The Line

In this engaging conversation, Jen Gerson and royal watcher Patricia Treble, author of WRITE ROYALTY on Substack, discuss the recent visit of King Charles III to Canada, focusing on the significance of his throne speech and its geopolitical implications. They explore the role of the monarchy in Canadian sovereignty, the authority of King Charles in delivering the speech, and the reactions from both Canadian and British perspectives. The discussion highlights the evolving relationship between Canada and the monarchy, emphasizing the importance of the crown in contemporary Canadian identity.This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the  Métis Nation of Ontario. In Northern Ontario, a Métis harvester checks his snares as his ancestors have done for generations. Meanwhile back in town, Métis leaders gather with government officials. They've been doing this for decades. Not because they were asked politely. But because the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2003 that Métis communities in Ontario exist, their Indigenous rights are real, and they must be respected. Métis rights in Ontario are settled in law and governments have a duty to consult them before decisions impacting their way of life are made. Whether it's a new mine, transmission line, or legislative changes meant to fast-track projects, consultation with Indigenous peoples, including the Métis, cannot be skipped. The Métis helped built this country. They must be included in its growth. Visit OntarioMétisFacts.com to learn more.In the second segment, they talk Royal Tea! Particularly the latest with William and Catherine; Meghan Markle/Sussex's latest projects, and Prince Harry whining on the BBC about his security needs. 

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 30, 2025, Matt and Jen assess the early days of Prime Minister Mark Carney's government — and wonder if things are moving fast enough.Parliament is back, the procedural stuff is over, and it's go-time in Ottawa. Matt asks whether Carney is pushing hard enough out of the gate — how fast can this ship really go? Jen offers up a strange and oddly perfect anecdote from her family's recent experience in Calgary that captures the challenge ahead. Matt warns her it's 10 million times worse than she thinks. (You won't believe what the issue is. It's bonkers.)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 the second segment, Matt reports back from the CANSEC defence conference in Ottawa. He's impressed by the technology on display — drones, sensors, weapon systems — but worried that our political and procurement systems are still operating at a glacial pace. The war in Ukraine has shown how fast warfare is changing. Canada isn't keeping up. Jen suggests that urgency will arrive as soon as someone's bombing our cities. Cool.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth.Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't.Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more.In the third and final segment, your Line editors dive into one of those long, winding, philosophy-meets-culture chats that you'll either love or hate. If you just want the politics, you're free to bail out now. But if you want some deep thoughts on the rise (and possible fall) of Jordan Peterson, and what it tells us about right-wing celebrity in the algorithm age… well, pour yourself a drink and settle in. It gets deep. In a good way.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. If you're enjoying the show, share it with a friend, post about it online, or shout it into the algorithm void. Maybe you'll end up being our next leading public intellectual on social media. 

This week on On The Line, we've got a packed episode with three sharp conversations on three very different fronts — monarchy, cybersecurity, and continental defence.This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth. Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't. Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more.First up, Matt Gurney speaks with Philippe Lagassé — associate professor at Carleton University and one of Canada's top experts on the Crown — about the visit by King Charles to Canada. But more than that, they talk about the subtle tension between Ottawa and London. Phil explains how royal visits actually work, why Canada has the right to ask for one, and what happens when the Brits don't exactly approve. Matt wonders if this is one of those true “Asshole Canada” moments — and Phil says it might be. He also says he'll be adding this visit to his lecture slides.Next, David Shipley of Beauceron Security joins the show to talk about a recent wave of cyberattacks that took down grocery chains in the U.K. While those attackers seem to be financially motivated criminals, the fragility of food distribution systems is becoming alarmingly clear. David warns that if a hostile actor ever wanted to cripple a food supply, it wouldn't take much — and based on what he's seeing, Canada is not remotely ready for that scenario.Finally, Matt has an extended conversation with Scott Clancy, a retired RCAF major-general, former director of operations at NORAD, and now a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. They walk through the so-called “Golden Dome” — the massive new U.S. missile defence effort. What threats is it actually meant to counter? How does it work? And can Canada seriously partner with the U.S. on this kind of program while Washington is simultaneously taking a more aggressive posture toward us? It's a tough geopolitical moment, and Scott doesn't dodge any of it.As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it with a friend, post about it online, or send it to your favourite monarchist or missile silo commander. We're not picky.And don't forget: On The Line drops Tuesday mornings on audio, with the video version rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and across our social channels. If you're more of a watcher than a listener, stay tuned tonight — and follow us to catch the drop.Thanks for listening. We'll see you next week.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 23, 2025, Matt and Jen check in on the early turbulence of the Carney era.First up: the new cabinet. There's a new energy minister visiting Calgary, staffing delays across the board, and yes — god help us — Marco Mendicino is still around. That's bad news for almost everyone, but possibly justice of a sort for Mendicino himself. They also start to sketch out what could prove to be Carney's eventual undoing. Along the way, Matt makes a rare — and oddly impassioned — defence of Justin Trudeau: no, he says, Trudeau wasn't great. But he wasn't as bad as some Liberals now seem desperate to believe.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 the second segment, your hosts look ahead at the storm clouds gathering. A royal visit. A looming postal strike. And Jen has a message for the posties: doing this twice in one year might come back to bite you. Then Matt walks through Trump's latest missile defence announcement — yes, the so-called “golden dome” — and raises a pointed question: is Canada about to join a multi-hundred-billion-dollar ballistic missile defence system? If so, is this an elbows-up or elbows-down moment? And more importantly: did anyone ask Mike Myers first?This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth. Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't. Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more.Finally, Matt and Jen turn to a grim and serious story: the brutal murder of two young Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. They discuss the how it really shouldn't be this hard to stake out a moral position on this issue, and yet, some people sure did find a way to screw it up. From there, Matt explains how a cascading failure of institutions — police, courts, politics — has created a dangerous void in Canada. And, tragically, the people being failed first and hardest are Canadian Jews.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. If you're enjoying the show, share it with a friend, post about it online, or yell it at the mail carrier before they go on strike. We'll take it.

In this episode of On The Line, The Line's Jen Gerson interviews David Perlich, a CBC producer and Vatican analyst, about his experiences covering papal conclaves. They discuss the intricacies of the conclave process, the role of Cardinals, and the dynamics of voting for a new pope. Perlich shares insights from his time in Rome, the historical significance of the events, and the unique pressures faced by cardinals during the election. The conversation also touches on the cultural implications of having an American pope and the broader context of religion and politics.This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth. Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't. Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more. In the second segment, they talk about how Perlich went from a gay southern Alberta farm boy, to almost-Jesuit, to a CBC producer and in-house Vatican analyst. They discuss the secular culture of newsrooms, and why journalists more inclined to view religion as a mental illness can't tear themselves away from the spectacle of a conclave. Lastly, they dig into the geopolitical implications of an American pope. Is he a Woke Pope? Or do Vatican politics transcend the earthly realm and the culture wars? As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it with a friend, post about it online, or just drop it into the group chat. You know the one.And don't forget: new On The Line episodes drop Tuesday mornings on audio, with the video version rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and across our social channels. Prefer to watch? Stay tuned tonight — and follow us to catch the drop.Thanks for listening. We'll see you next week.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 16, 2025, Matt opens with what he claims is a harmless anthropological observation about Alberta. Jen hadn't noticed it before — but to her surprise, she agrees. And no, it shouldn't piss anyone off. (Probably.)From there, they move on to the first days of Mark Carney's duly elected government. Matt is... fine. Everything that's happening is exactly what he expected, and he finds that oddly reassuring. Jen is not fine. Because it's exactly what Matt expected — and that's the problem.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 the second segment, a rare note of patriotic pride: Matt and Jen agree that the actual machinery of Canadian democracy — voting, counting, elections — has typically worked very well. But this time around, there were issues. Not dramatic ones, but real ones. And if we want to keep the system trustworthy, we're going to need to fix them — even if that means triggering a by-election or two just to make sure the count is clean.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth.Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't.Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more.Finally, it's time for a vibe check. The cancel culture era has, by Jen and Matt's reckoning, died a fast and richly deserved death. But the pendulum is already swinging — hard — and it's going to crash back into the exact same authoritarian instincts, just with a different aesthetic. So once again, The Line will find itself taking fire from both sides. If you like having a podcast that still tries to make sense of things from somewhere in the sane zone, well ... you'd better like and subscribe. It's the only way we stay uncancellable.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And if you're enjoying the show, post about it, tell a friend, or shout it from whatever ideological trench you currently occupy. We'll still be here, dodging the incoming.

In the latest episode of On The Line, Matt Gurney dives into the geopolitics of trade and the early days of a new Canadian government.First up, Ian Lee from the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University joins Matt to talk about the so-called “deal” recently announced between the United States and China. Ian isn't here to defend Donald Trump — and says so clearly — but he also offers a sharp take on how Trump's erratic approach to trade could still end up a political win for the U.S. That is, of course, if Trump can stay out of his own way. If he can? If his plan works? The implications for Canada? Not great. Especially if you're a fan of the auto sector.This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth.Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't.Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more.Later in the show, Jamie Carroll — Liberal member of The Line's Anti-Panel — returns to talk about the first few weeks of Mark Carney's term as prime minister. He and Matt unpack how the Liberals are settling into their new minority, what the Conservatives are doing (or not doing), and why the NDP still can't seem to catch a break — even after all that's happened.As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it with a friend, post about it online, or just drop it into the group chat. You know the one.And don't forget: new On The Line episodes drop Tuesday mornings on audio, with the video version rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and across our social channels. Prefer to watch? Stay tuned tonight — and follow us to catch the drop.Thanks for listening. We'll see you next week.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 9, 2025, Matt and Jen round up the week in Canadian politics — and things are getting weird again.They start with Pierre Poilievre's decision to run in an extremely safe riding and tap Andrew Scheer as the party's interim House leader. Matt says both choices radiate loser energy. But he also mounts a reluctant defence of the Tories — agreeing, to his dismay, with the Twitter mob: the CPC can run better campaigns, but it can't beat the bogeyman version of itself that lives rent-free in the heads of many Canadians. He argues that if Poilievre had gone to the Oval Office and done exactly what Mark Carney just did, word for word, the reaction would have been scorched-earth. But when Carney does it, it's praised (and Matt agrees that Carney did well!). Jen pushes back — hard. She says the Conservatives need to stop whining about perception gaps and just fix what they can fix. Fatalism is not a strategy.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 the second segment, they turn to the provinces. Matt delivers an update on Ontario, which is — by his account — a smouldering pile of nonsense. He brings a few choice examples. Then Jen takes a deeper dive into Alberta separatism and what's fuelling it. They might take a few detours along the way, but you knew that already.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth.Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't.Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more.Finally, Jen surprises Matt with a gut-check on a theory she's been turning over — something that crosses the wires between politics and religion. It's going to make someone mad. But after a pause, Matt decides it's probably not cancel-worthy. Probably.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. If you're enjoying the show, share it with a friend, post about it online, or shout it across a church pew. We won't judge.

In this episode of On The Line, Israeli ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed sits with Jen Gerson to discuss the evolving situation in Gaza, the ongoing hostage crisis, and Israel's strategic objectives in the region. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth.Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't.Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more.Jen asks him outright if Israel can really trust America as its primary and most crucial ally. Moed highlights Israel's unique legal framework that accommodates diverse religious courts, contrasting it with Western perceptions. The discussion shifts to Canada's emergency visa program for Gaza residents, addressing the challenges faced at the Rafa border crossing. Moed also touches on geopolitical tensions affecting Canada's sovereignty and the international community's response. Finally, the conversation explores economic innovation, with Moed sharing insights on Israel's resilience and collaborative spirit in technology and problem-solving.For more, visit ReadTheLine.ca. 

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 2, 2025, Matt and Jen debrief the end of a long, weird federal election — and everything it upended.They start with what surprised them about the results and how the political map has scrambled in unexpected ways. Then, naturally, they pivot to constitutional monarchy. Why? Because it works. And because Matt is now on a mission to figure out how he can see the King when he comes to Ottawa to deliver the Speech from the Throne. He's serious. He wants in. He'll wave little flags and everything.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 segment two, Jen is furious about new legislation introduced by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to lower the threshold required to trigger a referendum. Jen calls it chickenshit — and dangerous. She argues it opens the door for grifters and bad-faith actors to manipulate the process and vulnerable people. Matt wonders why the Alberta NDP is doing nothing with this gift-wrapped opportunity. And seriously: where is Naheed Nenshi? What, exactly, is he waiting for?This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Innovative Medicines Canada. With a new government in place, one thing remains clear: Canada must continue to prioritize patients and healthcare innovation. Innovative Medicines Canada is focused on collaborating with all levels of government to improve access to life-saving medicines and develop a healthcare system that prioritizes patients, ignites innovation, and drives economic growth. Canada's innovative medicines sector plays a critical role—not just in health outcomes, but in keeping us competitive on the global stage. That's why, even during a moment of political change, Innovative Medicines Canada is staying focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians. And as Canada moves forward with national pharmacare, Innovative Medicines Canada believes it's possible to expand access without limiting choice—by strengthening what works and fixing what doesn't. Visit innovativemedicines.ca to learn more. Finally, your hosts turn to the fate of Pierre Poilievre. With the party licking its wounds, will a leadership fight break out? And if it does, will The Line take sides? No — but we will sell weapons to, and publish op-eds from, all factions. That is our declaration. We're just here for the content. So Conservatives? Fire up those typewriters. All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. If you're enjoying the show, share it with a friend, post about it online, or shout it across a pub. That's what we do.

In the latest episode of On The Line, Matt Gurney is joined by Gregory Jack, senior-vice president of public affairs at Ipsos Canada, as they do their best to unpack what the hell just happened on Monday night. And what might happen next.In the first half, they go tactical. Matt and Greg walk through the horse race numbers — who's up, who's down, and who pulled off a surprise. The Conservatives outperformed their polling numbers. The left-wing vote largely consolidated around the Liberals. And a few party leaders lost their seats in results that caught even close observers off guard. Greg brings the data. Matt brings the questions. Together they sketch out what actually happened on election night.This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.In the second half, they zoom out to a strategic overview. What does this election really mean? For the NDP, the road ahead is murky: do they rebuild slowly or try to bounce back fast by rolling the dice with an election ASAP? For the Conservatives, it's an open question whether they'll work with the Liberal minority — or move straight into siege mode. And for Mark Carney, the real challenge is just beginning. He has a minority government strong enough to last a while, but too fragile to do anything big or bold. Matt and Greg agree: this isn't the worst-case scenario, but it's pretty close. Canada remains stuck in political drift — and that drift could last a long time yet.This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. For generations, Métis communities in Ontario helped build Canada's first great economy — the fur trade. They farmed, traded, raised families, and fought for their rights. In 1993, they founded the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) to protect their future. In 2003, the Supreme Court affirmed their rights. In 2023, Canada recognized the MNO as the Métis Government in Ontario. Now, with a newly elected federal government, it's time to move forward. The MNO is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to advance the government-to-government relationship; resolve outstanding historic Métis claims; improve access to health care, mental health, and addictions services; and invest in Métis housing, education, and infrastructure. Generations of leadership brought us here. It's time to get it done. Learn more at OntarioMetisFacts.com.As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it with a friend, post about it online, or just drop it into the group chat. You know the one.And don't forget: new On The Line episodes are normally available Tuesday mornings on audio, with the video version rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and across our social media channels. (We are delayed by one day this week due to the election.) If you prefer to watch, stay tuned tonight — and make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss it.Thanks for listening. We'll see you next week.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on April 25, 2025, Matt and Jen take stock of the final days of the election campaign — and of Canada's increasingly bizarre political mood.Matt kicks things off by previewing his upcoming final column before election day. He spoils it a little, of course. His basic argument? The Liberal pitch to voters rests on one of two assumptions: either Mark Carney is a once-in-a-generation political superweapon, or Justin Trudeau was uniquely, almost historically bad. Matt doesn't buy the latter. And even if you accept it, he asks, what does it say about a party that enabled Trudeau for so long? The case for Carney, in the end, is also the case against Carney's party.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.Then Jen takes the mic to preview her own final column — and she isn't pulling any punches. She lays into the Conservatives for blowing what could have been an easy win, letting grievances and resentments cloud their judgment. They also debate the state of the polls, where their interpretations diverge, and dig into the deeper generational divides shaping this election. Jen uses some, uh, vivid imagery to make her point. Matt is not impressed.This episode is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. For the past five years, TikTok has been investing in Canada — hiring hundreds of employees for well-paying jobs in Toronto and Vancouver, and contributing over $1.4 billion in GDP to Canada's economy. However, TikTok has been ordered to shut down its Canadian operations. This will be a chilling precedent for global companies considering investing in Canada and will cost jobs in areas like software development and ad sales, which create opportunities for Canadians to work in global tech. It's in Canada's best interest to find a way forward that keeps local teams in place to support the success of Canadian creators, artists and small businesses on the platform. Whichever party forms government, it will have an opportunity to demonstrate that we're open for business, while addressing security concerns and fostering a thriving tech sector.Facts matter. Shutting down TikTok Canada eliminates jobs and stymies investments in Canada. Let's find a solution for TikTok that makes sense for Canadians.Finally, your hosts bat cleanup on a few lingering election issues, before zooming out to the broader picture: how American political chaos has warped our own national discourse. But there's a twist — Jen and Matt consider the possibility that American institutions might actually be starting to reassert themselves. And if so, why Canada's best protection against the worst of Trump might, weirdly, be Trump himself.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. 

In the latest episode of On The Line, Jen Gerson reunites with journalist Justin Ling for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the federal campaign — and the increasingly surreal experience of covering it.This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.They start with a deep dive into media access and how different parties are managing (or dodging) scrutiny. The Liberals are tightening the screws. The Conservatives are sticking to their message. Everyone's walking a careful line — and that's changing the way the campaign feels on the ground.They also touch on the recent leaders' debate: what worked, what didn't, and how each leader showed up. Ling has thoughts on Mark Carney's strategy, Pierre Poilievre's performance, and what the entire spectacle tells us about voter sentiment heading into the final stretch. The two also explore Canadian housing policy, debate stage dynamics, and the often awkward role of the Debate Commission in the new media age.This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. It's 1833 in Penetanguishene, five years since the Métis were forced to relocate from their home on Drummond Island. Métis families had petitioned for a church. They wanted ceremony and community. With their own hands, they raised St. Ann's — a cedar log church where baptisms, marriages, and kinship ties would bind the Métis community across the generations. But they had no priest. So, they began to write letter after letter, advocating for the Métis community. Eventually, a priest arrived, beginning to formally record long-existing relationships within the Métis community, and generations of Métis families' stories to come. Two hundred years later, St. Ann's Church is now built of stone, but the Métis community in Penetanguishene will never forget its humble origins, which rallied their community in the wake of their 1828 relocation.Historic Métis communities in Ontario are real. They are resilient. And they played an important part in building Canada. Learn more at OntarioMetisFacts.com.Later in the episode, Jen is joined by Mike Colledge from Ipsos for the weekly update on the issues that are motivating the electorate as we head into the home stretch of this election. Mike looks into Ipsos's archive of data and gives Jen (and the listeners) a read on what the numbers are showing — and why tone, not just policy, might decide this election.As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it with a friend, post about it online, or just drop it into the group chat. You know the one.And don't forget: On The Line drops Tuesday mornings on audio, with the video version rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and social media. If you're more of a watcher than a listener, keep an eye out tonight — and make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss it.Thanks for listening. We'll see you next week.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on April 18, 2025, Matt and Jen unpack the weirdest Canadian federal election in recent memory. The race feels like it's tightening, there are reports of massive early turnout in the advance polls, and nobody knows what it means — which, as Matt points out, usually means something is breaking, but no one can say for sure what or in whose favour. Carney remains the presumed frontrunner, despite the fact that no one is particularly blown away by him. But given that the alternatives haven't really landed a punch ... 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.Then it's debate time. The format was bad — truly bad — but the moderators did their best with it. That didn't stop social media from swallowing the whole thing in real-time hot takes and reaction clips. Blanchet probably shouldn't have been there. Carney did fine. Singh was present, but seemed to waste his ammo on Poilievre. Speaking of the CPC leader, he won on points. But the bigger question is whether any of it moved a single vote.This episode is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. For the past five years, TikTok has been investing in Canada — hiring hundreds of employees for well-paying jobs in Toronto and Vancouver, and contributing over $1.4 billion in GDP to Canada's economy. However, TikTok has been ordered to shut down its Canadian operations. This will be a chilling precedent for global companies considering investing in Canada and will cost jobs in areas like software development and ad sales, which create opportunities for Canadians to work in global tech. It's in Canada's best interest to find a way forward that keeps local teams in place to support the success of Canadian creators, artists and small businesses on the platform. Whichever party forms government, it will have an opportunity to demonstrate that we're open for business, while addressing security concerns and fostering a thriving tech sector.Facts matter. Shutting down TikTok Canada eliminates jobs and stymies investments in Canada. Let's find a solution for TikTok that makes sense for Canadians.In the final segment, your hosts reflect on the tension just off the debate stage — including a shouting match between various factions of the media that were present. The debate commission clearly wasn't ready for something that was honestly quite foreseeable. The legacy media is still clinging to its traditional role even as that role keeps shrinking. Jen and Matt consider whether the old guard is ready to share the stage with the new independents, even (or especially) badly behaved ones. Spoiler: probably not.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. If you're enjoying the show, send it to a friend, post about it online, or shout it across a parking lot. We'll take any help.

In the latest episode of On The Line, Matt Gurney sits down for an unusually personal — and sometimes raw — conversation with Marcus Kolga: human rights activist, anti-corruption crusader, and a man who's been sanctioned by both Russia and China. That wasn't a figure of speech. He's literally sanctioned by both regimes.This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.They talk about what it's like to become a target of foreign interference — how it happens, what it feels like, who's behind it, and what they do. It's not just smear campaigns and trolling. There are reputational hits, financial costs, and personal tolls. Kolga explains how the interference machine works and shares some rare good news: he's finally getting some institutional support, and that isn't something everyone targeted can count on. But there's a reason foreign interference rarely dominates the political conversation — both major parties would rather not talk about it. As Matt and Marcus discuss, it's bad for the business of politics — except, of course, when you can blame the other team for doing it. Sigh.This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. After years of denial and misinformation, an independent expert panel of Métis historians and knowledge holders has affirmed what we have always known: Métis communities in Ontario are real, resilient, and are connected to the Métis Nation. Just as the iconic Métis sash is woven by many threads, it was never just one thread that held Ontario's historic Métis communities together. As the panel outlined, the national definition of Métis is woven just like the sash. It includes family and kinship connections, collective political action, shared culture like music, dancing and family values, and a shared way of life deeply connected to the lands and waters. The threads of historic Métis communities in Ontario are strong and have endured more than 200 years. To learn more, go to OntarioMetisFacts.com.Later in the episode, Gregory Jack, senior vice president of public affairs at Ipsos, returns to the show with the latest polling and political insights. He and Matt talk about the (maybe?) narrowing race, the rising public demand for infrastructure development, and why it's still so hard to get shovels in Canadian ground. Even with support, small but vocal opposition groups continue to slow things down. Greg also notes a darker turn in the campaign's tone — as things tighten, the political attacks are getting nastier.As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it with a friend, post about it online, or just drop it into the group chat. You know the one.And don't forget: new On The Line episodes are available Tuesday mornings on audio, with the video release rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and across our social media channels. If you prefer to watch, stay tuned tonight — and follow us to catch the drop.Thanks for listening. We'll see you next week.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on April 11, 2025, things get unexpectedly emotional right out of the gate. Jen opens with a raw reflection on the state of public discourse in Canada — how partisanship is melting brains, how the media is under attack, and how political parties have become so addicted to campaigning that they've forgotten how to govern. Jen reminds Matt that he lives in a society, not alone on an island. He says he gets that, but he'd like to build a fortress on that island. He agrees with where Jen thinks things are going. He's just stopped feeling bad about it and has moved on to the doing-things-about-it stage.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.From there, they turn to the federal election campaign. The CPC campaign has problems. The LPC has different problems. They dig into the signs that the Liberal party is simply not taking concerns about Chinese influence in its GTA operations seriously — Carney may be a new leader, but they're certainly reading from the Trudeau playbook, probably because these guys stopped being able to tell the difference between a danger alarm and a "Fuck Trudeau" flag years ago. Matt also thinks the party leaders are just tired. They need a proper meal and a good night's rest.This episode is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. For the past five years, TikTok has been investing in Canada — hiring hundreds of employees for well-paying jobs in Toronto and Vancouver, and contributing over $1.4 billion in GDP to Canada's economy. However, TikTok has been ordered to shut down its Canadian operations. This will be a chilling precedent for global companies considering investing in Canada and will cost jobs in areas like software development and ad sales, which create opportunities for Canadians to work in global tech. It's in Canada's best interest to find a way forward that keeps local teams in place to support the success of Canadian creators, artists and small businesses on the platform. Whichever party forms government, it will have an opportunity to demonstrate that we're open for business, while addressing security concerns and fostering a thriving tech sector. Facts matter. Shutting down TikTok Canada eliminates jobs and stymies investments in Canada. Let's find a solution for TikTok that makes sense for Canadians. In the final segment, Matt recaps a speech he attended this week from the president and CEO of TransCanada Energy. The message? Canadians should aspire to be actual leaders in the field of energy exports, particularly to Asia, and what that would require in terms of building infrastructure ... and political will. It's a theme Matt picked up in his column this week. It shouldn't feel so revolutionary to hear a CEO say it, but ...This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. 

In the latest episode of On The Line, we take a look (through our fingers, which are covering our eyes) at what's happening with the markets, and whole economies, around the world. Guess we'll be delaying retirement a few extra years, eh? This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.To unpack all that is happening, Jen Gerson speaks with Professor Barry Eichengreen. The professor is an American economist and economic historian who is the George C. Pardee and Helen N. Pardee Professor of Economics and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. And he is worried that this is the big one, an economic crisis to rival the Great Depression. He highlights the volatility in the markets, the weakening of the U.S. dollar, and the potential for long-term damage to international economic relations. The discussion also touches on the role of cryptocurrencies and the challenges faced by Canada in navigating these turbulent economic waters.This episode is also brought to by the Métis Nation of Ontario. It's Sault Ste. Marie, 2025. In a quiet room filled with maps, parish records, and the voices of history, a story long denied is finally told. For too long, Métis communities in Ontario had been questioned, overlooked, and denied. But after reviewing more than 50,000 pages of evidence, visiting the seven historic Métis communities in Ontario, and hearing from 160 Métis Nation elders, youth, scholars, and leaders — the truth is clear. The Métis National Council's Expert Panel report is the most comprehensive, transparent, and objective study ever conducted on Métis Nation communities in Ontario. The report rejected politically motivated misinformation. And it confirmed that the seven historic Métis communities in northern Ontario are — and have always been — part of the larger Métis Nation and meet the National Definition of Métis. For the Métis Nation of Ontario and their citizens, this report was a vindication. For more, go to OntarioMetisFacts.com.After that, Jen is joined by Mike Colledge from Ipsos, to provide an update on what issues are driving the electorate. Mike looks inside Ipsos's vast stores of data and shares with Jen what one of the next major issues in Canada could be: social cohesion.As always, like and subscribe at our main page, ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it far and wide. Spread the word of The Line.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on April 4, 2025, Jen spends a lot more time talking about her internal anatomy than Matt had expected. But he more or less kept his game face on.He thinks.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.They first talk about the campaign, of course. The latest and greatest there. It's been a quiet campaign. There were some candidate flameouts, which they discuss. Poilievre had some comments about female breeding windows, and they chat about that, too. They also talk about the unavoidable reaction by Canadian politicians to what's coming out of the U.S., even if it's not quite as bad as feared. This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by TikTok Canada. TikTok is focused on securing its platform during the federal election, and a key part of this effort is TikTok Canada's local employees — who understand our culture, languages, and political system. Having these local employees here is clearly in Canada's interest, however, TikTok Canada has been ordered to shut down its local operations and to lay off these employees. This just doesn't make sense. The next government has an opportunity to find a solution in Canada that protects well-paying jobs and billions in economic investment — while addressing security concerns and fostering a thriving tech and creative sector. Let's find a solution for TikTok that makes sense for Canadians. After that, your hosts move on to a comment by Mark Carney that caught Matt's attention this week. Matt doesn't disagree with the comment, per se. He certainly agrees with the idea behind it — in a changing world, Canada has to step up and do more. He's just not sure Carney realized what country he was talking about when he said what Canada is ready to actually do. We are deterred by sticks of foreign butter! Come on.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready. Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.To wrap up, Jen talks about her recent column on Alberta separatism, why she still has doubts, and Matt helpfully weighs in from Toronto to explain WHAT'S WRONG WITH ALBERTANS. Because he knows how much they love it when he does that. He just wants to remind them that they are still his second favourite province. And that ain't bad.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like and subscribe at our main page, ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And if you're enjoying The Line Podcast, share it with a friend, post about it online, or just yell at someone on the bus. We won't judge.

In the latest episode of On The Line, the key issue is why the Conservative campaign is already being rocked by internal fighting — is the campaign going that badly? Our first guest tackles that issue — Stephanie Levitz joins the show from the Globe and Mail, where she is a reporter covering the campaign. Despite all the doom and gloom, the Conservatives are actually having a decent campaign — their polls have softened a bit, but they're still very competitive. What's behind the angry leaks?This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Westinghouse. Canada's energy future is being shaped by the choices we make today. Westinghouse is 100% Canadian-owned and brings the world's most advanced, operational Gen III+ reactor — the AP1000® — proven, safe, efficient, and ready now. It can be brought online within a decade, delivering clean, reliable power when we need it most. Canada needs energy. Westinghouse is ready.Learn more at westinghousenuclear.com/canada.Steph and Matt talk about the CPC campaign to date, and in a lot of ways, it's a great campaign. They also talk about the campaign the CPC planned to have, and why it might be hard for Pierre Poilievre in particular to make a pivot to something closer to what the voters he needs want to hear. They also chat about the recent flood of angry complaints from inside the CPC house, and especially the very public spat between the federal Conservatives and the Ontario Progressive Conservatives — a long-simmering fight that has now spilled out into the open. And for all of that, Matt makes a small confession to Steph: he's starting to get the feeling that the CPC is maybe, just maybe, going to be able to pull off a win after all. He explains why.This episode is also brought to you by the Mêtis Nation of Ontario. It's Moose Factory, 1890. For generations, the Métis had been the backbone of the Hudson's Bay Company, working as trappers, traders, voyageurs, and labourers. But in Moose Factory, they did something even greater — they helped build Canada's original economic engine — the fur trade.   In the blacksmith shop, William Moore's hammer rings as he and other Métis shipwrights form ships, sleds, and canoes to carry goods and furs across vast distances. For decades, the Hudson's Bay Company relied on the Métis' ingenuity, hard work, craftsmanship, and knowledge of the land. It was their work that ensured the success of the fur trade, and their skills that kept Canada's supply lines moving. From shipbuilding to blacksmithing, the Métis of Moose Factory helped build Canada. To learn more, go to OntarioMétisFacts.com.After Matt wraps up with Steph, Gregory Jack, senior vice president of public affairs at Ipsos, joins Matt for a quick update on the latest numbers. Most interesting is signs of a growing divide in Canada. It's not just along partisan lines, or even regional ones. It's generational — people over 55 and under 40 are living in almost totally different Canadas. And if the young people show up and vote — always a big if, but if — it could be a very surprising election day.As always, like and subscribe at our main page, ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And if you're enjoying On The Line, share it with a friend, post about it online, or just yell at someone on the bus. We won't judge.Thanks for listening — 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 March 28, 2025, your hosts get dark. And deep. And psychological. And have a few inappropriate giggles. Matt almost gets himself cancelled and The Line shut down by quoting a bad lyric ... but stops himself just in time. Been that kind of a week, 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.They start by talking about how foreign policy continues to drive the campaign. More tariffs. A threat to the auto-sector. A phone call, at last, between Mark Carney and Donald Trump — and apparently a very civil one. This is a rare campaign — one that is truly being driven by events beyond our borders. And thus far, it's all unfolding to Mark Carney's advantage.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 ForestryForTheFuture.ca.After that, your hosts talk about the campaign itself. What's working well for the major parties — and both of them do have some things going for them. What's the danger they face, especially the Conservatives, who seem to be struggling to adapt to a campaign that doesn't look anything like the campaign they were expecting. And also, and they don't say this to be mean, but seriously ... where is Jagmeet Singh? Seriously. Has anyone heard from him? Is he okay? They talk at some length about why the "oppo" attacks against Carney aren't landing, and why Jen is starting to think that Poilievre's path to moral righteousness might mean ... giving up.Oh, and Matt talks about his recurring anxiety dream ... but! It's totally relevant to the election. We swear.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Environmental 360 Solutions. Ontario's recycling system is failing local businesses and benefiting large American recyclers. Over $10 million a year is being collected from Ontario consumers in mandatory fees for tire and battery recycling but much of the work is being outsourced to American recyclers. This is starving local Ontario companies of opportunities to do that work and keep good jobs in the province. Worse, enough mandatory fees have been collected from consumers to recycle 100% of the materials, but only a fraction of this work is actually being done. Ontario's recycling regulator is finally taking action, issuing penalties to the companies collecting the recycling fees, but in turn these companies are using these mandatory fees, paid by Ontarians to fund recycling programs, to cover the fines. The result? Ontario consumers are enriching unscrupulous industry participants and American recyclers, undermining recycling, job creation, and investment in Ontario. It's time for real accountability in the recycling industry. To learn more, visit e360s.ca/fairrecycling.Last but not least, your hosts talk about the intra-Canadian conservative civil war that is increasingly spilling out into the open. Like, gosh. Did you see what happened in Ontario this week?Also! Our Bullshit Bulletin is back, and the Anti-Panel launches Saturday. Check out those and all our other election coverage out at ReadTheLine.ca.

As Canada prepares to go to the polls, we are proud to introduce its Anti-Panel — a politics panel, but fun. Each week, we'll publish a new Anti-Panel in written form, but we're kicking things off with something a little different: getting the whole gang On The Line. Get it? They're on the line. Literally.This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada's own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.We've gathered three partisan veterans to discuss the coming federal election — and the state of Canadian politics. Amanda Galbraith (Conservative), Kim Wright (NDP), and Jamie Carroll (“Liberal hack”) bring insight and opinions from across the spectrum.This isn't your standard panel: they must either compliment each other's campaigns or offer “helpful feedback” to their own.This episode is also brought to you by the Mêtis Nation of Ontario. It's the Upper Great Lakes, early 1800s. In a crowded trading post, Madeline Laframboise inspects a bundle of pelts, her keen eyes assessing their worth. Indigenous and European traders know she sets fair prices and drives a hard bargain.One of the few women to run her own trading empire, Madeline's influence stretches across the Upper Great Lakes of what would become Ontario and northern Michigan. Madeline builds a powerful Métis network through trade, linking Métis families, voyageurs, and traders from Mackinac to Red River. As the years pass, young Métis women seek Madeline's guidance, learning from a woman who defied expectations. Generations later, her legacy lives on in the Métis businesswomen who have become leaders, mentors, and matriarchs today. To learn more, go to OntarioMétisFacts.com.We talk Liberal brand problems, Conservative vote efficiency, and NDP challenges under Jagmeet Singh. We unpack Mark Carney's rise and Trump's shadow over Canadian politics.This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by Environmental 360 Solutions. Ontario's recycling system is failing local businesses and benefiting large American recyclers. Over $10 million a year is being collected from Ontario consumers in mandatory fees for tire and battery recycling but much of the work is being outsourced to American recyclers. This is starving local Ontario companies of opportunities to do that work and keep good jobs in the province. Worse, enough mandatory fees have been collected from consumers to recycle 100% of the materials, but only a fraction of this work is actually being done. Ontario's recycling regulator is finally taking action, issuing penalties to the companies collecting the recycling fees, but in turn these companies are using these mandatory fees, paid by Ontarians to fund recycling programs, to cover the fines.The result? Ontario consumers are enriching unscrupulous industry participants and American recyclers, undermining recycling, job creation, and investment in Ontario. It's time for real accountability in the recycling industry. Click here to learn more.As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca.

Recorded in the last-pre-election days on March 21, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson look around and realize that this is as calm as their lives are going to be for about a month. And that's just sad.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.Your hosts start the podcast this week by talking about Mark Carney. They review his first few days in office, and find some good and some bad. They see some signs that he could mature as a politician. They also see some evidence that he needs that maturing to happen. Could Carney win? Absolutely. Could he lose? Also absolutely. We definitely see and even admire the Liberal battle plan, but it's risky.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 ForestryForTheFuture.ca.Then onto the Conservatives. There are definitely some signs that the Conservatives are, finally and belatedly, beginning their pivot away from the kind of campaign they wanted to run toward the kind of campaign they need to run. The Line is starting to see the outlines of a new CPC campaign take shape. One that can win. But they're also still seeing signs of internal divisions and a degree of leadership paralysis. Much like with Carney, they conclude that Poilievre can win, or lose.This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Environmental 360 Solutions. Ontario's recycling system is failing local businesses and benefiting large American recyclers. Over $10 million a year is being collected from Ontario consumers in mandatory fees for tire and battery recycling but much of the work is being outsourced to American recyclers. This is starving local Ontario companies of opportunities to do that work and keep good jobs in the province. Worse, enough mandatory fees have been collected from consumers to recycle 100% of the materials, but only a fraction of this work is actually being done. Ontario's recycling regulator is finally taking action, issuing penalties to the companies collecting the recycling fees, but in turn these companies are using these mandatory fees, paid by Ontarians to fund recycling programs, to cover the fines. The result? Ontario consumers are enriching unscrupulous industry participants and American recyclers, undermining recycling, job creation, and investment in Ontario. It's time for real accountability in the recycling industry. Click here to learn more.Last but not least, Jen gives Matt an update from Alberta, where she is looking for any signs of a truly building secessionist movement ... and not finding one. She lays out how that could change, and how it could change fast. Matt wraps up with a quick word on some developments in the other provinces. Lots going on.Like we said, folks, our Aprils are ruined. Because all of the stuff, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Check us out at ReadTheLine.ca, and share our pain.

Happy Tuesday. It's time for another episode of On The Line. And this is another two-guest episode, too. There's that much to talk about!Our first guest, making a return appearance on On The Line, is P.J. Fournier, creator of 338Canada.com and 338Canada.ca. (The man has so much to offer he needs two websites!) Since we last spoke in February, Canada's federal polling environment has radically changed. He walks us through the numbers, and what this means for the Conservatives, the Liberals and the NDP. With an election call expected imminently, we wanted to put down a marker. Let's see what happens next.This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada's own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.Up next, long-time journalist and author Stephen Maher joins us. Stephen wrote the book — literally — on Justin Trudeau, and joins Matt to talk about the Trudeau legacy. The world went weird on Trudeau's watch, and Canada ... didn't respond? Why not? What were the problems inside that government? Was it organizational? Personal? Political? How did the man who swept into office in 2015 as a leading example of global progressivism leave as a deeply unpopular, polarizing figure that even his own party seemed happy to see the back of?This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. For centuries, as winter faded, Métis families would move through the sugar bush, tapping towering maples. They'd collect the sap and boil it into syrup, trading it at British and French trading posts, where sugar was as prized as pelts. The syrup sweetened tea in Montréal, flavoured bread in York, and fuelled voyageurs paddling west to the prairies. Through resilience and skill, the Métis built an entire industry that sustained the fur trade, connected communities, and created a legacy that endures to this day. To learn more, go to OntarioMetisFacts.com.A lot of what Maher has to say about Trudeau to Matt is critical, but the two men also try and sketch out what they think a best-case scenario for Trudeau's legacy might look like. All politicians get more popular as time goes on and anger and memories fade. In 50 years, when some university professor sits down to write a book about long-ago prime minister Justin Trudeau, what will the first chapter be?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 here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Carney Era Day 0, or March 14, 2025 on the old calendar, your hosts offer sincere welcome and best wishes to the new prime minister, and we're counting on all of you to not ruin this moment for us.Really. We can be nice sometimes.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.We have a purely housekeeping announcement to make first. The Line is changing how we release our podcasts. This shouldn't make a difference to audio listeners, but video viewers will notice alerts that we're going live when the episodes are about to be released. Please make sure you have our notifications turned on! Also, we are launching a revamped social media strategy. We have a bunch of new accounts set up, and you can find a list (with links) below. If you use these platforms, please give us a follow! Many of these platforms only become useful once we clear 50 or 100 followers, so we're counting on you all to put us over the top.Phew! Okay! Sorry. Anyway. Carney's in. We wish him well. We comment on his cabinet. Some surprises there. Also some signs that the PM plans on taking his party to the right, or at least back into the centre. Speaking of the right, we have some pretty tough talk for the CPC. You're losing this, guys. It's slipping away from you. 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 ForestryForTheFuture.ca.We also spend some time on Justin Trudeau's legacy. The heavy lifting on that is going to be done by historians, but Matt goes full Munich Conference and demands to know why Trudeau didn't build more Hurricanes and Spitfires. They talk about how what Trudeau will be best remembered for looks pretty weird today, in an era of global upheaval. They also talk about some of the buzz around his scandals. We expect that won't go away for a while.They end up by recapping a bit of the Trump madness down south. Doug Ford tried to get tough. It didn't stick. Portugal makes an interesting decision. And we keep seeing some interesting signs of worry about Trump even from people quite close to the president. Matt proposes a strategy for fighting back, and Jen gives it an, ahem, unfortunate name. You'll have to listen. If we put it into the text box here, it would get flagged.All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like, subscribe and check us out at ReadTheLine.ca.New social accounts!FB: On The Line Podcast FB: The Line Podcast InstagramTikTokTwitterBlueSkyLinkedIn

In this week's episode of On The Line, Jen Gerson speaks with Adam Sadinsky, a refugee lawyer and member of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers about the Safe Third Country Agreement — and why lawyers like him think it needs to be radically altered in the Donald Trump era. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada's own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit https://www.forestryforthefuture.ca/They discuss how the agreement was established, its impact on refugee claims, and the differences in how Canada and the U.S. handle asylum seekers. The conversation also touches on recent changes in U.S. immigration policy under the Trump administration and how these changes affect Canada's responsibilities towards refugees. This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. In 1967, government officials ordered a Métis village on Agawa Bay to move to clear room a provincial park. For generations, Métis families had lived along the shores of Lake Superior. Suddenly, they were forced to pack their belongings, and then, the government officials burned their homes. These Métis families, already pushed off their River Lots in Sault Ste. Marie generations earlier, had no choice but to leave. But they did not disappear. The Métis of Agawa Bay lost their homes, but never their identity. For more, go to https://www.ontariometisfacts.com/, and check out the brand-new song here https://youtu.be/uhsILAMMi2U?si=jicYoUpoH7LHbZ8F about this story by Métis singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume “One of These Days.” Adam Sadinsky recaps the complexities of the Safe Third Country Agreement and its implications for asylum seekers in Canada. He highlights the challenges faced by refugees, the capacity limits of the Canadian refugee system, and the political dynamics surrounding immigration policy. The discussion also touches on legal challenges to the agreement and the need for reforms to better accommodate those seeking refuge in Canada.As always, like and subscribe. 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 March 7, 2025, your hosts spend a good long while talking about the various new stories to come out of Washington, D.C. this week. A trade war is on! But now it's off! Sort of, maybe! No one really knows! Also, President Donald Trump put on a real masterclass this week in reminding us all that he's a showman, not a career politician. That's a strength in some ways, but it's going to cause problems. They also agree that Canadians should probably start tuning him out a bit until he settles down, and that anyone who would seriously use the term "TDS" — yes, we see you in the comments — is, uh, dumb. (Matt uses stronger language in the podcast. Be warned.)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 touch on federal politics. Another pointless gun ban that no one takes seriously seems to be one of Justin Trudeau's last acts while in office, and sure. Why not go out the way you governed, with ever-more aspirational announcements that lead to nothing. Makes sense. We also do a quick chat about the upcoming Carney coronation, or not? And also gab a little bit about a New York Times report that added some fascinating colour to the behind-the-scenes talks between U.S. and Canadian officials. Matt also yells at his sump pump, if anyone is wondering what kind of a day he's having.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, they wrap up with a quick chat about provincial politics and their continued efforts to monitor the Ice Bucket Challenge for National Survival. We still wish that list was longer!All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like and subscribe to our main page at https://www.readtheline.ca/

Welcome back for another edition of On The Line. 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, Matt Gurney speaks with Richard Shimooka, a Canadian defence expert and senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. They talk about the state of world affairs, especially after last week's dramatic Oval Office shouting match. They agree that America isn't turning into a dystopia, but it's absolutely returning to isolationism. And what's that going to mean for little ole us?This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada's own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit https://www.forestryforthefuture.ca/Matt and Richard spend a long time talking about the state of the Canadian military today — what can it do, and what can't it do? They also talk about the decades of political decisions that led us here. What is the military for, and what do the politicians think it's for? When you ask those questions, you don't always get the same answer! And that's a problem.This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. In 1879, food supplies ran out in Sault Ste. Marie and Bruce Mines. Survival hinged on teams of Métis mail carriers travelling 600 kilometres by dogsled through winter storms to restock stores. Through skill and sacrifice, Métis kept people alive so the Upper Great Lakes in what is now Ontario could grow and thrive. To learn more, go to https://www.ontariometisfacts.com/To wrap up, they talk about the kind of military that Canada should have. What does it need to be able to do? Why will our European allies probably not like the answer? And how can we start to reduce the amount of leverage that this White House, and any future White House, will have over us? By becoming stronger at home. But that won't be easy.As always, like and subscribe. Visit our main site at https://www.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 February 28, 2025, your hosts open with a chat about federal politics. Mark Carney had some good stuff going, but then he got caught in a dumb lie. We aren't sure if this will break outside the Twitter bubble, but it's an interesting reminder that the man is pretty new at politics ... 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 chat about a lot of other stuff, too. High-speed rail. Matt's travel woes this week. (These are not separate topics.) Weird federal polls. Why the CPC and Poilievre need to get serious. Lots of fun and lots to discuss.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/Having covered off the federal stuff, your hosts move onto some provincial updates. We stay on the topic of the Ice Bucket Challenge for National Survival and give some updates on that. We also ask our viewers and listeners in Nova Scotia to help us out with an answer to an important question! We also discuss a growing scandal in Alberta and a weird election in Ontario. Jen also makes a comparison that'll piss everyone off. It turns out Doug Ford reminds her of ... Mark Carney.After that, they make a quick point about who speaks for Canada, and who doesn't, or won't. And Matt makes a proposal even he finds surprising: we should consider being a republic, or maybe just find ourselves a new king. Wayne Gretzky, anyone?All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like and subscribe to our main page at https://www.readtheline.ca/

Welcome back for another edition 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.In this episode, Jen Gerson speaks with Duncan Dee, an airline analyst and former chief operations officer of Air Canada. Jen shares her recent harrowing experience with air travel, highlighting the inefficiencies and frustrations faced by travellers in Canada. They discuss the broader implications of air travel networks, the impact of any disruption at major hubs like Pearson Airport, and the need for more regional airports. 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. Go here to learn more.https://www.mpa-canada.org/press/ottawas-streaming-regulations-will-hurt-canadian-consumers-and-workers/?utm_source=the_line&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=sa_mpac_choice&utm_content=canadianThey chat about the recent crash of Delta Endeavor Flight 4819 at Pearson, which shut down two runways at the airport for days. This was just the latest in a rash of terrible aviation tragedies, and it was wonderful that no one died in the Toronto crash. But the aftermath was a sight to behold. They discuss the poor communication by the airport authority (and Canadian officialdom in general), and why the airline networks are less resilient to shocks like a major airport closing two runways than they used to be. At Fort Frances, a group of Métis leaders signed the “Halfbreed Adhesion” to Treaty 3 with Canada in 1875, becoming the only Métis community in Canada to be included as a distinct Métis party to one of the Numbered Treaties. By standing together, they ensured their place in Canada's story—one that will never be erased. For more information, visit https://www.ontariometisfacts.com/They also touch on a recent announcement of a $3.9 billion plan to .... announce another plan in five years for high-speed rail between Toronto and Montreal while asking the perennial Canadian question: Why don't we build stuff good here? Sigh.As always, like and subscribe. 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 February 21, 2025, your hosts continue to bask in the afterglow of Connor McDavid's overtime goal for Team Canada last night. How sweet it was.They also talk about the news and politics and stuff, but, man. Thank you, McJesus.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/We don't get to start a lot of podcasts with good news. So yeah, we lean into the hockey a bit. But we also talk about what might be the first major sign of a true structural shift in response to the threat posed by Donald Trump's America. Tim Houston in Nova Scotia has made a fantastic proposal, and one pretty close to what Line editor Gurney had been suggesting in recent weeks. If Houston follows through, and if he can get the other premiers on board, this could be a big deal. To sweeten the pot, The Line hereby makes this pledge: if Houston does what he says he is going to do, Gurney and Gerson will fly to Halifax, throw a party and present the premier with a plaque declaring him the true captain of Team Canada.Unless, of course, another premier beats him to it ...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/Having committed themselves to a bash in Halifax, your hosts move onto expressing some sympathy for Chrystia Freeland, who is clearly being largely abandoned by her Liberal compatriots and probably regrets running for leader in the first place. But they also talk at length about how long it will be until there is a Canadian political leader who is truly of this moment. It might take 10 or 15 years for someone actually suited to the 2020s to work their way up into a position of real political power. Can we wait that long?Also, your hosts take a quick jaunt around the world and provide many updates. Things could be going better is the key takeaway. Lookin' decidedly suboptimal on a lot of fronts. And not for nothing, if someone would like to sell us some nuclear weapons, we'd be into that. Look, we frontloaded all the optimism for this episode, okay? All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like and subscribe to our main page at https://www.readtheline.ca/

Welcome back for another edition 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, in something of a break from the routine, we're here with good news. There are ways we can build this country and make it stronger. And a group of Canadians isn't waiting for a task force or government panel to do it. They're getting to work.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/press/ottawas-streaming-regulations-will-hurt-canadian-consumers-and-workers/?utm_source=the_line&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=sa_mpac_choice&utm_content=canadianOur guest is Daniel Debow. He's a long-time Canadian tech entrepreneur. He gives his own abbreviated bio during the pod, so don't worry about the CV. What matters is that Daniel is part of a group of Canadians who are all volunteering their time to create policy papers on things Canada can do, quickly, to become more competitive. They're calling it Build Canada, and you can read about it at BuildCanada.com. Their focus is on growth. As Daniel notes, the difference between two-per-cent growth and four-per-cent isn't two per cent. It's 100 per cent! What are areas where Canada can make big changes fast, to become more prosperous in a fast-changing, dangerous world?This week's episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. The Métis in what is now Ontario have always fought for their rights. In 2003, they took that fight to the Supreme Court and won. To learn more about their journey, go to https://www.ontariometisfacts.com/Daniel talks about how the experience of COVID-19 showed him what Canada can accomplish, but also how hard it is to get Canadians to see a threat coming. He shares some of what he and his fellow volunteers are focused on, and talks about whether tech is really right-wing. And he also talks about the surprising amount of hate mail he's been getting since the project was announced. Matt welcomes him to the club on that one.As always, like and subscribe and check out our main page at https://www.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 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.

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-shutdownJen 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-shutdownAfter 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 athttps://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-ca/tiktokcanada-notice-to-challenge-local-shutdownWe 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!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 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.Like and subscribe! Tell all your friends! And check out the rest of our work at https://www.readtheline.ca.

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.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 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 at https://www.readtheline.ca/