The Backbench

After a couple of weeks of pats on the back and trying to find Pierre Poilievre a new home, we’re finally seeing how Mark Carney’s government plans to tackle the country’s biggest problems and who he’s putting in charge to do it. Next week, King Charles is set to kick off parliament with the throne speech, and we’ll finally have MPs back in the House of Commons after months of parliamentary paralysis. We’re at the top of the hill before things start to inevitably crumble, so Host Noor Azrieh asks Nick Taylor-Vaisey what Carney’s first few weeks say about how he’ll be running our country?

And the latest on what’s gone down in Terrebone, and where the hell Pierre Poilievre lives.

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Nick Taylor-Vaisey

Background reading:

• Erskine-Smith says he feels 'disrespected' after being dropped from cabinet - Canadian Press
• Carney shows 10 ministers from his first cabinet the door - CBC News
• Mark Carney’s cabinet change is a mirage - The Globe and Mail
• Mark Carney’s bulky and performative cabinet - The Globe and Mail
• John Ivison: The day after cabinet swearing-in is the day it starts going wrong - National Post

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Mark Carney promised tougher bail and more police – a “get tough” agenda that the Liberals shoplifted right off the Conservative shelf. Host Noor sits down with Adelina Iftene, a criminal law professor, who calls Mark Carney’s revival of “tough on crime” a “slippery slope”. Will Mark Carney’s revival of “tough on crime” fix anything? What actually makes communities safer? And what happens if we get this wrong?

And the latest on Canada’s unemployment problem, the one vote that changed Terrebonne, and Carney’s new cabinet crew

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Adelina Iftene

Background reading:

• Man known to Toronto police faces 100+ charges in crime spree – City News
• Federal government proposes stricter bail system in new bill – CBC News
• Repeat violent offenders set to spend more time in custody as feds approve bail reform bill – CBC News
• Randall Denley: Ontario can't get tough on crime until it gets tough on court delays – National Post
• Most Canadians feel as safe or safer than 10 years ago, Nanos poll finds. Conservative voters are another story – CTV
• Mark Carney’s Liberals release plan to fight crime, protect Canadians, and build safer communities

Sponsors: 

Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

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protecting your family’s health or their financial future, PolicyMe is reliable and makes it

effortless and fast.

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.

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Pierre Poilievre is packing his bags to rural Alberta, after losing his seat to Bruce Fanjoy. How the hell did Fanjoy do it? We asked him.

Plus, pollster David Coletto breaks down things you may have missed in the election results.

Host: Sam Konnert

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: 

Background reading:

• How a political rookie wore out two pairs of shoes to unseat Pierre Poilievre | Globe and Mail
• Re-elected Alberta MP steps down, allowing Pierre Poilievre to step up | CBC
• Carleton was Poilievre's riding to lose. When he did, it came as a shock to many | CBC
• The Think Tank: Only Boomers are really concerned about Trump this election | The Hub

Sponsors: 

Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz and its long list of added-value features. Activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data. 

Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit article.com/backbench and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

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.

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Carney wins, Poilievre loses, Jagmeet steps down. What went down? Politico’s Mickey Djuric breaks it down for us, way past bedtime.

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Mickey Djuric

Background reading:

• Poilievre's Carleton riding had the most advance voting in Canada | CBC
• Liberals projected to win 4th term in remarkable reversal of political fortunes | CBC
• The eight fateful issues that Canada’s next PM must face | Globe and Mail
• Politics Insider: Canada votes in the shadow of tragedy and a trade war | Globe and Mail

Sponsors: 

Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz and its long list of added-value features. Activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

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.

Today we are bringing you a great episode from our friends at Canardian!

Sault Ste. Marie. Population 71,000. A place best known as the hometown of Roberta Bondar, the first woman in space, Treble Charger, and countless NHL players. Douglas Soltys, host of The BetaKit Podcast, joins the show (instead of going to therapy) to discuss the best pizza in town, being a 90s indie rock kid, destructive hockey teams, and WAY more.

Listen to Douglas's podcast, The BetaKit Podcast, on your favourite podcast platform now!

Find more from BetaKit here: https://betakit.com/

Links:

• Home Slice: A Sault Pizza Documentary
• Northern hockey association adopts rules of conduct for players during hotel stays
• Jordan Nolan Instagram
• Turtles five feet across! Early animal oddities that made the Sault . . . er . . . famous
• Facebook: Idiots of Sault Ste Marie
• Facebook: Are We Dating The Same Guy? | Sudbury / North Bay / Sault Ste Marie Ontario

Canardian is the flagship podcast of Pod the North, the newsletter for the Canadian podcasting ecosystem from Kattie Laur.

Check out Pod the North at podthenorth.com and share your Canadian podcasting news!

Follow Pod the North on Instagram @podthenorth

Email Kattie at [email protected]

The Canardian theme song is by Mark Allin and Kattie Laur, mixed by Jordan White, with vocals including Shane Fester, Brad Cousins, Ben Cousins.

The Canardian podcast artwork is by Brad Cousins and Kattie Laur.

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It’s the final election stretch, and the vetting continues. This week we talk conversion therapy, million-dollar pyramid schemes, & the dangers of doorbell cameras

Host: Sam Konnert, Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor)

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

While most Canadians are gearing up to head to the polls, some are looking for an escape plan. This week, we’re examining the deep roots of Western alienation, Danielle Smith’s separatist flirtations, and what could erupt if Mark Carney’s Liberals sweep to power. To do that, producer Sam Konnert heads out to Alberta to talk to some voters, and calls up Preston Manning, the man behind the conversation. Later, host Noor Azrieh sits down with Dr. Lisa Young for a serious reality check. 

And the latest on the utter sidelining of Indigenous issues, a polling update, and why you should get your arse out to the polls on April 28th. 

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Preston Manning, Lisa Young

Further Reading on Our Website

Sponsors: 

Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Visit policyme.com to explore insurance plans that cover your needs. Whether you're

protecting your family’s health or their financial future, PolicyMe is reliable and makes it

effortless and fast.

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.

There are 1959 people running to represent YOU in this federal election in the year of our lord 2025 - and we’re looking for dirt. 

This week - a liberal candidate that didn’t want to be a distraction was replaced by an EVEN bigger distraction, a far-right media personality has some INSANE takes, and independent candidate Elliot Moose is on the loose.

Host: Sam Konnert, Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Want to hear the rest of the episode? 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.

With two weeks out from election day, Ottawa is buzzing. Staffers are partying late into the night and reporting to work at 7 a.m., Chipotle’s are turning into war rooms, and the polls are telling stories.

We went to three party-specific events in Ottawa for a pulse check on how people feel in the nation’s capital. From 11-year-old door knockers to Jagmeet Singh to Trump’s former trade representative, we heard a LOT of opinions.

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Background reading:

• Liberals lead dips for 1st time in Canada election as Tories gain: poll | Global
• Carney apologizes for fake Trump-style buttons, Liberal staffers 'reassigned' | National Post
• Record-tying number of candidates running in Ottawa riding of Carleton | CTV
• NDP Strategy in the Final Stretch of the Election | Global
• Pierre Poilievre is sticking to his greatest hits. That’s the problem | Globe and Mail

Sponsors: 

Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz and its long list of added-value features, and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off & 10GB of free data. 

Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more! To claim, visit ARTICLE.COM/BACKBENCH, and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout

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.

It’s an election, we’re googling your candidate.

There's a candidate for the Green Party who’s actively campaigning for the Conservative Party. There’s a famous YouTuber candidate with an icky social media history, there’s a guy who is promising to fix housing problems that HE created. And then we’ll get to the explicit Garfield porn. It gets crazy.

Host: Sam Konnert

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

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.

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