The Backbench

It’s that time of the year again! Budget season… AND, the story about Chinese government influence just keeps getting even more complicated. This week Mattea Roach is joined by Murad Hemmadi, Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Stuart Thomson to unpack how the complex issue of government interference is being seized on by various parties, and how feasible Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland’s proposed budget is for this country’s future. 

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)

Guests: Murad Hemmadi, Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Stuart Thomson 

Background reading:

• Freeland's green economy spending aimed at competing with U.S. Inflation Reduction Act
• Chrystia Freeland's federal budget throws new spending at inflation-weary Canadians
• Chapter 3: A Made-In-Canada Plan: Affordable Energy, Good Jobs, and a Growing Clean Economy | Budget 2023
• Highlights from the 2023 federal budget | CBC News

Sponsors: Douglas, PSAC, Athletic Greens, Images Festival

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, marking it as the biggest bank failure in the United States since the 2008 Financial Crisis. AND, our three top grocers testified at the House of Commons recently, but Canadians learned very little. This week host Mattea Roach is joined by Murad Hemmadi, Meagan Simpson, and Arshy Mann to unpack the future of the bank and tech industries, and why many Canadians are feeling the strain every time they step into a grocery store, all while grocers are making record profits. 

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)

Guests: Murad Hemmadi, Meagan Simpson, Arshy Mann

A full list of background reading can be found on our website.

Sponsors: Rotman, Bryce@100, Athletic Greens

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Mattea Roach is joined by Emilie Nicolas, Stuart Thomson and Les Perreaux to talk about the latest at Roxham Road, the irregular border crossing where thousands of asylum seekers flock to Canada. What’s bringing them here and what’s happening once they arrive? 

And a subset of Google users in Canada have discovered a bunch of Canadian news mysteriously disappearing from their search results… whose fault is this, and should we be concerned? We unpack the Online News Act, Bill C-18.

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)

Guests: Emilie Nicolas, Stuart Thomson, Les Perreaux

Background reading:

• Canadians Fume as Migrants Surge at Their Border - New York Times
• It’s time to close the breach at Roxham Road and enforce Canada’s borders - Globe and Mail
• Niagara Falls facing 'limits' in accommodating influx of asylum seekers, mayor says - CBC News
• Roxham: The little country road that became a big political headache for the Trudeau government - CBC News
• Google threatens Canada, because it can - Globe and Mail
• The Bill C-18 Reality: Everyone Loses When the Government Mandates Payments for Links - Michael Geist

Sponsors: Douglas, Bryce@100, Athletic Greens

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Mattea Roach is joined by Nick Taylor-Vaisey, David Moscrop and Sandy Garossino to talk about the two objects shot down over Canada. Is this a question of national security? Or a weather monitoring program gone wrong? It’s probably not aliens, right? 

Also, the Rouleau Report was released shortly after RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki announced the end of her tenure. The RCMP has felt the impact of scandal after scandal, so what kind of leadership is required to move forward and build better?

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)

Guests: Nick Taylor-Vaisey, David Moscrop, Sandy Garossino

Background reading:

• U.S. fighter jet shoots down ‘cylindrical object’ flying over Yukon on orders from Trudeau, Biden
• Objects shot out of North American skies likely not used for spying, Biden says
• A hobby club in Illinois is missing a balloon. Was it shot down over Yukon?
• The timing of Brenda Lucki's RCMP departure
• After year of scandals, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki announces retirement
• RCMP’s Brenda Lucki says she will retire next month: ‘I did my best’

Sponsors: Rotman, Athletic Greens

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A proposed settlement of a class-action lawsuit has been reached between the federal government and 325 First Nations, which applies to Indigenous children who attended residential schools during the day—students who were left out of the 2006 residential schools settlement. This episode gets into the legal elements of this lawsuit, how we got here, and what impacts it might have going forward. 

And, all 13 provinces and territories are calling for “immediate action” to strengthen Canada’s bail system in the wake of the death of an Ontario Provincial Police officer in late December. What does the bail system look like in Canada? How is this specific moment being politicized?  And, what would the consequences of bail reform be?

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)

Guests: Riley Yesno, Karen Restoule, Patricia Barkaskas

Background reading:

• Canada’s $2.8 billion settlement with Indigenous Day Scholars is a long-time coming
• $2.8-billion settlement reached in class action lawsuit over residential schools
• How does Canada's bail system actually work? And where does it fall short?
• Premiers demand bail reform in letter to Trudeau after killing of OPP officer

Sponsors: Douglas, Athletic Greens

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Armed conflicts across the world are increasingly demanding the attention of Canadians and prompting the federal government to get involved. This episode, host Mattea Roach is joined by Emilie Nicolas, Arshy Mann, and Steven Chase to talk about what Canadian intervention in Haiti could and should look like, and they also tackle the existential questions we have about our military: What is the state of our military? Are we prepared to take on an expanded role? Should we?

Host: Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)

Guests: Emilie Nicolas, Arshy Mann, Steven Chase

Background reading:

• Bob Rae: Major military intervention in Haiti would not have sustainable impact
• Adam Zivo: Is Canada not sending its tanks to Ukraine because they're broken?
• Fiscal watchdog raises concern about $15-billion in unexplained military spending in 2022 federal budget
• Current Operations and Joint Military Exercises list
• Canada’s military pulling back in Middle East as European, domestic needs rise
• Emilie Nicolas: What should Canada's involvement in Haiti look like?

Sponsors: Rotman, Athletic Greens

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We tackle two crises facing our country – healthcare and climate change. Host Mattea Roach asks our panelists Riley Yesno, Drew Brown, and Sara Birrell about what we are doing to solve the major problems that exist in our splintered healthcare system and where we are really at when it comes to climate change policy. Does throwing money at the problem actually help?

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Tristan Capachionne (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator)

Guests: Riley Yesno, Drew Brown, Sara Birrell

Background reading:

Healthcare

• Canadian health-care systems 'strained, if not broken' | A Conversation with the Prime Minister 
• More money is a must, but health-care delivery also needs a major rethink, doctors say CBC News

Climate Change Policy

• An activist in office: Steven Guilbeault's first year as environment minister CBC News
• Trudeau announces $800M for Indigenous-led conservation initiatives CBC News
• 'Just transition' bill coming in 2023, natural resources minister says CBC News
• Federal government approves controversial Bay du Nord oil project CBC News

Sponsors: Douglas, Athletic Greens

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On December 14th, we brought The Backbench to you LIVE and in-person from the Hot Docs Cinema in Toronto. It was an evening of “serious” political discourse and endless laughs. Our host Mattea Roach and our expert panelists, Emilie Nicolas, David Moscrop, and Murad Hemmadi unpacked the seriously eventful year that was 2022 – from faulty infrastructure, to the Pope’s visit, to our 2023 political wish list, and more. 

Taking inspiration from David Moscrop's powerful questions: Show of hands....is anyone here a supporter? 

If you want to hear a special and hilarious extended cut of the evening, which includes Mattea’s opening conversation with “political consultant” Dan Cashgrab, also known as comedian Miguel Rivas, you can become a supporter to get access to the exclusive convo.

Go to canadaland.com/join. 

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Tristan Capacchione  (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator)

Guests:  Emilie Nicolas, David Moscrop, Murad Hemmadi

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We want to warn listeners that segment one talks about suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners. If you'd like to skip it go to 23:37. If you’re struggling with mental health please connect with a crisis responder to get help without judgment: Call 1-833-456-4566 / Text: 45645 (4 pm – midnight ET). 

In this episode, host Mattea Roach, and panelists, Karen Restoule, Jaskaran Sandhu, and Arshy Mann, unpack the controversial expansion for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) set to change on March 17, 2023. Also, Canada is trying to re-establish itself on the international stage after announcing its Indo-Pacific Strategy in Beautiful British Columbia. Does Canada’s future lie in the Indo-Pacific?

Host:  Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Tristan Capacchionne (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator)

Guests: Karen Restoule, Jaskaran Sandhu, Arshy Mann

Background reading:

• Canada will soon allow medically assisted dying for mental illness. Has there been enough time to get it right? in The Globe and Mail
• Medical experts call on government to delay expansion of MAID for mental illness in The Globe and Mail
• Call to Action re:March 2023 MAiD Expansion by the Society of Canadian Psychiatry
• Canada launches Indo-Pacific Strategy to support long-term growth, prosperity, and security for Canadians by the Government of Canada
• Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy by the Government of Canada
• Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy sees China as a ‘disruptive global power’ in The Globe in Mail
• SIKHS WEARY OF INCREASED FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN WAKE OF CANADA’S INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY by the World Sikh Organization
• Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy ‘long overdue,’ shows ‘radical change’ on China: experts by Rachel Gilmore from Global News

Sponsors: Douglas, oxio, Athletic Greens

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.