Follow-Up With Althia Raj

By HuffPost Canada

What's Follow-Up With Althia Raj about?

Thoughtful, frank conversations with Canada’s top political insiders, hosted by Althia Raj. A podcast from HuffPost Canada's Politics team.

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Follow-Up With Althia Raj episodes:

12.05.2020
#59 Things You Should Know About Canada’s Historic Debt Level
The Liberal government revealed a mini-budget chock full of new spending — but it’s the pitch to keep the spending taps open, to inject up to $100 billion into the economy after the pandemic, that has financial experts turning their...
11.21.2020
#58 Erin O’Toole’s First 100 Days
The path to electoral victory for the Conservative party involves building a bigger tent and floating a few trial balloons — during a pandemic. We ask insiders for their first impressions of Erin O’Toole’s first 100 days as Conservative leader. In...
11.07.2020
#57 Who Speaks For Quebec?
While it seems debates over free speech have been on a rolling boil south of the border, the topic has also dominated francophone TV and radio in recent weeks, giving new breath to old debates about how Quebec’s voice is...
10.24.2020
#56 The Elephant And The Mouse: What The U.S. Election Result Means For Canada
The U.S. election cycle feels like it has its own gravitational pull and two candidates signal different opportunities — and potential challenges — for Canada. In this episode: Eurasia Group vice chairman Gerald Butts, former Globe and Mail energy...
10.10.2020
#55 Goodbye Elizabeth May, Hello Annamie Paul
Annamie Paul is the first new leader of the federal Green party in 14 years. As she tries to move the party beyond Elizabeth May’s shadow — spectres have been raised by former leadership contenders about the integrity of the...
09.26.2020
#54 Jagmeet Singh’s Complicated Relationship With Liberals
The throne speech has been read. The Conservatives and Bloc have signaled their displeasure, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh finds himself kingmaker, again. In this episode: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and pundits Karl Bélanger, Greg MacEachern, and Kate Harrison. Hosted by...
06.27.2020
#53 ‘Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste’
Months into a pandemic, the initial political unity in Ottawa has disintegrated. Historic economic packages have been approved at breakneck speed, but some Canadians are still being left behind. In this episode: Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez, and pundits Karl Bélanger,...
03.06.2020
#52 Parliament’s Top Rebel Explains Why It’s Healthy To Dissent
As the government whips through 2020 with minority numbers, the Liberal’s No. 1 dissenting MP sits down for a candid talk about how he's found a balance between his own “principled independence” and toeing the party line. In this episode:...
02.22.2020
#51 Teck Frontier Fears And Political Loathing On The Hill
With a cabinet decision due over the fate of Teck Frontier, a massive new oilsands mine project, the Liberals face another test on how serious they are about reducing carbon emissions. In this episode: Energy and environmental economist Andrew Leach, Liberal...
02.01.2020
#50 Parties For Sale Or Rent In A Minority Government
The Liberals have returned to Ottawa in need of dance partners to get things done. We speak to current and former House leaders on the moves they’ve learned — and the missteps they’ve witnessed in other minority governments. In this episode:...
10.23.2019
#49 Justin Trudeau Now Playing In The Minority League
We’ve made it to the end of the rainbow. The Liberals have been re-elected with a strong minority, with equally strong divisions across Canada. We look at how election night unfolded at the different party headquarters, and what’s next. In...
06.22.2019
#48 Serenity Now! Election Insanity Later
Parliament has adjourned and, we’re told, a nasty campaign lies ahead. Our pundit panel reviews how the Liberals have done after nearly four years and if Andrew Scheer’s “blandness” actually gives him an edge. In this episode: Government House Leader...
06.07.2019
#47 Real Talk About ‘Fake News’
Social media has given politicians more platforms than ever to engage with the public. But the temptation to package sound bites into spicy content has seemingly encouraged a more casual relationship with the truth — and raised questions about politicians'...
05.18.2019
#46 Suddenly, It’s Easier Being Green These Days
Two motions put climate change at the top of the agenda in Ottawa this week. Elizabeth May doesn’t think it’s a coincidence. But as the debate unfurls in the last weeks of Parliament, frustration mounts in the back benches about...
05.04.2019
#45 One-On-One With Gerald Butts
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's former principal secretary has kept a low-profile since testifying about the SNC-Lavalin affair. Now, he speaks candidly about that, his new relationship with the PMO, and the unexpected realities of political fame. In this episode: Gerald...
04.06.2019
#44 The Liberal Party's Battle Royal
Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott’s ejection from the Liberal caucus has opened yet another chapter in the SNC-Lavalin affair — and a robust debate from their political colleagues. In this episode: Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett, Liberal MP John McKay, and...
03.23.2019
#43 How The Federal Budget Sausage Gets Made
It’s make or break for the Liberals as they begin to pitch their election-year budget. But are its goodies strong enough to change the channel on SNC-Lavalin? We go behind-the-scenes with insiders about what goes into crafting one. In this...
03.02.2019
#42 Jody Wilson-Raybould Rocks The Casbah
Jody Wilson-Raybould unleashed scorching testimony that burned her party. As her fate in the Liberal party remains unclear, veteran NDP MP Nathan Cullen sits down to talk about his own exit. In this episode: HuffPost Canada senior politics editor Ryan...
02.19.2019
#41 Senators Find Some Cruel Intentions In Pipeline Review Bill
The Liberal government is eager to have its pipeline review bill pass through the Senate before the election. These senators say, not so fast. In this episode: Independent Senators Doug Black, Paula Simons, and Tory Sen. David Tkachuk. Hosted by Althia...
02.16.2019
#40 Well, That SNC-Lavalin Controversy Escalated Quickly
Jody Wilson-Raybould’s cabinet resignation seemingly blindsided the prime minister. Her high-profile departure tests the government’s resiliency in an election year. In this episode: House of Commons justice committee chair Anthony Housefather and HuffPost Canada senior politics editor Ryan Maloney. Hosted by...
02.02.2019
#39 Does This Election Campaign Spark Joy For Anyone Yet?
The House has returned to new digs — both physically and in terms of election-year partisan burns. Our politics panel weighs in on the early strengths and vulnerabilities of the leaders and parties ahead of this fall's crucial vote. In this...
12.28.2018
#38 Goodbye, Centre Block
Who knew you could experience separation anxiety with a building? We tour Centre Block one last time before it closes for at least a decade for renovations and learn some of its wild stories. Detailed show notes: (3:54) Joe Clark shares his...
12.21.2018
#37 They Paved Paradise And Promised A New Road For Reconciliation
A Quebec First Nation’s land claim to Parliament Hill tests the Liberals’ promise to build a nation-to-nation relationship. In this episode: Algonquin Elder Albert Dumont, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett, AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde, and Ottawa reporter Zi-Ann Lum....
12.08.2018
#36 Maxime Bernier Likes Talking About Immigration (Part 2)
The former Tory veteran and now leader of the People's Party of Canada says he’s not opposed to immigrants or legitimate asylum seekers when he advocates admitting fewer newcomers. Maxime Bernier expands on his message and the risk of how...
12.08.2018
#35 Maxime Bernier: The Populist And His Policies (Part 1)
Whether you agree or disagree with him, Maxime Bernier is a newsmaker. We sit down with the People’s Party of Canada leader to talk about his turning point with Andrew Scheer and his brand of "smart populism based on serious...
11.24.2018
#34 Liberals Deepen The Deficit While Tories, NDP Swim Into Some Trouble
As the NDP and Tories piled on the Liberal government for deepening Canada's deficit, they face some deep troubles of their own. In this episode: Liberal MP Scott Simms, Conservative strategist Rachel Curran, Liberal strategist Greg MacEachern, and former NDP...
11.03.2018
#33 Are Liberals The Middle-Class Heroes They Thought They’d Be?
Three years into their mandate, how are the Liberals doing with their ambitious agenda to grow Canada's middle class? Have partisan politics and economic realities dimmed the government's hope of bringing “real change”? In this episode: Former parliamentary budget officer Kevin...
10.20.2018
#32 Fear And Groaning Over UN's Alarming Climate Change Report
A new UN report gives humanity 12 years to get its act together to curb rising temperatures and avoid unprecedented environmental disaster. The House of Commons even held a special debate, but most MPs didn’t show up. So what political...
10.01.2018
#31 Canada Aches For Redemption At The United Nations
Canadian schmoozing is back at the United Nations as the Justin Trudeau government ramps efforts to secure a seat at the Security Council table. Former diplomats talk about RLBs (Rotten Lying Bastards) and get frank about Trump's effect on the...
09.15.2018
#30 The Long And Winding Learning Curve For Jagmeet Singh
Jagmeet Singh was supposed to be a fundraising magnet, but his first rocky year as NDP leader has been a bust. The party calls a regroup in B.C. Also: Two outgoing veteran NDP MPs get real about the “Real Change”...
08.27.2018
#29 Irreconcilable Differences: Conservatives Carry On Without Maxime Bernier
While Maxime Bernier tried to steal headlines from the start of the Conservative party policy convention in Halifax, 3,000 delegates focused on positioning their party for the 2019 election. In this episode: Andrew Scheer’s chief of staff Marc-Andre Leclerc, ex-Harper...
06.22.2018
#28 Parliament Wraps With Legal Bud And A Conservative Twist
This session of Parliament comes to an end with the legalization of recreational marijuana — a day after the Liberals were smoked in a rare byelection loss. Is this a taste of what’s to come? In this episode: Government House...
06.17.2018
#27 Where Will Trump’s Anti-Canada Spasm Leave Us?
Donald Trump’s first official trip to Canada ended with the president and his subordinates hurling insults at the prime minister and making new-again threats to Canadian workers. What’s behind Trump’s anti-Canada kick? In this episode: HuffPost Canada’s senior politics editor Ryan...
06.01.2018
#26 The Liberals Are Now Livin’ On A Pipeline Prayer
Who knew “sunny ways” included buying a controversial pipeline that Kinder Morgan wanted to dump. With 2019 around the corner, will this political gambit ruin the Liberals’ shot at re-election? In this episode: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Liberal MP John...
05.11.2018
#25 Liberal MP Scott Simms Rages Against The Party Machine
Scott Simms was stripped as a standing committee chair after he refused to toe the party line on the government’s controversial Canada Summer Jobs attestation. The Liberal MP speaks out about his caucus crime and political punishment. In this episode: Liberal...
05.05.2018
#24 It’s Crunch Time To Change Canada’s Election Laws
The government is taking another crack at repealing some of the Tories’ controversial changes to Canada’s election laws. But there are some real concerns about timing. In this episode: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Former chief electoral officer Marc Mayrand. Tory...
04.23.2018
#23 Sea Trial In Halifax For Liberals’ 2019 Campaign
The NDP are pissed. The Tories are bewildered. And the Liberals are pretty pleased with their new debate-lite convention process that supported resolutions bending the party to the left. In this episode: Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, NDP Parliamentary leader Guy...
04.20.2018
#22 Kinder Morgan Surprises Ottawa And Daniel Jean Underwhelms Tories
Kinder Morgan’s pipeline ultimatum added fuel to a simmering Canadian political family feud. And after weeks of Tories asking for Daniel Jean to appear at committee, he does. And it was a bit anticlimactic. In this episode: iPolitics reporter Kady O’Malley....
03.30.2018
#21 Ottawa Is Obsessed With A Guy Named Daniel Jean
Move over Morneau. Tories have changed focus and are hell-bent on selling a story of Liberal intrigue starring the prime minister’s national security adviser Daniel Jean. One 21-hour voting marathon later, how many more to go? . In this episode: iPolitics...
03.26.2018
Bonus: It’s Still A Boys' Club On Parliament Hill
Employment And Workforce Minister Patty Hajdu, labour pioneer and former NDP MP Peggy Nash join host Althia Raj for a live conversation about working as a woman in the male-dominated field of politics to mark Women’s History Month.
03.05.2018
#20 Bill Morneau Doesn’t Want To Talk About Last Year’s ‘Bulls**t’ (But We Do!)
From the scrutiny over Bill Morneau’s personal millions to the country’s budgeted billions, we talk about pharmacare and the Liberals’ sunny, spendy ways with the finance minister himself. Warning: mild profanity in this episode. In this episode: Finance Minister Bill Morneau....
02.19.2018
#19 NDP Signals A Hard Left Turn
The NDP took a hard turn to the left at its convention in Ottawa as Jagmeet Singh gave Canadians a sneak peek at the party’s much-anticipated platform. How left can the NDP go? In this episode: Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh,...
02.12.2018
#18 Inside This Year’s ‘Woodstock For Canadian Conservatives'
The Trudeau government’s contentious Canada Summer Jobs program changes sucked up a lot of oxygen at the 2018 Manning Centre conference. Was it a Liberal trap to get Conservatives talking more about religion? In this episode: Leader of the United Conservative...
01.29.2018
#17 Parliament Returns, So Where’s The Party?
Parliament resumes this week as the death knell for NAFTA gets louder. Our panel joins Althia to talk about what’s on tap for this upcoming session: from jabs over trade, a shrinking “bozo eruption” in the Conservative caucus, and the...
01.26.2018
#16 The Swift Fall Of Patrick Brown (And Others)
Within 24 hours, sexual harassment allegations ousted a federal minister from cabinet and two provincial PC leaders from their top spots. Our panel joins Althia to talk about how the #MeToo momentum is changing Canadian politics. In this episode: Rachel Curran,...
12.21.2017
Happy Holidays! Sorry We’ve Been Quiet (We Have 2018 News)
An end-of-year note to listeners from host Althia Raj.
11.03.2017
#15 Two Years In: Wading Through The Liberals' Field Of Dreams
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals swept to power promising real change. As the Grits celebrate two years in government, we mark the anniversary by looking back at what’s been done, or not done, with their promises. In this episode: Political strategists Rachel...
10.02.2017
#14 How It Happened: NDP Elects ‘Game-Changer’ Leader
In this episode: Guy Caron’s spokesman Farouk Karim, Charlie Angus’ campaign manager Jesse Brady, Jagmeet Singh’s campaign manager Michal Hay and field director Nuvi Sidhu, HuffPost Canada senior politics editor Ryan Maloney, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Hosted by Althia...
09.30.2017
#13 The Evolution Of Jagmeet Singh
In this episode: The last in our series on NDP leadership hopefuls: Jagmeet Singh. Hosted by Althia Raj.
09.28.2017
Bonus: NDP Leadership Debate
Charlie Angus, Jagmeet Singh, Guy Caron and Niki Ashton take part in a final debate hosted by HuffPost Canada before NDP members choose their new party leader. Moderated by Althia Raj.

What's Follow-Up With Althia Raj about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Follow-Up With Althia Raj episodes:

#59 Things You Should Know About Canada’s Historic Debt Level

#58 Erin O’Toole’s First 100 Days

#57 Who Speaks For Quebec?

#56 The Elephant And The Mouse: What The U.S. Election Result Means For Canada

#55 Goodbye Elizabeth May, Hello Annamie Paul

#54 Jagmeet Singh’s Complicated Relationship With Liberals

#53 ‘Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste’

#52 Parliament’s Top Rebel Explains Why It’s Healthy To Dissent

#51 Teck Frontier Fears And Political Loathing On The Hill

#50 Parties For Sale Or Rent In A Minority Government

#49 Justin Trudeau Now Playing In The Minority League

#48 Serenity Now! Election Insanity Later

#47 Real Talk About ‘Fake News’

#46 Suddenly, It’s Easier Being Green These Days

#45 One-On-One With Gerald Butts

#44 The Liberal Party's Battle Royal

#43 How The Federal Budget Sausage Gets Made

#42 Jody Wilson-Raybould Rocks The Casbah

#41 Senators Find Some Cruel Intentions In Pipeline Review Bill

#40 Well, That SNC-Lavalin Controversy Escalated Quickly

#39 Does This Election Campaign Spark Joy For Anyone Yet?

#38 Goodbye, Centre Block

#37 They Paved Paradise And Promised A New Road For Reconciliation

#36 Maxime Bernier Likes Talking About Immigration (Part 2)

#35 Maxime Bernier: The Populist And His Policies (Part 1)

#34 Liberals Deepen The Deficit While Tories, NDP Swim Into Some Trouble

#33 Are Liberals The Middle-Class Heroes They Thought They’d Be?

#32 Fear And Groaning Over UN's Alarming Climate Change Report

#31 Canada Aches For Redemption At The United Nations

#30 The Long And Winding Learning Curve For Jagmeet Singh

#29 Irreconcilable Differences: Conservatives Carry On Without Maxime Bernier

#28 Parliament Wraps With Legal Bud And A Conservative Twist

#27 Where Will Trump’s Anti-Canada Spasm Leave Us?

#26 The Liberals Are Now Livin’ On A Pipeline Prayer

#25 Liberal MP Scott Simms Rages Against The Party Machine

#24 It’s Crunch Time To Change Canada’s Election Laws

#23 Sea Trial In Halifax For Liberals’ 2019 Campaign

#22 Kinder Morgan Surprises Ottawa And Daniel Jean Underwhelms Tories

#21 Ottawa Is Obsessed With A Guy Named Daniel Jean

Bonus: It’s Still A Boys' Club On Parliament Hill

#20 Bill Morneau Doesn’t Want To Talk About Last Year’s ‘Bulls**t’ (But We Do!)

#19 NDP Signals A Hard Left Turn

#18 Inside This Year’s ‘Woodstock For Canadian Conservatives'

#17 Parliament Returns, So Where’s The Party?

#16 The Swift Fall Of Patrick Brown (And Others)

Happy Holidays! Sorry We’ve Been Quiet (We Have 2018 News)

#15 Two Years In: Wading Through The Liberals' Field Of Dreams

#14 How It Happened: NDP Elects ‘Game-Changer’ Leader

#13 The Evolution Of Jagmeet Singh

Bonus: NDP Leadership Debate