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 out what a terrorist designation actually means, how many new tools it offers the government, and who else was added to the list. (Hint: several white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups.) This kind of designation makes for a strong statement, but what impact might it actually have on public safety?

The other big news this week was Canada’s tight supply of COVID-19 vaccines, and reliance on other countries to manufacture what we need. Rosie and Elamin check the status of our supply and what plans are in the works to boost manufacturing here at home.

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 of climate change to move up the agenda.

By contrast, former President Donald Trump — who faces his impeachment trial on February 8th — had his five lawyers quit this weekend.

This week Elamin calls up Seung Min Kim, White House reporter for the Washington Post and CNN Political Analyst, to break down what these executive orders all mean. We also talk to Zahra Hirji, climate reporter at Buzzfeed News to assess Biden’s climate policies so far.

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 if new COVID-19 variants are behind the push for stricter rules — though as of right now, international travel accounts for less than two per cent of coronavirus cases in Canada. Why has travel become a priority when other methods of community transmission could use attention?

The other big story involves former vice-regal office occupant Julie Payette, who resigned as governor general following a detailed review that looked into allegations of workplace harassment. What does the government need to focus on next, when picking a successor? And what does the months-long story say about the Prime Minister’s judgement?

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 coronavirus and fix the economy. We’re also hearing from people like Anthony Fauci who were muzzled by the Trump administration and are now speaking freely and looking much happier.

Trump, meanwhile, has been kicked off social media and he's facing an impeachment trial. So, he's been pretty quiet. What is he up to?

This week Elamin calls up Ella Nilsen, who covers domestic policy for Vox, as well as Alayna Treene, White House reporter for Axios.

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 in the week, ruffling feathers in Ottawa and Alberta alike. But how much of a surprise was the incoming president’s move, really? And where can Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney go from here?

Rosie and Elamin also have another question to ask: how are you holding up? They’ve talked about the pandemic a lot, but haven’t yet had the opportunity to dive into one of the big issues looming in the background: the toll it’s taking on everyone’s mental health, including their own.

(As the two mention on this episode, there are several places you can turn to for help: find the Wellness Together Canada portal at http://ca.portal.gs; access Kids Help Phone's Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 686868; reach The Canada Suicide Prevention Service at 1-833-456-4566, or in Quebec via 1-866-277-3553; and learn more about the Hope for Wellness Helpline's support for Indigenous peoples at hopeforwellness.ca.)

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 country maximize security following the Jan. 6 riots.

Today, Elamin calls up Sabrina Siddiqui, national politics reporter for The Wall Street Journal, to review some of the disturbing new details we’ve learned in recent days.

Plus, is Trump’s power really diminishing following his second impeachment, wide scale deplatforming and souring relations with more members of his party? Or is it just taking a new form? And where does all of this leave the Republican Party?

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 more tools do politicians have at their disposal? As cases continue to rise and we await more vaccinations — which are still weeks and months away, for most of the population — is trust in people and trust in leadership at risk of eroding? Plus, in light of last week’s attacks on the U.S. Capitol, the two examine the presence of far-right extremism in Canada and how politicians are acting in response to it. Are we hearing an echo of American politics reverberate north of the border?

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 to assess the political fallout.

Elamin calls up Paul MacLeod, BuzzFeed’s Capitol Hill reporter, who was on the scene as the chaos unfolded. Plus, he chats with author and scholar Sarah Kendzior who has been predicting something like this for years.

(Fingers crossed, nothing earth shattering happens between our recording time and the time by which you listen to this.)

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 still waiting in freezers to be administered, which has Rosie and Elamin wondering: what’s the hold up? And is there more the federal government can do, to speed up getting shots in arms?

The two also take a close look at the outrage that continues to simmer over certain public officials choosing to travel abroad during the holidays. What kind of damage has it done to public trust and political parties?

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 celebrate historic wins in both races, Elamin calls up Josh Wingrove, White House reporter for Bloomberg News, to discuss the importance of this moment.

Also today, Congress will meet to confirm the presidential election results. Normally, this is a pretty straightforward ceremony. But if the leadup to it has been any indication, the proceedings — led by outgoing Vice-president Mike Pence — could be fraught with drama.

Note: this episode was recorded before news broke that Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol building and forced a lockdown.