The Hill Times' Hot Room

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The Hot Room is a podcast by The Hill Times, Canada's all-politics, all-the-time newspaper in the heart of Parliament Hill. We talk to politicians, experts, and other reporters about the biggest stories of the day. Hot Room podcast theme music written and performed by Gavin Gardiner for The Hill Times.

Hill Times Publishing


    • May 16, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 21m AVG DURATION
    • 222 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Hill Times' Hot Room

    Carney's missing budget, with Mostafa Askari

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 23:08


    Mark Carney's finance minister, François-Philippe Champagne, says the government isn't releasing a budget this year. Peter Mazereeuw digs into why, what that means, and how the government gets its money, with the help of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy's Mostafa Askari.

    'Ally is a verb': How to do your part for reconciliation, with Rose LeMay

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 19:43


    Author, columnist and CEO Rose LeMay joins The Hot Room to discuss her new book, Ally is a Verb: A Guide to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

    'This really is an intergovernmental struggle': The view from Alberta, with Jared Wesley

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 18:35


    Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Jared Wesley, a political scientist at the University of Alberta, about how Albertans are taking the election of another Liberal government, Danielle Smith vs. Mark Carney, and the tensions between East and West. 

    What you need to know about the party platforms, with Kevin Page

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 28:37


    "There's executive risk all over these platforms," says former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page, now with the University of Ottawa's Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy.  Page takes a high-level look at the Liberal and Conservative party election platforms with Peter Mazereeuw.

    Why you should believe the polls, with Frank Graves

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 26:53


    Ekos Research pollster Frank Graves joins The Hot Room to discuss the historic Liberal collapse and resurgence in opinion polls over the past year, why men and women are so far apart in their party preference, and the conservative activists rejecting opinion polls that show their party trailing. 

    Hot Room explainer: The 'third party' advertisers filling up your screens

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 15:06


    Canada Proud? Protecting Canada? Hill Times reporter Stuart Benson joins the podcast to talk about the so-called "third party" groups behind political ads posted on trucks and spamming your screens.

    'No magic math'—Why cutting waste won't fund election promises

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 26:40


    Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Sahir Khan, an expert in government finances at IFSD, about election promises from Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre to cut wasteful spending in government—and what the next prime minister should really do to get taxpayers the best bang for their buck.

    Carney's cabinet, Trump in trouble: Peter Mazereeuw gets you up to speed

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 13:14


    Hot Room host Peter Mazereeuw reviews the building pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump over his trade war, and walks you through the highlights of Mark Carney's cabinet choices. 

    How to win the trade war, with Flavio Volpe

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 23:12


    Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Flavio Volpe, the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association of Canada, about Donald Trump's chaotic approach to imposing and removing tariffs on Canada. Volpe weighs in on how Canada's political leaders how fared so far, and how Canada can win the fight. 

    Local leaders fighting the trade war, with Rebecca Bligh

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 20:05


    Rebecca Bligh, the president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, joins the Hot Room to talk about how she and Canada's mayors are pushing back against a trade war with the U.S., and what tariffs could mean for your town or city. 

    9-minute mini-pod: A look at high-speed rail, and the week ahead in politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 8:51


    Peter Mazereeuw walks you through Justin Trudeau's high-speed rail proposal, and what's happening in the week ahead in this solo mini-pod. 

    'To fight Trump, he's going to become Trump'

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 18:54


    Peter Mazereeuw speaks with conservative strategist and Hill Times columnist Gerry Nicholls about Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's pivot to a new message, as the Liberals choose a new leader and Donald Trump takes aim at Canada.

    How to make Canada better in a crisis, with Alasdair Roberts

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 21:49


    Peter Mazereeuw talks with Alasdair Roberts about the reasons Canada's governments have struggled to work together to achieve big things, and how to build better political practices to help Canada survive through the tumultuous years ahead.  Roberts is a professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts and author of The Adaptable Country: How Canada Can Survive the Twenty-First Century.

    Eric Miller explains the tariff war

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 22:06


    Eric Miller is a Washington-based trade consultant who used to work in Canada's government. He joins The Hot Room to explain the how a trade war between Canada and the United States is likely to play out, and how it could affect ordinary Canadians. 

    Frank Baylis on his bid for the Liberal leadership

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 22:15


    Frank Baylis talks with Peter Mazereeuw about his campaign for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. 

    'Amateur hour on the Rideau,' with Sheila Copps

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 21:11


    Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Sheila Copps, a former deputy prime minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government, about Chrystia Freeland's resignation from the cabinet and the troubles plauging the Liberal Party. 

    The sales tax holiday, with Corinne Pohlmann

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 13:30


    Host Peter Mazereeuw explains how the government might pass legislation to create a two-month sales tax holiday through a House of Commons paralyzed by a Conservative filibuster. Then, he speaks with Corinne Pohlmann, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business's vice-president of advocacy, about the challenges facing businesses that will have to implement the temporary tax break. 

    How to lower housing prices, with Carolyn Whitzman

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 25:07


    The Hot Room takes another look at the housing shortage with Carolyn Whitzman, a PhD in urban planning and author of, Home Truths: Fixing Canada's Housing Crisis. 

    How dirty money gets into Canadian politics, with Jessica Davis

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 26:11


    Foreign actors have been funding crime and democratic corruption in Canada. Jessica Davis of Insight Threat Intelligence explains how the money gets in, what it's used for, and how we can help authorities to stop it. 

    Lots of cash, no strings attached: Jerry DeMarco on the Net Zero Accelerator program

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 23:04


    Canada's environment commissioner, Jerry DeMarco, rejoins The Hot Room to talk about his audit of the government's Net Zero Accelerator initiative. DeMarco's team found that the government has awarded billions to businesses without requiring any commitment that the money will be spent effectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

    The immigration cutback, with Elizabeth Long

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 23:09


    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a significant cut this week to the number of temporary and permanent immigrants who will be admitted to Canada in the coming years. Peter Mazereeuw speaks to Elizabeth Long, an immigration lawyer and partner at LM Law Group in Toronto, to get her perspective on this shift and what it could mean for immigrants who have already settled in Canada, and those who want to. 

    India vs. Canada, with Bhagwant Sandhu

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 27:54


    Hill Times columnist Bhagwant Sandhu weighs in on the dispute between Canada and India, and what you need to know about the politics of Indo-Canadian communities.

    What the heck is going on in the House?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 15:31


    Hill Times reporter Irem Koca joins The Hot Room to explain the fight over documents that has led to a week-long filibuster in the House of Commons. 

    Health Minister Mark Holland, on the new pandemic readiness organization

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 19:46


    Peter Mazereeuw talks to Health Minister Mark Holland about the launch of HERC, or Health Emergency Readiness Canada, a new organization that will fund pharmaceutial research and manufacturing, and help coordinate the government's response to future pandemics.

    Confidence votes: how, why, and when

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 23:10


    Peter Mazereeuw talks with Yaroslav Baran, a Pendulum Group consultant and former chief of staff to a government House leader, about how confidence votes work, and how the big parties will strategize around them in the coming months.

    EVs from China? The Hot Room debates

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 27:04


    Hill Times columnist David Crane and Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association president Flavio Volpe debate the best way forward for Canada, as China aims to export high-quality, low-price electric vehicles around the world.

    The end of S&C, confidence votes, and the NDP

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 18:18


    Former NDP strategist Karl Bélanger joins The Hot Room to discuss NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's move to withdraw from his party's "supply and confidence" deal with the governing Liberals, and what it means for the months ahead.

    Fall priorities, with NDP House Leader Peter Julian

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 23:42


    Peter Julian, the House leader for the New Democratic Party, speaks with Peter Mazereeuw about the upcoming return of Parliament, the NDP's supply and confidence agreement with the Liberals, and more. 

    Fixing the temporary foreign worker program with Ratna Omidvar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 27:33


    Senator Ratna Omidvar speaks with Peter Mazereeuw about the problems with Canada's temporary foreign worker program, and how the federal government could make it better for migrant workers and businesses that rely on them.

    $9.1-million out the door, and counting: checking in with the Foundation for Black Communities

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 16:45


    Peter Mazereeuw talks with Nneka Otogbolu and Leah Sanford of the Foundation for Black Communities about the 100-plus Black charities funded by their organization so far, their call for more Black community members to help them choose new recipients, and more. 

    The crisis in Venezuela, with Ben Rowswell

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 28:15


    Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Ben Rowswell, the convenor of the Circle for Democratic Solidarity and Canada's last ambassador to Venezuela, about the crisis unfolding in that country. 

    Palace intrigue in the PMO, with Sheila Copps

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 26:33


    Former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps joins The Hot Room to discuss rumours, leaks, and the fortunes of Justin Trudeau, Chrystia Freeland, and Mark Carney. 

    Trump, NATO, and submarines, with Steve Saideman

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 27:16


    Peter Mazereeuw talks with Stephen Saideman, the director of the Canadian Defence and Security Network and Paterson chair in international affairs at Carleton University, about the NATO leaders' summit in Washington; what a Trump presidency would mean for the alliance; Canada's commitment to the two per cent target; and its plan to buy a new batch of attack submarines. 

    Inside the Senate, with Raymonde Saint-Germain

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 25:51


    Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain talks to Peter Mazereeuw about the Senate reforms passed this spring, what will top the Red Chamber's agenda this fall, and gives a warning to the government about its use of omnibus bills. 

    Heading into summer, with MP George Chahal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 28:44


    Host Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Calgary MP George Chahal about the city's water crisis, the last weeks of the parliamentary session, the life of an MP in the summer, and his advocacy to stop the deportation of Jaskirat Singh Sidhu.

    politics heading mp jaskirat singh sidhu
    Green Party Leader Elizabeth May explains the foreign interference report

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024 32:25


    Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is one of just a few MPs who have seen the unredacted version of a new report on the work foreign governments have done to corrupt Canadian politics. She joins The Hot Room to tell us what she took away from that report, and what needs to change. 

    How Quebec fits into the next federal election

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2024 27:08


    McGill University's Daniel Béland joins The Hot Room to explain what Quebecers make of the federal parties vying for power, and why.  

    Foreign interference, and what we should do about it, with Lynette Ong

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2024 27:13


    Host Peter Mazereeuw interviews Lynette Ong, an expert on power and authoritarianism in China at the University of Toronto. Ong explains how and why China's government tries to shape political outcomes in other countries, and what Canada and its political parties can do to protect themselves.

    Charlie Angus on politics in 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024 27:08


    NDP MP Charlie Angus is preparing to wrap up a 20-year career in federal politics. He joined The Hot Room to talk about his career, why he's not running for re-election, and the state of Canadian politics in 2024. 

    'Summer of discontent': Chris Aylward on the return-to-office order for civil servants

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2024 19:57


    Chris Aylward, the leader of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, joins The Hot Room to talk about the government's plan to require civil servants to spend more time working from the office, and how his union plans to push back this summer.

    MP Scott Reid: The House rules

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2024 26:31


    MP Scott Reid joins the The Hot Room to talk about his proposal to stop governments from changing the rules of the House of Commons without consent from the opposing parties.

    Fixing family medicine, Part 2, with Dr. Kathleen Ross

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 22:30


    Kathleen Ross, a family doctor and the president of the Canadian Medical Association, speaks with Peter Mazereeuw about the changes that could set Canada's ailing family medicine systems back on track. 

    Jane Philpott on how to fix health care

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2024 19:26


    Former health minister Jane Philpott comes on the podcast to talk about how to fix Canada's ailing primary health systems, and her new book, "Health for all: A doctor's prescription for a healthier Canada."

    Should political parties be exempt from privacy laws?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2024 21:59


    Canada's political parties are fighting a court battle to avoid federal privacy laws—and the government is taking their side. Hill Times reporter Ian Campbell joins host Peter Mazereeuw to explain why and how.

    The online hate speech bill, with Justice Minister Arif Virani

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 23:50


    Justice Minister Arif Virani joins The Hot Room to talk about his controversial bill to crack down on online hate speech, 'revenge porn', and more.  

    Brian Mulroney: the person, the politician, with Arthur Milnes

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2024 26:01


    Host Peter Mazereeuw talks to Arthur Milnes about his years working with late former prime minister Brian Mulroney. 

    How the Haida Nation is securing self-goverance

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2024 25:54


    The Haida Nation's governing council will soon get legal recognition from the federal government. It's on its way to settling the nation's land claims. Gaagwiis, the president of the Haida Nation, joins the Hot Room to talk about the Haida, and what legal self-governance means for their future. 

    Mini-pod: Joly in Israel, and the week ahead in politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 4:01


    Peter Mazereeuw takes you through a four-minute preview of the week to come in Canadian politics, including Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly's visit to the Middle East.

    The Foundation for Black Communities

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 17:08


    In February of 2023, the federal government gave control over a $200-million fund to the Foundation for Black Communities. The non-profit FFBC is responsible for channeling that funding into projects led by Black Canadians that aim to make life better for Black communities in Canada. Peter Mazereeuw talks with the FFBC's Leah Sanford and Michelle Musindo about the work they're doing, and why it's needed.

    Trudeau's rules for A.I.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2024 21:25


    The Hot Room digs into the Trudeau government's bill that aims to create new rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in Canada. Stuart Benson and Peter Mazereeuw discuss the bill, and what comes next.

    Stolen cars and the Port of Montreal

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2024 15:27


    Journalist Les Whittington joins The Hot Room to share what he's learned about why the Port of Montreal is a key cog in the theft and export of cars in Canada, and why the government hasn't been able to fix the problem.

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