The Line

Liberal MP Anthony Housefather has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Israel on the Liberal bench. Last week's NDP motion - roundly supported by his Liberal peers - has Housefather engaging in some serious soul searching about his future with the party. Will he cross the floor? Is he representative of a deeper political realignment? Why does he think the motion was "anti-Isreal"? This week, he speaks with The Line's Jen Gerson. Like and subscribe www.readtheline.ca

Well, hello there, fans of The Line Podcast. Matt and Jen had almost too much to talk about this week, especially because breaking (and sad) news from Kensington Palace landed as they were recording. They'll get into that near the end, but they start with a discussion about Matt's column this week, in which he explains why he was wrong about Pierre Poilievre's electoral chances. The conversation covers not only what Matt said in his column, but also some of what he couldn't fit in. Is Poilievre lucky, or a genius? Even senior Tories can't agree. Plus, what did months of interest rate hikes do to the millions of Canadian voters who were heavily indebted? It all combines to produce what your hosts agree is an angry, alienated Canadian population. One ready for a big change.

Speaking of angry and alienated, Jen goes on to describe her fury at Calgary's latest blast of snow. True, genuine fury. She was not ready for another blizzard this week. But that conversation actually gets serious. Living with Canada's awful weather has always sucked, Matt notes, but the country has gotten so much else right that it was worth the hassle. For millions of Canadians who can't afford a house or find a family doctor, though, Canada's typical advantages are out of reach, and they're just left with the slush and the snow. How long until they start just packing up and leaving? 

Plus: your last chance to score a ticket to next month's live-taping of a pod episode in Calgary! Don't miss out! We're down to our last handful of tickets.

All that, and more, in this episode of The Line Podcast. 

In The Line Podcast for March 15, hosts Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney announce a live taping in Calgary on April 19. Get your tickets here: www.readtheline.ca. 

This week, a Supreme Court ruling that may or may not have avoided using the controversial term "women." The Toronto Police's advice on preventing auto thefts, and the implications of unequal access to safety and policing. Gerson and Gurney also touch on the role of culture wars and manufactured outrage in public discourse. They explore the need for security and the various ways people seek it, including through religion, criminal organizations, and private security. The decline of policing and the rise of private security are discussed, along with the deteriorating state of cities like Edmonton. The focus then shifts to the Alberta NDP leadership race, with a particular emphasis on Naheed Nenshi's entry into the race. Nenshi's controversial statements and his chances of winning the leadership are analyzed. The conversation concludes with an invitation to a live podcast event and a call for potential sponsors. 

#canada #politics #toronto #police #crime #supremecourtcanada #women #nenshi #ndp #alberta #leadership 

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on March 8, 2024, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson discuss the Durham byelection results, which Matt doesn't think matter ... but that he does find interesting (and he suspects they'll be of interest over at Liberal Party HQ, too). The intrepid editors also gab about state-capacity issues in Canada, and the blunt comments made by Bill Blair about the state of the Canadian Armed Forces.

G&G also highlight the challenges of building infrastructure projects in Canada and the lack of prioritization and decision-making. Our governments seem to almost actively avoid making decisions, and instead prefer to just make tiny incremental announcements so that they always seem engaged with the issues of the day, even though they aren't trying to actually fix them.

From there, they move onto the Online Harms Act and why Jen isn't reassured by what we've learned since last week. Matt suggests that we could probably go a long way toward cleaning up the internet if there was even the slightest bit of deterrence for those acting badly on it. Lastly, they react to some breaking news (and a rumour) coming out of Alberta.

Thanks for tuning in! If you liked it, please like, subscribe and leave a review, if you can. It helps!

#Canada #Politics #NaheedNenshi #NDP #Liberal #Conservative #Durham #JamilJivani 

In this week's The Line Podcast, recorded on March 1, 2024, Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney discuss evil, death and growing old. All cheerful stuff. First they offer quick thoughts and condolences on the passing of former prime minister Brian Mulroney. 

Then they delve into the Liberals' proposed Online Harms Act, and conclude that while most of it is reasonable and does attempt to deal with legitimate and pressing concerns — like inappropriate revenge related material, and content related to the exploitation of underage peoples — the Liberals have gone off the rails in their attempts to reign in "hate speech" by reviving Section 13, a loathed and rejected provision that this country had already spent years litigating, and ultimately throwing up. The Online Harms Act will further empower Human Rights Tribunals to crack down on "hate speech" with a threat of serious fines. 

The bill introduces house arrest for pre-crime — it would allow authorities to impinge upon the liberties of individuals whom they believe might commit hate speech. 

The dynamic duo go on to discuss the latest information about the Chinese infiltration of the Winnipeg-based National Microbiology Lab, and the abuse of terms like "national security" to cover for embarrassment, folly, and failure. Then they lay into the latest drama from the ArriveCan scam — in which the federal government managed to spend $59 million on a phone app that now involves a PPC candidate and CEO who was apparently using his full-time job at the Department of National Defence as a side hustle. Amazing country, this. 

#OnlineHarmsAct #FreeSpeech #HateSpeech #ArriveCan #BrianMulroney #WinnipegLab #NationalSecurity #Canada #Politics 

Oh yes, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre — ostensible defender of limited government and freedom — is coming for your goon caves. (Google it, if you have to, but not at work.) More specifically, the CPC leader is supporting bill S-210, which seeks to age-gate porn, blocking access by minors. Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney clash on the issue; both agree that this makes for terrible, albeit emotionally popular, policy. They disagree about whether it will make for good politics. 

Then they go on to discuss the imminent Online Harms Act — bookies have high odds on that one being a total disaster. From there, your hosts veer to Poilievre's opposition to "biological males" in female spaces like sport leagues, washrooms and changerooms. Interestingly, the duo note, this position is not panning out to be even a two-day news story when only a few years ago, such statements would have destroyed a politician. 

The Line then chat about Dr. Phil on Joe Rogan. Did a Canadian parliamentarian really argue that there are no "parental rights" in Canada? Is that true? 

They then admit to having conflicted feelings over the fall of Vice, which announced this week that it would be no more. Is this a case of "go woke, go broke?" 

For a final ramble, Jen Gerson gets into Alberta's moratorium on renewable energy but, frankly, we admit, the jerking off segment of this podcast is better. 

So yeah. Come for the politics. Stay for the masturbation references.

#PierrePoilievre #Conservative #JustinTrudeau #Canada #cdnPoli #politics  #JoeRogan #DrPhil #Dr.Phil #Trans #Bathrooms #s210 #AgeGate #Porn #gooncave #Vice #GoWokeGoBroke

This week's The Line Podcast, recorded on Feb. 16, 2024, sees Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson talk about federal environment minister Steven Guilbeault's bizarre statement promising no new federal funding for big new road projects. And, yes, we know that roads fall under provincial and municipal jurisdiction — as does housing, energy policy, health care, and a host of other issues in which the feds do not hesitate to involve themselves. Also, if electric vehicles aren't the answer, why are we investing billions of taxpayer dollars into subsidized EV factories, while also phasing out the sale of internal combustion engine cars, Mr. Guilbeault? 

Then the dynamic duo go on to discuss Gerson's bizarre testimony at the Heritage committee. We think they want the media to host a party to discuss the state of the media and to be invited — to which we say: "And who is paying the drinks tab, sir?"

The NDP's Charlie Angus is proposing a new law to ban oil and gas advertising — which is making us re-think bans on tobacco advertising. Turns out, it was a slippery slope! Smoke if you get 'em?

Lastly, The Line team talks about a pro-Palestinian protest that just happened to proclaim the joys of intifada in front of a historically Jewish hospital — and the resentment of being asked to ignore the evidence of our own eyes. 

#EV #Roads #StevenGuilbeault #TheLine #MattGurney #JenGerson #NationalMediaForum #Mt.Sinai #CRTC #HeritageCommittee #Canada #Politics #Poilievre #Trudeau

A special edition of The Line Podcast for Thursday Feb. 15; Don't worry fans, Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney will be back on Friday to talk Canadian politics. But until then, join special guest Patricia Treble, Canadian royal watcher and writer at the Write Royalty Substacak. 

In this episode, they discuss King Charles III's cancer diagnosis; what that means for the operation of government, and when a regency could be declared. Paired with news that Catherine, Princess of Wales underwent abdominal surgery in hospital, the newfound transparency represents a sea change for the Royal family, which has historically been far more reticent to discuss their health matters. 

Then Gerson and Treble dive into all things Harry and Meghan because -- well -- they cannot help themselves. In the wake of the King's terrible cancer news, the Sussexes attempt a rebrand with a new website. And Meghan announces a deal with a podcasting production firm Lemonada. Is a comeback on the make? 

Lastly, Netflix dropped its teaser trailer for Scoop, a movie that is set to explore the downfall of Prince Andrew thanks to his notorious relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. 

If you're a fan of Royal Tea, do consider joining us for a cuppa.  

#Harry #Meghan #Sussex #Charles #Catherine #Cancer #Royal #Lemonada #podcast #Netflix #Scoop #Andrew #William #Catherine #Regency

We doubt it, but The Line's Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney talk about the goomba anyway.

Then the pair discuss Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre sticking to his guns by once again opposing a free trade deal with Ukraine on some dubious carbon tax pricing grounds. Is this evidence that Poilievre is in bed with Vladimir Putin? Well, probably not, argues Gerson; instead it suggests something weirder and in some ways worse.

The pair also talk about Poilievre's opposition to puberty blockers, and discuss Alberta's trans policies. Apparently there are some gender affirming top surgeries happening in the province, as reported in the National Post this week. Gurney also notes that he thinks the Ottawa press types are finally starting to figure out how to interview Poilievre. He hopes to see more of that.

The Line also talks about the layoffs at Bell Canada; the obligations highly protected industries like Bell ought to have to put some of their misbegotten profits into public good enterprises like journalism. But they don't, and probably won't have to. 

Lastly, The Line talks about Belleville, Ontario, and why Canadians are getting more and more angry listening to politicians talk about task forces and funding for problems — like opioid overdoses, discarded needles and stolen cars — that don't seem to get better.

#Carlson #Putin #Russia #CarbonTax #Ukraine #Transgender #PubertyBlockers #DanielleSmith #Alberta #Layoffs #BCE #RegulatoryCapture

This week in The Line Podcast, your Line editors are forced to talk about trans issues, which they absolutely hate doing, thanks to a series of proposals made by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Smith could have simply done as Saskatchewan and New Brunswick are doing, and that would have been meat for her socially conservative base. But she went further. The proposals will certainly be popular, but Smith is no so-con — she's a libertarian, and always has been. Why has she decided that youth sports is now the business of the state? Jen has theories! Matt broadly agrees with the Liberal critique of Smith's plans, namely, that these are solutions in search of problems, offered up only to placate base voters. He just thinks that if the federal Liberals now think that that is a bad thing, no one seems to have told the PMO yet, since Liberals do exactly that all the time.

And more broadly, G&G talk about how all the parties are currently being wagged by the tails of their most fringey, passionate base voters, and how this is leaving mainstream Canadians not only alone, but desperately trying to avoid getting hit in the culture-war crossfires.

Moving on, much to their relief, your intrepid editors talk about the foreign interference inquiry, and politely request 144 more inquiries, because that's the only way we can ever find anything out about anything that happens in this country.

They cover a few more topics in rapid-fire sequence after that, but end on a really cheerful note: if you don't have a lot of money, you might not be able to get health care soon. So ... just mull on that a bit. And don't forget to like and subscribe!