People all around the world saw the photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau taking a knee at an anti-Black racism protest in Ottawa last week. Some felt it was a striking image, but others wondered if that moment would translate into action. Elamin and Rosie take a look at some of the federal government's possible next steps, including Trudeau's recent move to support outfitting RCMP officers with body cameras. Plus, as the feds pledge $14 billion in support for re-opening provinces, Rosie and Elamin wonder if that kind of interdependence might spell trouble down the line. Municipalities, especially, are struggling to make ends meet. But could floating them have a lasting impact on the federation?

Elamin was ready to talk about something else this week — anything else, but recent events have forced another heavy conversation about structural, anti-Black racism. The protests unfolding in cities across the continent are responding to issues that are not strictly American. The concern around police brutality and the relationships between police forces and Black communities is a live issue in Canada, too. Some are calling to defund, redefine or divest from the police — but what might that look like? Rosie and Elamin explore what some are proposing, while also examining how police forces are funded across the country.

It’s some of the most wrenching news to come out of this pandemic: horrific allegations of elder abuse and neglect at five Ontario long-term care homes, outlined in detail by the Canadian military, whose members have been providing assistance to seniors since late April. But they're not the first to blow the whistle. Now that COVID-19 has exacerbated the situation, Rosie wonders: could this finally be the spark that overhauls the system? Plus, Elamin takes a closer look at some of Ontario’s recent daily case numbers, which remain in the hundreds as the province holds off on loosening more restrictions. What needs to happen to get Ontario in a better spot?

Elamin and Rosie have spent weeks wondering how and when Canada might start rebooting parts of the economy. But now that virtually every part of the country is starting to re-open, Elamin has a new question: how safe is it out there? Has the risk changed at all, since the onset of the pandemic? Plus, Rosie shines a light on another challenge that has emerged over the last ten weeks: getting food on the table. Do Canadians need to worry about food security, here at home?

Rosie and Elamin check in on two borders this week: the one Canada shares with the U.S., and the one Quebec shares with Ontario. In both cases, one side’s dealing with a much more serious COVID-19 case load than the other. When it comes to Quebec, and especially Montreal, Rosie wants to know: how did it get this bad? How did one region get hit so much harder than virtually everywhere else in Canada? Looking south, Elamin wonders if our American neighbours could be eager to ease the travel restrictions that are set to expire next week. Might Canada feel pressured to reopen our border with the U.S.?

While it’s been about five months since Andrew Scheer announced he’s stepping down as Conservative leader, he pledged to stick around until a replacement was picked — meaning he remains Canada’s leader of the Official Opposition, through this unprecedented pandemic. This week, he warned that the government’s COVID-19 support programs could discourage Canadians from returning to work, risking labour shortages as some provinces begin to reopen parts of the economy. But how do you begin to dial back economic support if some people still don’t feel safe returning to work? Rosie and Elamin also take a look at who’s still in the race to succeed Scheer — and what challenges lie ahead for the Conservative Party, as they continue their search for a leader in this new era.

If you’re listening to this in New Brunswick right now, congratulations! You’re allowed to go to the beach today. Rosie and Elamin are not. But as Rosie points out, provincial reopening plans vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction simply because the COVID-19 case load in each province is so different. Still, Elamin wants to know: as Manitobans hit up patios next week while their neighbours to the east remain indoors, will the Prime Minister have to alter his cross-country messaging? Plus: Rosie and Elamin take a closer look at some of the hardest-hit Canadians in this pandemic — residents of long-term care homes.

It’s been a tough week, in a tough month, in a tough year. In the wake of last weekend’s devastating tragedy in Nova Scotia, questions have inevitably been raised about federal gun control. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on several occasions this week that his government was on the verge of introducing new legislation that would ban assault weapons — a pledge they made in the 2019 election, since shelved by the pandemic. But could this recent tragedy expedite those plans? And speaking of legislation: the House of Commons returned on Monday to sort out once and for all how MPs will continue Parliamentary business over the coming weeks. It’s got Elamin wondering: what do we need most from Parliament right now?

So, we’re a month into this whole thing: the physical distancing, the not being able to hang out, the favourite restaurants being closed, and the kids staying home from school. That’s also four weeks of the economy being at a virtual standstill. How can the federal government get people back to work, and how soon? As Rosie puts it, kick-starting the economy is not so much flipping a switch as it is slowly turning a dial, like a dimmer. And as Elamin points out, the government faces some massive risks if they turn that dial too fast, too soon. Plus: is it possible the pandemic has improved relations between Ottawa and the provinces?

Projections. Models. Curves. Political coverage is getting a whole lot more mathematical these days, as provinces release their pandemic predictions to the public. But when we hear these best- and worst-case scenarios, Rosie wonders: do they have the potential to help — or harm? Plus, Elamin takes a look at the current state of Canada-U.S. relations, after last week’s scuffle over shipments of N95 masks. Could COVID-19 have a lasting impact on the relationship between our two countries, long after the virus retreats?