Open Minds with Christopher Balkaran

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In this episode of the Open Minds Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Ramona Coelho to examine one of the most consequential public policies in modern Canada: Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).

Canada now reports that approximately 5% of all deaths occur through MAiD. Track Two cases, those not at end of life, continue to raise questions about disability, capacity assessments, oversight, and whether psychosocial suffering is being treated as irremediable.

Dr. Coelho serves on Ontario’s MAiD Death Review Committee and the Federal Expert Advisory Group on MAiD for Mental Illness. Her perspective offers insight into what is happening on the ground and what policy safeguards may be missing.

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I sit down with Dr. Dirk Huyer, Ontario’s Chief Coroner, to explore the evolving complexities behind Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada. As the chair of the province’s MAiD Death Review Committee (MDRC), Dr. Huyer offers a rare and in-depth perspective on what the data really shows, how legislation is being interpreted in practice, and whether concerns over coercion or systemic failure hold weight.

MAiD Death Review Committee Reports

https://arpacanada.ca/ontario-maid-death-review-committee-reports-2024/

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I sit down with Dr. Salim Mansur, professor emeritus and political scientist, to explore the untold story behind Canada’s multiculturalism policy. Dr. Mansur pulls back the curtain on the political, philosophical, and constitutional roots of multiculturalism in Canada—revealing how a once well-intentioned idea may now be weakening liberal democracy and national cohesion. From the War Measures Act to the Emergencies Act, and from Pierre Trudeau’s grand vision to Justin Trudeau’s declaration that Canada has “no core identity,” this conversation unpacks the real consequences of prioritizing group identity over individual liberty.

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I’m joined by Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, to unpack the truths and myths around Canada’s border security. From fentanyl trafficking and human smuggling to legal blind spots and our fractured jurisdictional model, Peter offers a research-backed, nonpartisan perspective on the known unknowns we face. What can Canada learn from its allies? Why are our legal frameworks outdated? And is our public safety strategy more reactive than proactive? This conversation brings much-needed depth to an issue that often escapes the spotlight.

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I sit down once again with Professor Paul Robinson to continue our exploration of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. We dive into the uncomfortable questions rarely addressed in mainstream media: Have Western sanctions actually worked? Why does media silence dissent within Ukraine? And is Canada’s role sustainable—or even justified—in a war with no clear end?

From examining the economic reality of sanctions and shadow fleets to questioning the strategic silence on Ukraine’s democratic backsliding, this conversation pulls no punches. We also explore the uncomfortable truth about Western foreign policy’s double standards, and whether Ukraine is being used as a proxy in a much larger geopolitical chess match.

Professor Robinson and I also tackle the peace process—if it can even exist—and the uneasy truth that peace often means compromise no one wants to make. We dissect the differing diplomatic philosophies between the Biden and Trump camps, the shifting Overton window in Canada, and the quiet erosion of civil society’s voice in the name of “duty.”

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After nine years of Justin Trudeau, Canadians finally got a change — but is it real change, or just better branding?

In this solo episode, I break down the aftermath of the April 28th federal election and what I think Mark Carney actually represents. From the tone of his first press conference to his early decisions — like refusing a coalition with the NDP and allowing Pierre Poilievre to run in a by-election — Carney seems to be signalling a major pivot from Trudeau’s performative politics.

But let’s not get too comfortable.

I also explore eyebrow-raising Liberal policies still on the table: statutory funding for the CBC, the push for a national digital ID, IVF funding directed toward specific groups, and a carbon tax on foreign goods based on other countries’ climate policy (yes, really).

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I sit down with Professor Paul Robinson — historian, author, and expert in Russian and Eastern European studies — to explore what lies beneath the dominant narratives of the Ukraine-Russia war. We cover everything from sanctions, NATO posturing, and artillery use to questions of democracy and the role of the West’s military-industrial complex. We also take a sobering look at Ukraine’s demographic and economic future, and why so few are willing to question the consensus. A wide-ranging conversation that challenges conventional thinking and asks: Are we even allowed to have this conversation?

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Why does the Western narrative on Ukraine feel so one-sided? In this episode of the Open Minds Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Ivan Katchanovski, a Ukrainian-Canadian political scientist whose peer-reviewed research sheds a sobering light on Ukraine’s internal divisions, the roots of war, and the media’s oversimplified story. 

We talk about Crimea, Donbas, NATO and the infamous Maidan sniper massacre—an event that reshaped Ukraine and global geopolitics. Dr. Katchanovski’s insights challenge widely held beliefs and force us to ask: what do we really know about this war?

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Interestingly, Canadians have shown their support for capital punishment almost 50 years of polling data. In 2025, Research Co. found that approximately 54 percent of Canadians agree with capital punishment, which has largely remained unchanged since the 1970s. 

I sit down with Mario Canseco, president of ResearchCo. While Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976, public support remains surprisingly strong. What drives Canadians to favour its reinstatement? Is it justice, deterrence, or economics? 

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Christopher Balkaran dives into Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program with Professor Jason Foster from Athabasca University. We explore the realities of migrant labor, the economic dependency on foreign workers, and the impact on Canadian workers. Is the program a necessary economic tool, or has it become a permanent fixture in our labor market? Join us for a deep dive into the policies, challenges, and future of Canada’s labor force.

🎙 Host: Christopher Balkaran

📢 Guest: Jason Foster, Director of Parkland Institute, Labour Relations Expert

🔗 Listen anywhere you stream podcasts or at: www.openmindspodcast.com

Support the show

Visit my NEW Website! https://www.christopherbalkaran.com
Check out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: 
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