The House

It’s true. Fentanyl is not only killing Canadians — organized crime gangs are making it here and selling it abroad, the RCMP says. A senior RCMP official responsible for fighting organized crime talks about efforts to disrupt the deadly supply chain.

The House also checks in on the Halifax Security Forum, an annual gathering of some of the top minds in foreign policy and defence to see how they’re trying to navigate what some are calling a global “polycrisis,” as well as issues around Russia and Taiwan.

Plus, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is picking his words carefully when it comes to the war between Israel and Hamas. Why did he change his tone somewhat this week — and what does it mean for his government?

This episode features interviews with:

- Mathieu Bertrand, RCMP chief superintendent of Serious and Organized Crime and Border Integrity

- Comfort Ero, CEO, International Crisis Group

- Evgenia Kara-Murza, Russian democratic activist and wife of jailed Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza

- Vincent Chao, spokesperson and director of international affairs for the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan

- Rob Russo, former CBC parliamentary bureau chief

- Laura Osman, Reporter, The Canadian Press

With one carve-out of the carbon tax already in the books and another waiting in the wings, can the federal government hold to its red line and stop further undermining of its landmark climate policy? The House looks at how the debate has developed over the week and hears from experts Chris Ragan and Jessica Green on the merits of the policy. Then, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault defends his government’s approach. Also, MPs of all political stripes open up about how the toxic drug crisis — which has affected countless Canadians — has touched their lives. Plus, War Museum historian Tim Cook and Rachel Collishaw of the Social Studies Educators Network of Canada talk about remembering our past in an age of disinformation.

The federal government’s decision last week to carve out oil for home heating from the carbon tax has spurred cries for additional exemptions. Saskatchewan has even threatened to stop collecting the tax on home heating altogether. New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs sits down to talk about his province’s perspective on the fuel charge, as well as Alberta’s proposal to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan. House Speaker Greg Fergus talks with host Catherine Cullen about his bid to bring decorum to a Commons that is divided and easily disrupted. Then, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya’ara Saks discusses the federal government’s response to the toxic drug crisis. Plus — former tech executive Jim Balsillie on how to regulate artificial intelligence and the need to keep an eye on the immediate challenges of technology.

The Liberal government has announced new measures to ease the burden of the carbon tax on rural Canadians, a carve-out from one of their landmark policies. Liberal MP Kody Blois, the chair of the Atlantic caucus who helped push for the changes, joins The House to talk about why he thinks it's necessary. Toronto Star parliamentary bureau chief Tonda MacCharles and The Hub editor-in-chief Stuart Thomson weigh in on that move and the bubbling internal debate the Liberals face over the Israel-Hamas war. The CBC’s Mykella Van Cooten takes a look at why some innovative cancer treatments — approved abroad — are not allowed yet in Canada. Plus — Alberta’s minister of mental health and addictions, Dan Williams, on his province’s approach to the opioid crisis.

Tension and anxiety remain high in both Jewish and Muslim communities in Canada. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc sits down to talk about how the government is handling a rise in anti-semitism and islamophobia as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, as well as Alberta’s moves toward a separate pension plan. He also weighs in on Quebec’s tuition hike, before Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante gives her perspective. Then, The House takes a deep dive into Canada’s push for a digital services tax, and why it’s landing this country offside with its allies. Plus — as part of our continuing coverage of the opioid crisis, Dr. Mark Mallet shares why he’s concerned about unsupervised safer supply.

A week of violence and tragedy is ending with fears of further escalation. Alia Zaki of the UN World Food Programme joins The House to talk about how the humanitarian situation is developing right now. Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney weighs in on how Canada should respond to the crisis and whether it has the influence to make a difference. Former diplomats Arif Lalani and Daniel Kurtzer also analyze the conflict so far, the risks of escalation and the prospects for resolution. Plus — Canada’s former ambassador to Ukraine Larisa Galadza reflects on how the outbreak of violence has shifted some focus away from the war in Ukraine, and what it could mean for that country’s desperate struggle.

An average of 21 Canadians die every day from opioid-related overdoses. The situation has only worsened in recent years. In a special edition of the program, The House travels to Thunder Bay, Ont., a city that has the highest rate of opioid-related deaths in the province. Host Catherine Cullen hears from paramedics who see the devastation of the crisis and recovering addicts who are trying to help others on their own journeys. We also hear from Police Chief Darcy Fleury and Mayor Ken Boshcoff about how the city is responding and what resources they need. And we hear from mothers who have lost their children to overdoses and question why the government didn’t do more to help them.

A week after Canadian parliamentarians rose in the House of Commons to honour a man who turned out to have fought in a Nazi unit, how bad is the damage to Canada’s reputation? The House hears from foreign policy expert Janice Stein, historian Robert Bothwell and disinformation watcher Marcus Kolga, then journalists Paul Wells and Susan Delacourt weigh in. The CBC’s Bartley Kives reports on the Manitoba provincial election, which takes place next week and has lately focused on the question of whether to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women. Plus — Ernie Daniels, President and CEO of the First Nations Finance Authority, discusses the state of infrastructure in Canadian communities, and Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu reflects on how the government is looking to close the gap.

A frenetic week in Canadian foreign affairs began with a bombshell allegation by the prime minister accusing the Indian government of involvement in the murder of a Canadian pro-Khalistan activist and ended with an in-person address to Parliament by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Sen. Peter Boehm and Garry Keller, chief of staff to former foreign affairs minister John Baird, talk about the fallout and where Canada stands now. The CBC’s Evan Dyer breaks down where the Canada-India relationship might go from here. Plus — freelance journalist Bob Keating explores how the Columbia River treaty with the United States has profoundly shaped the land and communities around the river, and Kathy Eichenberger, B.C’s treaty negotiator, talks about what Canada wants in a new pact.

The governing Liberals went into a caucus retreat this week down in the polls, concerned about unity and without a clear plan to pull themselves back together. On the other end of the weekend, have the political winds shifted? Three backbench MPs — Kody Blois, Arielle Kayabaga and Anthony Housefather — discuss what they heard. The CBC’s Jacques Poitras also joins the program to talk about how a New Brunswick policy governing the use of pronouns in schools has kicked off similar policies across the country. Canada’s top soldier, Gen. Wayne Eyre, shares for the first time his memories of a chaotic battle in Croatia, where Canadian peacekeepers engaged in an intense firefight. Plus — Canada’s ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae, discusses how the international community must prepare for even more intense disasters in the future.