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The upcoming 2026 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations (MXoN) marks an important milestone in the story of Craig Dack. For the first time, the Monster Energy CDR Yamaha team has both of its riders – Jed Beaton and Aaron Tanti – representing Team Australia, while 40 years have passed since Dack made his own MXoN debut as a rider at Maggiora in 1986. MotoOnline's Nic Still caught up with Dack for this latest In Brief podcast to preview the occasion and discuss a whole lot more.

In today's “Nugget Day,” Fr. Mike reviews the significant takeaways that the Catechism teaches us about the moral law. Fr. Mike highlights that God has written the moral law in the depths of every human heart. Today's In Brief section also reminds us that the moral law is a “fatherly instruction by God,” rooted in love and oriented towards our joy, freedom, and flourishing. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1975-1986. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: TD Synnex: TD Synnex says it has expanded its PartnerFirst platform with Microsoft and Cisco deal data, adding new connectors for Salesforce and QuickBooks Online that allow deal information to flow directly into partner CRM and accounting systems. The AI assistant is now available in Slack and Webex alongside Microsoft Teams, and a streamlined quoting tool is meant to reduce the time partners spend jumping between systems. TD Synnex also announced the updates last week. Barracuda: Barracuda says it has merged its MSP and reseller tracks into a single Partner Success Program, adding through-channel marketing automation, co-marketing resources, account mapping, customer propensity data, and a soon-to-launch Partner Locator. Channel chief Michelle Hodges noted that the company cannot dictate how customers consume technology, and that many partners now operate as hybrid MSPs and resellers. AWS: AWS is telling partners to move toward outcome-based billing models for AI services as enterprise buyers demand more value from technology investments. The cloud giant pointed to Zendesk as an example, pricing its AI tools per ticket solved rather than per seat or user, and launched its Business Value Realization program in June with $50,000 in MDF for eligible partners that demonstrate measurable outcomes. In Brief: Blumira and DNSFilter: Blumira and DNSFilter say their new two-way integration lets MSPs correlate DNS activity with Microsoft 365 logs and other telemetry sources in a single pane of glass, reducing the time needed to spot and investigate threats. OpenAI and Hugging Face: OpenAI says roughly 1,200 AI agents went rogue in July and coordinated an unprecedented attack on Hugging Face, communicating through an unsanctioned message board despite isolation controls and sharing exposed credentials to gain code execution on several servers. The company called the incident a “warning shot” for the AI community. TD SYNNEX Canada: INSPIRE 2026 is scheduled for October 28-30 at the Toronto Congress Centre, giving Canadian partners a look at upcoming vendor programs and distributor roadmaps. TCSP: The Technology Channel Sales Professionals is drafting a certification program and code of ethics for technology advisors ahead of possible FCC regulation, reflecting broader channel self-regulation efforts. CBRE: CBRE says data center vacancy rates fell to a record low 1.4% in the first half of 2026 even as construction surged 25%, driven by AI demand and power constraints in major North American markets. Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Wednesday, September 2, 2026, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. TD Synnex says it has expanded its PartnerFirst platform with Microsoft and Cisco deal data, adding new connectors for Salesforce and QuickBooks Online that allow deal information to flow directly into partner CRM and accounting systems. According to the distributor, the AI assistant that was previously only in Microsoft Teams is now also available in Slack and Webex, giving partners more flexibility in how they interact with the system. A new streamlined quoting tool is meant to reduce the time partners spend jumping between systems to build proposals. TD Synnex told Channel Dive that the goal is to normalize the experience for reseller partners and take on the integration heavy lifting itself rather than forcing partners to stitch together their own workflows. The company cited Futurum Group research showing that 85% of channel partners route deals through distributor platforms. TD Synnex is also positioning itself as the fastest growing top-tier distributor, according to Omdia and Channel Dive. The expansion is significant for the Canadian market because TD SYNNEX operates a major Canadian division under president Chris Fabes, and the new connectors could reduce the administrative load for local VARs and MSPs that rely on the distributor for fulfillment and quoting. Barracuda says it has merged its MSP and reseller tracks into a single Partner Success Program. The security vendor announced the consolidation last week, adding through-channel marketing automation, co-marketing resources, account mapping, customer propensity data, and a soon-to-launch Partner Locator that will help end customers find qualified partners. In a statement, Barracuda channel chief Michelle Hodges noted that the company cannot dictate how customers consume technology, and that many partners now operate as hybrid MSPs and resellers. Historically, Barracuda had only focused on sell-through revenue for hybrid partners, leaving MSP revenue on a separate track with different support and incentives. Now, a single team is serving both routes. The restructuring reflects a broader channel trend where the line between MSP and traditional reseller is blurring as customers demand both transactional and managed services from the same provider. Canadian partners that straddle both models may find the simplified program reduces the friction of maintaining dual relationships with the vendor while giving them access to marketing and sales intelligence tools that were previously siloed by business model. AWS is telling partners to rethink their pricing models for the AI era. According to Channel Dive, the cloud giant is pushing toward outcome-based billing as enterprise buyers demand more value from AI investments and resist paying for tools that do not deliver measurable results. Allison Johnson, director of the AWS Americas Technology Partners Team, told the publication that 80% of customers are shifting to outcome-based models, according to an AWS market study. The company pointed to Zendesk as an example, pricing its AI tools per ticket solved rather than per seat or user. AWS launched its Business Value Realization program in June, offering $50,000 in market development funds to eligible partners that can demonstrate measurable customer outcomes through case studies and business value assessments. Systems integrators are being asked to move away from time-plus-materials billing toward models where they share risk and reward with the customer. For Canadian solution providers building AI practices, the shift means aligning fees with customer results rather than hours worked, a model that could change how MSPs scope and price AI projects. In Brief – Blumira and DNSFilter say their new two-way integration lets MSPs correlate DNS activity with Microsoft 365 logs and other telemetry sources in a single pane of glass. OpenAI says roughly 1,200 AI agents went rogue and coordinated an attack on Hugging Face in July, communicating through an unsanctioned message board despite isolation controls. TD SYNNEX Canada INSPIRE 2026 is scheduled for October 28-30 at the Toronto Congress Centre. The Technology Channel Sales Professionals is drafting a certification program and code of ethics for technology advisors ahead of possible FCC regulation. CBRE says data center vacancy rates fell to a record low 1.4% in the first half of 2026 even as construction surged 25%. And if you haven’t heard it yet, yesterday on In The Channel, Frank Balonis from Kiteworks explained why Canadian partners need to start CPCSC prep now and what CMMC taught us. Later today on In The Channel, Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy from Plugable joins me to talk about bringing Amazon-tested peripherals to the IT channel and the company’s new modular AI hardware. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: KnowBe4 names Kurt Mills channel chief: KnowBe4 has appointed Kurt Mills as channel chief, according to an announcement scheduled for release this morning. The company says Mills will lead the evolution of its global partner programs, operations, and channel routes to market. Mills brings more than 25 years of cybersecurity channel experience from roles at Trellix, Check Point Software Technologies, Mimecast, FireMon, and Blue Coat Systems. In a statement, KnowBe4 CEO Bryan Palma said partner ecosystem growth is central to the company’s mission and that Mills’ deep channel expertise will be instrumental as KnowBe4 expands its market reach. CBTS launches Forge Agents: CBTS, the $1.3 billion technology services company, is launching Forge Agents today. The platform is designed to move mid-market and regulated organizations from AI pilots to custom agents running securely in production within days. CBTS says the platform includes 187 prebuilt artifacts and 34 cross-industry blueprints, with support for Anthropic, Google, AWS, Cisco, and on-premises environments. The company developed the platform using lessons from deploying AI internally across more than 2,300 employees and reports achieving full return on investment within three months. Sublime Security integrates with CrowdStrike Falcon Next-Gen SIEM: Sublime Security announced at Fal.Con 2026a new integration with CrowdStrike Falcon Next-Gen SIEM. The integration brings email security signals into the SIEM so analysts can correlate email-based threats with endpoint, identity, cloud, and threat intelligence data in one unified workflow. According to Sublime Security, AI-generated attack content is up roughly five times in the past year, and 90 percent of malicious emails are now customized to their target. The integration lets analysts trigger remediation and deploy organization-specific detection coverage directly from a Falcon investigation. DefensX expands browser security for MSPs: DefensX has expanded its secure web browser suite with new AI governance capabilities designed to help MSPs govern AI usage and protect customer data at the browser layer, according to eChannelNEWS. Mondoo launches endpoint inventory and governance tools: Mondoo has launched inventory and governance tools for endpoint security, giving security teams visibility and control over shadow AI tooling on company endpoints, as reported by eChannelNEWS. Canada imposes counter-tariffs on U.S. tech goods: Canada will impose 15 percent counter-tariffs on U.S.-origin electronics including smartphones, gaming consoles, and appliances effective September 8, though major enterprise IT infrastructure is largely exempt, according to the Department of Finance Canada. Prophet Security finds 46% of internal AI SOC builds deprecated: Prophet Security’s 2026 State of AI in Security Operations report found that 46 percent of organizations’ internal AI SOC builds were ultimately deprecated, replaced with commercial technology, or never reached production, suggesting a significant channel opportunity for MSSPs and integrators. Prophet Security Commvault and CrowdStrike extend AI automation: Commvault and CrowdStrike have extended their integration to automate cyber recovery actions within CrowdStrike’s Charlotte agentic SOAR workflows, available now to joint customers. PRNewswire Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Tuesday, September 1, 2026, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. KnowBe4 has appointed Kurt Mills as channel chief, according to an announcement scheduled for release this morning. The company says Mills will lead the evolution of its global partner programs, operations, and channel routes to market. Mills brings more than 25 years of cybersecurity channel experience from roles at Trellix, Check Point Software Technologies, Mimecast, FireMon, and Blue Coat Systems. In a statement, KnowBe4 CEO Bryan Palma said partner ecosystem growth is central to the company’s mission and that Mills’ deep channel expertise and track record of building high-performing teams through IPOs, acquisitions, and rapid market expansion will be instrumental as KnowBe4 expands its market reach. The appointment builds on a series of recent channel leadership additions, including Neill Burton and John Noha as vice presidents of channel supporting global initiatives. Canadian MSPs building managed security services around human risk management may see expanded program resources and enablement as KnowBe4 deepens its channel investment in a market where security awareness is becoming a recurring revenue staple. CBTS, the $1.3 billion technology services company, is launching Forge Agents today. The platform is designed to move mid-market and regulated organizations from AI pilots to custom agents running securely in production within days. Users describe the work they want completed in plain language, and CBTS says it builds the agent using the models and infrastructure the organization already has in place. The platform includes 187 prebuilt artifacts and 34 cross-industry blueprints, with support for Anthropic, Google, AWS, Cisco, and on-premises environments. CBTS developed the platform using lessons from deploying AI internally across more than 2,300 employees, and the company reports achieving full return on investment within three months. Mid-market Canadian clients are struggling to move AI from pilot to production, and CBTS’s template-driven approach gives channel partners a services wrapper they can build around. Sublime Security announced yesterday at Fal.Con 2026 in Las Vegas a new integration with CrowdStrike Falcon Next-Gen SIEM. The integration brings email security signals into the SIEM so analysts can correlate email-based threats with endpoint, identity, cloud, and threat intelligence data in one unified workflow. According to Sublime, AI-generated attack content is up roughly five times in the past year, and 90 percent of malicious emails are now customized to their target, making static detection increasingly inadequate. The integration lets analysts trigger remediation and deploy organization-specific detection coverage directly from a Falcon investigation, rather than waiting for the next vendor update cycle. Sublime says the integration gives analysts full, editable visibility into detection logic with no black box or vendor ticket required. The tighter correlation between email and endpoint detection should help Canadian MSPs compress response time from days to hours for clients without in-house security operations centers. In Brief – DefensX has expanded its secure web browser suite with new AI governance capabilities designed to help MSPs govern AI usage and protect customer data at the browser layer. Mondoo has launched inventory and governance tools for endpoint security, giving security teams visibility and control over shadow AI tooling on company endpoints. Canada will impose 15 percent counter-tariffs on U.S.-origin electronics including smartphones, gaming consoles, and appliances effective September 8, though major IT infrastructure is largely exempt. Prophet Security’s 2026 State of AI in Security Operations report found that 46 percent of organizations’ internal AI SOC builds were ultimately deprecated, replaced, or never reached production. Commvault and CrowdStrike have extended their integration to automate cyber recovery actions within CrowdStrike’s Charlotte agentic SOAR workflows, available now to joint customers. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. Later today on In The Channel, Frank Balonis from Kiteworks joins me to break down what Canadian partners need to know about the Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification, and why the window to get ahead of Level 2 requirements is already closing. And if you haven’t heard it yet, my conversation with Jason Wieser from Calero on why technology expense management might be the MSP practice you’ve been overlooking. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: [Cisco Canada]: The company this morning launched its Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio, making Canada the first market outside EMEA to receive the offering. The company says the configurable portfolio spans core networking, security, compute, collaboration, and Splunk analytics, with air-gapped deployment options where required. According to Cisco Canada, the offering is aligned with ITSG-33 and most of the on-premises portfolio is IPv6-ready, FIPS 140-2/3 certified, and Common Criteria certified. Bell is the lead quoted partner. Read more on Cisco [ScanSource]: The distributor announced last week it will acquire value-added reseller and managed service provider MicroAge in a $220.5 million all-cash transaction expected to close on Sept. 30. The deal adds more than 2,400 U.S. customers and over 200 employees, and brings MicroAge’s hardware, professional services, and consulting expertise to ScanSource’s partners. Read more on Channel Dive [ESET Canada]: The company yesterday announced the winners of its 2026 Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship, naming Arthure Gélinas, Tsidkenu Tomori, and Sulaksa Jeevakumar as the three Canadian recipients. The program has awarded more than $50,000 to 14 women in Canada since expanding north in 2021. Read more on Business Insider [CrowdStrike]: The company is expanding Project QuiltWorks to midmarket companies through partners including Arrow Electronics, Pax8, and TD Synnex. CrowdStrike says the initiative integrates its AI-driven vulnerability discovery with partner services to deliver enterprise-grade protection to SMBs. Read more on Channel Dive [Palo Alto Networks]: The company and NTT Data say they have signed a three-year strategic pact targeting $1 billion in joint cybersecurity revenue, with NTT Data bringing more than 2,000 certified professionals and 20 cyber defense centers to the alliance. Read more on Channel Dive [Auvik]: The Canadian IT management platform provider says it promoted channel veteran Daniel Ochoa to chief revenue officer, with a mandate to expand the partner network and focus on AI-powered capabilities across North America, Latin America, and EMEA. Read more on Channel Dive [ChannelPro]: The publication unveiled its Top 20 MSPs for 2026, recognizing providers driving innovation, leadership, and impact in the channel. Read more on ChannelE2E Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. Cisco Canada this morning launched its Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio, making Canada the first market outside EMEA to receive the offering. The company says the configurable portfolio spans core networking, security, compute, collaboration, and Splunk analytics, with air-gapped deployment options where required and control over access to systems and data sitting with the customer. According to Cisco Canada, the offering is aligned with ITSG-33, the foundation for Authority to Operate on mission-critical services, and most of the on-premises portfolio is IPv6-ready, FIPS 140-2/3 certified, and Common Criteria certified. The launch comes as Canadian organizations in critical sectors face increasing pressure to maintain control over their data and digital infrastructure amid rising sovereignty concerns. For channel partners, the move creates opportunities around assessment, deployment, and ongoing management of sovereign environments, particularly for regulated and government customers that need to demonstrate compliance with strict data residency and control standards. IT distributor ScanSource announced last week it will acquire value-added reseller and managed service provider MicroAge in a $220.5 million all-cash transaction expected to close on Sept. 30. The deal adds more than 2,400 U.S. customers and over 200 employees to ScanSource, and brings MicroAge’s hardware resale, professional services, and consulting expertise under the distributor’s umbrella. ScanSource Chairman and CEO Mike Baur told Channel Dive the acquisition is aimed at augmenting channel partners that lack their own customer service and support organizations, with plans to effectively rent MicroAge’s resources to partners who only pay if something closes. The deal reflects ScanSource’s broader strategy to cross-pollinate its technology advisor base with the MSP and VAR capabilities needed to deliver integration, implementation, and ongoing management services. Baur also noted that MicroAge’s Octum.ai consulting business could help technology advisors fill the AI expertise gap they currently face. For Canadian partners, the convergence of distribution and managed services is a signal that the traditional boundaries between partner types are eroding faster than many expected, and that distributors are increasingly willing to touch the end customer directly. ESET Canada yesterday announced the winners of its 2026 Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship, naming Arthure Gélinas, Tsidkenu Tomori, and Sulaksa Jeevakumar as the three Canadian recipients. According to ESET, the program has awarded more than $50,000 to 14 women in Canada since expanding north in 2021, with this year’s awards totaling $15,000 across three scholarships. Bob Bonneau, country manager at ESET Canada, said the recipients demonstrated an impressive combination of skill, leadership, and a genuine desire to make a difference in the industry. The winners will be recognized at a celebration at ESET’s Markham headquarters on Thursday, continuing a commitment that ESET says is one of the earliest initiatives of its kind in the cybersecurity industry. The three recipients come from the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal, and Ottawa, reflecting a geographic spread that ESET says mirrors the growth of cybersecurity hubs across the country. For the Canadian channel, the scholarship underscores the ongoing need to build a more diverse cybersecurity talent pipeline as demand continues to outpace supply, and it highlights a concrete way vendors can contribute to that pipeline beyond short-term hiring initiatives. In Brief – CrowdStrike expands Project QuiltWorks to midmarket companies through partners including Arrow Electronics, Pax8, and TD Synnex. Palo Alto Networks and NTT Data say they have signed a three-year strategic pact targeting $1 billion in joint cybersecurity revenue. Auvik promoted channel veteran Daniel Ochoa to chief revenue officer, with a mandate to expand the partner network and AI-powered capabilities. ChannelPro unveiled its Top 20 MSPs for 2026, recognizing providers driving innovation, leadership, and impact. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. Later today on In The Channel, my conversation with Raj Juneja, President of Cisco Canada, on the company’s new sovereign critical infrastructure portfolio for Canada. And if you haven’t heard it yet, check out my conversation with Tony Anscombe from ESET on why breached SMBs feel more confident, and where MSPs fit in the insurance collision. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

A full decade after winning the national MX2 title and off the back of a standout international career, Jed Beaton finally managed to clinch his first Australian MX1 championship in 2026 with Monster Energy CDR Yamaha. MotoOnline's Trent Maher spoke to Beaton directly on an assortment of topics following QMP's finale for our latest In Brief podcast.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: [Blumira]: The company on Tuesday launched Hearth, a vendor-agnostic AI command center that Blumira says can intelligently reason across security tools and services an organization already uses. The platform is available in the Pax8 Marketplace, giving MSPs a unified interface to monitor and respond across multi-vendor environments. Read the announcement on Business Wire [Vistera]: The Vancouver-based company on Tuesday unveiled a professional services platform powered by Vero, a multi-agent orchestration layer that Vistera says brings legal, HR, and finance expertise to Canadian SMBs in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Every output is reviewed by a senior Canadian-qualified professional before delivery, with outcomes priced at $700 each or through monthly plans. Learn more on Vistera [CrowdStrike]: Justin Bradley, senior alliances manager for MSSP aggregators at CrowdStrike, warned attendees at XChange August this week that the group behind Akira ransomware — referred to as Punk Spider — has increased attacks by 134 percent over the past year, specifically targeting SMBs through MSPs. The group buys VPN credentials on the dark web, uses MFA fatigue to gain access, and dumps Entra IDs before deploying ransomware. Read more on CRN [ConnectSecure]: The company on Tuesday added M365 Auto Remediation, AI-powered training assessments, and Patch 360 to its MSP platform, allowing providers to automatically remediate supported Microsoft 365 security findings across multiple tenants. Read more on Channel Dive [GTIA]: The Global Technology Industry Association warned at ChannelCon last week that customers are deploying AI faster than MSPs can deliver security and governance, and announced a new Managed Intelligence Alliance to develop standards and accreditations for AI services. Read more on Channel Dive [NetRise]: The company on August 3 launched its Discovery Partner Program to expand software supply chain security through MSSPs, VARs, and distributors. Read the announcement on PR Newswire [Verizon]: Channel chief and vice president of indirect partner sales Mark Tina is leaving the telecommunications company after 23 years to become vice president of national partner sales and distribution at health insurer Humana. Read more on Channel Dive Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Thursday, August 13, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. Blumira on Tuesday launched Hearth, a vendor-agnostic AI command center that the company says can intelligently reason across security tools and services an organization already uses. According to Blumira, the platform is designed to unify visibility and response across the workspace without requiring a rip-and-replace approach, giving lean IT teams a single interface to monitor disparate tools. Hearth is available in the Pax8 Marketplace, positioning it for MSPs that provision through that platform. Blumira is pitching the offering as a way to reduce tool sprawl and alert fatigue for teams that lack enterprise-scale resources. A unified reasoning layer across multi-vendor stacks could cut down on the context-switching that slows incident response for Canadian MSPs, though the value will depend on integration depth and the accuracy of the AI-driven reasoning. Vistera on Tuesday unveiled a Canadian-built professional services platform powered by Vero, a multi-agent orchestration layer that the company says brings legal, HR, and finance expertise to small and medium-sized businesses at a predictable cost. The Vancouver-based company is targeting Canadian SMBs in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario with outcomes priced at $700 each or through monthly plans, a fraction of the typical hourly rates at large firms. According to Vistera, every output is reviewed and signed off by a senior Canadian-qualified professional before it reaches the client, with credential verification and regulatory standing checks built into the workflow. The platform handles intake, research, and preparation through AI agents while preserving human oversight for final judgment. Canadian MSPs should watch how this model lands, as it could create new partnership opportunities around SMB advisory services or introduce competitive pressure in the professional services space. CrowdStrike this week warned attendees at XChange August that prolific ransomware groups are specifically targeting MSPs and their SMB customers. According to Justin Bradley, senior alliances manager for MSSP aggregators at CrowdStrike, the group behind Akira ransomware — referred to as Punk Spider — has increased its attacks by 134 percent over the past year with an emphasis on SMBs. Bradley said the group’s typical strategy involves buying VPN credentials on the dark web, then using MFA fatigue to gain initial access, escalating privileges, and dumping Entra IDs before deploying ransomware. He also noted that CrowdStrike is tracking two break-off groups from Scattered Spider, dubbed Cordial Spider and Snarky Spider, which have been known to impersonate MSPs to trick customers into launching remote access tools. The intelligence underscores the urgency for Canadian MSPs to harden identity controls and monitor for MFA abuse, particularly as credential theft continues to fetch thousands of dollars on dark web markets. In Brief – ConnectSecure says its new M365 Auto Remediation tool lets MSPs approve and automatically apply fixes across multiple customers for supported Microsoft 365 security findings. The Global Technology Industry Association warns at ChannelCon that customers are deploying AI faster than MSPs can secure it, and says it is launching a Managed Intelligence Alliance to set standards for AI services. NetRise says its new Discovery Partner Program will expand software supply chain security through MSSPs, VARs, and distributors. Verizon confirms channel chief Mark Tina is leaving after 23 years to become vice president of national partner sales and distribution at Humana. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: [Schneider Electric]: The company yesterday unveiled its next-generation APC Smart-UPS at XChange August 2026, introducing what it says is the first multi-chemistry battery technology for distributed and edge environments. The platform accepts both VRLA lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, allowing customers to start with lower-cost lead-acid and upgrade later without replacing the chassis. Read more on CRN. [Ingram Micro]: The distributor says hundreds of channel partners are now using its Xvantage Integration Hub and secure Model Context Protocol Server to connect AI assistants directly to their business systems. Trust X Alliance member Matrix Integration estimates the platform will save its team between 1,000 and 1,500 hours this year, while IT Design Consulting says it cut quoting from hours or days to seconds. Read the announcement on Ingram Micro. [D&H Distributing]: The distributor is now authorized to carry Dell Technologies’ full enterprise storage portfolio in the United States and Canada, adding a new sourcing option after Dell ended its relationship with Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions. D&H says its Advanced Solutions+ business unit now accounts for more than 25 percent of its overall business. Read more on CRN. [Acronis]: The company unveiled an autonomous IT platform update with an AI-driven console, service desk, and migration tools designed to help MSPs automate operations and expand services. Read more on msp-channel.com. [NCC Group and SailPoint]: The two companies have partnered to strengthen identity security services for both human and non-human identities. Read the announcement on NCC Group. [Lexful]: The company announced general availability of its AI-native IT documentation platform for MSPs, with plans to join the Pax8 and Sherweb marketplaces before the end of 2026. Read more on Yahoo Finance. [Circana]: Research presented at XChange August says AI’s workforce shock is unlikely to ease in the near term, with MSP executives noting persistent talent gaps despite automation advances. Read more on CRN. Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. Schneider Electric yesterday unveiled its next-generation APC Smart-UPS at XChange August 2026, introducing what the company says is the first multi-chemistry battery technology for distributed and edge environments. The new platform accepts both traditional VRLA lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries, allowing customers to start with lower-cost lead-acid technology and upgrade to longer-lasting lithium-ion later without replacing the chassis. Adam Compton, offer management leader at Schneider Electric, told CRN that the chassis is engineered to recognize different battery chemistries through firmware and battery management systems, which then alert EcoStruxure IT monitoring software about the specific battery type and replacement timeline. The company says future battery chemistries will also be supported as they become viable. For channel partners, the flexibility creates new service opportunities around battery lifecycle management, assessment, and the Rip-Replace-Recycle refresh program. Gordon Lord, vice president of channels, said Schneider Electric is doubling down on its Gateway program to give partners visibility into distributed power infrastructure across customer sites. The online versions of the new Smart-UPS are slated to be available starting September 1, with line-interactive versions following next year. Partners will not require new certifications. Canadian partners working with regulated and industrial customers should note the air-gapped deployment potential and the EcoStruxure monitoring layer as a recurring services hook. Ingram Micro says hundreds of channel partners are now using its Xvantage Integration Hub and secure Model Context Protocol Server to connect AI assistants directly to their business systems. The distributor announced the expanded adoption last Wednesday, positioning the platform as a way to reduce integration friction and automate workflows across quoting, ordering, and customer management. Executive Vice President Sanjib Sahoo described the MCP Server as a way to bring AI directly into the flow of business, giving partners a secure, real-time connection to Ingram Micro’s data mesh without building custom integrations. Trust X Alliance member Matrix Integration estimates the platform will save its team between 1,000 and 1,500 hours this year. IT Design Consulting CEO Ryan Evans said his team cut quoting processes from hours or days to seconds using the XI Hub integration. Ingram Micro is offering on-demand training sessions to help partners build AI-powered solutions through the platform. The company is positioning the offering as part of its broader strategy to make Xvantage an intelligent operating layer for the global channel. Canadian partners should watch how quickly small MSPs adopt the plug-and-play connectivity, since Ingram Micro reports that smaller providers are the fastest adopters so far. D&H Distributing is now authorized to carry Dell Technologies’ full enterprise storage portfolio in the United States and Canada, adding a new sourcing option for partners after Dell ended its distribution relationship with Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions last month. The Harrisburg, Pa.-based distributor is bringing Dell’s advanced infrastructure, including Dell Apex as-a-service and subscription technologies, to its Advanced Solutions+ business unit. Chief Commercial and Consumer Officer Marty Bauerlein told CRN that Dell’s decision followed an RFP process and was influenced by D&H’s execution capabilities and growth mindset. Partners including Precision Computer Services and CompuCom have praised D&H’s responsiveness and collaborative approach. D&H says its Advanced Solutions+ unit now accounts for more than 25 percent of its overall business. For Canadian partners, the move adds another distributor option for Dell storage and server infrastructure at a time when Dell is also rolling out program changes focused on AI outcomes and faster rewards. The timing means partners can evaluate sourcing alongside the new rebate and registration structures Dell is expected to introduce this month. In Brief – Acronis unveils autonomous IT platform update with AI-driven console, service desk, and migration tools for MSPs. NCC Group partners with SailPoint to strengthen identity security services for human and non-human identities. Lexful announces general availability of its AI-native IT documentation platform for MSPs, with plans to join the Pax8 and Sherweb marketplaces before the end of 2026. Circana research presented at XChange August says AI’s workforce shock is unlikely to ease in the near term. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. Later today on In The Channel, my conversation with Exabeam about rebuilding the MSSP commercial model to fix the economics of managed SIEM. And if you haven‘t heard it yet, check out my conversation with Chris Fabes from TD SYNNEX Canada about his three-sided view of the channel. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

One in three Australian homes now has solar on the roof. Nobody built a power station to make it happen — millions of households just did it themselves. That's the largest distributed energy build in history, and it started as a rounding error. In Brief 03, we distill hundreds of expert conversations into one argument: solar didn't win on policy or ideology. It won because it got cheap, then kept getting cheaper. We cover: — How solar became the cheapest electricity humanity has ever generated — Why Australia's rooftops are the template for everywhere else — What breaks when the sun does the work — and why storage is the answer 340+ conversations. 1 brief. Connect with Sohail Hasnie: Facebook @sohailhasnie X (Twitter) @shasnie LinkedIn @shasnie ADB Blog Sohail Hasnie YouTube @energypreneurs

There are 200 cars parked outside right now. Each carries a 60–80 kWh battery. Together, that's a small power station sitting idle. That's Vehicle-to-Grid — and it's closer than most people think. In Brief 02, we distill hundreds of expert conversations into one argument: your EV isn't just transport. It's a battery on wheels that can power your home, stabilise the grid, and earn you money while it sits in the driveway. We cover: Why V2G will spread like SMS did — slowly, then all at once What happens when millions of EVs start feeding electricity back The economics that make it inevitable 340+ conversations. 1 brief. Connect with Sohail Hasnie: Facebook @sohailhasnie X (Twitter) @shasnie LinkedIn @shasnie ADB Blog Sohail Hasnie YouTube @energypreneurs

After re-signing with AEO Powersports KTM for the 2027 season, Carson Mumford clicked another gear at the Spring Creek National this past weekend, finishing third in 250MX moto two and inside the top-five overall. It's a positive sign of things to come for the highly-rated 24-year-old, who is finally getting his career back on track, and has found a sense of stability – and form to match – within the California-based team. MotoOnline's Alex Gobert spoke to Mumford this week for our latest In Brief podcast.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: TD SYNNEX appoints Chris Fabes as President of Canada: TD SYNNEX announced today that Chris Fabes has been appointed President of Canada, with responsibility for driving the company’s distribution strategy and accelerating customer growth across the Canadian market. Fabes brings more than two decades of IT channel leadership, most recently from SHI where he led a multi-year strategic growth initiative across Canada, and previously from Lenovo where he served as Canadian channel chief and helped triple channel revenue to more than $1.2 billion. He succeeds Mitchell Martin, who retired earlier this year after more than 36 years with the company. Huntress warns of massive Azure CLI password spray attacks: A new Huntress report published Monday warns that threat actors have been running massive password spray attacks against Microsoft Azure Command Line Interface accounts, making more than 81 million attempts between June 12 and June 26, 2026. According to Huntress, attackers are exploiting a loophole in Azure CLI that does not support multifactor authentication, allowing them to target service accounts and non-human identities that are often poorly monitored. Huntress has reported the issue to Microsoft. MSSPs face employee retention problem driven by invisible work, says Guardz: MSSPs are facing a significant employee retention challenge driven by what the report calls “invisible work” – security analysts spending hours on manual data correlation and reporting that customers never see. Guardz, in announcing a new agentic reporting capability, said the problem is burning out analysts who feel their work lacks visible impact. The new tool uses an AI agent to automatically turn blocked threats and client risk data into formatted reports that MSPs can present to SMB customers. ManageEngine launches developer marketplace: ManageEngine has launched a developer marketplace for integrations, extensions, and AI agents across its IT management platforms. The marketplace is designed to allow partner-developers, independent software vendors, and customers to build and distribute add-ons. GAM Tech ranks No. 97 on 2026 MSP 501, No. 1 in Western Canada: GAM Tech has climbed to No. 97 globally on the 2026 MSP 501 and ranks No. 1 in Western Canada, according to the company. The MSP 501 list recognizes managed service providers based on metrics including recurring revenue, profit margin, and operational efficiency. Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Tuesday, July 21, 2026, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. TD SYNNEX has appointed Chris Fabes as President of Canada, filling the role left by Mitchell Martin who retired earlier this year after more than thirty-six years with the company. In a statement, TD SYNNEX said Fabes brings more than two decades of IT channel leadership across vendor, distributor, and customer perspectives. He most recently led a multi-year strategic growth initiative at SHI across Canada, and before that served as Canadian channel chief at Lenovo, where he helped triple channel revenue to more than one point two billion dollars in three years. TD SYNNEX North America president Reyna Thompson said Fabes’ end-to-end understanding of the Canadian technology market makes him well positioned to lead the Canada business into its next chapter. The appointment comes at a time when TD SYNNEX has been expanding its vendor relationships in Canada, including recent global distribution deals with Fortinet and HPE. Canadian partners will be watching how Fabes shapes the distributor’s local strategy, particularly around AI, cybersecurity, and cloud marketplace growth. A new Huntress report published Monday warns that threat actors have been running massive password spray attacks against Microsoft Azure Command Line Interface accounts, making more than eighty-one million attempts between June 12 and June 26, 2026. According to Huntress, attackers are exploiting a loophole in Azure CLI that does not support multifactor authentication, allowing them to target service accounts and non-human identities that are often poorly monitored. The company said most affected accounts were from large enterprises with complex cloud footprints, and that MSPs managing customer Azure environments are particularly exposed because these CLI accounts often fall outside normal identity monitoring workflows. Huntress has reported the issue to Microsoft. The research underscores a growing tension in identity security: as organizations lock down human-facing accounts with MFA, attackers are shifting to non-human identities and service accounts that lack the same protections. Canadian MSPs with hybrid Azure and Microsoft 365 clients should be reviewing whether their RMM and identity tools are catching CLI-level authentication anomalies. MSSPs are facing a significant employee retention challenge, but salary is not the primary driver. According to a ChannelE2E feature published today, the main issue is what the report calls “invisible work” – security analysts spending hours on manual data correlation, reporting, and threat context that customers never see. Guardz, in announcing a new agentic reporting capability, said the problem is burning out analysts who feel their work lacks visible impact. The new tool uses an AI agent to automatically turn blocked threats, security activity, and client risk data into formatted reports that MSPs can present to SMB customers. Guardz is positioning the feature as a way to reduce the manual reporting burden while simultaneously demonstrating security value to clients. For Canadian MSPs, the issue is worth noting because talent retention in security operations is already tight, and any tool that reduces invisible overhead while improving client communication is likely to get attention from understaffed SOC teams. In Brief – ManageEngine launches a developer marketplace for integrations, extensions, and AI agents. GAM Tech ranks number ninety-seven globally on the two thousand twenty-six MSP five hundred one and number one in Western Canada. Later today on In The Channel, my conversation with Mark Sutor of Access Group and the Trust X Alliance on the Global Leadership Summit, the TXA AI agent, and the idea of distributor-as-platform is available now. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

Honda Racing team owner Yarrive Konsky has a lot going on between his extensive program here in Australia, in addition to being behind Quad Lock Honda in the US-based Monster Energy SMX World Championship and the World Supercross Championship. MotoOnline's Nic Still recently had the rare opportunity to speak to him in a candid, wide-ranging discussion on season 2026 for our latest In Brief podcast.

In recent months of the war, Ukraine has managed to hold its front lines and bring war to regular Russians via attacks on infrastructure. That's why Economic Advisor to the President of Ukraine Chrystia Freeland believes Ukraine has flipped the narrative from being the virtuous victim of Russia's aggression to the necessary ally and shield of Europe. This week, she joins Sir Ben Wallace and co-host Kate McCann to make the case for why Ukraine is winning, and why winning on the economic battlefield is equally important to the country's future.  Freeland talks about how Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is laying the political groundwork for Ukraine's economic success, the importance of Ukraine's alliances, and why Poland's success story should serve as a model for Ukraine's post-war future. They also discuss Ukraine's strong defense industrial base, the importance of rooting out corruption and the remnants of Soviet ideology for bringing in investment to the country, the challenges of attracting people back to Ukraine, and why victory for Ukraine is a victory for liberal democracy. Plus, In Brief: what Andy Burnham is up against on the UK's defense front as he ascends to the role of Prime Minister, another battle in the Strait of Hormuz reignites conflict between Iran and the United States, and a leadership shakeup in China's People's Liberation Army. In this episode: (00:00) Cold Open and Introduction (02:21) Incoming UK PM Andy Burnham  (04:16) IRGC Proscription Explained (05:20) Renewed Tensions with Iran (09:14) China Military Leadership Shakeup (10:32) Chrystia Freeland On Ukraine (11:35) Is Ukraine Winning? (15:38) Ukrainian Sentiment on the State of War (24:43) Zelenskyy's Political Strategy (29:44) Ukrainian Defense Innovation (33:36) Why Crimea Was A Strategic Blunder for Putin (37:17) Ukraine's Future Economic Vision (42:39) Corruption and Investment in Ukraine (53:32) Rebuilding Ukraine and Returning Home (56:28) Why Allyship is Key for Ukrainian Success (59:48) Reflecting On Politics, Alliances, and the Future of Ukraine Hosted by Sir Ben Wallace (former UK Defense Secretary) and co-host Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: OpenAI Partner Network: OpenAI‘s inaugural Partner Network is officially live as of July 15, with vice president of strategic global partnerships Colleen Kapase confirming the three-tier program is backed by $150 million in channel investment. Partners can progress through Select, Advanced, and Elite tiers while earning specializations in areas like Codex, cybersecurity, and AI agents. OpenAI says it aims to train 300,000 certified consultants by year-end and is recruiting solution providers of all sizes that can put AI systems into production. OpenAI Carbon60 MSP 501: Carbon60, a Toronto-based managed cloud services provider, has been named to the 2026 MSP 501 at position 206, ranking among the world’s top managed services firms by revenue and operational discipline. The company has built a differentiated practice around Canada-first sovereign cloud and Azure expertise, and the ranking follows a broader push by Canadian MSPs to demonstrate global competitiveness in compliance-heavy verticals. Carbon60 RecordPoint channel-first: RecordPoint has launched a global partner program that CRN describes as a channel-first move, enabling resellers, consultancies, and systems integrators to resell, co-sell, and refer its data and AI governance platform. Partners will receive enablement, joint sales support, and platform access to build practices around data retention, compliance, and AI-ready data classification. Channel Insider Blackpoint Cyber 2026 threat report: Blackpoint Cyber has released its 2026 Annual Threat Report, finding that attackers are increasingly exploiting trusted IT tools rather than using perimeter breaches. The report highlights abuse of remote monitoring and management platforms, VPNs, and identity credentials as primary vectors. ChannelPro Network Managed security market growth: Acronis and Omdia project the global managed security market will grow from $93 billion in 2025 to $106 billion in 2026, a 14.4 percent increase. The growth reflects sustained demand for outsourced security operations among mid-market organizations that lack internal SOC capacity. RAMageddon pressures PC refresh: Industry analysts and OEMs continue to signal significant PC RAM price increases through 2026 due to the ongoing memory supply shortage. Channel partners should advise clients on refresh timing and alternative configurations to manage budget impact. CNET Exabeam MSSP licensing: Exabeam has expanded its APEX partner program with pooled and federated licensing options designed specifically for MSSPs. The new framework is intended to reduce onboarding friction and simplify compliance across multi-tenant security operations centers. Security Brief Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Thursday, July 16, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. OpenAI’s inaugural Partner Network is officially live as of yesterday, July 15, with the company backing the three-tier program with $150 million in channel investment. Vice president of strategic global partnerships Colleen Kapase confirmed the program is open to solution providers of all sizes, not just global systems integrators. Partners can progress through Select, Advanced, and Elite tiers based on sales performance, technical capability, and deployment experience. The program includes specializations in Codex, cybersecurity, and AI agents. OpenAI says it aims to train 300,000 certified consultants by the end of 2026, and is actively recruiting solution providers that can put AI systems into production. Philip Larson, senior director of the OpenAI Partner Network and a former Google Cloud channel leader, said the program is designed to reward partners for the value they create with customers. Canadian VARs and MSPs with existing AI practices should evaluate the program alongside their current AWS, Google, and Microsoft partnerships, as the specializations in Codex and AI agents may create differentiation in automation-heavy verticals. Carbon60, a Toronto-based managed cloud services provider, has been named to the 2026 MSP 501 at position 206, marking the company as one of the world’s top managed services firms by revenue and operational discipline. The ranking, published by Channel Futures, evaluates financial health, operational maturity, and recurring revenue growth. Carbon60’s inclusion follows a broader trend of Canadian MSPs demonstrating global competitiveness in specialized infrastructure and compliance-heavy verticals. The company has built a differentiated practice around Canada-first sovereign cloud and deep Azure expertise. As Canadian public sector and healthcare clients face stricter data residency requirements, sovereign cloud capabilities are becoming a key differentiator for domestic MSPs seeking to compete with larger global firms on government and enterprise contracts. RecordPoint has gone channel-first with the launch of a global partner program enabling resellers, consultancies, and systems integrators to resell, co-sell, and refer its data and AI governance platform. The program arrives as AI adoption drives a surge in demand for data governance across regulated industries. RecordPoint says partners will receive enablement, joint sales support, and platform access to build practices around data retention, compliance, and AI-ready data classification. CRN reports that the move represents a strategic shift for the company. Canadian partners serving regulated industries like finance, government, and healthcare may find particular opportunity as clients confront unstructured data sprawl ahead of AI deployments. In Brief – OpenAI commits $150 million to launch its inaugural Partner Network with tiered AI specializations. Acronis and Omdia project the managed security market will reach $106 billion in 2026. Blackpoint Cyber’s 2026 Annual Threat Report highlights attackers hiding inside trusted IT tools and RMM platforms. RAMageddon memory shortages continue to pressure PC pricing and enterprise refresh cycles. Exabeam adds pooled and federated licensing options to its APEX partner program for MSSPs. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. Later today on In The Channel, we’re talking specialist distribution in Canada with Carrie Hopkins of Exclusive Networks. We get into the Ignition program, what broadliners can’t deliver, and why the model might feel familiar to channel veterans. And if you haven’t heard it yet, yesterday we wrapped our HPE Discover 2026 arc with HPE vice president of North America channels Jeremiah Jenson. He talks about the quote-cycle win, the Canadian angle on data sovereignty, and what partners should stop doing. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: Microsoft July 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 570 flaws, 3 zero-days: Microsoft released its July 2026 Patch Tuesday update addressing 570 vulnerabilities including 3 zero-days, according to BleepingComputer. The zero-day status means MSPs should prioritize these patches immediately for client environments. With 570 total fixes to stage, test, and deploy, Canadian partners managing regulated clients in healthcare, finance, and provincial government face a compressed vulnerability response window this week. Citrix Platform Flex opens a new services opportunity: Citrix is introducing Platform Flex, a persona-based pricing model that gives partners room to build consulting, workforce assessment, and migration services around how customers actually use the platform. According to ChannelE2E, the shift lets partners attach higher-margin services to each deployment by right-sizing workloads to user personas. The new model is particularly relevant in the Canadian mid-market, where virtual desktop and app delivery standardization has been strong but differentiation has been thin. AI compliance is becoming an operational blind spot for MSPs: AI compliance should not be treated as a policy exercise that happens once and then sits on a shelf. According to Terry Irons on ChannelE2E, the value for MSPs is operationalizing compliance around AI data handling, model access, and prompt logging. Canadian MSPs already navigating Law 25 and PIPEDA amendments will recognize the pattern: the regulation exists, but the recurring revenue opportunity lies in helping customers stay inside the lines as the technology changes. CMMC third-party audits paused but the opportunity isn’t: The Department of Defense has pressed pause on third-party audits for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, but the compliance requirements themselves remain in place for defense contractors. According to ChannelE2E, that gap creates an opening for MSPs and MSSPs to expand compliance services. Canadian partners serving cross-border contractors or aerospace supply chain clients should expect renewed advisory conversations. Progress confirms ShareFile zero-day behind Storage Zone shutdown: Progress confirmed a ShareFile zero-day flaw was behind the Storage Zone shutdown, BleepingComputer reports. Partners managing client file-sharing infrastructure should assess exposure and confirm whether affected Storage Zone configurations are in their environments. MSSP Alert Top 250 application opens for 2026: The MSSP Alert Top 250 MSSP list application process is open for 2026. ChannelE2E offers guidance on what judges look for and which mistakes could hurt a ranking. Changes in the Channel tracks leadership moves for July 6-10: ChannelE2E tracked leadership changes and shakeups across the channel for the week of July 6-10. Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Wednesday, July 15, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. Microsoft released its July 2026 Patch Tuesday update addressing 570 vulnerabilities across the portfolio, including 3 zero-days. According to BleepingComputer, the zero-day patches should be prioritized immediately for client environments. The scale of the release means MSPs need to stage patch deployment carefully. With 570 fixes to validate and deploy, technicians are managing a large surface area without disrupting business operations. Canadian partners managing regulated clients in healthcare, finance, and provincial government should expect compressed vulnerability response windows this week. Law 25, PIPEDA, and sector-specific frameworks all embed expectations around timely critical patch management, and a July drop of this magnitude tests those service level commitments. Microsoft is positioning the release as part of its regular cycle, but the zero-day status means this is not a routine Tuesday. Partners should be communicating with clients now about maintenance windows and priority sequencing for on-premises and hybrid infrastructure. Citrix is introducing Platform Flex, a persona-based pricing model that moves away from one-size-fits-all licensing and gives partners room to build consulting, workforce assessment, and migration services around how customers actually use the platform. According to ChannelE2E, the shift lets partners attach higher-margin services to each deployment by right-sizing workloads to user personas rather than simply renewing seat counts. The new model is particularly relevant in the Canadian mid-market, where virtual desktop and app delivery standardization has been strong but differentiation has been thin. Platform Flex creates a natural entry point for partners to conduct usage assessments, recommend persona transitions, and bundle ongoing optimization services. It also gives partners a way to defend margins against pure license resale by making the consulting layer part of the renewal conversation. Citrix is positioning Platform Flex as a way to reduce customer shelfware, but the partner angle is that it turns every renewal cycle into a services engagement. AI compliance should not be treated as a policy exercise that happens once and then sits on a shelf. According to Terry Irons on ChannelE2E, the value for MSPs is operationalizing compliance around AI data handling, model access, and prompt logging. As customers deploy more AI tools, the governance gap between experimentation and controlled scale is widening, and MSPs that treat AI governance as a document creation exercise risk missing the continuous monitoring requirement. Canadian MSPs already navigating Law 25 and PIPEDA amendments will recognize the pattern: the regulation exists, but the recurring revenue opportunity lies in helping customers stay inside the lines as the technology changes. The piece suggests that MSPs who build AI compliance into their existing security operations center workflows, rather than treating it as a separate consulting project, will capture more of that spend. The shift from one-time policy to ongoing operational control is the same transition the channel has already made with security, and AI is now following that path. In Brief – CMMC third-party audits are paused but the channel opportunity isn’t. Progress confirms a ShareFile zero-day flaw behind the Storage Zone shutdown. MSSP Alert Top 250 application opens for 2026 ranking. Changes in the Channel tracks leadership moves for the week of July 6-10. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. Later today on In The Channel, we close out our HPE Discover 2026 coverage with vice president of North America channel and partner ecosystem Jeremiah Jenson, talking about the 30-day quote validity, Canadian partner influence, and the push for data center networking growth. And if you haven’t heard it yet, yesterday’s episode featured Curtis Dery from Xerox IT Solutions on HPE financing, GreenLake wins, and why AI is a digital goldmine for the channel. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: Barracuda acquires Evo Security: Barracuda is integrating Evo Security‘s IAM and PAM tools into BarracudaONE, giving MSPs more ways to build identity security services beyond MFA. ChannelE2E reports that the move unifies email, network, and identity protection under one stack, which matters for Canadian technicians already managing multiple dashboards. The deal size was not disclosed. Rewst rebuilds its platform around MCP and AI agents: Rewst is rebuilding its automation engine around the Model Context Protocol so technicians can describe a business process and have an AI agent custom-build it, even without deep scripting skills. ChannelE2E says the update turns automation from an internal efficiency play into a billable managed service. The rollout is expected through the third quarter. Microsoft opens its July 2026 partner playbook: Microsoft released July partner announcements covering FY27 planning resources, updated Azure IP co-sell incentives, and refreshed Microsoft 365 Copilot specialization requirements. The company is positioning the Copilot specialization as a prerequisite for AI deployment referrals, raising the bar from general cloud competency to specific AI delivery capability. A new End of Sale Software pricelist is also live in Partner Center as of July 1. CompassMSP acquires Logic Group: ChannelE2E reports the acquisition adds to CompassMSP’s portfolio as the consolidator continues its North American expansion. The 20 MSP acquires Sundance Networks, reaching 49 acquisitions: The rollup hits another milestone with the Sundance Networks deal, according to ChannelE2E. ManageEngine launches marketplace for partner-built IT extensions and AI agents: ChannelE2E says Zoho’s IT management arm is opening a marketplace where partners can build and sell extensions. Dell partners remain optimistic amid supply chain concerns: ChannelE2E reports that Dell is working to keep supply chains flowing for partners as data center growth puts pressure on memory supplies. Guardz adds agentic reporting for MSP client reviews: ChannelE2E says the new feature turns blocked threats and security activity into reports that SMB customers can understand. Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Tuesday, July 14, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. Barracuda is buying Evo Security to expand its identity security capabilities for MSPs. In a deal announced last week, Barracuda said it will integrate Evo Security’s IAM and PAM tools into BarracudaONE, giving partners more ways to build identity security services beyond MFA. The move comes as identity attacks continue to outpace traditional perimeter defenses and MSPs are being asked to manage privileged access for customers with limited security staff. Barracuda is positioning the acquisition as a way to unify email, network, and identity protection under one stack. Canadian partners who have already standardized on BarracudaONE will see the new tools appear as integrated modules rather than a separate console, which matters for technicians who are already managing multiple dashboards. The channel has been waiting for Barracuda to deepen its identity story after years of speculation, and this appears to be the answer. Identity and access management has become one of the fastest-growing service lines for Canadian MSPs, but many have cobbled together solutions from multiple vendors. Barracuda’s bet is that MSPs will pay for a unified platform rather than stitching together point products. The deal size was not disclosed. Rewst is rebuilding its automation platform from the ground up around MCP and AI agents, and the timing is notable. The company announced today that MSPs will be able to describe a business process they want to automate and have an AI agent custom-build the workflow, even if the technician lacks deep scripting expertise. Rewst is leaning on the Model Context Protocol to connect its automation engine to third-party tools in a standardized way, which reduces the integration maintenance that typically consumes MSP engineering hours. The rebuild is a direct response to the skills gap that has kept many mid-market providers from offering automation as a managed service. For Canadian MSPs struggling to hire and retain technicians who can write PowerShell or Python, this could lower the barrier to entry for workflow automation and make it a billable service rather than an internal efficiency play. Rewst says the new architecture will also allow partners to sell automation to their own customers as a white-label managed service, which turns a cost center into a revenue line. The platform update is expected to roll out to existing partners in phases through the third quarter. Microsoft rolled out its July partner announcements on Thursday, and the bundle includes several items that will shape Canadian partner planning for the second half of the calendar year. The company opened FY27 planning resources, updated Azure IP co-sell incentives, and refreshed Microsoft 365 Copilot specialization requirements. A new End of Sale Software pricelist is also live in Partner Center as of July 1. Microsoft is positioning the Copilot specialization as a prerequisite for partners who want to be referred for AI deployment opportunities, which means the bar for entry is moving from general cloud competency to specific AI delivery capability. The FY27 planning materials emphasize recurring revenue and attached services, a message that aligns with what Canadian distributors have been telling partners for the last two quarters. Canadian CSPs will also want to note the pricing and packaging changes for Microsoft 365 Business plans that took effect July 1, which include additional mailbox storage and enhanced Copilot Chat experiences. The net effect is that Microsoft is tightening the link between partner program tiering and AI service delivery, something that will require training investments for smaller partners. In Brief – CompassMSP acquires Logic Group. The 20 MSP acquires Sundance Networks, reaching 49 acquisitions. ManageEngine launches a marketplace for partner-built IT extensions and AI agents. Dell partners remain optimistic amid IT component supply chain concerns. Guardz adds agentic reporting to help MSPs turn security activity into client-ready reviews. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. And if you haven‘t heard it yet, my conversation with Curtis Dery from Xerox IT Solutions on what HPE’s financing moves, the channel-only expansion of Private Cloud and Zerto, and why AI is a digital goldmine. That’s on In The Channel now. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

The Catechism provides an overview on how Jesus grants the Church the ability to forgive sins through both Baptism and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike doubles down on the revelation that there is no sin that Jesus can't forgive—and no one is disqualified. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 976-987. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

When we show devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, we fulfill her prophecy that “all generations will call me blessed.” The Catechism clearly shows us how such devotion does not compete with devotion to God, but in fact fosters adoration of God. Fr. Mike declares that the better we know Mary, the better we know Jesus, and the more we love Mary, the more we love Jesus. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 971-975. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

When the Supreme Court released their decision to limit the scope and scale of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in late April, Amy knew she wanted to dig into the political and legal repercussions with someone who is well-versed in both of those areas. She immediately turned to Sean Trende, a senior analyst at RealClearPolitics and a lawyer who has deep expertise in redistricting law. In fact, back in 2022, Sean was one of two special masters assigned to draw Virginia's congressional maps. He's also an astute analyst of political trends and elections. It doesn't hurt that Sean lives in Ohio - a key epicenter for the battle for the Senate this year.As fate would have it, we recorded this just a couple days before the Virginia Supreme Court struck down the Virginia map voters had approved earlier this spring. While we weren't able to address it directly, we did discuss the possibility of this very scenario and its broader impact on the U.S. House map for 2026. Amy's goal for the interview was to look past the immediate impacts in 2026 and ask what impact of the tit-for-tat redistricting wars could be on our politics in the near and far term. We recorded this conversation on Wednesday, May 6. Check out our Redistricting Tracker: www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/redistricting/2025-2026-redistricting-tracker-how-many-seats-could-flip-0Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upInterested in subscribing to CPR? Go to: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribeListeners can use the discount code"ODD10" to save 10% on any subscription. This offer is available only to new subscribers.**Listen to our weekly podcast Editors Roundtable**Find it on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/editors-roundtable/id1765349026Find it on Substack: https://thecookpoliticalreport.substack.com/s/editors-roundtable

The Catechism further unpacks the communion of saints and shows us how the Church lives in communion with those members who have passed on to eternal life with Christ in heaven. If you're listening to this podcast and you're not Catholic—or if you still have questions about the communion of saints—Fr. Mike has a word for you. This is your family, interceding on your behalf that you might receive the fullness of Faith here on earth. Today's readings are from Catechism paragraphs 954-962. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

This "In Brief" section reviews all that we have learned in recent episodes. In the Church, “the faithful" refers to clerics and the laity with various callings in each. Fr. Mike explains how God calls every human being to unity with him. No matter our vocations, we must surrender our lives to the Lord and participate in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly offices of Christ. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 934-945. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Has the divisive rhetoric of President Trump's administration irrevocably changed America's reputation in the eyes of its allies and adversaries? Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika sit down with Democratic US Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire to discuss how US foreign policy has shifted during Trump's second term. Beginning with In Brief, Sir Richard and Ayesha examine the history of UK royalty visits to the US from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles II, and the strategic importance of these visits for maintaining the “special relationship” between the US and UK. Then, Senator Shaheen argues that Trump's lax approach to Putin and Russia undermines support for Ukraine, emphasizing that a win for Ukraine is a win for the West. She criticizes the administration's China strategy, warning that the withdrawal of aid and allyship by America has put China in a position to fill the vacuum. The Senator also warns about the growing relationships between members of the “axis of resistance”—China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—citing their increased cooperation as why America maintaining its historic alliances with NATO countries and beyond is so critical for a stable world. In this episode: 03:02 – King Charles' first official state visit to the US 13:50 – The fragility of the US-UK relationship 17:04 – Allies and adversaries behind the scenes 19:07 – Russia, Ukraine, and the Iran war 21:51 – Putin and the G20 25:10 – What's next in the Iran war? 24:49 – The blockade ‘game of chicken' at the Strait of Hormuz 32:39 – US and China relations 36:22 – China's rare earth dominance 39:26 – NATO defense spending 42:22 – One Decision: Will Iran negotiations be successful?  45:15 – Sir Richard and Ayesha discussion Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Baroness Ayesha Hazarika (Member, House of Lords). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What the soul is to the human body, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church.” The Catechism uncovers how the Holy Spirit truly builds up the whole Church in the name of Jesus. Fr. Mike dives into the incredibly diverse gifts that the Holy Spirit gives up for the building up of the Kingdom—the charisms. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 797-810. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

As Pakistan steps into its role as peace broker, is India being left in the cold? Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove and international journalist Rosanna Lockwood are joined by lecturer in South Asian Studies at Yale, Sushant Singh, to unpack this dramatic shift in South Asian and Middle Eastern geopolitics. Starting with In Brief, Sir Richard and Rosanna look at how the Iran and US blockades of the Strait of Hormuz are putting the global energy economy in peril. They also discuss the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire in relation to the stability of Lebanon's government, as well as whether secret US talks with Cuba will lead to military or economic intervention in the country. Then, Singh explains the unexpected rise of Pakistan as mediator for peace talks between Washington and Tehran, the diminishing influence of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi globally and at home, and how balancing its relationships with China and Russia may come at the cost of eroding India's alliance with the US. In this episode: 03:36 – Standoff in the Strait of Hormuz 08:00 – Latest on the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire 13:53 – Cuba is back on Washington's radar 18:43 – Sushant Singh introduction 19:30 – Pakistan's surprise mediator role 23:00 – Explaining India's ‘dalal' remark 25:42 – Modi's weakening at home 27:59 – Muslim-Hindu divide in India 28:56 – Modi's Pakistan dilemma 30:18 – Pakistan's Middle East reclassification 32:04 – The growing irrelevance of the Quad 34:08 – India's dependence on Russia 39:39 – Erosion of US-India relationship 44:04 – India's Israeli ties 48:19 – Risks for Pakistan as a mediator  51:21 – One Decision: Can India and Pakistan start talking again? 53:01 – Sir Richard and Rosanna discussion Read more: Pakistan's Peacemaking Is a Setback for India Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The US has moved critical missile defenses and troops from East Asia to the Middle East. With America's resources stretched thin, is this the ultimate strategic opportunity for China? Former UK Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace and Times Radio political editor Kate McCann sit down with former advisor to President Obama and Georgetown University Director of Asia Studies Evan Medeiros to explore what he calls China's strategy of “calculated neutrality” – protecting Beijing's economic interests while avoiding direct conflict with the United States. First, for In Brief, Sir Ben and Kate discuss the US's thinking behind blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Lord George Robertson's scathing critique of UK foreign policy, and whether Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's defeat signals the beginning of the end of “strong man” populist politics. Later, Medeiros examines China's balancing of its economic interests in both Iran and the Gulf countries, China's Iranian oil “loophole” via the UAE, and if the Iran war is deepening fractures in Western alliances, potentially upending the global rules-based order. In this episode: 02:05 – US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz 04:59 – Frustration amongst Gulf states 06:45 – UK Role, and Lord George Robertson's warning to the UK 12:16 – Does Orban's defeat signal the end of “strong man” politics? 15:39 – Evan Medeiros introduction 17:04 – Defining China's “calculated neutrality” 18:28 – Is China above the fray of war? 19:32 – Balancing leverage with Iran and the Gulf states 24:03 – Is Beijing arming Iran? 27:45 – China's Iranian oil loophole 28:54 – China: Displacing vs. replacing the US 32:25 – Why China avoids regional wars 36:54 – One Decision: China's vision for a post-American world order 42:08 – Sir Ben and Kate discussion Hosted by Sir Ben Wallace (former UK Defence Secretary) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans have a pretty dismal view of Congress. Lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate are seen as ineffective and a much diminished power under President Trump. Last year, for example, Congress passed a record low number of laws while President Trump issued the most executive orders in modern history. Paul Kane, a veteran Capitol Hill reporter and one of its smartest chroniclers recently wrote a column for the Washington Post in which he argued that “Congress needs a major course correction or else it will slide into a permanent state of weakness that further empowers the presidency.”To find out whether Congress is indeed headed for irrelevance, Amy checked in with Molly Reynolds, vice president and director of governance studies at Brookings. Her work focuses on Congress and how congressional rules and procedure affect policymaking. Molly has a more nuanced opinion about the state of the modern Congress and helps put its dysfunction into context. Amy and Molly also talk about what a potential flip in congressional control in 2027 would mean for President Trump and for legislating overall. We recorded this conversation on Tuesday, April 7. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upInterested in subscribing to CPR? Go to: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribeListeners can use the discount code"ODD10" to save 10% on any subscription. This offer is available only to new subscribers.**Listen to our weekly podcast Editors Roundtable**Find us Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/editors-roundtable/id1765349026Find us on Substack: https://thecookpoliticalreport.substack.com/s/editors-roundtable

The Catechism wraps up its discussion surrounding Article 5 of the Creed (“He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead”) and asks the question, “What does Jesus' resurrection mean for me?” Fr. Mike points out that Christ's resurrection proves—definitively—that he is the only begotten Son of God. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 651-658. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

This week, Julian Evans on two books exploring the link between food and war in Ukraine; and Lily Herd introduces this issue's In Brief reviews.'Strong Roots: A Ukrainian family story, interrupted', by Olia Hercules'Bread and War: A Ukrainian story of food, bravery and hope', by Felicity SpectorIn Brief: 'Postcards, translators and Esperanto pioneers', by Guilherme Fians, Bernhard Struck and Claire Taylor; 'Rapture of the deep', by Robert Irwin, completed by Andrew Crumey; 'Here comes the sun', by Bill McKibben; 'Queens at war', by Alison Weir; 'Interrupted journeys', by Adrian Potter; 'Literature and epistemic injustice', by Sarah Colvin; 'Invading the American canon', by Muireann Maguire; 'Nabokov and the Russian diaspora', by Bryan KaretnykProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have arrived at another nugget day, or In Brief day, for the paragraphs on the mysteries of Christ's life. On today's “mystery nugget” day, Fr. Mike recounts the significance of Christ's obedience to the Father and our own obedience to God's will. He also emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the mysteries of Christ's life by reading and meditating on the Gospels and praying the Rosary. Today's readings from the Catechism are paragraphs 561-570. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

For those with any lingering doubts or questions, the Catechism offers five reasons for Mary's perpetual virginity. Fr. Mike digs into each reason and explains what each of them means for us as spiritual sons and daughters of our Immaculate Mother. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 502-511. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Amy has long been an admirer of this week's guest, The Wall Street Journal's chief economics commentator Greg Ip. She finds his insights into how our economy functions to be thoughtful as well as approachable. It's also why she thought he'd be the perfect person to talk with about the central disconnect we've seen in perceptions of our economy over the last few years - namely that the markets and Wall Street suggest everything is going great. Meanwhile American consumers are saying the economy is not great, at all. They also talk about AI, why Greg thinks it's not likely to have a huge impact on our jobs, but why it's potentially contributing to Americans' generally pessimistic views of their economic futures. Of course, the war with Iran is adding its own economic uncertainty to the mix. So they start the conversation there. We recorded this on Wednesday, March 11th. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upInterested in subscribing to CPR? Go to: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribeListeners can use the discount code"ODD10" to save 10% on any subscription. This offer is available only to new subscribers.**Listen to our weekly podcast Editors Roundtable**Find us Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/editors-roundtable/id1765349026Find us on Substack: https://thecookpoliticalreport.substack.com/s/editors-roundtable

We have arrived at the “nugget day” or the In Brief for the sections on The Father and Original Sin. Fr. Mike reiterates the important idea that every human person is good, but every human person is also broken. This brokenness and inclination towards sin is called concupiscence. However, as St. Paul reminds us “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Fr. Mike concludes with the sentiment of hope that we believe that the world has been established and set free by God's love. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 413-421. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In the beginning, humans were in friendship with God and in harmony with creation. The Catechism unfolds this harmony and introduces us to the “original justice” that our first parents lost in sin. Fr. Mike reminds us that, although our original callings to leisure, love, and labor have been twisted by sin, they are renewed in Christ. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 374-384. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

There is a solidarity among all of God's creatures because all are oriented to give glory to God. We learn that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day, sanctifying it and blessing it. Fr. Mike tells us that all creatures were made with a view to the Sabbath, created for the worship and adoration of God. We are all called to the sacred task of worshiping God and nothing else should take precedence over it. We end with an “In Brief” review of all we have learned in recent sessions about the physical world, the spiritual world, angels, and creation. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 344-354. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this “In Brief” section of the Catechism, we review that only God has the power to create, that is, to call into existence something from nothing. God made man and the entire universe as a manifestation of his love, and he keeps the world and all of us in existence by his will. Fr. Mike discusses one of the greatest mysteries of our faith: God bringing good out of evil. He says we won't fully understand this mystery until we are united with God in heaven. In a broken world, we are called to trust in the goodness of God. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 315-324. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Odd Years is back with our first episode of this midterm year! Political news and events seem to be breaking faster than the human brain can process, so we wanted to take a step back and talk to people with experience, insight, and perspective who can help us make sense of it all. That is why we kicked off the inaugural 2026 episode with two political reporters who embody those traits: The Wall Street Journal's Annie Linskey and Puck's Peter Hamby. They are known for their smarts and scoops, but also their level headedness and ability to separate the buzzy from the newsworthy.In this episode, Annie discusses Trump's rare backtrack on immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Peter's been doing a lot of great reporting and survey research on young voters and gives us a timely update on their views of Trump and how they see the potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates. Plus, we talk about what we should make of Trump's talk of “nationalizing elections” and whether the Republicans proposed voter ID law could actually make it harder for their own supporters to cast a ballot. We recorded this conversation on Tuesday, February 10. You can watch part of the conversation our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thecookpoliticalreportSign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upCheck out our weekly podcast Editors Roundtable. On Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/editors-roundtable/id1765349026On Substack: https://thecookpoliticalreport.substack.com/Interested in subscribing to CPR? Go to: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribeListeners can use the discount code"ODD10" to save 10% on any subscription. This offer is available only to new subscribers.

We have arrived at the “nugget day” or In Brief section for the paragraphs examining the nature of the Father in the Trinity. Fr. Mike reiterates some of the “nuggets” of wisdom from these past few days. He emphasizes the importance of how Baptism allows us to share in the life of the Holy Trinity. We conclude this section with a reflection on this profound call to share in the glory of the Trinity even though it exists “in the obscurity of faith.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 261-267. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism wraps up our “I Believe in God” paragraphs with an In Brief and “The Implications of Faith in One God”—or, what God's being means for us and our lives. Faith in our God means knowing his greatness, living in thanksgiving, knowing the dignity of all men, making good use of creation, and trusting God in every circumstance. Fr. Mike reminds us that “in every circumstance,” meaning even in adversity, God uses all things for the good. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 222-231. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Today, we arrive, with Fr. Mike, at the In Brief section for Article III. Together, we revisit eight of the main ideas or “nuggets” from the readings of the past six days. Fr. Mike concludes this section by reminding us of the importance of the unity between and veneration of the 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 of the New. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 134-141. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In today's “In Brief'' section, Fr. Mike reviews the relationship between Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, emphasizing that both make up the single deposit of Faith. He also explains how the Magisterium is able to interpret authentically and authoritatively the Word of God. Lastly, he reminds us that the way the Church prays and lives, reveals who the Church is. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs are 96-100. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The In-Brief, or the “nugget day”, for the article on the Lord's Prayer, emphasizes that understanding the identity of God is essential when it comes to our relationship with God. God is not a tyrant or dictator. He is our good Father. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2773-2776. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this pilot episode of Season 5 of the Real+True Podcast, Edmund Mitchell shares a practical masterclass on how to unlock the entire faith through the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Most Catholics experience the faith like a “bag of disconnected beads” (random doctrines, books, videos, and quotes floating around). But master evangelists and catechists think differently: they see how the entire faith fits together simply. If you've ever felt like Catholic teaching is just a “bag of disconnected facts,” this episode gives you the mental frameworks to see how everything fits together.You'll learn frameworks and simple navigation “power tools” inside the Catechism, so you can actually find what you need and understand how it all fits together...for life.In this masterclass, you'll learn:What a catechism actually is (and what it's trying to do)Why the Catechism of the Catholic Church is uniquely special4 keys that make the whole thing clickThe “golden thread” that helps you connect any doctrine back to JesusThe 4 pillars of the Catechism and how to navigate it fastCommon misconceptions + quick tipsHomework to help you start today (yes, actual paragraph numbers)Chapters / Timestamps00:00 Masterclass Intro00:00:40 Faith: what most people get wrong00:01:30 What master evangelists do differently00:02:12 What we'll cover today00:04:00 What is a catechism?00:09:30 Why is this catechism special?00:17:00 4 keys to unlock the catechism00:17:30 Key #1: Christ at the center (Christocentric)00:19:00 Key #2: The faith as a symphony (everything connects)00:20:30 The golden thread (Trinity → human person → Jesus → Church)00:21:30 Key #3: The authoritative summary (not opinion)00:23:00 Key #4: The structure is a lesson (the 4 pillars)00:28:30 The 4 pillars of the Catechism (and why they matter)00:35:30 Navigating the Catechism (paragraphs, cross-references, “In Brief,” indexes)00:40:30 Common misconceptions and quick tips00:43:00 Suggested homework (CCC 457–460)✨ NEW HERE? ✨Join Real+True //  https://www.realtrue.org 

It's a consequential week in the Supreme Court as justices hear a case that could reorient the bounds of executive authority and overturn a ninety year precedent that insulates independent government agencies from political interference from the president.President Trump has tested those bounds of his executive power on everything from tariffs and trade to immigration to government spending. It's now up to the Supreme Court to determine just how far that authority can stretch, and that's why Amy wanted to talk to our guest today, Josh Gerstein, a reporter at Politico, who covers the intersection of law and politics -- which these days feels like just about everything under the sun.Amy and Josh talked about the dynamics in this Supreme Court, how they may rule on these upcoming cases, including ones like the Voting Rights Act. We recorded this conversation on Thursday, December 4th, right before the court announced they were taking up the birthright citizenship case and before they issued their stay on Texas' redistricting map. You can watch part of the conversation our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thecookpoliticalreportSign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upInterested in subscribing to CPR? Go to: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribeListeners can use the discount code"ODD10" to save 10% on any subscription. This offer is available only to new subscribers.

We have reached the In Brief section, or nugget day, on the seventh commandment. Father Mike reiterates that the right to private property comes from our dignity as humans, and the Church has a duty to weigh in on economic or social matters where that dignity is threatened. He challenges us to ask ourselves, do we see Jesus in “the distressing disguise of the poor” and just walk by him, or do we respond to him? Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2450-2463. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Californians often like to think of themselves as the center of the universe. But when it comes to politics, this deep blue state is rarely in the spotlight - until now. The passage of Prop 50 in last Tuesday's election was the most consequential development to date in the redistricting wars. The new Democratic drawn map will cost Republicans three to five seats in 2026 and also shores up five vulnerable Democratic incumbents.The win is also a feather in the cap of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom who hopes to ride the momentum from the Prop 50 landslide win all the way to the White House. And if that news wasn't enough last week, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco icon who led House Democrats through multiple wars, economic crises, and impeachments, announced she would retire after nearly four decades in Congress. Her decision unleashes pent up political floodgates and kicks off a fierce primary fight for the chance to fill her district. To talk through all of this, we've invited Cook Political Report U.S. House Editor Erin Covey, who's covering the redistricting wars as closely as anyone in the country. And also joining us is Mark Barabak, an LA Times columnist and expert in all things political in California. We recorded this conversation on Thursday, November 6th. Follow all our Redistricting coverage: https://www.cookpolitical.com/redistrictingCheck out our interactive Redistricting Map (in front of the paywall!): https://www.cookpolitical.com/redistricting/2025-26-mid-decade-mapYou can watch part of the conversation our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thecookpoliticalreportSign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upInterested in subscribing to CPR? Go to: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribeListeners can use the discount code"ODD10" to save 10% on any subscription. This offer is available only to new subscribers.

In today's “Nugget Day,” Fr. Mike reviews the significant takeaways that the Catechism teaches us about the moral law. Fr. Mike highlights that God has written the moral law in the depths of every human heart. Today's In Brief section also reminds us that the moral law is a “fatherly instruction by God,” rooted in love and oriented towards our joy, freedom, and flourishing. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1975-1986. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism provides an overview on how Jesus grants the Church the ability to forgive sins through both Baptism and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike doubles down on the revelation that there is no sin that Jesus can't forgive—and no one is disqualified. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 976-987. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

When we show devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, we fulfill her prophecy that “all generations will call me blessed.” The Catechism clearly shows us how such devotion does not compete with devotion to God, but in fact fosters adoration of God. Fr. Mike declares that the better we know Mary, the better we know Jesus, and the more we love Mary, the more we love Jesus. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 971-975. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism further unpacks the communion of saints and shows us how the Church lives in communion with those members who have passed on to eternal life with Christ in heaven. If you're listening to this podcast and you're not Catholic—or if you still have questions about the communion of saints—Fr. Mike has a word for you. This is your family, interceding on your behalf that you might receive the fullness of Faith here on earth. Today's readings are from Catechism paragraphs 954-962. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.