Progress Canada

In this episode, we sit down with Rob Ashton — National President of ILWU Canada and candidate for federal NDP Leader — for a wide-ranging conversation about class politics, worker power, and what it would mean to elect a leader who comes from working class.We explore Ashton’s 30-year career as a longshoreman, how his background shapes his understanding of Canada’s working class, and why he believes the NDP must speak plainly, fight harder, and return to its roots. He discusses his vision for tackling economic inequality, ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share, and building a country where everyone has security and dignity. We also dig into the central pillars of his platform, including the Good Jobs Promise and Worker Power Plan.Finally, we talk about the state of the leadership race, what supporters can do to get involved, and — in a lighter moment — the eclectic soundtrack powering his cross-country tour.If you follow the NDP, labour politics, economic inequality, or the future direction of the Canadian left, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Topics include:NDP leadership race • Rob Ashton • working class politics • class war • economic inequality • tax fairness • labour movement • Good Jobs Promise • Worker Power Plan • union rights • housing affordability • corporate landlords • co-op and non-profit housing • rent control • economic sovereignty • affordability crisis • political elites • Canadian politics 2025 • progressive politics • federal NDPWhere to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, we sit down with Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP and Leader of the Official Opposition, for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2025 election, the party’s fall agenda, and what it will take to build a government ready to deliver for working people.We discuss Stiles’ reflections on her first general election as leader, what she learned from voters across the province, and why she believes the NDP must build a true “culture of winning” to earn the confidence of Ontarians. She talks about the changes she’s made inside her office, why she brought in experienced strategists from NDP governments across the country, and how the party plans to show it’s ready to govern.We also dig into the party’s work in the Legislature this fall — from cataloguing the Ford government’s ongoing scandals to proposing legislation aimed at helping families struggling with the cost of living. Stiles reflects on the NDP’s visibility in a crowded media environment, including the 61 news releases issued in the first month of the fall session and the headlines that followed her removal from the Chamber.We explore the province’s worsening job market, Stiles’ criticism of Doug Ford as a “jobs disaster,” and what she sees as the untold story of the Premier’s economic record. She outlines the accountability reforms an NDP government would bring forward and the party’s approach to fixing the province’s housing crisis after years of Conservative dysfunction.Finally, we look ahead to the new year and Stiles shares how she’ll be spending the holidays with her family.Topics include:Ontario NDP • Marit Stiles • Doug Ford • 2025 Ontario election • Official Opposition • jobs crisis • Skills Development Fund • government ethics • accountability reforms • housing affordability • RCMP Greenbelt investigation • provincial politics 2025 • Ontario Legislature • cost of living • political strategyWhere to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, we’re joined by Amandeep Sodhi, Member of Parliament for Brampton Centre. Elected to office for the first time in the 2025 federal election, Sodhi is a member of the so-called “21st Century Club”, a group of four Gen-Z Liberal MPs born in this century.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Emanuel, outgoing President & CEO of the Central York Chamber of Commerce, to talk about the future of young business owners in Canada. With traditional career paths shifting, we explore what young entrepreneurs need to thrive and how chambers of commerce, policymakers, and other community members can help build a local economy that supports young people.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Smyth, the Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto–St. Paul’s and the party’s Critic for Ethics, Integrity & Accountability, for a wide-ranging conversation about ethics, transparency, and the growing controversies facing Doug Ford’s government.

We discuss Smyth’s first year as an MPP, her transition from a decades-long career in journalism, and what she’s learned since being elected.

She breaks down the Ontario Auditor General’s explosive report on the $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund, explaining how the program became “not fair, transparent, or accountable,” and what needs to change to ensure it actually helps unemployed Ontarians.

We also explore the calls for an Integrity Commissioner investigation, the push for a forensic audit, and new polling showing most Ontarians believe the scandal reflects deeper systemic problems inside Ford’s government.

We also talk about Ontario’s worsening labour market, youth unemployment, the future of ethics reform, and how the Ontario Liberals can build a strong accountability agenda ahead of the next election.

If you follow Ontario politics, government accountability, labour issues, or the unfolding controversies surrounding Doug Ford’s administration, this is a must-listen episode.

Topics include: Doug Ford government • Skills Development Fund scandal • Ontario Auditor General report • David Piccini • Integrity Commissioner investigation • Ontario unemployment • Ontario Liberals • political ethics • government accountability • Stephanie Smyth • Ontario politics 2025 • provincial scandals • Progressive opposition • Toronto–St. Paul’sWhere to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode of the Progress Canada Podcast, Theresa speaks with pollster Kyla Ronnellenfitsch about her latest national polling on the 2025 federal budget, Mark Carney’s early days as Prime Minister, and Pierre Poilievre’s favourability numbers ahead of his leadership review. We dig into voter reactions to the Carney budget rollout, where the party horse race stands today, and how Canadians are evaluating political leadership as another election looms. This conversation offers data-driven insight into shifting public opinion, Canada’s political landscape, and what trends to watch in the months ahead.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, we’re joined by Iain Rankin, the 29th Premier of Nova Scotia and current House Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, the On Message Panel tackles the 2025 federal budget, the first by newly minted Prime Minister Mark Carney. We discuss the Carney Government's new approach to managing government finances, the government's approach to the pre-budget rollout, and how the budget is landing in Parliament.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, we’re joined by Vass Bednar and Kaylie Tiessen. Vass serves as Managing Director and Kaylie serves as Chief Economist at the newly founded Canadian SHIELD Institute, a public policy organization focused on Canadian sovereignty. We talk about how to define sovereignty, how to measure it, and the challenges Canadians are facing in standing up for our sovereignty in the world today. #economicsovereignty #canadiansovereignty #economy #cdnpoli #progresscanada #youthcession #genz Where to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

In this episode, we’re joined by Sachit Mehra, President of the Liberal Party of Canada. First elected in 2023, Sachit led the party through a leadership race and a general election that resulted in a fourth straight term in power for the party. Where to Find Us:Social Accounts: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 Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts