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 first Centre Block memory
(6:53) Folklore of Pierre Trudeau’s statuette-breaking stunt
(13:15) Revealed: the secret Ottawa Senators carving in the Senate
(17:02) 1966 bombing inside the building
(23:38) Duffy’s recollection of that time Pierre Trudeau got into a shoving match with a reporter
(25:34) “The most beautiful room in Canada”
(27:26) That time an MP was caught butt naked in the halls

#38 Goodbye, Centre Block

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

News

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 heads.

In this episode: HuffPost Canada Ottawa reporter Zi-Ann Lum; Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux; Kevin Page, Canada's first parliamentary budget officer and the president and CEO of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at the University of Ottawa; and Scotiabank’s director of fiscal and provincial economics Rebekah Young. Hosted by Althia Raj.

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

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 this episode: Stephen Harper’s former campaign manager Jenni Byrne, former Harper PMO advisor Dennis Matthews, Abacus Data CEO David Coletto, Unifor National President Jerry Dias, Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald, Eric Wen of the Chinese Canadian Conservative Association, the National Council of Canadian Muslim CEO Mustafa Farooq, Campaign Life Coalition’s political operations director Jack Fonseca, and Ontario Conservative MP Karen Vecchio. Hosted by Althia Raj.

#58 Erin O’Toole’s First 100 Days

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 represented in Ottawa.

In this episode: Bloc Québécois MP Stéphane Bergeron, Conservative MP Gérard Deltell, Liberal MP Joël Lightbound, and Maverick Party interim leader Jay Hill. Hosted by Althia Raj.

#57 Who Speaks For Quebec?

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 reporter Shawn McCarthy, former federal Conservative minister James Moore, CBC News’ Washington-based correspondent Alexander Panetta and HuffPost Canada's senior politics editor Ryan Maloney. Hosted by Althia Raj.

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

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 race.

#38 Goodbye, Centre Block

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