The Line

This week, The Line's Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson chat about Tucker Carlson's visit to Alberta — or as Liberals put it, the visit of a homophobic hate monger whose presence evokes the threat of violence by MAGA far-right Conservatives. We deem all of this stupid, and expect more stupidity. So much more.

Then they chat about Durham Conservative Candidate Jamil Jivani, and what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meant by calling him a "twofer" — racist dog whistle, or manipulative video editing? (It's the video editing.) Regardless, it's all stupid, too.

G&G also tackle the Liberals' long-anticipated communications pivot to openly comparing Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to Donald Trump. It's not going to work — and the fact that the Liberals think this is a good idea is demonstrative of just how radically out of touch they are with how angry Canadians are, and what they're struggling with. But maybe we're wrong. 

Lastly, Gerson rants about Calgary's dystopian hellscape punish-the-povos $.15 fee on paper drive-through bags, and Matt orders her to buy her kiddos an insane amount of fast food. For the likes.

#TheLine #JenGerson #MattGurney #TuckerCarlson #Tucker #JordanPeterson #DanielleSmith #cdnpolitics #stupid #twofer #JamilJivani #PierrePoilivre #DonaldTrump 

We're back! After a refreshing holiday, The Line Podcast's Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney are together again to discuss the state of play in Canadian politics. Have the Liberals under Justin Trudeau bottomed out? Why can't they seem to secure a comeback — Gerson thinks she knows: it's because everybody's broke, and the Liberals are fixated on electric vehicles, plastic bags, and carbon taxes. 

The Line offers a quick update on Israel, and the federal government's incoherent and constantly wavering position on the International Court of Justice: turns out, we will abide by the ruling on whether Israel is committing genocide, even though we don't agree with the premise of the case. That ... does not make sense. 

Your editors also talk Alberta politics: why did Canada's most energy-rich province almost freeze to death in the cold? And what to make of NDP leader Rachel Notley stepping down from her role. 

Lastly, Gerson and Gurney talk about Sabrina Maddeaux, the National Post columnist who announced her candidacy for the Conservatives. They then talk more generally about journalists who escape this wretched hive of scum and villainy to enter an even grungier Mos Eisley cantina — politics. Why does this seem to be becoming more normal, and what can you do to prevent more of it? Like and subscribe to The Line www.readtheline.ca

#SabrinaMaddeaux #politics #conservative #Canada #justintrudeau #Isreal #ICJ #genocide #Liberal 

In this week's The Line Podcast, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson discuss the UN Ceasefire vote, and compare it to the previous request for ceasefire with conditions, and the Liberal government's insistence that the UN ceasefire vote wasn't a vote for Hamas because, really, what even is a ceasefire anyway? Canadian representative to the UN Bob Rae knew what was up when he issued his vote and then said, on a hot mic, "we'll see how that flies." 

It's all just another example of a Canadian foreign policy that has no first principles, and a UN that primarily exists to let nations blow off steam instead of actually doing things.

Then G&G take on the Conservatives' weird votes against the Ukrainian trade deal, citing carbon tax language. Was this just a cock up? Or are the Conservatives pandering to the pro-Putin right in their own base? 

Moving on, indulge the podcast as they take you on a magical tea-filled exploration of the latest drama at independent media outlet Canadaland and its staffers, now feuding with their Jewish boss for failing to address antisemitism in his community more responsibly: ie; preferably not at all. 

Lastly, this will be The Line's last podcast before the holidays. Join us for a brief look back over a weird 2023, with more weirdness to come. 

In this week's The Line podcast, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson talk about Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek's bizarre decision to publicly abstain from a civic menorah lighting ceremony because a poster advertising the event said it would be about "unity, supporting Israel, and Jewish Pride." Could her decision have been handled any more incompetently? No! Gerson column here: https://www.readtheline.ca/p/jen-gerson-just-do-your-job-jyoti

Then G2 whine about Pierre Poilievre's penchant for stupid political stunts, as our MPs hunker down to consider the possibility of missing Christmas. Gurney lays out the political mistake Justin Trudeau ought to have gone down for; Gerson disagrees, and finds another one. Then the pair discuss the media: massive labour cuts at the CBC, and weird B-Roll errors at CTV. 

Also, Gurney is grumpy. 

This week, The Line Podcast's Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney go deep. They discuss the $100 million Google deal to Canadian media — a win for Justin Trudeau's Liberal government, or an attempt to salvage a nearly existential catastrophe for Canadian journalism? You decide. 

Then we get into the absolute insanity of trying to justify Hamas hostage taking by parsing the emotions on the faces of hostages at the moment of release. This invariably leads into a deep philosophical discussion about how we deal with irreconcilable differences among us, and what we owe each other as citizens in a society. (Jen is a lot nicer than Matt.)

Lastly, Gerson and Gurney talk about the latest Ottawa bubble stories. Was Conservative MP Rachel Thomas insulting francophones by asking a minister to respond to a question in English? (No.) What were the Conservatives thinking when they voted against a free trade deal with Ukraine? (Not much.)

Lastly, show us your humanity and compassion by liking and subscribing; www.readtheline.ca

After offering a brief update on the hostage transfers between Hamas and Israel, The Line Podcast with Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson delves right back into parochial Canadian current events by chatting about the explosion on the Rainbow Bridge. We, too, feared terrorism at first, as did much of the media. Turns out, it was just some dude driving Dukes of Hazzard-style into the border crossing. Phew?

Now the fallout; critics are piling on Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre for initially describing the incident as "terrorism" in the House. When Poilievre was challenged by a CP reporter, he took no prisoners, leading Gurney et al to remind all beloved colleagues that the Conservatives are playing against an unpopular media because it works. 

Speaking of which, the Liberals have decided to kill journalism with kindness; the latest economic update announced an increase to the journalism labour tax credit, ensuring that many (most?) remaining journalists in this country are subsidized in part by the federal government. That, we're sure, will fix it! As will impossible promises from the CRTC that new broadcasting regulations won't extend to podcasting. 

Lastly, The Line talks the fall economic update, and rants about the election of Argentinian president Javier Milei. 

The Line Podcast is back! This week, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson reluctantly go over the latest from the Israel-Hamas conflict because, good Lord, that's really all there is to talk about. Statements from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about not killing more women and children were met with rebuke by highly problematic Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Then California Governor Gavin Newsom made fun of Trudeau's weird sock fixation. 

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh played cute, accusing the IDF of sowing the seeds of "genocide." G&G sigh, and explain again that "genocide" is a word with a real meaning and this is not it. 

Lastly, our duo dig into polling numbers, and the escalation of antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in Toronto and Montreal; the denial of antisemitism on the left, followed by the batshit antisemitism on display by the likes of Elon Musk on the right. Everybody has gone nuts. 

In this week's The Line Podcast, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson describe Canadian foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly's baffling and bizarre statement about getting Hamas — a genocidal death cult openly committed to exterminating the Jews in Israel — back to the bargaining table. Then they talk about the escalation of antisemitic violence and graffiti in Canada, and in Montreal in particular. Concordia University seems to be a real ground zero for anger against Israel — and Jewish students, by extension. Synagogues in Montreal have been subject to Molotov cocktails, and Jewish schools have been shot at. Gurney et al have read enough history books to have seen this all before; they know where the next act in the play goes from here and they are worried. 

Oh, and in the midst of all this drama, NSICOP issues a blunt report noting that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are not equipped to handle national security threats. Great!

In this week's The Line podcast, Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney talk about the increasingly public calls for Justin Trudeau to resign. Facing poor polling numbers, internal caucus division, and an embarrassing walk back of the Liberals' signature carbon tax policy, PEI senator and Liberal stalwart Percy Downe penned a polite op-ed advising Trudeau to step down. The provinces, including Saskatchewan, are on the verge of an outright tax revolt over the Liberals' plan to give heating oil a temporary carbon tax pass. Meanwhile, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney says he won't rule out a run at leadership — while also demonstrating why he'd be the worst possible successor to Trudeau — in an exclusive interview in the Globe and Mail. And then there was that unfortunate beheaded child costume, which Trudeau probably ought not to have tweeted out. 


Gurney and Gerson then chat about the recent appearance by CBC President Catherine Tait at a Heritage Committee; the episode was a little like watching someone from the country club enter a Parliamentary cage fight. Tait was technically right, but that doesn't mean she won. 


Lastly, Gurney offers an update about the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel; Gerson offers a pointless plea to use the word "genocide" correctly, and Gurney explains why he is a "genocide absolutist," which is not actually as bad as it sounds.

In The Line’s weekly Dispatch podcast, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson discuss Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bizarre decision to lift the carbon tax on heating oil — and only heating oil. Is this a defensible policy, or simply pork barrel politics, and a sign of serious fractures in his caucus?

(For clarity: in the podcast, we aren’t explicit that the carbon tax is coming off oil nationally, not just in Atlantic Canada — we stumble around that, but to be clear, the tax is being lifted nationally for the three-year period.)

Matt and Jen then discuss Ontario NDP MPP Sarah Jama, who has been formally censured and kicked from caucus for calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as well as “an end to all occupation of Palestinian land.” Has the right gone too far, and demonstrated its value of free speech is disingenuous?

Your intrepid hosts also discuss the Buffy St. Marie, and CBC’s ironclad story raising questions about the folk icon’s claims of Indigenous heritage. Meanwhile, the CBC is losing a war it doesn’t know it’s waging against a Conservative Party hellbent on defunding the public broadcaster. And, trigger warning, Matt and Jen discuss whether or not claims of “baby beheading” in Israel were accurate.