When astronaut Julie Payette was chosen to be Canada’s new Governor General in 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said she’d “...inspire generations of Canadians.” Now, there are multiple allegations of bullying and harassment at Rideau Hall being investigated by the Privy Council’s Office, and reports of unusual spending to meet Payette’s demands for privacy. Today, CBC’s Ashley Burke talks about the growing revelations surrounding Julie Payette’s role as Governor-General and what they could mean for Justin Trudeau’s government.

Governor-General Julie Payette engulfed in controversy

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A long-simmering feud between Toronto's Drake and Compton's Kendrick Lamar has finally erupted into open lyrical warfare. The bars being traded on diss tracks like "Push Ups" and "Euphoria" bring to mind some of the most iconic rap beefs in history — and it's far from the first time the 6 God has found himself in the crosshairs. 
 Shadrach Kabango — you may know him as the rapper Shad — weighs in on the feud, and the role of big-name beefs in hip hop culture.

When Drake and Kendrick beef, who wins?

In April, a hospital memo was released by the British Columbia’s official opposition party. It was from July 2023, a few months after the possession of small amounts of certain hard drugs were decriminalized in the province under a three-year pilot project. 
 And it advised nurses to not impede patients using illicit drugs within the hospital. 
 The province said the advice in the memo had been walked back. But it became another example used by the plan’s critics for why progressive drug policies were failing. 
 Then, last week, B.C. Premier David Eby asked Health Canada to recriminalize the use of hard drugs in public spaces, such as hospitals and restaurants. 
 So how did growing backlash from residents, health-care workers, police and conservative politicians end a key component of decriminalization? 
 Today, we unpack those questions with CBC British Columbia reporter Moira Wyton.

Backlash and walk backs: BC reverses drug policy

In early April, after Israeli troops withdrew from the area surrounding the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, Palestinian recovery teams were able to assess the destruction. And just last week, mass graves were uncovered on the hospital grounds. There’s been similar reports at Al-Shifa hospital in Northern Gaza as well. 
 United Nations officials are calling for independent investigations into the matter. A statement by the Israeli Defence Forces has said accusations that they had buried the bodies were "baseless and unfounded". 
 Freelance journalist Akram Al-Sattari has been reporting from the grounds of the Nasser Medical Complex. He spoke to Front Burner about what he witnessed.

Mass graves uncovered at Gaza hospitals

When Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre visited a convoy camp on the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia last week, he was filmed in front of a “F--k Trudeau” flag. 
 It was another moment of visibility for a slogan that’s encroached on the mainstream, appearing on bumper stickers and flags scattered across the country. 
 So when did this visible hate for the Prime Minister start? What’s the relationship between extremist groups and mainstream anger? And is there any way for Justin Trudeau – or his opposition – to heal the divisions? 
 Journalist Justin Ling has spent many hours listening to groups who profess hatred for Trudeau. He’s the author of Bug-Eyed and Shameless on Substack, and he recently spoke to the Prime Minister about these divisions.

‘F--k Trudeau,’ from fringe to mainstream

 On April 17th, pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment on the lawn of Columbia University in New York, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, and for their administration to divest from ties to Israel. The next day, their university’s president called on the NYPD to clear the encampment. They arrested more than 100 students. That event caused an eruption of solidarity encampments, protests, and faculty walk-outs at colleges and universities across the U.S.  
 Now, the encampments and solidarity protests have spread even further — including at McGill University in Montreal, and universities in Europe and Australia. 
 Today, we’re going to talk about why students in multiple countries feel compelled to face arrest or suspension for this movement — and why others feel the protests are creating a dangerous climate that is fueling antisemitism. 
 Our guest is Arielle Angel, editor-in-chief of the magazine Jewish Currents.

Governor-General Julie Payette engulfed in controversy

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