The Paul Wells Show

Friday Night Lights author Buzz Bissinger joins Paul to talk about his storied career and his new book, The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II. He also discusses ghostwriting Caitlyn Jenner's memoir, why he left Twitter, his time at Vanity Fair, and why he's considering leaving the US. Thank you to Perfect Books in Ottawa for hosting this conversation. This episode was originally published February 8th, 2023.

How do people like Stephen Sondheim, Sofia Coppola or David Simon create something from nothing? And what are the threads that tie their work together with making a cookbook or a cartoon? Former New York Magazine and New York Times Magazine editor Adam Moss talked to dozens of creative people to find out how they do it. In his new book, The Work of Art, artists from a wide range of mediums break down the process behind a single piece, sharing sketches, outlines and rejected attempts they worked through along the way.  This episode was originally published May 15, 2024

As Canada's Ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae is not afraid to speak his mind, even when it's not clear whether the government stands behind him. In this episode, he talks about the role of the UN in an age of mounting skepticism towards global institutions, his reputation for being outspoken, and dealing with the "cascade of crises" taking place around the world. He also challenges Paul on a column he wrote in 2020, questioning Rae's appointment to his current job. This episode originally aired on October 26, 2022.

Ben Woodfinden was Pierre Poilievre's communications director from 2022 until the end of April. He's no longer working for the Conservative party, but he defends the election campaign. He has a lot of thoughts about what just happened to Canadian conservatism, and what needs to happen next. 

How should people outside government be involved in shaping government policy? Who has the government's ear, and how do they decide which voices to listen to? Those are the questions Paul puts to this week's guests, Taylor Owen from McGill's Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, and Rachel Samson from the Institute for Research on Public Policy.  This panel was organized by the Max Bell Foundation and the episode was recorded live at McGill University. 

k.d. lang reflects on her four decade-long musical career, which may have reached its end. “All music tends towards silence and I have to honour the silence,” she tells Paul in an open and wide-ranging conversation in Calgary. We originally released this episode in March, 2023.

Today, we're sharing an episode from our friends at the podcast WONK, which Paul appeared on this week. Paul talks to host Amanda Lang about some surprising shifts in the wake of the federal election, including an easing of the 'ever-deepening animosity' that's become a trademark of politics, evidence of a common understanding of what's good for Canada and why we should be grateful Trump isn't better at his job. 

Two top Liberal advisors and one Conservative MP look back at the election.  Andrew Bevan was the national campaign director for the Liberal Party. Gerald Butts was a senior advisor to the Carney campaign and formally acted as Justin Trudeau's principal secretary.  Scott Aitchison is the MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka.

With less than a week left until election day, Paul calls up a few colleagues to talk about what we've learned and what will come next. They also talk about how politicians have changed their relationship to the press.   Our panel this week features political journalists Vassy Kapelos, Hélène Buzzetti and Steve Murphy.    Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Someday we should probably sit down and have a talk about election platforms. Count this week's instalment of The Panel as a down payment on that conversation. Platforms are weird: if you release yours on Easter Saturday, after the television debates are already over, and a month after the election campaign started, your body language doesn't say “Key piece of voter information.” But nobody dares not release one. Anyway, we've got Allison Gifford, Marci Surkes and Jason Lietaer to discuss the platforms, the debates, and the home stretch of this fascinating campaign.

How concerned should we be about election interference online? Taylor Owen and his colleagues at the Media Ecosytem Observatory keep a close eye on who's trying to sway our elections, and whether or not they're succeeding. He joins Paul to discuss that work and share his wish list for the next government's digital policy.    Taylor Owen is the founding director of the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University. You can hear him every other Tuesday on his podcast Machines Like Us.   In campaign news, Carney and Poilievre appeared on Quebec's biggest talk show this week. Now, they're getting ready for the debates. Hélène Buzzetti, political columnist for Coops de l'information, breaks down Montreal Week.   Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy

This week is mostly about Quebec. Sorry, people who get bugged by that. The Conservative and Liberal leaders were on Tout le monde en parle, the only talk show in either official language that's a must-attend for the Carneys and Poilievres of this world. On Wednesday they'll be at the French-language leaders' debate, followed by the Thursday English-language debate, both in Montreal. (The leaders of the emergency back-up parties will join them.) Mark Carney, at least, decided to stay in the Montreal area between TLMEP and Wednesday. Poilievre had Montreal events on Monday too. Our Panel also discusses Carney's habit of putting his campaign up on blocks so he can return to Ottawa and be prime ministerial every time Donald Trump does the sort of thing Donald Trump would do; and the tendency of both major-party leaders to go on quirky offbeat lifestyle podcasts where nobody ever asks a backup question or points out a contradiction. Mostly I'm the one who wanted to talk about that last part. Our Panel, once again, is Conservative Jason Lietaer, New Democrat Allison Gifford, and Liberal Marci Surkes. And they're the best. Enjoy.

We are living in "the age of coercion," says Michael Wernick. The former Clerk of the Privy Council talks about what the civil service (and the government) will be up against after the election. Geoff Meggs, former Chief of Staff to B.C. Premier John Horgan , weighs in on drug policy on the campaign trail and the unique politics of British Columbia. You can hear more of Geoff Meggs on the Hotel Pacifico podcast.  And Shannon Proudfoot, feature writer in the Globe and Mail's Ottawa bureau, trades notes with Paul on the first few weeks of the election. Is Poilievre failing to respond to the moment? And how much can Carney separate himself from Trudeau's legacy? Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Surely by now you've learned to mistrust an empty schedule. Time for my weekly campaign meeting with The Panel — Marci Surkes, Allison Gifford, Jason Lietaer — to discuss the strangest federal election in many years. On paper, it's a quiet week. Donald Trump's Liberation Day tariff announcement was last week, the leaders' debates are more than a week in the future. But while we're still lousy at predicting surprises, I think we're better than we used to be at realizing surprises are bound to happen. This week's instalment ends with bonus minority-government speculation. Who's got friends? Who can keep them? Will the NDP even control the balance of power?

Our election coverage continues!   Stephen Gordon, economics professor at University of Laval, evaluates the economic policy we've seen on the campaign trail so far, from tax cuts to housing plans.    Author Mark Bourrie talks about his new book, Ripper: The Making of Pierre Poilievre.    CTV host and chief political correspondent Vassy Kapelos trades notes with Paul on the campaign so far.

The election campaign heads into its second week, and everything feels brand new. The Liberal campaign plane finally has the Liberal logo on it. Mark Carney has a candidate he should probably drop. Pierre Poilievre is having a very hard time moving the debate from the issue he can't win on to an issue he might win on. And Jagmeet Singh would just like to be noticed. We've got Allison Gifford, Marci Surkes and Jason Lietaer to break it down for you.

This is an elections podcast now. Each week throughout the election, we'll bring you a variety of smart commentators to keep you upto speed. This week, former Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod talks about her old riding of Nepean, where Mark Carney is running, with Pierre Poilievre running just next door. MacLeod has also worked with Poilievre, and weighs in on his leadership. And Hélène Buzzetti, political columnist for les Coops de l'information, talks about the political landscape in Quebec. Can Carney overcome his weak French and lack of familiarity with Quebecers? And can the Conservatives gain ground in the province? Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy

Campaign Week 1, featuring an assist from Danielle Smith   The original Conservative on our Panel, the great Garry Keller, won his nomination battle in Nipissing—Timiskaming. Now he's off trying to get elected to Parliament. (Note to readers who worry that this corner might be endorsing somebody: Please vote for whoever you want!) So, in a move reminiscent of Season 2 of Bewitched, we've got a new Darrin: Say hi to Jason Lietaer, the veteran of Harper-era campaign tours who is now President of Enterprise Canada.   We've got a lot to talk about, because this is the first of five (or six) weekly Panels as we follow the election campaign. Joining Jason are our Panel veterans, Allison Gifford of Clear Strategy and Marci Surkes of Compass Rose. On the menu: ballot-question framing, campaign performance, and Alberta premier Danielle Smith's decision to tell Breitbart News that Pierre Poilievre would get along much better with Donald Trump.

This week, we're replaying one of our favourite interviews. What can history tell us about the world we live in? Paul is joined by acclaimed historian Margaret MacMillan, author of books including Paris: 1919, Nixon in China and History's People. They discuss some of the major events shaping the world today, including the war in Ukraine, the fallout of Brexit, Xi Jinping's regime in China, and where Canada fits in to it all.   This episode was recorded live at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. It was first broadcast on February 1st, 2023.   Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy

Former Defence Minister and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been horrified by what he's been seeing from the new Trump administration. He got so mad that he ended a lengthy Twitter hiatus to sound off about it. He joins Paul to share his views on Trump's takeover of America conservatism, Trump's relationship with Ukraine, and what Canada should do about U.S. aggression.

Paul breaks down some of the major challenges facing higher education in Canada, including a lack of political will to invest in the sector.    He is then joined by a panel of insiders for their takes on what to do about it. How are they handling this moment? What does the future look like? And how can universities make the case for their relevance in a changing world?   The panelists are: Graham Carr, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University Maud Cohen, President of Polytechnique Montréal Christopher Manfredi, Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) at McGill University Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Writer, professor and cousin-of-Paul Ira Wells was concerned about the rise of censorship coming from both sides of the political spectrum. So he wrote a book about it, diving into the history of people trying to control what you read. That book is called On Book Banning: Or, How the New Censorship Consensus Trivializes Art and Undermines Democracy. He talks to Paul about the personal incident that sent him down this path, how the censors justify their actions, new threats to books in the digital age, and much more.  Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Mark Norman believes an attack from the U.S. in not hypothetical. It's already happening. And Canada's lacking a strategy to respond.    He first laid out his argument in an opinion piece for the National Post titled  “Canada's relationship with the U.S. can't be saved.”   He joins Paul to explain why he thinks we need to change our national mindset towards the U.S.    Mark Norman is the former Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Vice Chief of the Defense Staff of Canada.   Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

The Conservative leader is planning a big rally in Ottawa this weekend. It follows a sustained slide in the polls. Can he change his message for a world of Donald Trump and Mark Carney? Does he even want to? Our Panel — Garry Keller, Allison Gifford, Marci Surkes — discusses all of this and more.

Jonathan Wilkinson has a lot going on. As the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, he holds a critical position in trade disputes with the U.S. He talks to Paul about dealing with the Trump administration, adapting Canada's energy strategy to a new reality, and the difficult decision not to run for Liberal leadership.  Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Canada often seems "unready and out of step” with the world's current challenges, according to the editors of a new book on foreign policy. With the rise of authoritarianism around the world and increasing hostility from the U.S., are we taking our place on the world stage seriously enough? Or does our foreign policy need an overhaul?   Philippe Lagassé and Vincent Rigby are two of the editors of the latest edition in the Canada Among Nations series. They join Paul to talk about what's lacking and what can be done about it.   Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Donald Trump's return to power could have serious consequences for Canada. First, there's the threat of tariffs. Then there's that other thing about making us the 51st state. This week, we get two takes on the situation. First on the show, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith talks about why she opposes the threats to cut off energy exports to the U.S. in retaliation for tariffs. It's a position that has caused some politicians to say she's working against Team Canada.  Then, Penn State historian Amy Greenberg talks about Manifest Destiny, the idea that Americans had a divine duty to expand their territory. Her books include A Wicked War and Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion. Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis has won Grammys, played with artists including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Sting, and was the leader of Jay Leno's house band. In recent years, he has also been scoring movies and playing more classical music.    He dropped by Paul's office while was in Ottawa to perform with the National Art Centre Orchestra. He talks about life on the road, his recent homecoming to New Orleans, teaching, American politics, and of course, music.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen gives a long and wide-ranging interview as his time in the role comes to an end. As Biden's man in Ottawa, he was an important figure in trying to usher in a new era of Canada-U.S. cooperation. As he gets ready to head home to Philadelphia, Paul asks him about Biden's mental acuity, Trump's comeback, a potential trade war, Canada's military spending, and more.    Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

On Monday, Justin Trudeau announced he'll resign as Liberal leader and Prime Minister once the party picks a successor, bringing an end to almost a decade in power. Marci Surkes gives us an inside view of the Liberal party before and during the Trudeau years.    Marci Surkes was executive director for policy and cabinet in Justin Trudeau's Prime Minister's Office. She ran the caretaker government during the 2021 election. She is now the Chief Strategy Officer for Compass Rose. 

Live from Ottawa! Paul reluctantly makes a New Year's resolution. Writer Ian Williams reads from his upcoming novel You've Changed. Strategists Garry Keller, Marci Surkes and Allison Gifford (“The Panel”) talk about the political year to come. Ada Lea performs her songs “Damn” and “Baby Blue Frigidaire Mini Fridge.” Jazz guitarist Jocelyn Gould performs the Paul Wells Show theme music.   Thank you to our friends at the National Arts Centre for hosting this live event, and to WestJet and Meta for their support.   Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Happy holidays. We're on a break, but we thought you might enjoy this episode from our friends at CANADALAND. It's a conversation about Substack's role in the future of journalism, featuring Paul Wells, The Line's Jen Gerson and Substack founder Chris Best. If you like this episode, you can subscribe to CANADALAND for more like it. CANADALAND credits: Host & Publisher: Jesse Brown Senior Producer: Bruce Thorson Audio Editor & Technical Producer: Tristan Capacchione Production Manager: max collins   We'll be back with a new episode of the Paul Wells Show next week.

Join us for an hour of live music, politics, and self-reflection. Former Premiers Kathleen Wynne and Jason Kenney trade jabs onstage and look back on the year that was. Catharine Vandelinde, executive director of Options Housing, talks about her work getting people off the street and into homes. Jazz guitarist Jocelyn Gould performs "It Had To Be You," "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise," "I Haven't Managed to Forget You" and our theme music. Singer-songwriter Scott Merritt performs his songs "Moving Day" and "Willing Night." And Paul finds the spirit of Christmas... eventually. Thank you to the National Arts Centre for hosting this event. Thanks to Meta and WestJet for their support. Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

In a conversation that took place less than three hours after Chrystia Freeland resigned from the federal cabinet, Paul Wells is joined by Justin Ling and Jen Gerson to discuss what this astonishing news means for the Liberal Party and the Trudeau government. Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Paul answers questions from readers (and producer Kevin Sexton) about the state of Canadian politics, Trump, journalism, and more! Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

In his book We Have Never Been Woke, Musa al-Gharbi argues that a new class of liberal elites uses the language of “wokeness” without actually helping the marginalized and disadvantaged.  He joins Paul to talk about a decades-long trend of the Democrats reorienting themselves towards a constituency of wealthy white people. It's a message he was sharing well before Kamala Harris lost the election.  He also talks about how moving from a red state to New York City broke a lot of illusions he had about Democrats. He talks about wealthy Democrats who talk of lifting up marginalized people, while living a lifestyle that's dependent on exploiting their labour. And he talks about periods of “Great Awokening” over the last century, which have had mixed results in terms of creating real gains for marginalized groups.  Musa al-Gharbi is an assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. You can read his Substack, Symbolic Capital(ism) here: https://musaalgharbi.substack.com/ Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

What does a Trump presidency mean for trade? Paul is joined by a panel of analysts from the U.S., Canada and Mexico, to talk about what might be in store for North America during the next Trump administration.  The panellists are Vassy Kapelos, chief political correspondent for CTV news, Doug Palmer,  senior trade reporter at Politico, and Enrique de la Madrid, author, newspaper columnist, and former member of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies.  This panel was recorded at The North American Manufacturing Conference. Season 3 of The Paul Wells Show is sponsored by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Ontario's government recently announced that Jane Philpott will lead a team with the goal of connecting every person in the province to primary health care within the next five years. With around 2.5 million people currently without a family doctor in Ontario, the task is enormous.  So how did a former Liberal health minister get hired on by a conservative government for such an important job? And how exactly does she plan on doing it? Jane Philpott joins Paul to talk about how the job came about, and her vision for getting it done, which involves rethinking the way we deliver primary care.

With Trump's decisive win in the U.S. election, American writer Ross Barkan argues his country has finally reached the end of the "Obama era" of politics. Barkan talks about what went wrong for Democrats, why he was early to say Harris was the wrong candidate, what he expects to come from Trump's return to the White House, and why he sees an opportunity for the American left.  Ross Barkan is a journalist and novelist, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Nation and many other outlets. His Substack is called Political Currents.

Canada is full of corporations consolidating market power, from grocery stores to internet providers to movie theatres. And people are starting to notice.  Sometimes it's obvious, and sometimes less so. Paul was surprised, for instance, to find luxury cookware brand Paderno at Canadian Tire – until he realized it's one of many brands that Canadian Tire owns.  In their book The Big Fix, Vass Bednar and Denise Hearn talk about how markets in Canada became increasingly dominated by a handful of huge companies, why it harms us, and what to do about it. 

Aujourd'hui, on vous présente The Paul Wells Show en français! La chroniqueuse politique Chantal Hébert prend le rôle d'animatrice pour interviewer Paul au sujet de son premier livre en français, Justin Trudeau dans les câbles: Gouverner quand ça va mal. Chantal et Paul discutent du règne de Trudeau, de sa réputation au Québec, de l'avenir du Parti libéral du Canada, et de l'art de la traduction.  Justin Trudeau dans les câbles est disponible dès maintenant.

Two acclaimed historians talk about the state of democracy and freedom in the world today. In her latest book, Autocracy Inc., Anne Applebaum writes about a group of dictators who share a bond that's not based on ideology, but on their ability to help each other gain wealth, power and impunity.  Yale historian Timothy Synder argues in his new book On Freedom that freedom is more than the absence of oppression. He shares his vision for freedom in the wake of a recent trip to Ukraine.

Marc Garneau looks back on his time as an astronaut and Trudeau Cabinet minister. He talks to Paul about truth telling in politics, why he stuck around after being ousted from Cabinet, and his thoughts on the current political landscape, from the fate of the Liberal party to Quebec sovereignty.  Marc Garneau's new autobiography is called A Most Extraordinary Ride: Space, Politics, and the Pursuit of a Canadian Dream.

During the Trump years, historian Tim Cook saw our neighbours treating us “deplorably.” That got him thinking about the historical relationship between Canada and the U.S. So he decided to write a book about Canada and the U.S. during the Second World War.  He talks to Paul about Canada's struggle to assert its sovereignty while remaining an important ally to the Americans, and how that relationship sheds light the world we live in today.  Tim Cook's new book is called The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism during the Second World War.

Today, we're sharing another except from Paul Wells' audiobook, Justin Trudeau on the Ropes, read by the author himself.  Much of Trudeau's reign as Prime Minister has been shaped by major external events, including the election of Donald Trump in the U.S. This section of the book looks back on how Trudeau adapted to a Trump presidency. Justin Trudeau on the Ropes is published by Sutherland House. The audiobook was recorded at the National Arts Centre. You can download the entire thing wherever you get audiobooks.

In this excerpt from his audiobook, Justin Trudeau on the Ropes, Paul Wells looks back to the beginning of Trudeau's political career. Justin Trudeau on the Ropes is published by Sutherland House. This audiobook was recorded in studio at the National Arts Centre. You can find the full thing wherever you get audiobooks.

Pierre Poilievre may be our prime minister next year, so it's a good time to learn more about him. Journalist Andrew Lawton's new book, Pierre Poilievre: A Political Life, follows the Conservative leader's life and career from childhood to today. Andrew talks to Paul about Poilievre's political record, his particular brand of conservatism, and what we can expect from Poilievre if he becomes prime minister.    For more detailed show notes or to subscribe to Paul's Substack, head over to paulwells.substack.com

How do people like Stephen Sondheim, Sofia Coppola or David Simon create something from nothing? And what are the threads that tie their work together with making a cookbook or a cartoon? Former New York Magazine and New York Times Magazine editor Adam Moss talked to dozens of creative people to find out how they do it. In his new book, The Work of Art, artists from a wide range of mediums break down the process behind a single piece, sharing sketches, outlines and rejected attempts they worked through along the way.  Go to paulwells.substack.com to see some pages from the book.

The tables are turned this week! Guest host Vassy Kapelos interviews Paul Wells about his new book on the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau on the Ropes. In the book, Paul chronicles how Trudeau came to power, how he's held on for eight years, and how his approach to governing has changed over that time.  Vassy Kapelos is the Chief Political Correspondent at CTV News and the host of CTV Question Period, Power Play and the Vassy Kapelos Show.

Is the commission into foreign election interference asking the wrong question about China? That's what journalist Jonathan Manthorpe thinks. He argues the real issue is that for decades Canada has failed to confront China's efforts to control Canadians of Chinese heritage and influence Canadian institutions.    He wrote a book about it, Claws of the Panda: Beijing's Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada. It was originally published in 2019, but it's now been updated to take into account everything that's happened since, right up to the Foreign Interference Commission 

Jason Kenney is back on the show. The former Alberta Premier and Conservative MP offers a mea culpa for his time as Defence Minister, takes issue with a former guest's views on the war in Ukraine, and tells the story of a young Pierre Poilievre.