The House

World leaders gathered at the United Nations HQ this week in New York to discuss a wide-ranging set of issues — and Canada made headlines by announcing it now recognizes the state of Palestine. Ambassador Bob Rae joins The House to talk about the federal government’s decision, Trump’s change of heart over Ukraine and what to make of the U.S. president’s hour-long, combative address to the world. 

Plus, Canada and Greenland already had plenty in common before facing threats of annexation from the White House — but all that attention could make for a timely reason to strengthen a key relationship. CBC's Emma Godmere travels to Greenland’s capital of Nuuk to hear from residents about being in the international spotlight and pursuing stronger ties with Canada. Her reporting was made possible by the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship.

Then, two Hill watchers discuss how Prime Minister Mark Carney is managing the fallout from the leaked audio recording of his public safety minister appearing to undermine the Liberals’ long-promised gun buyback program.

Finally, as a group of federal and provincial privacy commissioners raise alarms over how much information TikTok collects from Canadian users, Vass Bednar, managing director of the Canadian SHIELD Institute, explains why these concerns matter and how Canada should manage the social media powerhouse.

This episode features the voices of:

• Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations
• Miilu Gehlert and Hans Peter Leibhardt, Nuuk boat tour operators
• Joint Arctic Command Deputy Commander Lars Nielsen
• Christian Keldsen, director of the Greenland Business Association
• Carolyn Bennett, Canada’s ambassador to Denmark
• Sara Olsvig, international chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council
• Nikoline Ziemer, biologist and resident of Nuuk, Greenland
• Frederik Fuuja Larsen, curator at the Greenland National Museum and Archives
• Shannon Proudfoot, columnist for The Globe and Mail
• Paul Wells, author and podcaster
• Vess Bednar, managing director of the Canadian SHIELD Institute

The U.S. Ambassador to Canada says he’s disappointed in what he calls the “anti-American” sentiment of the elbows up campaign. So this week on House Party, we’re asking: are those hurt feelings getting in the way of Prime Minister Mark Carney being able to strike a trade deal with President Donald Trump? Was the ambassador warning Canada’s politicians to stand down? And what does the business community — to whom Ambassador Pete Hoekstra was speaking — make of the ambassador’s message? Co-hosts and political nerds Catherine Cullen, Daniel Thibeault and Jason Markusoff talk about all of that… and whether there’s a good alternative to U.S. bourbon for your party cocktails.

This week, Donald Trump enjoyed a second state visit to the United Kingdom and was feted by King Charles and the royal family at Windsor Castle — a move some Brits saw as the United Kingdom sucking up to the U.S. president. Canadian podcaster and author Stephen Marche and former Mexican politician Agustín Barrios Gómez discuss whether their countries should suck up or stand up to Donald Trump.

Plus, this week has seen high-profile Liberals from the Trudeau era announce their departure from Parliament Hill to take on diplomatic roles, including Chrystia Freeland and David Lametti — and there’s rumours of more on the way. Catherine Cullen sits down with Lametti 

Then, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson talks about major projects, oil pipelines, and whether Canada — in the midst of this push to build big — can meet its upcoming emissions reduction targets.

Finally, political strategists Mitch Heimpel and Carlene Variyan go into sportscaster mode to review the tape from the first-ever Mark Carney/Pierre Poilievre question period faceoff in the House of Commons this week.

This episode features the voices of:

• David Lametti, Canada’s incoming ambassador to the United Nations
• Stephen Marche, author and host of “Gloves Off”
• Agustín Barrios Gómez, former Mexican congressman
• Tim Hodgson, minister of energy and natural resources
• Mitch Heimpel, Conservative strategist
• Carlene Variyan, former chief of staff to Liberal ministers

Parliament is back. And so is House Party. As Prime Minister Mark Carney faces off against newly re-elected Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre while grappling with the trade war, the rising cost of living, the housing crisis, the climate crisis, a budget that ain’t gonna be pretty, two overseas wars, a possible national unity crisis or two… need we go on? Sure, because co-hosts and political nerds Catherine Cullen, Daniel Thibeault and Jason Markusoff have got the party started and are here to talk about how Mark Carney is handling it all.

Ahead of MPs returning to the House of Commons, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre joins The House for a sit-down interview in studio to discuss the federal government’s major projects list, his views on climate change and his worries about his family’s security in a time of growing political violence.

Then, Catherine Cullen talks to Dan Myerson, CEO of the Foran copper mine in Saskatchewan that made the top tier of Carney’s projects list, and Martin Imbleau, the CEO of Alto, the high-speed rail project connecting Toronto to Quebec City that still has work to do before moving up to the A-list.

Plus, Tonda MacCharles of the Toronto Star and Stuart Thomson of the National Post evaluate whether Carney can walk the political tightrope and keep provinces and territories happy. 

Finally, former federal environment minister Catherine McKenna discusses her new memoir, Run Like A Girl, and explains how she coped with sexist attacks and the increasingly toxic nature of political life in Canada.

This episode features the voices of:

• Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
• Dan Myerson, CEO of Foran Mining
• Martin Imbleau, CEO of Alto
• Tonda MacCharles, Ottawa bureau chief for the Toronto Star
• Stuart Thomson, parliamentary bureau chief for the National Post
• Catherine McKenna, former federal environment minister and author of Run Like A Girl

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced billions of dollars in funding and a new Buy Canadian policy to help Canadians fight back against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Does that mean we’re in it for the long haul with this trade war? Industry Minister Mélanie Joly joins The House to answer that question and more about whether Canada is straying away from international free trade.

Then, as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre demands the federal government axe the temporary foreign worker program, Catherine Cullen speaks to industry leaders and an immigration lawyer about the impact this proposal could have.

Plus, the Public Health Agency of Canada is shaving roughly 10 per cent of its employees as it continues to shrink in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Globe and Mail health columnist André Picard explains what those cuts will mean for Canada’s ability to counter vaccine misinformation as skepticism rises in Canada and the United States.

Finally, some of Canada’s NATO allies have been preparing their citizens for war or natural disasters for decades. Alex Wilner, director of Carleton University’s Infrastructure Protection and International Security program and Eva Cohen of Civil Protection Youth Canada join the show to discuss whether Canada too should ask ordinary citizens to be ready to help in the event of everything from weather-related emergencies to terror attacks.

This episode features the voices of:

• Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry
• Kelly Higginson, CEO of Restaurants Canada
• Gabriel Miller, CEO of Universities Canada
• Mark Holthe, immigration lawyer
• André Picard, health columnist for the Globe and Mail
• Alex Wilner, director of Carleton University’s Infrastructure Protection and National Security program
• Eva Cohen, Founder of Civil Protection Youth Canada

NATO’s secretary general has warned Russia could launch an attack on the alliance within the next five years. Talk to NATO’s two newest members, Finland and Sweden, and they’ll tell you preparation involves a lot more than just boosting military spending. As Canada seeks to strengthen ties with both countries, what can we learn from our newest NATO allies about preparing for the worst?

Supported by the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship, CBC's Emma Godmere travelled to the two Nordic countries to visit bomb shelters, the Russian border and military training grounds north of the Arctic Circle to see and hear how Finns and Swedes are steeling themselves for whatever the future may bring.

This episode features the voices of: 

• Elina Valtonen, Finland’s minister of foreign affairs
• Viktoria Hjort Malmer, defence policy director at Sweden’s Ministry of Defence
• Janne Kuusela, director general, defence policy department at Finland’s Ministry of Defence
• Antti Virta, deputy commander, Southeast Finland Border Guard District
• Samuel Siljanen, head of operations, Southeast Finland Border Guard District
• Lt.-Col. Mikael Dalin, Swedish Army
• Lt.-Col. Jukka Vuorisalmi, Finnish Army
• Nina Järvenkylä, Helsinki City Rescue Department
• Harri Mikkola, programme director for Finnish foreign policy, northern European security and NATO at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs
• Niklas Granholm, deputy director of studies, Swedish Defence Research Agency
• Sara Myrdal, director of international affairs, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
• and residents of Lappeenranta, Rovaniemi, and Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden

Pierre Poilievre is returning to the House of Commons after winning an Alberta byelection this week — and he’s already laid out his priorities for the fall, including tackling crime, increasing affordability and making Canada self-reliant. But despite these goals, the Conservative Party of Canada has lost the last four federal elections — and some party insiders worry it may be difficult to ever win again. Political reporter Kate McKenna covers the Conservative Party for CBC News, and in this special episode of The House, she hears from party insiders who offer their frank analysis of how to move forward if they want to return to government.

This episode features the voices of:

• Melissa Lantsman, deputy leader of the Conservative Party of Canada 
• Jason Kenney, former Alberta premier and former Conservative cabinet minister
• Sean Speer, editor-at-large for The Hub and former adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper
• Ben Woodfinden, former director of communications for Pierre Poilievre
• Rob Batherson, former president of the Conservative Party of Canada
• Dimitri Soudas, former director of communications to Prime Minister Stephen Harper 
• Daniel Allain, former New Brunswick Progressive Conservative MLA
• Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute
• Rob Russo, Canada correspondent for The Economist
• Shannon Proudfoot, feature writer for the Globe and Mail

What did the Trump-Putin summit achieve — and what comes next for Ukraine? CBC senior defence reporter Murray Brewster helms this security-focused episode of The House, featuring a debrief with former U.S. diplomat Michael Carpenter on what came out of the sit-down between the U.S. and Russian presidents late Friday in Alaska. 

Then, two Canadian experts — a former NATO assistant secretary general and a former naval commander — dive deep into whether Canada can realistically reduce its dependence on U.S. military equipment and support.

Also: as global leaders watch closely for what could happen next in Ukraine, Chief of the Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan discusses what possible role Canada could have in any ceasefire — and whether armed forces have the bench strength for a prolonged engagement.

Finally, Canadian researcher and author Alicia Wanless joins The House to explain why she believes the world’s democracies should look to the past — the far past — as governments continue to fight against disinformation.

This episode features the voices of:

• Michael Carpenter, former U.S. ambassador and permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, now senior fellow for transatlantic affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
• Wendy Gilmour, former NATO assistant secretary general for defence investment 
• Mark Norman, retired vice-admiral of the Royal Canadian Navy
• General Jennie Carignan, chief of the defence staff
• Alicia Wanless, author and director of the Information Environment Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 

Canada has just five years to meet its 2030 climate target: a 40 per cent reduction in emissions below 2005 levels. CBC’s David Thurton covers climate change and the environment for the Parliamentary Bureau, and this week guest hosts a special edition of The House to take stock of why climate experts fear the 2030 goal will not be met. In an age of weakening interest in climate change as other crises take centre stage — is there even the political will to get it done?

This episode features the voices of:

• Mikyla Tacilauskas, Salvation Army outreach and housing services manager
• Simon Donner, co-chair of the Net-Zero Advisory Body
• Nichole Dusyk, senior policy advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development
• Dave Sawyer, principal economist at the Canadian Climate Institute
• Serge Dupont, head of Bennett Jones’ Public Policy Group
• Eulalie Reesink-Babillon, with the climate action group Last Generation
• Benjamin Welchner, with the climate action group Last Generation
• Shannon Joseph, chair of Energy for a Secure Future
• Oliver Anderson, vice-president of communications and growth for water charity AquaAction