The start of a new month means rent is due for millions of Canadians all across the country. But people can only apply for these new federal government assistance programs starting next week. As Elamin points out — that leaves a lot of people in the lurch. With job losses and EI claims also mounting, could this pandemic widen an already worrisome wealth gap? And how prepared is the federal government to take on all of this additional spending? As Rosie puts it, they’re now fighting a war on two fronts: there’s the pandemic itself, and its massive economic impact.

Did you notice the Prime Minister sounding more stern this week? Elamin says it’s like the scene in a family minivan: if you don’t stop acting up back there, dad’s gonna turn this car around and no one’s gonna get any ice cream. In this case, the ice cream is civil liberties — the freedom to still leave your house, at a safe distance from others, during this COVID-19 pandemic. As government officials warn of possible “stringent measures” to clamp down on those not following public health directives, Elamin asks: is that what we need, for people to take this seriously? And Rosie takes a close look at Tuesday’s unprecedented reopening of the House of Commons, where about 30 MPs gathered to pass the government’s economic support package — a sitting that came with some unexpected challenges.

Elamin gets the most important question out of the way first: how are you? As the entire country faces an unprecedented public health emergency, it’s easy to get lost among the nonstop COVID-19 updates — and Rosie and Elamin get it. It’s a lot. It’s unusual to see the prime minister announcing major updates every day, let alone in front of his house while he continues to self-isolate. But are Canadians hearing what they need to hear from the government right now? And with Parliament suspended, is it harder for journalists and opposition parties to scrutinize the government’s latest crisis measures?

With new updates coming every day on the spread of coronavirus, Elamin wonders: what are people looking for, from their government? And do Canadians need to hear a more complete picture from authorities, on what could lie ahead? As the prime minister announces this week a billion-dollar support package for Canadians in the face of COVID-19, Rosie points out — there’s a federal budget coming down the pipe this month, too. How will they balance a financial roadmap for the year ahead against more support needed in a time of crisis?

After weeks of wondering who's in and who's out, the stage is finally set for the federal Conservative leadership race. Eight contenders will fight it out to become party leader, and by extension, Leader of the Official Opposition -— a plum job, in a minority parliament. Catherine Cullen, senior reporter for CBC News, sits in for Rosie this week and joins Elamin in running through the list of hopefuls. And as several candidates say they intend to bring down the Liberal government at the first opportunity this fall, Elamin asks — are the Conservatives more focused on defeating Justin Trudeau than establishing a party vision?

This week, Justin Trudeau’s cabinet had a tough decision on the docket: approve the Teck Frontier oilsands mine in Alberta, or turn it down? Turns out, they never had to make the call, as the company announced on Sunday they were pulling the project. Teck’s CEO hoped the withdrawal might “allow Canadians to shift to a larger and more positive discussion about the path forward,” which has Rosie wondering — can we move forward on reconciling resource extraction and climate change? And how can policymakers have that conversation, without getting bogged down in partisan politics?

Plus, with “reconcile” on the mind, Elamin looks into how the latest round of land rights protests — and the political response to them — might affect reconciliation.

In the week since Rosie and Elamin last spoke, the rail blockades and protests in support of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation have evolved into a "full-blown national crisis," as Elamin puts it. It's the third major issue the federal government has faced in less than two months. Elamin wants to know: what should the government be doing to resolve things? And where does this “rule of law” fit into it all? And Rosie takes a closer look at the political stakes: thirty years after the Oka Crisis, and twenty five years after Ipperwash, how will this government manage a crisis with historic implications?

Demonstrations have rolled out across the country this week in support of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, where members have been fighting the construction of a natural gas pipeline on their traditional territory. And it’s got Elamin thinking about a big question: when it comes to reconciliation, how far is Canada really willing to go?

Plus, Rosie takes a look at what’s otherwise occupying the Prime Minister this week — a campaign to get Canada a spot on the UN Security Council. But after two decades away from the table, does Canada even need a seat?

You can count on one hand — exactly — how many times in Canadian history senators have suspended one of their own, but no senator has ever been permanently expelled from the Red Chamber. As Senator Lynn Beyak faces a second possible suspension in less than a year, Rosie and Elamin wonder: might her peers set a new precedent?

Plus, Elamin examines the state of Justin Trudeau’s relationship with the provinces. Is enough attention being paid to the places where the Liberal Party won zero seats?

When Rosie and Elamin last spoke, the question of what might happen to Conservative leader Andrew Scheer loomed large. Now that he's stepping down, the race to choose a new party leader is heating up. Elamin runs through the long list of names you won't see on the ballot.

Plus, Rosie takes a look at what's topping the government's agenda as MPs returned to the House of Commons, and explains why things might be moving a bit slower than you’d expect.