On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Lisa Baiton to examine Canada’s role in a rapidly changing global energy landscape.

🌍 Part 1 — Energy in a New Global Order
We explore how geopolitical instability and shifting alliances are reshaping global energy markets, and why energy security has returned as a central pillar of national strategy.
🇨🇦 Part 2 — Canada’s Energy Position
Canada is a major oil and gas producer with record output and major infrastructure projects — but limited export capacity continues to constrain growth.
⚠️ Part 3 — Overreliance on the United States
With the vast majority of exports going to the U.S., we discuss the urgency of diversifying energy markets to Europe and Asia and strengthening long-term economic sovereignty.
🛢 Part 4 — Strategic Energy Security
We explore the surprising absence of a Canadian strategic oil reserve and what energy security could look like in a modern geopolitical context.
🏗 Part 5 — Nation-Building Through Energy
Energy projects are more than industry — they are nation-building. We discuss infrastructure, investment certainty, and Canada’s potential to become a true global energy power.

🔎 The Big Question
Canada has the resources. The question is whether it has the will to build the infrastructure and policy framework to fully realize its energy potential.

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Andrew Hendry to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the workforce — and why the most important career skill may still be deeply human.

📞 Part 1 — The Return to Human Skills
As automation accelerates, Andrew argues that foundational “old-school” skills are making a comeback:

• Cold calling
• Networking
• In-person communication
• Relationship building

In a digital world, human connection is becoming a competitive advantage.

🤖 Part 2 — AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
We discuss AI’s strengths — and its limits — including why even the most advanced systems still struggle to replace trust, nuance, and real human conversation.

💼 Part 3 — Why Sales Is a Core Life Skill
Sales is no longer just a profession — it’s a foundational skill for every career. We explore how communication, confidence, and persuasion shape success in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

📘 Part 4 — “Be First” and the Entrepreneurial Mindset
Andrew’s book Be First: Outsell Everyone highlights practical strategies for building trust, creating opportunity, and winning in competitive markets.

🔎 The Big Question
As AI transforms work and communication, will success belong to those who automate — or those who master human connection and trust?

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Colin Robertson to examine Prime Minister Mark Carney’s emerging foreign policy vision — sometimes called the “Davos Doctrine.”

🌍 Part 1 — A New Internationalism
We explore Carney’s global diplomatic approach and why some see him as Canada’s most internationalist leader since Lester B. Pearson, as traditional global institutions lose influence.
🤝 Part 2 — The Rise of Middle Powers
With great power cooperation weakening, we discuss how countries like Canada, Australia, and European allies may increasingly shape global rules through coalitions rather than consensus-based institutions.
🇨🇦 Part 3 — Strategic Autonomy
Canada’s effort to reduce dependence on the United States raises major questions about defense, trade, technology, and long-term sovereignty.
💻 Part 4 — Digital Sovereignty
We examine the dominance of U.S. tech infrastructure and why AI, data, satellites, and supply chains are now central to national sovereignty.
📊 Part 5 — The Scorecard So Far
Colin offers a balanced assessment: strong vision and international positioning, but ongoing challenges in execution — especially in trade diversification, defense capacity, and internal barriers. 🔎

The Big Question
Can Canada move from strategy to execution — and actually build the capacity required to matter in a world of great power rivalry?

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Edward Greenspon to examine whether Canada can reclaim its leadership role in an increasingly fragmented global order.

🌍 Part 1 — Canada as a Middle Power
We explore why Canada’s global influence has declined, what its historical leadership in institutions like GATT and peacekeeping can teach us, and whether a renewed international role is still possible. We also discuss Prime Minister Mark Carney’s early leadership and signals of global ambition.

🇨🇦 Part 2 — The Two-Track Strategy
Canada’s economic future may depend on balancing two priorities:

• Diversifying trade beyond the United States
• While maintaining strong access to the U.S. market

⚠️ Part 3 — Unity at Home
We examine growing regional tensions and why internal unity is essential for long-term economic and political strength.

🌍 Global Context
From the Munich Security Conference to Europe’s defense posture and U.S.–China rivalry, we look at how global fragmentation could create both risks and opportunities for Canada.

🔎 The Big Question
Can Canada move beyond complacency and rediscover the ambition that once defined its global role — or will it continue to drift while others lead?

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Mysterion the Mind Reader — Christopher Justin Doyle — one of Canada’s leading mentalists and psychological entertainers, seen on America’s Got Talent, Canada’s Got Talent, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us.
 
🧠 Part 1 — The Psychology of Mind Reading
We explore how mentalism blends psychology, perception, and subtle cues to create the illusion of mind reading — and why real magic is rooted in human behaviour, not technology.
🎭 Part 2 — Performance, Comedy, and Crowd Work
Chris discusses evolving his act through comedy and improvisation, the art of reading a room, and how decades on stage shaped his instincts. He even demonstrates his skills live during the interview. ✨ Live Show — Toronto
Mysterion returns for a special performance at Comedy Bar (945 Bloor St W) on April 11 at 9PM. 💭 Closing Commentary — The Paradox of Excellence

Brian explores why extraordinary achievement — from performers to leaders — often creates both admiration and distance, and why true influence requires more than competence.

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Paul Smetanin to examine whether Ontario’s housing market is no longer in a normal cycle — but a structural break. 🏗 Part 1 — A Broken Cycle or Structural Shift?
New analysis suggests the market disruption goes beyond a typical downturn:

• Housing starts could fall by 37% over five years
• Prices may still decline another 10–15%
• High borrowing costs and development charges are stalling new projects
• Developers are delaying rather than building

👷 Part 2 — The Workforce Crunch
Ontario’s construction sector faces a major demographic shift:

• Up to 1 in 5 workers may leave the industry
• Skilled trades are aging out
• Fewer young workers are entering the pipeline

🏠 Part 3 — Empty Space, Real Shortage
Ontario has an estimated 4.5 million empty bedrooms — yet still faces a housing shortage, revealing a deeper mismatch in how housing is used versus needed. 📉 The Bigger Question
Housing is a core driver of Ontario’s economy. If construction stalls, the impact spreads to jobs, investment, and GDP. So the real question is:
what does recovery look like if the system itself has structurally shifted?

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by John Ruffolo to examine what Canada must do to stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. As geopolitical tensions rise and AI accelerates disruption, Canada faces a critical choice: lead or fall behind.

🇨🇦 Part 1 — Sovereignty & Strategy
Why Canada must rebuild manufacturing, diversify trade, and develop true digital sovereignty — with data and AI now central to national security.

🤖 Part 2 — AI Disruption
How generative AI could reshape industries, displace jobs, and widen inequality — and what policy changes are urgently needed.

🇨🇦 Closing — Canada’s Moment
Canada has the resources and talent — but needs strategy. From infrastructure to energy to AI, is the country ready to start building again?

On this episode of The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian Crombie sits down with Peter Biro, founder of Democracy Think Tank and Senior Fellow at both the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and Massey College, to unpack the complex legal, moral, and geopolitical questions surrounding the Iran conflict. From the limits of international law and pre-emptive self-defense to the moral and ideological inconsistencies of modern political discourse, they explore how political language and human rights debates shape perceptions of conflict. They also examine Canada’s role in humanitarian intervention and the challenges of applying the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine in today’s world. This episode is a thoughtful, in-depth discussion on war, law, ethics, and the difficult decisions nations face in an increasingly complex global landscape.

On this episode of The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian Crombie speaks with Professor Michael Albrecht, a technology and energy expert, about a provocative question: Could Canada eventually align more closely with Europe — or even become part of the European Union? They examine shifting geopolitics, trade patterns, NATO’s evolving role, and Canada’s changing strategic identity. From transatlantic alliances to Canada’s global positioning beyond the United States, this episode challenges long-held assumptions and explores how thoughtful conversation across divides can shape a nation’s future.