Dan sits down with Adam Chambers, MP for Simcoe North and Conservative trade critic, for a conversation that starts with butter tarts and ends with hard questions about Ottawa's priorities.

They kick off with Midland's record-breaking Butter Tart Festival and a push for a national holiday, then Adam shares a story from his days working for Jim Flaherty. From there, it's straight into the CRA: a Kelowna company shut down for fighting mortgage fraud, and Adam's private member's bill forcing disclosure on multi-million-dollar corporate debt write-offs, now before the Senate.

The back half turns to trade. With the CUSMA deadline looming, Adam explains why Canada's been left off the table while the US and Mexico talk directly, what that uncertainty is doing to business investment and the auto sector, and why softwood lumber needs to be part of the conversation. They close on Canada's stalled trade deal with Taiwan, finalized over a year ago and still unsigned.

In this episode:

Butter Tart Day and lessons from Jim Flaherty

CRA's mortgage-fraud blind spot

Adam's bill on corporate debt write-off transparency

Canada's absence from CUSMA talks

Auto sector pressure and softwood lumber

The stalled Canada-Taiwan trade deal

Guest: Adam Chambers, MP for Simcoe North, Conservative Shadow Minister for International Trade

We lost a giant of BC and Canadian public service. The Honourable Tom Siddon served as a federal cabinet minister under four portfolios, helped create the Canadian Space Agency and Nunavut, and championed salmon conservation across BC. But those who knew him remember him most for how he treated people. He believed in others before they believed in themselves. Dan shares his memories of Tom. Rest in peace.

Gavin Dew and Kristina Loewen are both sitting MLAs representing Kelowna ridings in the BC Legislature. They join the podcast to recap the spring legislative session, discuss what it means for constituents back home, and share their read on where the province is headed. Direct from Victoria to your ears.

What do politicians really think once they're off the clock?

Dan Albas MP sits down with four former elected officials he's worked alongside and trusts -- Renee Merrifield (former MLA, Kelowna-Mission), Ben Stewart (former MLA, Kelowna-West), Doug Findlater (former Mayor, West Kelowna), and Dan Ashton (former MLA and former Mayor, Penticton) -- to get their unfiltered take on politics today.

No constituency offices. No caucus whips. Just honest conversation about the issues that matter and what governments at every level should actually be doing about them.

Drivers Inc. is back in the national spotlight following a Globe and Mail investigative exposé raising questions about labour abuse, weak oversight, and safety gaps in Canada's trucking sector.

Dan is joined by Stephen Laskowski, President and CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance and the Ontario Trucking Association, who has spent decades working on trucking policy, safety, labour standards, compliance, and supply chain issues.

The conversation covers:

What Drivers Inc. is and why it matters for public safety, workers' rights, and tax fairness

How the scheme creates unfair competition and enables tax evasion

Real-world consequences for drivers, law-abiding carriers, and families on the road

Laskowski's calls for stronger enforcement, national data sharing, more audits, and removal of unsafe operators

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What are the impacts of government policy on real people and how can they affect change? My guest is Renee Merrifield, former MLA, current CEO of Troika Developments. As a local leader, Renee has been a champion for organizations like Kelowna's Starbright as well as building a successful business in a challenging economic environment.

This week's guest is Jeff Stibbard. Jeff is the founder and Executive Chairman of JDS Energy & Mining. He is a mining engineer with over 30 years of experience in mine design, construction and operations. BC has a long history of mining and Jeff shares some of his experiences and hope for the future.

MLA Harman Bhangu joins Dan to discuss the BC Ferries purchase of Chinese ships, the effect of 'Drivers Inc' on the trucking industry and much more. MLA Bhangu represents the riding of Langley-Abbotsford in the BC Legislature and is his parties Transportation Critic.