expanding its own authority here, and undermining democracy at the same time. Christine Van Geyn from the Canadian Constitution Foundation joins to discuss. Plus, the unemployment rate for temporary residents in Canada is double the national average, with skilled and educated immigrants unable to find work due in part to how the Canadian immigration system is structured. Immigration lawyer Siavash Shekarian joins the show to offer up a couple of possible solutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden has responded to the mounting calls for him to bow out of the presidential race by doing exactly that – announcing the suspension of his campaign on the weekend. Meanwhile, Trudeau is taking a leisurely family vacation in British Columbia as his party continues to drag in the polls. True North's Andrew Lawton wonders whether he'll finally take the hint. Also, the bureaucracy has grown in Canada by 42% since Trudeau took office, with 108,000 new public servants despite the population only growing by 14% in the same time. We discuss with Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Plus, gun control groups are in a panic over what they say is an "abandonment" by the Liberals of their commitment to getting rid of "assault-style rifles." Tracey Wilson of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights weighs in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Trudeau has said that the federal government will not provide funding to municipalities that don't build more homes. Sound familiar? It should, True North's Andrew Lawton says, as it's right in line with the "gatekeeper" messaging and policies that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been talking about. Also, major flooding in Toronto this week has exposed huge gaps in the city's infrastructure priorities, but Mayor Olivia Chow and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau say the real culprit is climate change. Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley joins the show to discuss. Plus, an American Home Depot cashier has been terminated after she was exposed on social media for having posted on her Facebook page that she wished the assassination attempt on Donald Trump had been successful. Is this an appropriate response or cancel culture gone too far? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said in his statement about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump that he was glad the shooter, identified as a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man, was dead, prompting a great deal of finger-wagging from the left and the legacy media. Is it okay to rejoice in the death of a bad person? True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in and discusses what things were like on the ground in Butler, Pennsylvania with Rachel Parker, who was reporting on the rally for her new show, Rachel and the Republic. Also, former congresswoman and 2012 presidential candidate Michele Bachmann joins the show to discuss what this means for the United States and the world. Plus, the federal government has forced banks to label carbon tax rebates as it tries to salvage the loathed carbon tax. Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joins to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Liberal poll numbers continue to drag, a new Globe and Mail story cites sources in Justin Trudeau's office putting the blame on Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland for "not being effective in delivering an upbeat economic message." The story also reports that the PMO has considered recruiting Mark Carney as finance minister. It was just a few years ago that Freeland's predecessor, Bill Morneau, was similarly knifed through PMO leaks, True North's Andrew Lawton asks if we are about to see one of Trudeau's most loyal foot soldiers thrown under the bus. Also, universities have become "exasperating" with hateful rhetoric getting a pass while discussions about free speech, EDI, and gender are censored. A new essay in The Hub from Concordia professor Zachary Patterson says there's still hope to purge universities of their "extreme leftist ideology." He joins the show to explain how. Plus, fossil fuel consumption has increased since the Kyoto Protocol and greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise following the Paris climate accord. So why are we inflicting economic harm on our country in support of net-zero measures that clearly aren't working? Fraser Institute senior fellow Dr. Kenneth Green joins the show to weigh in.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an interview this week that he likes young people more than older folks because they aren't set in their ways, while acknowledging that the youth who supported him in 2015 are now in their late 20s and can't afford homes. But he said it would have been even worse without him. True North's Andrew Lawton says it doesn't seem like that, and Canadians definitely aren't buying it. Also, Canada is getting dragged for not committing to spending two per cent of its GDP on defence, as is required of NATO allies. What is that figure and why does it matter? Retired vice-admiral Mark Norman joins the show to discuss. Plus, Canada has become a net importer of electricity for the first time as consumers face increased prices. This is all because of a flawed "decarbonized" energy strategy, researcher Philip Cross says. He joins the show to explain why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After getting hammered by Canadians and opposition politicians for paying out $14.9 million in bonuses last year, Canada's state broadcaster, the CBC, has quietly approved another round of bonuses for nearly 1,200 employees. True North's Andrew Lawton discusses with Franco Terrazzano of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Rights Probe executive director Bruce Pardy writes in a National Post column that corporate leaders betrayed capitalism when they jumped on the ESG and climate bandwagons. He joins the show to explain how. The renowned American journal Science published an article celebrating the rise of diversity-based hiring at the expense of relying on merit, but offered no evidence that diversity confers any academic benefit. Physicist Lawrence Krauss comes on the show to weigh in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre spoke to a crowd of thousands at the Calgary Stampede over the weekend, defending firearms owners and railing against censorship and what he called Justin Trudeau's "woke ideology." True North's Andrew Lawton says it's important to note how Poilievre is doing the opposite of what the media elites and political pundits have said for years conservative politicians need to do – and his poll numbers show him doing better than his predecessors. Also, Canada's ambassador for climate change has amassed $254,000 in travel expenses in less than two years. Saving the planet doesn't come cheap, does it? Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation weighs in. Plus, unionized workers from Ontario's liquor store monopoly, the LCBO, are on strike over their opposition to some alcoholic beverages being available in convenience stores, which they pretend is a threat to public safety. Andrew discusses with David Clement of the Consumer Choice Center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the Liberal government's controversial Online Harms Act passes, the "digital safety commission" the bill establishes will have 330 staff and cost Canadian taxpayers more than $200 million, the Parliamentary Budget Officer has said. True North's Andrew Lawton says even if it cost nothing, it would still be wrong, but it's especially bad that Canadians will have to pay the government to police how they use the internet. He discusses with Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner and Peter Menzies of The Rewrite. Also, are teachers' colleges the best way to ensure children are getting the best education they can? A new piece in the Hub from Caylan Ford, the founder of the Alberta Classical Academy, says no. She joins to explain why not. Plus, Andrew will be speaking at the 2024 Freedom Talk in Alberta this weekend about the decline and fall of western civilization, among cheerier subjects. Conference organizer Danny Hozack returns to the show to talk about what the stakes are and why the conversation matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chrystia Freeland continues to sit on the trustee board for the World Economic Forum while serving as Canada's deputy prime minister and finance minister. She and the Canadian delegation spent over $40,000 in travel costs attending this year's meeting, but it's not clear what Canadians got out of it. She has provided only generalities about her agenda there, even in a reply to specific questions about her meetings from Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis. True North's Andrew Lawton discusses. Also, Justin Trudeau says he needs to be reelected because democracies are under threat around the world. Plus, a judge has granted an injunction to the University of Toronto to clear out the anti-Israel encampment at the school. Josh Dehaas from the Canadian Constitution Foundation joins to discuss. And the federal government wants all cars to be electric or hybrid by 2035. Economist Ross McKitrick says this mandate could destroy the auto sector. He returns to The Andrew Lawton Show to explain how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Liberal member of Parliament has sent a letter to caucus calling for Justin Trudeau to step aside as Liberal leader and prime minister, but Trudeau said on the weekend that he isn't going anywhere, insisting he is "committed" to seeing things through until the next election. Also, the federal government isn't content enough to subject Canadians to their unpopular carbon tax: the Liberals have also spent $1.7 million promoting carbon taxes in other countries. Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joins to discuss. Plus, the number of hydromorphone pills seized by police in London has skyrocketed by 3,000% since the expansion of the city's 'safe' supply program in 2020. National Post columnist Adam Zivo joins the show to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Alberta NDP's new leader, Naheed Nenshi, wants to sever ties between his party and the federal NDP led by Jagmeet Singh. True North's Andrew Lawton says it's hard to blame them given how insignificant a political entity the federal NDP is, as evidenced by its particularly poor performance in this week's St. Paul's byelection. Also, a deep dive into Alberta's relationship with Ottawa featuring Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz – including how Alberta is pushing back against the carbon tax, the plastics ban, the oil and gas industry gag order, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Trudeau says he's not going anywhere after the Liberal party's embarrassing loss in Toronto—St. Paul's. Today, Liberal cabinet ministers have been lining up to say they have confidence in him while pledging to do better to listen to Canadians. True North's Andrew Lawton says it's clearly too little too late, although Trudeau is the only one who doesn't see it (or refuses to acknowledge it). Also, this week the government is fighting in the Federal Court of Appeal to defend its plastics ban – a ban predicated on the false claim that plastic is "toxic." The Canadian Constitution Foundation is intervening in the case against the ban. CCF litigation director Christine Van Geyn joins the show to discuss. Plus, did rampant antisemitism help drive Liberal voters to the Conservatives in Monday's byelection? An upstart third party group called Jewish Ally campaigned to mobilize Jews and their allies to support Tory candidate Don Stewart, who narrowly won the race. Jewish Ally founders Andrew Kirsch and Stephen Taylor join the show to discuss why they did it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most Liberals went to bed thinking they had won the Toronto–St. Paul's byelection, but when all the ballots were counted, the Conservatives had managed to narrowly take hold of the Liberal stronghold, electing Don Stewart as the newest MP. These results are catastrophic for Justin Trudeau, True North's Andrew Lawton argues. He discusses with longtime political journalist and author Paul Wells, and then brings in National Post columnist Rahim Mohamed. Do you think Trudeau will resign over this? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The long-awaited Toronto—St. Paul's byelection is today, and Liberal cabinet ministers have descended on the Liberal stronghold to try to get the vote out at a time when Justin Trudeau is twenty points behind Pierre Poilievre in national polls. While the Liberals may still win the riding, they have spent the last two weeks trying to lower expectations to soften the embarrassment that may be coming to them, True North's Andrew Lawton says. Also, Naheed Nenshi is now the Alberta NDP leader. We'll talk about what that means with Lindsay Wilson from Alberta Proud. Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta director Kris Sims returns for her Monday checkin talking about the high-flying catering bill Trudeau racked up on one of his foreign trips. Plus, despite claims from anti-Israel activists that Israel is “starving” Gazans, the facts show a different story. Andrew discusses with Honest Reporting Canada assistant director Robert Walker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an established fact that foreign actors have interfered in Canada's democracy and are likely to continue to do so. And yet the federal Liberal government hasn't been interested in figuring out, let alone disclosing, which parliamentarians have made this easier. In this edition of The Andrew Lawton Show, Andrew catches up with Macdonald-Laurier Institute managing director Brian Lee Crowley for a discussion about foreign interference and the state of Canadian democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The parents of a young woman who battled terminal cancer before ending her life through assisted suicide are suing the Catholic-run St. Paul's Hospital for transferring her to a hospice that offered MAID instead of providing it where she was. They say the hospital and the province of British Columbia violated her Charter rights. True North's Andrew Lawton says if so-called MAID is going to continue to expand, conscience rights for facilities and practitioners that want nothing to do with it need to be protected. Also, the City of Toronto is forging ahead with its renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square to “Sankofa Square.” But the whole exercise is based on a lie about Henry Dundas. Andrew discusses with historian and former member of Parliament Lynn McDonald. Plus, new research from the Fraser Institute shows that parents want teachers to focus on teaching facts and not giving their own opinion or “interpretation” in the classroom. Do you agree? Education policy analyst Paige MacPherson joins the show to unpack the numbers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest poll shows the Conservatives with a twenty per cent lead over the Liberals, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says not to worry, it's just because Canadians aren't in “decision mode” right now. He says the way people vote is different from how they answer pollsters' questions. Do you agree, or is Trudeau in the most severe case of denial Canada has ever seen? Plus, anti-Israel activists at McGill University are under fire for running a “revolutionary” youth summer camp, promoted with images of young people wearing keffiyahs and holding a rifle. National Post columnist Barbara Kay has wondered where all of the university Jewish studies programs have been with antisemitism on campus so rampant. She joins the show to discuss. Plus, a new study finds there is no link between a company's ESG (environmental, social governance) score and its financial returns, so why are shareholders being told there is? Andrew digs in with Fraser Institute senior fellow Steven Globerman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Trudeau has refused to say whether any Liberal members of Parliament are implicated as collaborators with foreign governments in the unredacted NSICOP report. True North's Andrew Lawton discusses with law professor Ryan Alford, who has a lawsuit against the government seeking immunity for parliamentarians who divulge classified information within parliamentary proceedings. Also, Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta director Kris Sims return to talk about why the government seems to wish its carbon tax calculations were a state secret. Plus, most of Canada's poor are white, so are DEI programs missing the mark? David Hunt from the Aristotle Foundation joins to discuss his findings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The British Columbia Conservatives – a party that elected no MLAS to the B.C. legislature last election – are surging in the polls, with the current official opposition, B.C United (formerly the B.C. Liberals) haemorrhaging support and even several caucus members to the Conservatives. Why is this change happening? In this edition of The Andrew Lawton Show, B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad joins for the entire episode to discuss his vision for British Columbia – including healthcare choice, parental right, energy development, and more – and why he thinks that message is resonating with voters in a way it hasn't for his party in decades.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An NDP member of Parliament has accused Poilievre of “courting incels” and implied that he will turn Canada into Gilead, the fundamentalist dystopia from Margaret Atwood's “The Handmaid's Tale,” if elected. While amusingly unhinged, True North's Andrew Lawton points out that these sorts of attacks will only get worse if the Conservatives retain their lead in the polls. Also, as the federal government continues to eye an expansion of its assisted suicide regime to include those struggling only with mental illness, a new documentary produced by Rebel News exposes the dark underbelly of this “compassionate” program. Filmmaker Sheila Gunn Reid joins the show to discuss. Plus, Canadians have still never been given much in the way of answers about exactly what happened with the two scientists affiliated with the Chinese military who were working at Canada's National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg and are still, police claim, under investigation. Author Peter Shawn Taylor of C2C Journal has explored this in a two-part series, “The Vials and the Damage Done: Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory Scandal.” He returns to the show to dig in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Trudeau says “populist right-wing forces” are taking hold in democratic countries around the world, insisting that he chooses to respond to anger by offering “understanding” and “solution.” True North's Andrew Lawton says it seems like Trudeau is willing to blame his polling unpopularity on anyone and anything other than himself and his record. A former safe supply advocate, Dr. Sharon Koivu, has now been outspoken about the harms of distributing drugs to those suffering from addiction as a harm reduction tool. In her own city of London, Ont., she has seen patient deaths increase while prescriptions continue to be diverted to the streets. She joins The Andrew Lawton Show to explain how it went so wrong. While the federal government insists there is no business case for Canadian LNG, foreign heads of state continue to say they'd like to buy LNG and a new export terminal is nearing completion in British Columbia. So what's the real story? Andrew discusses with Macdonald-Laurier Institute senior fellow Philip Cross. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has inadvertently conceded that middle class Canadians are worse off now after nine years of her and Justin Trudeau's power in government, defending the capital gains tax increase by saying the wealthy have to live in gated communities and fly on private jets to stay away from the angry ordinary folks. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in. Also, it's not just the super rich who are being targeted – Canadian doctors are raising alarm bells about what the capital gains tax increase means for them given so many doctors use their professional corporations to save for retirement. Canadian Medical Association president Dr. Kathleen Ross joins the show to discuss. Plus, it's Monday, so Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is back to talk about the federal government trying to gag oil and gas companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Liberal campaign to downplay foreign interference in Canadian democracy continues with one MP, Jennifer O'Connell, telling Conservatives today to “get over it.” The revelations from the NSICOP report this week show the problem is far worse than most Canadians realized. Journalist Sam Cooper of The Bureau joins The Andrew Lawton Show to discuss. Plus, political reaction from Conservative MP Adam Chambers and a look at the uncertainty the Liberals have created on their capital gains tax hike plans. Also, are media bailouts working? Professor Lydia Miljan joins the show to talk about her new report showing they really aren't. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trust in the legacy media is in continued decline, and doesn't show any immediate signs of reversing. In a recent column, writer Peter Menzies pointed to the media's mishandling of the residential school unmarked grave story over the past three years as a crucial example of this, but there are others. Can the media regain this lost trust, and should government be subsidizing newsrooms that Canadians aren't interested in supporting? Menzies joins The Andrew Lawton Show to discuss. Also, has wokeness in education gone too far? The Heterdox Academy at Wilfrid Laurier University is bringing in two education researchers later this month for a discussion about what the Ministry of Education is promoting in your kids' schools. Prof. Geoff Horsman joins to weigh in on this and the broader state of academic freedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The report released yesterday from NSICOP, the parliamentary national security committee, says that some parliamentarians have “wittingly” worked to assist foreign powers – including China – meddle in Canadian politics. The report doesn't name them, but True North's Andrew Lawton says Canadians deserve to know who these politicians are. Also, National Post journalist Adam Zivo revealed audio recordings showing the extent to which harm reduction activists were prepared to disrupt a conference of their critics in Vancouver – including a plan to dye the water in the conference hotel fountain red, intimidate attendees, and even spray people with a fire extinguisher. Does this mean they're losing the debate? Zivo returns to the show to discuss. Plus, a new documentary exposes the lesser-known consequences and challenge associated with green energy initiatives. Filmmaker Heidi McKillop joins the show to talk about ‘Generation Green', which premieres today in Calgary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pride festivities in Winnipeg were disrupted by pro-Palestine protesters demanding, among other things, the removal of police from Pride demonstrations, divestment “from corporations and institutions that fund or profit from the occupation of Palestine and climate chaos,” and a refusal to allow “Zionist organizations” to participate in Pride events. A Philadelphia Pride event similarly devolved into chaos. Meanwhile, a poll shows declining support for LGBT rights among Canadians. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in. Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation returns for her regular Monday checkin, this week taking a look at the controversial bonus payouts at the Bank of Canada. Plus, summers in Ottawa are predicted to be especially tense in 2024 due to public sector unions opposing a government directive requiring civil servants to work in the office three days a week. Aaron Wudrick joins to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wokeness – or cultural socialism, as Prof. Eric Kaufmann puts it – is destroying Western civilization. The ideology has taken hold of almost all Western institutions, instilling identity politics and DEI in the place of freedom and pluralism. The dire nature of the situation is explored in a new book by Kaufmann, “The Third Awokening: A 12-Point Plan for Rolling Back Progressive Extremism.” He joins True North's Andrew Lawton in today's edition of The Andrew Lawton Show for an in-depth look at where we are, how we got here, and, more importantly, how we fix it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Trudeau coasted to victory in 2015 with a promise of “sunny ways.” Now, almost a decade letter, defeat looks inevitable after three terms rocked by scandals, ethics violations, and a cost-of-living crisis pushing Canadians to seek change. A new book by journalist Stephen Maher chronicles Trudeau's “turbulent reign.” Maher joins Andrew Lawton to discuss Trudeau's cult of personality, contempt for his critics, his relationship with the media, and other themes explored in Maher's book, “The Prince.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After several European countries announced their recognition of Palestine as a state, Liberal MP Salma Zahid now says she's pushing Justin Trudeau's Liberal government to do the same. True North's Andrew Lawton explains why this isn't the path to peace that activists think it is. Also, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing beer and wine sales into convenience stores ahead of schedule, challenging the Beer Store's retail monopoly. Grant Dingwall of Free My Booze joins to discuss. Plus, despite Trudeau's promise that “Canada is back” on the world stage, American lawmakers have reprimanded Canada for falling short of its NATO-committed defense spending. Does this matter? Andrew chats about it with Macdonald-Laurier Institute senior fellow Richard Shimooka. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Liberal government is mulling a plan to be put forward by Immigration Minister Marc Miller to give legal status to people in Canada illegally. This comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau conceded that Canada's immigration system has allowed in more people than the country has been able to “absorb” in recent years. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in. Plus, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is taking CBC to task over its unwillingness to disclose the details of executive bonuses. Kris Sims returns to give the low-down. Also, law professor Bruce Pardy has written a thoughtful essay in C2C Journal about how the rule of law has given way to the managerial state in Canada and other liberal democracies. He joins the show to explain what this means for liberty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew is away this week, so Canadian Taxpayers' Federation Alberta Director, Kris Sims, will be hosting the show! A new survey reveals 58% of Canadians are aware of the proposed capital gains tax changes, but only 24% view them favourably, with 35% opposed. Kris explains why Canadians are concerned about these proposed changes. Also, if current trends persist, by 2030 nearly all legacy newsroom salaries will be funded by the government. Former CRTC vice chair Peter Menzies joins the show to discuss. Plus, while Canadians are feeling the strain of increased government spending, how are our British counterparts faring? Kris Sims takes a look across the pond with Elliot Keck of the U.K. Taxpayer's Alliance. And finally, Parks Canada is spending $12 million on a program to eradicate European fallow deer on Sidney Island, B.C., employing foreign sharpshooters rather than local hunters. Carson Binda of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joins to explain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew is away this week, so Canadian Taxpayers' Federation Alberta Director, Kris Sims, will be hosting the show! On this special edition of The Andrew Lawton Show, Kris looks at the Conservatives latest push to remove House Speaker Greg Fergus, after he reportedly included a partisan attack in an advertisement promoting an upcoming event. Will the Liberals continue to defend him, or will they finally give in? Plus, a daunting report from Food Banks Canada reveals that Canada is at “a critical turning point,” as 1/4 of people aged 18 to 24 are using food banks and visits to the food banks are up 50%. Also, the federal government is planning to launch its mandatory buyback program for “military-style” firearms in 2025, turning it into an election issue. Tracey Wilson of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights joins to discuss. Plus, the Trudeau government's plan to ban new gas and diesel vehicles by 2035 may overwhelm Canada's power grid. Former Liberal MP Dan McTeague returns to explain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew is away this week, so Canadian Taxpayers' Federation Alberta Director, Kris Sims, will be hosting the show! On this special edition of The Andrew Lawton Show, Kris takes a deep dive into Canada's cost of living crisis, examining how despite a slight slowdown in inflation, rising gas prices continue to worsen. At the same time, Canada is set to refinance one-third of its $1.4 trillion debt this year at higher interest rates, significantly increasing costs for taxpayers. Will there be any relief for Canadians? Also, newly released documents show Canada spent almost $3 million to send a delegation to COP28 in Dubai, nearly double what was initially reported. Franco Terrazzano of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joins to discuss. Plus, the Trudeau government's proposed ban on new gas and diesel vehicles by 2035 may overwhelm Canada's power grid. So why are they still pushing this agenda? Tune into The Andrew Lawton Show, guest hosted by Kris Sims! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The CRTC has delayed implementation of its Online Streaming Act – the law that allows the government to control what you see on platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and podcast databases – until “late 2025,” a postponement that more than likely kicks it to after the next federal election. True North's Andrew Lawton says this might be a bit of a reprieve for Canadians who want the governments hands off their content. Also, while healthcare is in the provincial domain, it's federal gatekeepers who are preventing Canadians (except those living in Quebec) from accessing healthcare choice. SecondStreet.org president Colin Craig says this is an opportunity for federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. He joins the show to discuss. Plus, Saskatchewan's court of appeal has upheld the government's former restriction on outdoor gatherings. This comes the same week as British Columbia's Supreme Court upheld B.C.'s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. Charter Advocates Canada litigation director Marty Moore returns to weigh in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to deflect a feisty question from a reporter wondering why he's still there when he and his party are so dismally unpopular in the polls despite throwing everything at the wall to turn things around. He insists he is delivering for Canadians and isn't the problem. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in. With auto thefts at an all-time high, Ontario is moving to revoke driver's licences from repeat car thieves. Criminal lawyer Ari Goldkind joins to discuss. Plus, Alberta under Premier Danielle Smith has put its own sovereignty and jurisdiction front and centre in a way the province hasn't in recent memory. Professor Barry Cooper, one of the architects of the province's sovereignty act, joins to discuss Alberta's present and future place in Confederation, which he expands on in a new essay for C2C Journal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The RCMP's long-awaited review of its response to the Freedom Convoy is out, showing that officers were concerned they had been politicized by the federal government's handling of the protest. Crucially, the RCMP has called out the government for “misrepresenting” police information, or claiming information came from the police when it didn't. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in. Also, the Ontario government is cracking down on cell phone use in classrooms, but education advocates say the ban doesn't go far enough. Fraser Institute researcher Paige MacPherson joins to discuss. Plus, young Canadians are less likely to couple up and the ones that do are having fewer and fewer children. Dr. Tim Sargent of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards joins to unpack Canada's fertility crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Police in Calgary and Edmonton moved in on anti-Israel encampments at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta on the weekend, while McGill University in Montreal is fighting in court today for an injunction to clear the occupation on its campus. More than two years ago, the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act to clear out Freedom Convoy demonstrators in Ottawa – a decision that has since been ruled unconstitutional by the Federal Court. Where is the line between a legitimate (albeit disruptive) protest and an illegal occupation? True North's Andrew Lawton discusses with Canadian Constitution Foundation lawyer Josh DeHaas. Weeks after the federal government finally conceded there might be too many temporary foreign residents in Canada, Immigration Minister Marc Miller has suggested one way to decrease the numbers – convert them to permanent residents instead. Also, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's annual Teddy Awards – honouring the very worst in government waste – have been released, with a federal agency a lifetime achievement award for paying seniors to talk about their sex lives and CBC being honoured for paying millions of dollars in executive bonuses. CTF federal director Franco Terrazzano joins the show to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was ejected from the House of Commons yesterday after refusing to withdraw a comment that Justin Trudeau was a “wacko” (although he offered to replace it with “extremist” and “radical”). The pearl-clutching Liberals and journalists should be less focused on tone-policing and more on governing, True North's Andrew Lawton says. Plus, a new documentary, Covid Collateral, exposes the harms of lockdowns and the censorship of scientists throughout the pandemic. Filmmaker Vanessa Dylyn joins to discuss. Plus, it's the four year anniversary of the order-in-council that prohibited over 1500 types of firearm and promised a two year “buyback” that has so far never materialized. Rod Giltaca of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights weighs in on where things stand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed that his efforts to keep criminals behind bars will be constitutional, telling the Canadian Police Association he will “make them constitutional using whatever tools the constitution allows me to use to make them constitutional. I think you know exactly what I mean.” It looks like he's teasing the first ever federal use of the Charter's notwithstanding clause. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in on why that matters. Also, the capital gains tax hike proposed in the federal budget is the ‘final nail in the business investment coffin,' one economic analyst says. Jake Fuss from the Fraser Institute joins to explain why. Plus, British Columbia has asked the federal government to reverse its pilot project on decriminalizing drug use in public spaces just one year into the three year trial. Is this finally a recognition of failure on the part of the drug-permissive B.C. government? Centre for Responsible Drug Policy founder Adam Zivo joins to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to a Hill Times report, Justin Trudeau has told Liberal members of Parliament not to worry, because despite the Conservatives' large lead over the Liberals, this will all get sorted out next year. True North's Andrew Lawton says any Liberal MPs serious about their political futures should be showing Trudeau the door right about now. Also, anti-Israel protesters at McGill University in Montreal have established an encampment to demand the university divest endowment funds from Israel and cut ties with Israeli academic institutions. Columnist and Montrealer Barbara Kay joins the show to discuss. Plus, new data show that carbon emissions in British Columbia have continued to rise despite the province's long-running carbon tax. Why should Canadians keep going along with this? Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation weighs in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As more and more people sound alarms about the implications of the Liberal government's latest budget, Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland are still saying it's a budget that injects “fairness” into the Canadian economy. This comes as the Canadian and Ontario governments each pony up $5 billion to create 1,000 jobs creating electric vehicles and batteries for Honda. True North's Andrew Lawton digs in with Aaron Wudrick of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Also, activists and the government say extreme weather events are the fault of climate change and justification for aggressive environmental policy – but according to the data, this just isn't true. Andrew unpacks with Dr. Kenneth Green from the Fraser Institute. Plus, what should government do – if anything – about Canada's low birthrate? Andrew sat down with Crestview partner Ginny Roth at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference in Ottawa to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Liberal government continues to drag in the polls, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has set out to put himself out in front of more Canadians – evidently of the mind that he's the solution and not the problem. In one podcast interview this week, Trudeau accused Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of feeding into angry populism rather than providing solutions. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in. Also, Canadian Armed Forces soldiers who were expelled because they didn't get vaccinated against COVID-19 have received waivers allowing them to return to work. Is this a step in the right direction or too little too late? Lawyer Catherine Christensen of Valour Law joins to discuss. Plus, the federal government says plastic is a toxin – using that argument as a rationale to regulate and restrict plastics. This comes as a massive U.N. summit convenes in Ottawa with the goal of setting up a “plastics treaty.” Andrew unpacks with plastics scientist Chris DeArmitt of Phantom Plastics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been nearly four years to the day since the Liberal government prohibited more than 1,500 types of firearms and set in motion a “buyback” to confiscate the lawfully-owned guns from their owners. Since then, not a single gun has been acquired. In fact, Alberta and Saskatchewan have put up roadblocks making it next to impossible for the government to confiscate guns in those provinces, and now Canada Post has said it wants nothing to do with the buyback, dashing federal hopes that the Crown corporation could manage the firearm pickups and transfers. True North's Andrew Lawton weighs in. Also, a massive U.N. summit has convened in Ottawa with the goal of setting up a “plastics treaty.” Andrew discusses with Chris DeArmitt of Phantom Plastics. Plus, is defunding CBC as easy or desirable as it sounds? Andrew shares an interview with Jen Gerson, co-founder of the Line, recorded at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference. Antisemitism has become the new normal in Canada with the tacit or even explicit endorsement of political leaders. Andrew talks about it with author and broadcaster Dahlia Kurtz, author of the new book “Dear Zionist, You Are Not Alone.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Footage from a weekend anti-Israel rally shows protesters openly cheering for Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, referring to it as a sign that Palestinians are almost free and calling for Oct. 7 to become “every day” for Israelis. Antisemitic protesters feel safe enough in their views that they no longer feel the need to mask their Jew hatred with terms like “anti-Zionist,” True North's Andrew Lawton points out, noting that calls for dead Jews should terrify, but not surprise, us. The federal government spent $2.2 million in legal fees trying to defend its use of the Emergencies Act in Federal Court, only to get a decision that broke the law in doing so. Also, CBC is getting tens of millions of dollars more from the feds but the president of the state broadcaster won't even do an interview with a CBC journalist. Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joins to weigh in. Plus, a United Nations summit taking on plastic is starting up in Ottawa this week. What does this mean for Canadian consumers and businesses? Vinyl Institute president Aiñe Curran joins to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An increasing number of young Canadians can't afford to buy a home, but Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says not to worry: a lifetime of renting can give “more freedom” and make people feel “liberated,” calling home ownership an outdated concept. True North's Andrew Lawton says it's a convenient way to avoid solving the housing crisis, and also markedly similar to the controversial “own nothing and be happy” trope advanced a few years back by a World Economic Forum author. Also, Andrew shares his full fireside chat with Premier Blaine Higgs about federalism, conservatism, and parental rights, filmed live at the Canada Strong and Free Network's annual conference in Ottawa last week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices