Expats & Allies

We spoke to Jen Hassum, executive director of the Broadbent Institute, about the political threat posed by Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, and what progressives can do to harness public anger for positive change.

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

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We're joined by PressProgress reporter Stephen Magusiak and independent journalist Jeremy Appel to discuss the story about Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office allegedly contacting Crown prosecutors to challenge its direction on cases involving members of last year's Coutts border blockade. 

We talk about the problems with the internal investigation that turned up no evidence of wrongdoing, and whether this story is likely to harm the UCP's election chances in May.

Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @JeremyAppel1025

Follow Stephen on Twitter: @Magusiak

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

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We recap two recent stories from The Maple revealing that despite internal warnings about the dangerous behaviour and extremist views of newly appointed Israeli ministers,  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly warmly welcomed Benjamin Netanyahu's new government.

Read the articles:

• https://www.readthemaple.com/canada-welcomes-israels-new-government-despite-internal-warnings-of-far-right-extremism/
• https://www.readthemaple.com/canadian-diplomats-warned-about-israeli-politician-who-provoked-violence-against-civilians-then-trudeau-welcomed-his-government/

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

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We're joined by Ottawa Citizen reporter David Pugliese to discuss Canada's deal with Lockheed Martin to purchase the F-35 fighter jet. We talk about the broken promises, about turns, ballooning costs and technical hiccups that led to the deal, and the lack of accountability in Canadian military procurement.

Follow David on Twitter: @davidpugliese

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

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We're joined by PressProgress editor Luke LeBrun to reflect on last year's 'Freedom Convoy' that occupied downtown Ottawa for a month last year, and whether or not there is going to be a second Convoy in 2023.

Follow PressProgress' reporting: https://pressprogress.ca/

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

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We bid farewell to 2022. To support our work in 2023, you can become a paid subscriber for just $7 per month: https://www.readthemaple.com/subscribe-options/

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

This week, we spoke with Alberta politics writer and commentator David Climenhaga about why Premier Danielle Smith pushed ahead with the so-called Sovereignty Act, despite legal experts tearing it to shreds and predicting it will die in the courts.

We talk about the bill's likely unconstitutionality, Smith's political calculation in ramming it through the legislature anyway, and whether it will cost the United Conservative Party the next election.

Read David's blog: https://albertapolitics.ca/

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

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We spoke with Maple contributor Jeremy Appel about his reporting on the Halifax International Security Forum (HFX) that took place last month. We talked about what HFX is and why it was founded, went over some of the more eyebrow-raising comments made by attendees at this year's event, and critiqued some of the corporate media coverage that came out of it.

Read Jeremy's two-part coverage:

https://www.readthemaple.com/peace-a-distant-prospect-at-the-halifax-security-forum/

https://www.readthemaple.com/panelists-extol-virtues-of-western-military-power-at-halifax-forum-lament-too-much-critical-thinking/

Subscribe to Jeremy's newsletter: https://theorchard.substack.com/

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

Support The Maple by subscribing to our daily newsletter for as little as $7 per month.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith introduced Bill 1, the much anticipated "Alberta Sovereignty Act," Tuesday, prompting a stream of intense criticism from experts and analysts who say the bill is unconstitutional and undermines democracy.

https://www.readthemaple.com/alberta-sovreignty-a/

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

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We spoke to Michael Bueckert, vice president of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, about his recent trip to the occupied Palestinian territories, what he heard from Palestinians, and why Canada decided that an Amnesty International report on Israel's system of apartheid would not change its relationship with Israel.

Follow Michael on Twitter: @mbueckert

Follow CJPME: @CJPME

Check out Advocating for Palestine in Canada.

Music credit: "Fluidity," by tobylane.

Support The Maple by subscribing to our daily newsletter for as little as $7 per month.