Progress Canada

As part of our 2026 Liberal Leadership Series, the Progress Canada Podcast is sitting down with every declared candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership to discuss their vision for the province. In this episode, we're joined by Dylan Marando.About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

On World Press Freedom Day, we're joined by Rachel Pulfer, President of Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), to discuss the escalating global campaign to silence the truth.Pulfer breaks down the actors and tools working to undermine the fourth estate and offers a roadmap for how the public can defend the freedom of the press and hold the powerful to account.Episode Chapters:0:00 - Introduction0:30 - Journalists for Human Rights3:00 - Rachel's path to journalism5:45 - The "fake news" narrative8:00 - Lessons from Hungary12:15 - The impact of disinformation and AI16:00 - Harassment of journalists online20:14 - The rise of "lawfare" and attempts to bankrupt newsrooms24:10 - Canada's Strong and Free Elections Act26:20 - Training journalists to work safely30:15 - Supporting journalists working in exile37:30 - Reporting on the rights of women and children40:00 - Life and death consequences facing journalists44:15 - How we contribute to the slide into post-truth48:30 - World Press Freedom DayTopics include:World Press Freedom Day • Rachel Pulfer • Journalists for Human Rights • Press Freedom • Media Lawfare • AI Deepfakes • Online Harassment • Exiled Journalists • Human Rights Reporting • Global Journalism Safety • Media Accountability • JHR CanadaAbout Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

The Targeted panel breaks down the latest digital ad spending trends, the impact of the Strong and Free Elections Act on AI deepfakes, and the strategic battle behind Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre’s duelling YouTube videos.About Targeted:The Targeted political panel pulls back the curtain on the digital campaigns shaping Canadian democracy, featuring expert analysis from veteran political strategists Darrell Dean, Johanna Robinson, and Theresa Lubowitz. About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

How did the Liberal Party pivot from a 20-point deficit to a historic election victory in just six months? Liberal Campaign Director Andrew Bevan joins the podcast a year later to provide a deep dive into the strategy that took Mark Carney from political rookie to Prime Minister, redefining Canadian politics along the way.

We tackle the departure of Prime Minister Trudeau, the whirlwind leadership race, and the snap election call just days later. Bevan breaks down Trump's impact on the campaign, Poilievre's polarizing relationship with voters, the NDP's collapse, and how the Liberal machine overcame a massive polling deficit to win the election against all odds.

Topics include:

Andrew Bevan • Mark Carney • 2025 Federal Election • Liberal Party of Canada • Campaign Strategy • Political Pivots • Pierre Poilievre • Donald Trump • Minority Government • Floor Crossings • Progressive Primary • Canadian Politics • Leadership Turmoil • Election Micro-targeting

About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

Amber Bennett, Executive Director of Re.Climate at Carleton University, joins the podcast for a special Earth Day episode to discuss why the national climate conversation is stalling, just as the stakes are reaching a breaking point. About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow joins the Progress Canada Podcast to discuss her mission to restore stability and affordability to a city in transition. Focusing on results over rhetoric, Chow breaks down her strategy for making the city more livable by restoring the TTC, improving public safety, and making housing more affordable for everyone.

Topics Include:

Olivia Chow • Toronto City Hall • Municipal Budgeting • TTC Fare Capping • Housing Crisis • RentSafeTO • Sidewalks to Skyline • Public Safety • Homelessness Strategy • New Deal for Toronto • AA+ Credit Rating • 2026 Mayoral Election

About Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/

👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

The On Message panel evaluates Mark Carney’s first year as Prime Minister, analyzing his international successes at Davos and with the Nordic Alliance, against the domestic pressure of a razor-thin majority and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis. As by-elections and CUSMA negotiations take center stage, the team discusses whether Carney’s polished competence can survive the coming year, which is likely to be defined by high expectations and global instability.Topics include:Mark Carney • Canadian Politics • Liberal Party of Canada • CUSMA Negotiations • Davos 2026 • Nordic Alliance • Housing Crisis • By-elections • Avi Lewis • Donald Trump • Economic Sovereignty • Youth UnemploymentAbout Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

Following the 2026 NDP Leadership Convention, veteran strategist Brian Topp joins the podcast to map the party’s recovery from its historic 2025 blowout. Topp discusses Avi Lewis's new mandate, the path to regaining official party status, and how to leverage provincial victories to restore the NDP as a credible national government-in-waiting.Topics include:NDP Leadership 2026 • Avi Lewis • Brian Topp • Federal Politics • Official Party Status • Jack Layton • Political Strategy • Working Class Voters • Quebec Politics • Rachel Notley • Wab Kinew • David Eby • Carla Beck • Orange Wave • Confidence and Supply • Canadian DemocracyAbout Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

As the 2026 Democracy xChange conference prepares to take over Toronto this April, Victoria Kuketz joins the Progress Canada Podcast to discuss the summit’s mission to democratize access to big ideas.Topics include:Democracy xChange 2026 • Victoria Kuketz • Daron Acemoglu • Cory Doctorow • Enshitification • Economic Democracy • AI and Human Rights • Digital Sovereignty • Civic Engagement • Political Polarization • Inclusion in Democracy • Mila AI Institute • Toronto Policy EventsAbout Progress Canada:The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.👉 Get Progress Canada in your inbox: https://progresscanada.substack.com/👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/

As Ontario Queen’s Park reporters Colin D’Mello and Isaac Callan (Global News) reveal, a 14-week break in legislative sittings hasn't stopped the flow of troubling revelations about the Ford Government. In this episode of the Progress Canada Podcast, we dive into their latest investigative reporting on a government that appears to be increasingly moving its business into the shadows.D’Mello and Callan break down their recent scoop on the Ford government’s use of unsecured Google Docs for sensitive cabinet deliberations and the broader pattern of avoiding public record-keeping. We discuss the implications of the ongoing RCMP investigation into the Greenbelt land swap and the growing evidence of creeping privatization within Ontario’s healthcare sector.As the Legislature prepares to return on March 23, what should Ontarians be watching for from a government that seems determined to continually curb transparency and accountability?Topics include:Ontario Politics • Queen’s Park • Investigative Journalism • Doug Ford • Greenbelt Scandal • RCMP Investigation • Healthcare Privatization • Education Funding • Government Accountability • Freedom of Information • Public Resources • Land-Use Planning • Global NewsWhere to Find Us:Substack: https://progresscanada.substack.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressCanadaPodcast/