All That Jas Podcast with Calgary member of Parliament Jasraj Singh Hallan

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This is a special episode co-hosted with Jamie Schmale of the podcast The Blueprint, and an Ontario MP.

In this episode Jas and Jamie share the mic with their colleague Richard Bragdon, an MP in New Brunswick. 

The three, Jas from the west, Jamie in central Canada and Richard in the east share their thoughts on the Liberal plan to begin hiking carbon taxes in 2023. Some estimates say the average Albertan will be paying $2,300 more next year in energy costs. The average Ontarian $1,500 more. And 40% of Atlantic Canada is likely to struggle this winter just to pay heating costs.

Meantime the Government has never met any of its emission reduction targets. Is any of this helping anybody?

Special Co-Host Jamie Schmale, MP Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock
Listen to The Blueprint Podcast https://jamieschmale.ca/the-blueprint/
Jamie’s website https://jamieschmale.ca/

Guest Richard Bragdon, MP Tobique - Mactaquaq
Richard website https://www.richardbragdon.ca/  

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]

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Modern name, modern logo, modern direction. The Petroleum Services Association of Canada, often known as PSAC, has changed its name to better reflect who the association is now and where it’s going.

Canada will continue to have a bright future as one of the world’s most important sources of energy and Enserva, as it has for the past 40 years, will continue to champion those energy sources. 

In this episode Jas connects with the leader of Enserva, Gurpreet Lail, to talk about the new brand, the forward momentum for the oil and gas industry, net zero, the Clean Fuel Standard and unlocking Canadian energy to solve energy poverty.

Guest: Gurpreet Lail, President and CEO Enserva
Gurpreet is a strong advocate for Canadian energy. She knows firsthand the contributions it makes to our economy. A lawyer by education and strategic leader by experience, her leadership career includes more than 20 years of success in building alliances, fund raising and government relations that benefit Canadians across the board. Prior to joining PSAC in 2021, she held progressive roles at the Fraser Institute, Manning Centre, Executive Director of Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS), and President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Calgary.

 Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]

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When it comes to at-risk youth Todd Doherty knows what he’s talk about. He was one. Grew up in Williams Lake, BC. Mental and physical abuse were the norm at home. Changing schools was also the norm – more than 20 of them before high school.

This is part of the reason Doherty introduced a motion in the last Parliament for an easy-to-remember 3-digit suicide prevention hotline in Canada (988). It passed unanimously. 

The need is acute. In Canada, 11 people die by suicide and another 275 attempt suicide – every day! 

In this episode, Todd shares is very personal story for the first time and talks about the drive to create the 988 hotline

Guest Todd Doherty, MP Cariboo-Prince George
Website https://www.todddoherty.ca/
@todddohertymp on FB, IG, TikTok, You Tube, SnapChat

 Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]

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The Calgary Centre for Newcomers sees over 40,000 people every year. 

 While excited describes all, many will also face difficult hurdles in the weeks and months to come. Language barriers, skills and qualifications they’ve worked hard for that suddenly don’t apply in Canada. It can even be difficult to get job interviews with language barriers. Many parents worry their kids will lose their culture and many kids quickly become frustrated that their parents don’t understand them or their new friends.

The Centre for Newcomers helps with settlement services, jobs and careers, youth and family, and language instruction.

Guest Anila Lee Yuen
President and CEO Calgary Centre for Newcomers
https://www.centrefornewcomers.ca/
@yycnewcomers on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]

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Laura Silver and Vishal Ghai know the frustrations (and mental anguish) of Canada’s Immigration System first-hand. Laura has been caught in a spousal sponsorship quagmire since 2018 as she tries to bring her husband to Canada from Cuba. Meantime her stepson, Tito, has been sending video messages to Canada’s Minister of Immigration via Facebook for months. Since 2018 Laura's husband has been denied a visitor visa six times.  

Vishal Ghai became involved in advocacy for Immigrants after his own frustrating experience with “The System.” 

Both Laura and Vishal know what so many prospective immigrants to this country have experienced – they’ve made the phone calls, written the emails to the Minister and other MPs, send communication to Senators… and the final straw of reaching out to media.  Both are now part of an effort called Voices For Families advocating for those left behind, or worse, victims of discrimination for no reason. 

Voices4Families
Facebook Page
Instagram
On Twitter @V4Families

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]   

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“The threats come from all different directions.”

 Phil Gurski should know. He spent three decades as a strategic intelligence analyst at both CSIS (the Canadian Security Intelligence Service) and the Canadian Security Establishment – Canada’s signals intelligence agency.

In this episode Jas and Phil discuss:
What is Canada’s role in foreign intelligence? 
Are we actively listening around the World for anything might impact our national security? Are our efforts effective?
How do we monitor for any homegrown security threats?
Where are the domestic threats most likely to come from?
What does “National Security” mean for the average Canadian?
Is Canada safer now than it was ten years ago?

And what’s Phil’s take on the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa earlier this year? Was the Emergency Measures Act required?

Guest Phil Gurski
30 years + as a strategic intelligence analyst specializing in radicalization, and homegrown Islamist extremism. Phil worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalization. From 1983 to 2001 he was employed as a senior multilingual analyst at Communications Security Establishment (CSE – Canada’s signals intelligence agency), specializing in the Middle East. He also served as senior special advisor in the National Security Directorate at Public Safety Canada from 2013, focusing on community outreach and training on radicalization to violence, until his retirement from the civil service in May 2015, and as consultant for the Ontario Provincial Police’s Anti-Terrorism Section (PATS) from May to October 2015.

He was the Director of Security and Intelligence at the SecDev Group from June 2018 to July 2019. Mr. Gurski has presented on violent Islamist-inspired and other forms of terrorism and radicalization across Canada and around the world.

Books by Phil
The Threat from Within: Recognizing Al Qaeda-inspired Radicalization and Terrorism in the West (Rowman and Littlefield 2015)
Western Foreign Fighters: The Threat to Homeland and International Security (Rowman and Littlefield 2017)
The Lesser Jihads: Taking the Islamist fight to the world (Rowman and Littlefield 2017)
An end to the ‘War on Terrorism , When Religion Kills: How Extremist Justify Violence Through Faith (Lynne Rienner 2019)
The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the present (self-published: 2021)
He regularly blogs and podcasts (Canadian Intelligence Eh!), and tweets (@borealissaves) on terrorism and intelligence matters.

Website
Phil’s company Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]

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Tina Petrow hadn’t even heard of Airdrie until she moved there. If she was going to live there, she had to get involved so she started volunteering. And that’s when the love affair with community began.

She’s now a second term City Councilor and real advocate for health care, infrastructure, and social well-being in the community she calls home just north of Calgary.

Guest Tina Petrow
Councillor Tina Petrow was elected to Council in 2017. She has lived in Airdrie since 2012 and is married with two children. She has a background in Business Management, Event Management and Mediations.

Tina has volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie, Food Bank, Airdrie Health Foundation, Festival of Lights, Rocky View Schools, Nose Creek Players, Creative Airdrie, Airdrie Public Library, Volunteer Airdrie and many others. She has acted as the Event Director for the YAY Airdrie campaign, Coordinator for the 2014 Summer Games VIP Gala, the 2020 Winter Games Tour and the 2017 Rocky View School Graduation Banquets. She was also recognized with a 2016 “Soul of Airdrie” Nomination, 2016 Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie Starfish Award Recipient, and 2016 Donna McKinnon Memorial Award Winner.

Tina’s website
Instagram @councillor_petrow
Email Tina [email protected]

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030

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As an MP Greg McLean has a big portfolio. He’s the MP for Calgary-Centre but also the Shadow Minister for Natural Resources. That includes mining, forestry, and pipelines. 

In that position he often wonders, why can’t Canada get mining, pipeline, and exploration projects approved? Particularly when we can do so environmentally and efficiently. And is the World starting to see this?

In this episode Jas talks with McLean about several projects such as Tech Frontier and Bay du Nord, his powerful speech recently in the House of Commons refuting NDP claims the oil and gas industry is “subsidized,” as well as McLean’s thoughts on the Alberta Court of Appeal ruling Bill C-69 is unconstitutional.

Guest Greg McLean – MP Calgary-Centre, Shadow Minister Natural Resources
[email protected]
Linked In - @Greg Mclean YYC

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]

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When Napoléon met his Waterloo, it was his life’s defeat – when Gideon Christian met his Waterloo, he found his life’s destiny.

 Canada was only supposed to be a pit stop on his journey to the United States from his country of birth in Nigeria. But Christian was so impressed by Waterloo, ON, and the land of the Maple Leaf, he chose to stay and eventually began the process to sponsor his wife to join him in what would be their new country.

 That’s when the nightmare started. 

 Christian had all the approvals from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada – he had that email saying his wife was approved. So, he flew back to Nigeria to help her move. That’s when they were told that email… was sent in error! He should go home, and she should stay home.

 What?

 Guest Gideon Christian, Ph.D.
An Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary he obtained his law degree (LL.B) from the University of Lagos in Nigeria, an LL.M (with specialization in Law and Technology) and a PhD from the University of Ottawa. His current research work includes:

• Algorithmic Bias – Legal framework for the use of artificial intelligence technology in recidivism risk assessment in the Canadian criminal justice system.
• In Search of Greener Data: Environmental Impact of Data-Driven Technologies.
• Breaking a legal monopoly: Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) in the age of artificial intelligence technologies

Contact Dr Christian on Twitter @profxtian

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]

Send a text

The former MP, former Alberta MLA, former Board Chair at Alberta Health Services is now Board Chair at Providence Therapeutics.

In this robust discussion Ken shares what got him into politics at a young age, and what he’s doing now at Providence Therapeutics and their mRNA vaccine therapies. 

Ken and Jas also talk Energy. What would Ken do if he were Energy Minister now? As well as his thoughts on the current transition to a less carbon intense society.

 Guest Ken Hughes
Connect with Ken on Twitter @KenHughesAB
Providence Therapeutics 

Jasraj can be reached at:
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter - @jasrajshallan
Phone – 403-207-3030
Email – [email protected]