Party Lines

By CBC

What's Party Lines about?

A political primer for every kind of concerned citizen co-hosted by Rosemary Barton and Elamin Abdelmahmoud. From CBC News and CBC Podcasts.

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Party Lines episodes:

02.17.2022
Party Lines Introduces: A Special Front Burner Edition from the Ground in Ottawa
Front Burner from CBC News and CBC Podcasts is your essential daily news podcast taking you deep into the stories shaping Canada and the world. In this special Front Burner evening edition from the ground in Ottawa as police move...
02.11.2022
Party Lines Introduces: Nothing is Foreign
World news, local voices. Nothing is Foreign is a weekly trip to where the story is unfolding. Hosted by Tamara Khandaker. This episode takes you inside El Salvador to hear from locals to see how the promise of a cryptocurrency...
09.30.2021
Alberta’s COVID crisis and what’s topping Trudeau’s agenda
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney continues to face criticism from all sides for his handling of the pandemic in the prairie province, where doctors are begging for an immediate lockdown as the health care system remains on the brink of collapse....
09.23.2021
Another minority. What happens next?
Now that Rosie and Elamin have mostly — mostly — caught up on sleep after Monday’s big night, they’re ready to look ahead at what happens next. Sure, this new Parliament may look pretty similar to the last, but each...
09.16.2021
It’s the final countdown
This is it: the final stretch before election day. Rosie and Elamin have noticed that the major party leaders have shifted their tone into more negative territory this week — but does that risk alienating voters and reaffirming the worst...
09.09.2021
#Elxn44 Wrestlemania (or, “debate night”)
Tonight, five federal party leaders go head-to-head in the sole official English-language debate of this election. Elamin and Rosie lay out the stakes — which are much higher this side of Labour Day — and look at whether tonight’s event...
09.02.2021
Comparing climate change commitments
We heard you loud and clear: climate change is a top issue for many Party Lines listeners. This week, Rosie and Elamin dive into what the major parties are promising when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and examine...
08.26.2021
What are the parties’ prescriptions for health care?
We’re two weeks (out of five!) into this federal election campaign, and while parties have so far attempted to push a whole range of issues to the forefront, there was one that dominated the conversation early this week: health care....
08.19.2021
It’s election time again
They’re back! Rosie and Elamin have tossed the rest of their summer plans out the window and are settling in for a five-week federal election campaign that will culminate in a trip to the polls September 20. They kick things...
08.18.2021
Introducing Party Lines (Trailer)
Welcome to Party Lines! Co-hosts Rosemary Barton and Elamin Abdelmahmoud demystify Canadian politics, one issue at a time. Because talking politics is for everyone.
07.01.2021
A day of reflection
The way Elamin sees it, this Canada Day comes after a year full of questions that included: what is Canada about? And who is Canada for? As Indigenous leaders call for reflection today, and as some cities opt to pull...
06.24.2021
Election speculation as MPs break for summer
Questions about a possible trip to the polls have been floating around Ottawa for months, but election speculation hit a new level this week as the House of Commons prepared to break for the summer. Rosie and Elamin point out...
06.17.2021
Trouble for the Green Party leader
On this week's podcast, Rosie and Elamin discuss the Ontario government's use of the notwithstanding clause for the first time in the province's history. Why did the Ford government resort to the constitutional "nuclear option," and how have other provinces...
06.10.2021
After the London attack, politics and Islamophobia
In the wake of a fatal attack on a Muslim family in London, Ont., we've heard some familiar sentiments: “This is not who we are.” “This is not what Canada is about.” “This cannot happen here.” Elamin Abdelmahmoud, who brings...
06.03.2021
A residential schools reckoning, again
It’s a heavy one this week, as Elamin and Rosie explore the state of Canada’s path to reconciliation with the help of CBC colleague Duncan McCue. Over the past week, many people across the country have reacted with shock and...
05.27.2021
Quebec wants to tinker with the Constitution
Anytime the words “Quebec” and “Constitution” come up in political conversation, it’s usually a pretty big deal — and, historically, it’s led to some pretty divisive situations. So why aren’t more federal politicians making noise over Quebec’s proposed Bill 96,...
05.20.2021
Should Canada share its shots?
This week, U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to ship 20 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines to countries that need them — meaning our southern neighbours will be sending abroad a total of 80 million shots by the end of...
05.13.2021
Border brawls and regulating streaming giants
For weeks, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been urging the federal government to tighten border restrictions in an effort to prevent more cases of COVID-19 from entering Canada. But how much is travel influencing the spread of the virus in...
05.06.2021
Concern and confusion over ‘preferred’ vaccines
For months, the Prime Minister has said that the best COVID-19 vaccine is the first one that’s offered to you. If you’ve been watching the headlines this week, that might have felt hard to square with the message brought forward...
04.29.2021
Doug Ford budges on paid pandemic sick leave
After months of mounting pressure from opposition parties, scientific advisers, labour groups and local medical officers of health across the province, the Ontario government has unveiled a plan to provide three paid sick days by reimbursing employers through a temporary...
04.22.2021
The Chauvin verdict and Ontario’s COVID crisis
Elamin and Rosie turn their attention south to reflect on Tuesday’s verdict in the Derek Chauvin case. The former Minneapolis police officer was convicted on all three counts including murder and manslaughter for killing George Floyd in May of last...
04.15.2021
Pandemic anger and the federal budget
The pandemic isn't over but many people are over it. They're fed up with COVID-19, fed up with the lockdowns, and fed up with how governments have handled this whole pandemic. So today, Rosie and Elamin talk about the various...
04.08.2021
Returning to restrictions and what’s ‘left’ for the NDP
Ontario Premier Doug Ford confirmed on Wednesday that Canada’s most populous province would be heading into its second stay-at-home order and third state of emergency as COVID-19 variants of concern continue to spread. Catherine Cullen, senior reporter for CBC News,...
04.01.2021
The massive generational divide in Canada’s housing market
Elamin has turned to a simultaneously fun and frustrating way to pass the time during the pandemic: scrolling through real estate listings. He’s just one of an endless number of millennials hoping to somehow grab onto the real estate ladder...
03.29.2021
Party in the U.S.A: State of the union
It’s our last episode! And what a wild ride it has been. Party in the U.S.A. was originally meant to cover the 2020 U.S. election, but then EVERYTHING happened. Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, Trump got COVID-19, Biden won, and a...
03.25.2021
Is training enough to fix systemic racism in the RCMP?
This week, an independent report found the RCMP racially discriminated against the family of Colten Boushie, the young Indigenous man whose shooting death in Saskatchewan was investigated by the national police force in 2016. RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki accepted the...
03.22.2021
Party in the U.S.A: To be Asian in America
The Atlanta shooting attack on March 16 marked a culmination of a year of increased racism, discrimination and violence directed against Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S. In this episode, we look at the long history of discrimination against Asians...
03.18.2021
Tackling COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
Maybe Elamin’s situation hits home for you, too: he’s been getting WhatsApp messages from his mom with questions about COVID-19 vaccines, and some of those concerns appear to be based on misinformation floating around the internet. On a week that...
03.15.2021
Party in the U.S.A: COVID relief, plus the future of immigration
President Joe Biden has his biggest moment yet — the passage of his $1.9 trillion dollar COVID-19 relief bill. It’s one of the largest expansions of federal social support in the U.S. in decades, bringing aid to tens of millions of...
03.11.2021
Meghan, Harry and the racism in our institutions
There’s still plenty to unpack following Sunday’s bombshell Oprah interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, which shed light on their departure from the same royal family that is intrinsically tied to Canada’s system of government. Even Prime Minister Justin...
03.08.2021
Party in the U.S.A: The fight for voting rights
South of the border, there’s a battle brewing for the most basic expression of democracy — voting. And there’s never been more at stake. Former President Donald Trump has repeated false allegations that the 2020 election results are fraudulent due to...
03.04.2021
What will it take to solve the military’s sexual misconduct problem?
Two of this country’s former top military leaders are facing accusations of sexual misconduct. Last week, recently appointed chief of defence staff Admiral Art McDonald stepped aside after it was discovered he was under investigation by the military's National Investigation...
03.01.2021
Party in the U.S.A: The nuances of Neera Tanden
DC is in the midst of confirmation hearings for President Joe Biden’s new cabinet — and some of his picks are generating controversy. Today, a deep dive into just one of the nominees, Neera Tanden. While she may not be a...
02.25.2021
The growing push to decriminalize drugs in Canada
Last week, the federal government unveiled new legislation that would relax penalties for certain drug offences. It doesn’t go as far as decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of certain drugs — something many advocates, municipal leaders, public health officials,...
02.22.2021
Party in the U.S.A: What's next for the Christian right?
American Christianity is a complex thing, and there’s plenty of diversity in terms of denomination, theology and belief. But over the last four years, white Christians who describe themselves as Evangelical or born again have consistently rated President Donald Trump...
02.18.2021
Genocide, China and calls for Canada to boycott the Olympics
This week saw more calls for Canada to boycott or move the 2022 Winter Olympics out of Beijing. Conservative leader Erin O’Toole said the government of China is engaged in a genocide of its Uighur population, and urged a relocation...
02.16.2021
Party in the U.S.A: Impeachment, the sequel
It was the most bipartisan impeachment trial in U.S. history but in the end, the Democrats could not sway enough Republicans to state that Donald Trump’s actions played a role in the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on January...
02.11.2021
Is now the time to loosen lockdowns?
If you’re feeling stir-crazy these days, you’re not alone — Elamin and Rosie are both feeling way overdue for some haircuts. But as provinces all across the country take steps to lift lockdown measures, or in some cases simply allow...
02.08.2021
Party in the U.S.A.: How big is the GOP tent?
A battle is underway for the future of the Republican Party, just as former President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial is about to begin. This week, we take a closer look at two GOP congresswomen — the Trump-wary Liz Cheney...
02.04.2021
Canada declares Proud Boys a terrorist group
The Proud Boys, a group operating in Canada, who were players in the U.S. Capitol attack have been listed as a terrorist organization in this country. This makes Canada the first country to take this step. Rosie and Elamin lay...
02.02.2021
Party in the U.S.A.: D.C.’s changing climate
Since we last checked in President Joe Biden has signed even more executive orders, including directives to advance racial equity and expand health care. He’s also got that big COVID-19 relief bill to get through Congress, and the massive issue...
01.28.2021
Variants and the vice-regal vacancy
Two significant news stories have taken over political headlines since Elamin and Rosie dropped their last episode. The first involves some heavy hints from the federal government that tighter travel restrictions are just around the corner. Rosie and Elamin wonder...
01.25.2021
Party in the U.S.A.: All in a week’s work
It's been just under a week since Joe Biden took office as the 46th president of the United States, and already so much has changed. Biden is quickly reversing Trump's policies, working to get major legislation passed to curb the...
01.21.2021
Keystone goes kaputt
There’s a new president in the White House — and one of Joe Biden’s very first executive actions has a big impact on Canada. Revoking the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline was reported as a likely priority early...
01.18.2021
Party in the U.S.A.: Bracing for Inauguration Day
It’s almost Inauguration Day, and Joe Biden's formal admission to office is going to look very different from any before it. Not only is it taking place during a pandemic, but also as Capitol Hill and state buildings across the...
01.14.2021
Are politicians running out of tools?
Quebec: under curfew. Ontario: under a stay-at-home order. Manitoba: under lockdown for an extra two weeks. Many Canadians have seen their public health restrictions grow progressively tighter in recent days, but all this has Rosie and Elamin wondering: how many...
01.11.2021
Party in the U.S.A.: After the storm
On Wednesday, as we recorded last week’s episode, a mob of pro-Trump extremists shocked the country and the world by breaking into the Capitol building. It’s been a few long days since that violent insurrection and we’ve had some time...
01.07.2021
Vaccines and vexing vacations
By the time you hit play on this episode, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will likely be preparing for his first call of the new year with premiers, where vaccine rollout is expected to top the agenda. Thousands of doses are...
01.06.2021
Party in the U.S.A: Game changer in Georgia
It’s a historic day in American politics. Much like the general election, the Georgia Senate runoffs have been high stakes nail biters, with Senate control and a lot of Joe Biden’s agenda hanging in the balance. But now, as Democrats...
12.17.2020
Our last episode of 2020, directed by you
Rosie and Elamin answer your burning questions as 2020 comes to a close, including: How is this vaccine rollout gonna go? Are we more or less divided than last year? What might the new year hold for federal parties? And:...

What's Party Lines about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Party Lines episodes:

Party Lines Introduces: A Special Front Burner Edition from the Ground in Ottawa

Party Lines Introduces: Nothing is Foreign

Alberta’s COVID crisis and what’s topping Trudeau’s agenda

Another minority. What happens next?

It’s the final countdown

#Elxn44 Wrestlemania (or, “debate night”)

Comparing climate change commitments

What are the parties’ prescriptions for health care?

It’s election time again

Introducing Party Lines (Trailer)

A day of reflection

Election speculation as MPs break for summer

Trouble for the Green Party leader

After the London attack, politics and Islamophobia

A residential schools reckoning, again

Quebec wants to tinker with the Constitution

Should Canada share its shots?

Border brawls and regulating streaming giants

Concern and confusion over ‘preferred’ vaccines

Doug Ford budges on paid pandemic sick leave

The Chauvin verdict and Ontario’s COVID crisis

Pandemic anger and the federal budget

Returning to restrictions and what’s ‘left’ for the NDP

The massive generational divide in Canada’s housing market

Party in the U.S.A: State of the union

Is training enough to fix systemic racism in the RCMP?

Party in the U.S.A: To be Asian in America

Tackling COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

Party in the U.S.A: COVID relief, plus the future of immigration

Meghan, Harry and the racism in our institutions

Party in the U.S.A: The fight for voting rights

What will it take to solve the military’s sexual misconduct problem?

Party in the U.S.A: The nuances of Neera Tanden

The growing push to decriminalize drugs in Canada

Party in the U.S.A: What's next for the Christian right?

Genocide, China and calls for Canada to boycott the Olympics

Party in the U.S.A: Impeachment, the sequel

Is now the time to loosen lockdowns?

Party in the U.S.A.: How big is the GOP tent?

Canada declares Proud Boys a terrorist group

Party in the U.S.A.: D.C.’s changing climate

Variants and the vice-regal vacancy

Party in the U.S.A.: All in a week’s work

Keystone goes kaputt

Party in the U.S.A.: Bracing for Inauguration Day

Are politicians running out of tools?

Party in the U.S.A.: After the storm

Vaccines and vexing vacations

Party in the U.S.A: Game changer in Georgia

Our last episode of 2020, directed by you