10/3: Canada Covered

A longtime member of the Ontario Provincial Police has finally been fired after being convicted of multiple offences, including several assaults, drug charges and a sexual assault which he recorded on his phone.

Jason Redmond was sentenced to six years for the sexual assault and is awaiting sentencing for assaulting another female victim.

Sabrina Bedford, a reporter with the Brockville Recorder and Times, joins the show to discuss Redmond’s history with the OPP, what led to his downfall in law enforcement, and why there are changes coming to make it easier to fire disgraced cops.

Background reading: A bad cop stayed on the payroll for years, committing rape and other serious crimes

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The Canada Revenue Agency is going after a trio of former Blue Jays stars, to the tune of millions of dollars.

The players, Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, and Russell Martin are fighting with the taxman relating to what amounts to a dispute over taxes and retirement income.

National Post political reporter Chris Nardi joins the show to discuss what the issue is, why these players may have run afoul of Canadian tax rules, and why the case could potentially make it harder to attract top athletes to Canada.

Background reading: Hosing Bautista: Why the CRA is going after former Blue Jays for millions in taxes

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Ten years ago this month, Calgary and many other southern Alberta communities were hit with unprecedented flooding.

Five people were killed, more than 100,000 were forced out of their homes, and the damage toll was in the billions of dollars.

Calgary Herald Deputy editor Monica Zurowski joins the show to discuss the impacts of the flood, how people are still affected a decade later, and whether officials are prepared for another disaster of that scale. 

Check out the Calgary Herald for full flood anniversary coverage.

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When politicians retire, or lose an election, unless they’re very high profile, they tend to drop quickly from the public’s attention.

Despite developing a network of contacts and building a busy calendar while in office, once the political fanfare goes away, it can be a lonely and isolating life for many.

National Post political reporter Bryan Passifiume joins the show to discuss how former MPs cope with life after politics, why it can lead to depression, and what the public may not understand about the return to civilian life.

Background reading: From power to powerless: The high costs of a political life

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In the era of big league sports, how does the Canadian Football League compete against all the options out there for fans?

It’s something surely on the mind of CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie as the league is set to kick off the 2023 season, with teams looking to improve on attendance and gain new fans.

Postmedia national sports columnist Scott Stinson joins the show to discuss the overall shape of the league, why it struggles in some markets, and whether expansion plans will come to fruition.

Background reading: As the CFL kicks off with big plans, the storied league struggles for relevance

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Voters in Canada’s largest city go to the polls in late June to elect a new mayor, after the surprise resignation of John Tory earlier this year.

Dozens of candidates have lined up to replace Tory, though the campaign has coalesced around a few front-runners.

Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley joins the show to discuss the main contenders, what issues are front-and-centre, and whether this campaign is catching the attention of Torontonians.

Background reading: LILLEY: Can anyone beat Olivia Chow for mayor? Better hope so!

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Danielle Smith and the United Conservative Party fought off a strong challenge from Rachel Notley and the NDP Monday night to win the Alberta election.

The UCP stands to lose a few seats, and perhaps some cabinet ministers, even as the NDP hopes for major gains don’t appear to have materialized.

National Post reporter and producer of this podcast Tyler Dawson joins the show to discuss the results, the likely turning point for Smith and the UCP, and why it was taking so long to count ballots.

Background reading: UCP wins majority government, but loses key seats

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In the last few weeks alone there have been dozens of deliberately set fires in the Montreal area, with several tied to organized crime.

What’s driving this wave of arsons, and arsons in general, of which there have been hundreds this year? In many cases, competition and extortion.

Montreal Gazette reporter Rene Bruemmer joins the show to discuss who the target of these arsons are, what organized crime groups are potentially behind them, and whether police fear the potential for increased violence.

Background reading: Who's torching cars, restaurants and businesses across Montreal?

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Former governor general David Johnston has revealed the findings of his investigation into allegations of election interference and whether there should be a full public inquiry.

Despite calls for such an inquiry, and concerns about public trust in the process, Johnston is instead pursuing public hearings into some, but not all, areas of the interference issue.

Postmedia parliamentary bureau chief and National Post columnist John Ivison joins the show to discuss some of Johnston’s findings, the refusal to hold a public inquiry, and why the biggest problem with Johnston’s investigation is likely still Johnston himself.

Background reading: The fatal flaw in David Johnston's Chinese interference report is David Johnston

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Fire departments, like similar organizations, have had to undergo changes to adapt to modern times. But what happens when change is slow to come, or meets organizational resistance?

In a recent report, Edmonton’s fire department was shown to still grapple with bullying, harassment and discrimination among the ranks.

Edmonton Journal city hall reporter Lauren Boothby joins the show to discuss the findings of the report, how current and former firefighters feel the city is doing at addressing the concerns, and why change can be a challenge. 

Background reading: Edmonton fire struggles with discrimination, bullying and diversity; trust in leadership broken

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