The Line Podcast

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded in the last-pre-election days on March 21, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson look around and realize that this is as calm as their lives are going to be for about a month. And that's just sad.

And this is where we pause to slip in an announcement to Line readers, listeners and viewers: we are switching over to election mode effective immediately. That's going to mean an accelerated publication schedule. You'll be hearing from us seven days a week, sometimes more than once per day. That means, in the unlikely event that you haven't already, now is the time to sign up at ReadTheLine.ca. We've got some great stuff coming. Don't miss it.

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.

Your hosts start the podcast this week by talking about Mark Carney, prime minister of Canada. They review his first few days in office, and find some good and some bad. They see some signs that he could mature as a politician. They also see some evidence that he needs that maturing to happen. Could Carney win? Absolutely. Could he lose? Also absolutely. We definitely see and even admire the tactical cunning of the Liberal battle plan. But gosh, it comes with some risks.

This episode has also been brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Forestry supports 200,000 Canadians in hundreds of communities, generating $87 billion in annual revenues and $37 billion in exports — including $29 billion to the United States. It's also key to addressing some of our biggest challenges. We need an action plan for our forest sector and its employees, one that will help build the homes we need with Canadian wood, reduce the risk of wildfires and create more family-supporting jobs right here at home. To learn more about what forestry can do for Canada, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

After that, your hosts move onto the Conservatives. It's another mixed bag. There are definitely some signs that the Conservatives are, finally and belatedly, beginning their pivot away from the kind of campaign they wanted to run toward the kind of campaign they need to run. It's taken a long time, but your friends at The Line are starting to see the outlines of a new Conservative campaign take shape. One that can win. But they're also still seeing signs of internal divisions and a degree of leadership paralysis in the CPC. Much like with Carney, they conclude that Poilievre can absolutely win this. But he's gotten his butt handed to him for the last month or so, and hasn't known what to do about that.

This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Environmental 360 Solutions. Ontario's recycling system is failing local businesses and benefiting large American recyclers. Over $10 million a year is being collected from Ontario consumers in mandatory fees for tire and battery recycling but much of the work is being outsourced to American recyclers. This is starving local Ontario companies of opportunities to do that work and keep good jobs in the province. Worse, enough mandatory fees have been collected from consumers to recycle 100% of the materials, but only a fraction of this work is actually being done. Ontario’s recycling regulator is finally taking action, issuing penalties to the companies collecting the recycling fees, but in turn these companies are using these mandatory fees, paid by Ontarians to fund recycling programs, to cover the fines.

The result? Ontario consumers are enriching unscrupulous industry participants and American recyclers, undermining recycling, job creation, and investment in Ontario. It’s time for real accountability in the recycling industry. Click here to learn more.

Last but not least, Jen gives Matt an update from Alberta, where she is looking for any signs of a truly building secessionist movement ... and not finding one. She lays out how that could change, and how it could change fast. Matt wraps up with a quick word on some developments in the other provinces. Lots going on.

Like we said, folks, our Aprils are ruined. Because all of the stuff, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Share our pain.

Also! If you're into pain, please follow us on social media. We just rolled out a bunch of new accounts. Keep 'em growing!

Facebook x 2: (On The Line Podcast here, and The Line Podcast here). (We need to do it this way because of C-18. So thanks, Trudeau.)Instagram.TikTok.Twitter.BlueSky.LinkedIn.

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Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

Please sign up at those options not just for this episode, or future episodes of The Line Podcast, but so that you can also receive our other podcast series, On the Line, which will release new episodes every Tuesday morning. In case you missed it, here is last Tuesday’s episode. We hope you enjoyed it. More to come on Tuesday of next week.

Thanks for all your support. Talk to you soon.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Happy Tuesday. It's time for another episode of On The Line. And this is another two-guest episode, too. There's that much to talk about!

Our first guest, making a return appearance on On The Line, is P.J. Fournier, creator of 338Canada.com and 338Canada.ca. (The man has so much to offer he needs two websites!) Since we last spoke in February, Canada's federal polling environment has radically changed. He walks us through the numbers, and what this means for the Conservatives, the Liberals and the NDP. With an election call expected imminently, we wanted to put down a marker. Let's see what happens next.

This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

Up next, long-time journalist and author Stephen Maher joins us. Stephen wrote the book — literally — on Justin Trudeau, and joins Matt to talk about the Trudeau legacy. The world went weird on Trudeau's watch, and Canada ... didn't respond? Why not? What were the problems inside that government? Was it organizational? Personal? Political? How did the man who swept into office in 2015 as a leading example of global progressivism leave as a deeply unpopular, polarizing figure that even his own party seemed happy to see the back of?

This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. For centuries, as winter faded, Métis families would move through the sugar bush, tapping towering maples. They'd collect the sap and boil it into syrup, trading it at British and French trading posts, where sugar was as prized as pelts. The syrup sweetened tea in Montréal, flavoured bread in York, and fuelled voyageurs paddling west to the prairies. Through resilience and skill, the Métis built an entire industry that sustained the fur trade, connected communities, and created a legacy that endures to this day. To learn more, go to OntarioMetisFacts.com.

A lot of what Maher has to say about Trudeau to Matt is critical, but the two men also try and sketch out what they think a best-case scenario for Trudeau's legacy might look like. All politicians get more popular as time goes on and anger and memories fade. In 50 years, when some university professor sits down to write a book about long-ago prime minister Justin Trudeau, what will the first chapter be?

As always, like and subscribe. And we'll see you next week for the next installment of On The Line.On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.

As always, like and subscribe. Sign up for us on the podcast app of your choice! Forward our episodes around, and share us widely on social media! These are little things but they all add up and make a huge difference for us!

On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.

Also! The Line is rolling out a new social media strategy to drive growth and engagement for its many content offerings. Please see the list below for our new social media accounts. Please follow us on any platform that you use!

Facebook x 2: (On The Line Podcast here, and The Line Podcast here). (We need to do it this way because of C-18. So thanks, Trudeau.)Instagram.TikTok.Twitter.BlueSky.LinkedIn.

YouTube:

Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

We hope you enjoy this episode, and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Carney Era Day 0, or March 14, 2025 on the old calendar, your hosts offer sincere welcome and best wishes to the new prime minister, and we're counting on all of you to not ruin this moment for us.

Really. We mean it. We can be nice sometimes.

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.

Before we get into the meat of the podcast, though, we have a purely housekeeping announcement to make. We wish it wasn't on such a busy day in the news cycle! It just worked out this way. But just so you know, The Line is changing how we release our podcasts. This shouldn't make a difference to audio listeners, but video viewers will notice alerts that we're going live when the episodes are about to be released. Please make sure you have our notifications turned on! Click the little bell! Also, we are launching a revamped social media strategy. We have a bunch of new accounts set up, and you can find a list (with links) below. If you use these platforms, please give us a follow! Many of these platforms only really let us properly use the features once we have cleared 50 or 100 followers, so we're counting on you all to put us over the top.

Phew! Okay! Sorry. We know, not the best day for this. But, anyway. Carney's in. We wish him well. We comment on his cabinet. Some surprises there. Also some signs that the PM plans on taking his party to the right, or at least back into the centre. Speaking of the right, we have some pretty tough talk for the CPC. You're losing this, guys. It's slipping away from you. Get your heads out of the sand.

This episode has also been brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Forestry supports 200,000 Canadians in hundreds of communities, generating $87 billion in annual revenues and $37 billion in exports — including $29 billion to the United States. It's also key to addressing some of our biggest challenges. We need an action plan for our forest sector and its employees, one that will help build the homes we need with Canadian wood, reduce the risk of wildfires and create more family-supporting jobs right here at home. To learn more about what forestry can do for Canada, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

We also spend some time on Justin Trudeau's legacy. The heavy lifting on that is going to be done by historians, but Matt goes full Munich Conference and demands to know why Trudeau didn't build more Hurricanes and Spitfires. They talk about how what Trudeau will be best remembered for looks pretty weird today, in an era of global upheaval. They also talk about some of the buzz around his scandals. We expect that won't go away for a while.

They end up by recapping a bit of the Trump madness down south. Doug Ford tried to get tough. It didn't stick. Portugal makes an interesting decision. And we keep seeing some interesting signs of worry about Trump even from people quite close to the president. Matt proposes a strategy for fighting back, and Jen gives it an, ahem, unfortunate name.

You'll have to listen. If we put it into the text box here, it would get flagged.

All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like, subscribe and check us out at ReadTheLine.ca.

Our new social media accounts!

Facebook x 2: (On The Line Podcast here, and The Line Podcast here). (We need to do it this way because of C-18. So thanks, Trudeau.)Instagram.TikTok.Twitter.BlueSky.LinkedIn

We know that's a lot! But it makes a huge difference. If you use those platforms, click the link and give us a follow! Once we get up to speed, we’re going to use these to drive our podcasts out to ever greater numbers of vict … listeners. Listeners. And viewers.

YouTube:

Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

Please sign up at those options not just for this episode, or future episodes of The Line Podcast, but so that you can also receive our new podcast series, On the Line, which will release new episodes every Tuesday morning. In case you missed it, here is last Tuesday’s episode. We hope you enjoyed it. More to come on Tuesday of next week.

Thanks for all your support. Talk to you soon.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

In this week's episode of On The Line, Jen Gerson speaks with Adam Sadinsky, a refugee lawyer and member of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers about the Safe Third Country Agreement — and why lawyers like him think it needs to be radically altered in the Donald Trump era.

This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

They discuss how the agreement was established, its impact on refugee claims, and the differences in how Canada and the U.S. handle asylum seekers. The conversation also touches on recent changes in U.S. immigration policy under the Trump administration and how these changes affect Canada's responsibilities towards refugees.

This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. In 1967, government officials ordered a Métis village on Agawa Bay to move to clear room for a provincial park. For generations, Métis families had lived along the shores of Lake Superior. Suddenly, they were forced to pack their belongings, and then, the government officials burned their homes. These Métis families, already pushed off their River Lots in Sault Ste. Marie generations earlier, had no choice but to leave. But they did not disappear. The Métis of Agawa Bay lost their homes, but never their identity.

For more, go to OntarioMetisFacts.com, and check out the brand-new song about this story by Métis singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume “One of These Days.”

Sadinsky recaps the complexities of the Safe Third Country Agreement and its implications for asylum seekers in Canada. He highlights the challenges faced by refugees, the capacity limits of the Canadian refugee system, and the political dynamics surrounding immigration policy. The discussion also touches on legal challenges to the agreement and the need for reforms to better accommodate those seeking refuge in Canada.

As always, like and subscribe. Sign up for us on the podcast app of your choice! Forward our episodes around, and share us widely on social media! These are little things but they all add up and make a huge difference for us!

On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.

YouTube:

Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

We hope you enjoy this episode, and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on March 7, 2025, your hosts spend a good long while talking about the various new stories to come out of Washington, D.C. this week. A trade war is on! But now it's off! Sort of, maybe! No one really knows! Also, President Donald Trump put on a real masterclass this week in reminding us all that he's a showman, not a career politician. That's a strength in some ways, but it's going to cause problems. They also agree that Canadians should probably start tuning him out a bit until he settles down, and that anyone who would seriously use the term "TDS" — yes, we see you in the comments — is, uh, dumb. (Matt uses stronger language in the podcast. Be warned.)

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.

They also touch on federal politics. Another pointless gun ban that no one takes seriously seems to be one of Justin Trudeau's last acts while in office, and sure. Why not go out the way you governed, with ever-more aspirational announcements that lead to nothing. Makes sense. We also do a quick chat about the upcoming Carney coronation, or not? And also gab a little bit about a New York Times report that added some fascinating colour to the behind-the-scenes talks between U.S. and Canadian officials.

Matt also yells at his sump pump, if anyone is wondering what kind of a day he's having.

This episode has also been brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Forestry supports 200,000 Canadians in hundreds of communities, generating $87 billion in annual revenues and $37 billion in exports — including $29 billion to the United States. It's also key to addressing some of our biggest challenges. We need an action plan for our forest sector and its employees, one that will help build the homes we need with Canadian wood, reduce the risk of wildfires and create more family-supporting jobs right here at home. To learn more about what forestry can do for Canada, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

After that, they wrap up with a quick chat about provincial politics and their continued efforts to monitor the Ice Bucket Challenge for National Survival. We still wish that list was longer!

All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. As always, like and subscribe to our main page at ReadtheLine.ca.

YouTube:

Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

Please sign up at those options not just for this episode, or future episodes of The Line Podcast, but so that you can also receive our new podcast series, On the Line, which will release new episodes every Tuesday morning. It’s gonna take us a while to master the algorithms, which only expect us to release content in the evenings. It would be hugely helpful for us every Tuesday morning if you would make a point of opening up the podcast in your app of choice and enjoying it. After a few weeks of this, our future computer overlords should get the point. We asked you to do this last week and we saw another huge improvement this week! We are winning! We are outsmarting the computers!

In case you missed it, here is last Tuesday’s episode. We hope you enjoyed it. More to come on Tuesday of next week.

Thanks for all your support. Talk to you soon.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Welcome back for another edition of On The Line. Each week, On The Line will bring you an extended conversation with Matt Gurney or Jen Gerson and a guest — or guests! — that can speak with authority on whatever is in the news.

In this episode, Matt Gurney speaks with Richard Shimooka, a Canadian defence expert and senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. They talk about the state of world affairs, especially after last week's dramatic Oval Office shouting match. They agree that America isn't turning into a dystopia, but it's absolutely returning to isolationism. And what's that going to mean for little ole us?

This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

Matt and Richard spend a long time talking about the state of the Canadian military today — what can it do, and what can't it do? They also talk about the decades of political decisions that led us here. What is the military for, and what do the politicians think it's for? When you ask those questions, you don't always get the same answer! And that's a problem.

This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. In 1879, food supplies ran out in Sault Ste. Marie and Bruce Mines. Survival hinged on teams of Métis mail carriers travelling 600 kilometres by dogsled through winter storms to restock stores. Through skill and sacrifice, Métis kept people alive so the Upper Great Lakes in what is now Ontario could grow and thrive. To learn more, go to OntarioMetisFacts.com.

To wrap up, they talk about the kind of military that Canada should have. What does it need to be able to do? Why will our European allies probably not like the answer? And how can we start to reduce the amount of leverage that this White House, and any future White House, will have over us?

By becoming stronger at home. But that won't be easy.

As always, like and subscribe. And we'll see you next week for the next installment of On The Line.

On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.

YouTube:

Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

Thanks for being part of the journey that has made it possible for The Line to expand our content offerings. We hope you enjoy this episode, and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on February 28, 2025, your hosts open with a chat about federal politics. Mark Carney had some good stuff going, but then he got caught in a dumb lie. We aren't sure if this will break outside the Twitter bubble, but it's an interesting reminder that the man is pretty new at politics ...

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.

They chat about a lot of other stuff, too. High-speed rail. Matt's travel woes this week. (These are not separate topics.) Weird federal polls. Why the CPC and Poilievre need to get serious. Lots of fun and lots to discuss.

This episode has also been brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Forestry supports 200,000 Canadians in hundreds of communities, generating $87 billion in annual revenues and $37 billion in exports — including $29 billion to the United States. It's also key to addressing some of our biggest challenges. We need an action plan for our forest sector and its employees, one that will help build the homes we need with Canadian wood, reduce the risk of wildfires and create more family-supporting jobs right here at home. To learn more about what forestry can do for Canada, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

Having covered off the federal stuff, your hosts move onto some provincial updates. We stay on the topic of the Ice Bucket Challenge for National Survival and give some updates on that. We also ask our viewers and listeners in Nova Scotia to help us out with an answer to an important question! We also discuss a growing scandal in Alberta and a weird election in Ontario. Jen also makes a comparison that'll piss everyone off. It turns out Doug Ford reminds her of ... Mark Carney.

After that, they make a quick point about who speaks for Canada, and who doesn't, or won't. And Matt makes a proposal even he finds surprising: we should consider being a republic, or maybe just find ourselves a new king. Wayne Gretzky, anyone?

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

YouTube:

Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

Please sign up at those options not just for this episode, or future episodes of The Line Podcast, but so that you can also receive our new podcast series, On the Line, which will release new episodes every Tuesday morning. It’s gonna take us a while to master the algorithms, which only expect us to release content in the evenings. It would be hugely helpful for us every Tuesday morning if you would make a point of opening up the podcast in your app of choice and enjoying it. After a few weeks of this, our future computer overlords should get the point. We asked you to do this last week and we saw another huge improvement this week! We are winning! We are outsmarting the computers!

In case you missed it, here is last Tuesday’s episode. We hope you enjoyed it. More to come on Tuesday of next week.

Thanks for all your support. Talk to you soon.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Welcome back for another edition of On The Line, The Line's latest podcast offering. Each week, On The Line will bring you an extended conversation with Matt Gurney or Jen Gerson and a guest — or guests! — that can speak with authority on whatever is in the news.

In this episode, Jen Gerson speaks with Duncan Dee, an airline analyst and former chief operations officer of Air Canada. Jen shares her recent harrowing experience with air travel, highlighting the inefficiencies and frustrations faced by travellers in Canada. They discuss the broader implications of air travel networks, the impact of any disruption at major hubs like Pearson Airport, and the need for more regional airports.

The week's episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Motion Picture Association of Canada. For decades, Ottawa controlled what is “Canadian” and what isn’t when it comes to series and movies available to Canadians. The rules are out of date and costing Canadians opportunities. It’s time for Ottawa to focus on helping Canadian film and TV workers, and encourage efforts to showcase Canada. Go here to learn more.

They chat about the recent crash of Delta Endeavor Flight 4819 at Pearson, which shut down two runways at the airport for days. This was just the latest in a rash of terrible aviation tragedies, and it was wonderful that no one died in the Toronto crash. But the aftermath was a sight to behold. They discuss the poor communication by the airport authority (and Canadian officialdom in general), and why the airline networks are less resilient to shocks like a major airport closing two runways than they used to be.

This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. At Fort Frances, a group of Métis leaders signed the “Halfbreed Adhesion” to Treaty 3 with Canada in 1875, becoming the only Métis community in Canada to be included as a distinct Métis party to one of the Numbered Treaties. By standing together, they ensured their place in Canada’s story—one that will never be erased. For more information, visit OntarioMetisFacts.com.

They also touch on a recent announcement of a $3.9 billion plan to .... announce another plan in five years for high-speed rail between Toronto and Montreal while asking the perennial Canadian question: Why don't we build stuff good here?

Sigh.

As always, like and subscribe. And we'll see you next week for the next installment of On The Line.On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.

YouTube:

Spotify:

Apple:

And plenty more options here.

Thanks for being part of the journey that has made it possible for The Line to expand our content offerings. We hope you enjoy this episode, and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on February 21, 2025, your hosts continue to bask in the afterglow of Connor McDavid's overtime goal for Team Canada last night. How sweet it was.

They also talk about the news and politics and stuff, but, man. Thank you, McJesus.

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.

We don't get to start a lot of podcasts with good news. So yeah, we lean into the hockey a bit. But we also talk about what might be the first major sign of a true structural shift in response to the threat posed by Donald Trump's America. Tim Houston in Nova Scotia has made a fantastic proposal, and one pretty close to what Line editor Gurney had been suggesting in recent weeks. If Houston follows through, and if he can get the other premiers on board, this could be a big deal. To sweeten the pot, The Line hereby makes this pledge: if Houston does what he says he is going to do, Gurney and Gerson will fly to Halifax, throw a party and present the premier with a plaque declaring him the true captain of Team Canada.

Unless, of course, another premier beats him to it ...

This episode has also been brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Forestry supports 200,000 Canadians in hundreds of communities, generating $87 billion in annual revenues and $37 billion in exports — including $29 billion to the United States. It's also key to addressing some of our biggest challenges. We need an action plan for our forest sector and its employees, one that will help build the homes we need with Canadian wood, reduce the risk of wildfires and create more family-supporting jobs right here at home. To learn more about what forestry can do for Canada, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

Having committed themselves to a bash in Halifax, your hosts move onto expressing some sympathy for Chrystia Freeland, who is clearly being largely abandoned by her Liberal compatriots and probably regrets running for leader in the first place. But they also talk at length about how long it will be until there is a Canadian political leader who is truly of this moment. It might take 10 or 15 years for someone actually suited to the 2020s to work their way up into a position of real political power. Can we wait that long?

Also, your hosts take a quick jaunt around the world and provide many updates. Things could be going better is the key takeaway. Lookin' decidedly suboptimal on a lot of fronts. And not for nothing, if someone would like to sell us some nuclear weapons, we'd be into that.

Look, we frontloaded all the optimism for this episode, okay?

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

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The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

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Welcome back for another edition of On The Line, The Line's latest podcast offering. Each week, On The Line will bring you an extended conversation with Matt Gurney or Jen Gerson and a guest — or guests! — that can speak with authority on whatever is in the news.

And this week, in something of a break from the routine, we're here with good news. There are ways we can build this country and make it stronger. And a group of Canadians isn't waiting for a task force or government panel to do it. They're getting to work.

The week's episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Motion Picture Association of Canada. For decades, Ottawa controlled what is “Canadian” and what isn’t when it comes to series and movies available to Canadians. The rules are out of date and costing Canadians opportunities. It’s time for Ottawa to focus on helping Canadian film and TV workers, and encourage efforts to showcase Canada. Go here to learn more.

Our guest is Daniel Debow. He's a long-time Canadian tech entrepreneur. He gives his own abbreviated bio during the pod, so don't worry about the CV. What matters is that Daniel is part of a group of Canadians who are all volunteering their time to create policy papers on things Canada can do, quickly, to become more competitive. They're calling it Build Canada, and you can read about it at BuildCanada.com. Their focus is on growth. As Daniel notes, the difference between two-per-cent growth and four-per-cent isn't two per cent. It's 100 per cent! What are areas where Canada can make big changes fast, to become more prosperous in a fast-changing, dangerous world?

This week's episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. The Métis in what is now Ontario have always fought for their rights. In 2003, they took that fight to the Supreme Court and won. To learn more about their journey, go to OntarioMétisFacts.com.

Daniel talks about how the experience of COVID-19 showed him what Canada can accomplish, but also how hard it is to get Canadians to see a threat coming. He shares some of what he and his fellow volunteers are focused on, and talks about whether tech is really right wing. And he also talks about the surprising amount of hate mail he's been getting since the project was announced. Matt welcomes him to the club on that one.

As always, like and subscribe. And we'll see you next week for the next installment of On The Line.On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.

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Thanks for being part of the journey that has made it possible for The Line to expand our content offerings. We hope you enjoy this episode, and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.

The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.

The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Pitch us something: [email protected]

Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe