Resuming Debate

In today's episode of Resuming Debate, I speak to Dr. Mohamed Sawwaf. Dr. Sawwaf is the Co-Founder & CEO of Manzil, the only Canadian Islamic FinTech that manufactures and distributes Halal financial solutions, including mortgages and investment funds.

He joins me to provide an understanding of the concept of Halal mortgages, and the philosophical and theological ideas driving distinct approach to finance advocated by some of the world’s major religions.

In today's episode of Resuming Debate, I speak to the Member of Parliament for Brantford-Brant, Larry Brock. 

We discussed Brock's previous career as a Crown prosecutor and how he applies his courtroom technique in a parliamentary setting. 

In today's episode of Resuming Debate, I talk to Dr. Joseph Siegle. Dr. Siegle is the Director of Research at the National Defence University's Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

Dr. Siegle and I discussed Russia's influence in Africa, the developing situation in light of the demise of Prigozhin, and the importance of Africa in new global 'Cold War' competition.

In today's episode of Resuming Debate I talk to Professor Siddharth Kara the author of the book Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Ours Lives. Cobalt is an element that is used to make many things we use in our daily lives ranging from our cell phones to aircraft engines. The Congo is one of the largest producers of the world's supply of cobalt. The slave-like conditions of workers in cobalt mines taint the supplies of cobalt from the Congo with horror and blood. 

We have a bit of a different episode this time. Last week, during International Development Week, I hosted a Symposium in Parliament to explore the relationship between international development and geopolitical competition. Each speaker had 10 minutes to speak and take questions. We recorded the whole event, for your listening pleasure.

The panel of distinguished speakers was:

1. Chinelo Agom-Eze, Senior Policy Advisor, Canadian Foodgrains Bank,

2. Andrii Bukvych, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Ukraine,

3. Luke De Pulford, Executive Director, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China,

4. Charles Burton, Senior Fellow, MacDonald-Laurier Institute,

5. Harry Tseng, Ambassador, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Canada),

6. Idee Inyangudor, Vice-President, Wellington Advocacy,

7. Susan Namulindwa, Founder & Executive Director, Africa Trade Desk,

8. Zaw Kyaw, Spokesperson, Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and

9, Ali Nazary, Head of Foreign Relations, National Resistance Front of Afganistan.

In today's episode of Resuming Debate I talk to David Frum. David is an author, political commentator, and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. We mainly planned to discuss how the US elections stand to shape the trajectory of world affairs, but pursued a number of digressions that I think you will find interesting. David is a controversial and sought-after commentator on both sides of the border.

As Canada slides into a new global Cold War, we are woefully unprepared to respond to new threats, especially in the area of foreign interference.

In this episode of Resuming Debate, I talk to Dr. Charles Burton, Senior Fellow at the MacDonald Laurier Institute and China policy expert. We discussed Canada's response to foreign interference and what needs to be done to protect our country from foreign meddling in our political system.

Dr. Burton recently spoke about his concerns about Canada's inaction on foreign interference before the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Canada's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Resuming Debate is back! Today we’re discussing what’s on Parliament’s agenda as it relates to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In the first half I speak with Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine. He recently appeared before a Parliamentary committee in Canada to discuss the abduction of children from Ukraine by Russia. You can watch his appearance along with formerly abducted children here, watch an earlier hearing on the same subject here, and click here to find out more about Save Ukraine.

In the second half, I am joined by MP Kyle Seeback, Shadow Minister for International Trade, to discuss the new proposed Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.

The private military corporation Wagner Group is responsible for brutal violence in Ukraine, but it has also been active in Syria and parts of Africa. Up until this weekend the Wagner Group was generally understood to be a tool of Russian foreign policy. However this weekend it turned its guns on its patron and appeared to launch a military coup against the Russian government. So what is Wagner really, and where does it go from here?

Joining me for a discussion on this topic is Jason Blazakis, Director at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. We break down the Wager Group’s horrendous past, confusing present, and uncertain future.

Resuming Debate will be on hiatus for the summer. I’m excited for our new content in the fall and look forward to bringing you more perspectives, topics, and guests. Thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe.