Resuming Debate

Ross Douthat is one of the most insightful conservative voices in media today. Ross writes a regular column for the New York Times, and I was very pleased to welcome him onto the podcast for a discussion on the state of American politics and on his two latest books - The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success and The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery.

These are the two best books written about COVID-19 that are not actually about COVID-19.

I really enjoyed this conversation, and I hope you do as well. You can read Ross's regular column here: https://www.nytimes.com/column/ross-douthat

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On this week's episode I am joined by former Liberal Member of Parliament Dan McTeague to discuss the changing nature of the Liberal Party as well as the affordability and energy crisis in Canada.

Dan and I discuss his time in Parliament, what he has been doing since, and why it is important to reduce the amount Canadians pay for basic necessities like energy.

Dan is currently the President of Canadians for Affordable Energy and is an advocate for making Canada more affordable and economically competitive. He oversees https://gaswizard.ca/, a website that forecasts gas prices for consumers.

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I have put forward Bill C-257. This bill would add political belief and activity as protected categories against discrimination. It would prevent people from being fired or denied service because of their political views.

To discuss this issue, I am joined this week by three prominent legal experts, with wide ranging perspectives.

Paul Champ is a practicing lawyer with significant experience dealing with cases involving the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Dr. Bruce Pardy is the executive director of Rights Probe and professor of law at Queen's University.

Dr. Dwight Newman is the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Rights in Constitutional and International Law. He teaches at the University of Saskatchewan.

If passed, Bill C-257 would significantly shape human rights jurisprudence in Canada and provide substantially more protection for speech and for diversity of thought.

For more information on this bill, check out the following:

My column in the Toronto Sun on this issue: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/genuis-discrimination-based-on-political-views-undermines-democracy

The video of the press conference where I tabled the bill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBMJCGrYUjA

The text of the bill itself: https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-257/first-reading

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This week's episode covers the unique and challenging situation of Canadian citizens who continue to be detained in northern Syria, including Canadian children. We discuss the circumstances that led to this, the conditions of detention, and the response of the Canadian government. Local authorities actually want the Canadian government to step in, but the Canadian government has not. Nobody seems to have a long-term plan for what is going to happen to those imprisoned - the guilty or the innocent.

Farida Deif of Human Rights Watch and Justin Mohammed of Amnesty International Canada (and a former classmate of mine) join me to discuss this under-recognized crisis.

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On this week's episode we have a wide ranging conversation about the state of the Canadian economy with former NDP Member of Parliament Erin Weir and Canadian Taxpayers Federation President CEO, Scott Hennig. We focus on what the longer term economic effects of various pandemic-related economy policies will be and on what to expect on the economic front as we (hopefully) move out of the pandemic.

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As all eyes are on the situation in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Church is playing an important role, rooted in its long and diverse history. Unlike in Russia, Ukraine’s religious life is characterized by freedom and pluralism, with various Christian denominations and prominent Jewish and Muslim communities. In this dark hour, faith leaders are serving their country in unique ways.

On this week's episode of Resuming Debate, I speak with Fr. Deacon Andrew Bennett. Fr. Deacon Andrew is a Senior Fellow at the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) in Washington, DC - an independent think-tank committed to achieving broad acceptance of religious liberty as a fundamental human right. He served as Canada's ambassador for religious freedom and is now an ordained deacon in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in the Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada.

Fr. Deacon Andrew and I discuss the ongoing conflict, the history of Ukraine and of religious belief in Ukraine, the role played by church leaders in the Ukrainian response to the invasion, and the possible implications for religious freedom.

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For this week's episode of Resuming Debate, I speak with MP Arnold Viersen, my colleague and roommate in Ottawa. Arnold was elected in 2015 and represents the riding of Peace River—Westlock in Northern Alberta.

He is the Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to End Modern Day Slavery & Human Trafficking, and is a vocal advocate against online sexual violence. We dedicate the first part of this episode to discussing the fight against human trafficking. At about the 20 minute mark, we switch gears to discuss the "Freedom Convoy", the Emergencies Act, and what the current situation reveals about the urban-rural divide in Canada.

You can learn more about the work of the APPG to End Modern Day Slavery & Human Trafficking here: https://endmodernslavery.ca/

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On this week’s episode of Resuming Debate, I speak with Andrew Monkhouse, Managing Partner at Monkhouse Law. Andrew founded and runs an employment law firm based in Toronto that serves both employees and employers. We discuss the law around COVID-19 vaccine mandates, getting into the nitty-gritty of how the law applies in different situations and the remedies that are available to people who face discrimination.

You can check out Andrew’s blog here: https://www.monkhouselaw.com/blog/

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The "Freedom Convoy" taking place in Ottawa and across Canada has sparked intense debate. What is this new protest movement all about, and what do we do about the mandates that have caused it? Thousands of truckers and other protestors have made their way to our nation’s capital to voice their concerns with the federal government, yet there appear to be some people here with other agendas.

For this episode of Resuming Debate, I am joined by Anthony Housefather, Liberal MP for Mount Royal, and Melissa Lantsman, Conservative MP for Thornhill and Transportation Shadow Minister. Both MPs are Jewish and represent ridings with large Jewish communities. We investigate the various narratives present at the Freedom Convoy, the need to consistently call out antisemitism, the government’s handling of the pandemic, and the need for Canadians to find common ground amidst an ever-growing political divide.

Today’s episode features a full-length interview with Bill Browder, CEO and co-founder of Hermitage Capital Management and leader of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign. During this interview, we discuss Bill’s book, Red Notice, which is probably one of the best political thriller novels I’ve read in a long time and the story of how Bill became Vladimir Putin’s "No. 1 Enemy".

In the wake of increased Russian aggression along Ukraine’s eastern border, NATO members must consider once again what their role is in standing with Ukraine. In Bill’s words, the best way to discipline authoritarian regimes is to fight with “banks not tanks” — to go after kleptocrats’ personal wealth and the elites who directly enable them. From Russian portfolio investor to accidental human rights activist, Bill’s story imparts unique wisdom about a country often not fully understood and the corrupt officials who rule it.