The Vassy Kapelos Show

It's the Graham Richardson Show - where we talk politics and also have a little bit of fun! You can catch Graham every single Friday from Noon until 2PM. And we wish you all a very safe and happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

On today's show:

• The Friday Five: The Parti Quebecois takes Quebec, but fall short of a majority. Canada's jobs report for September is out, and it's bad. Canada influences a pivotal U.S. Senate race. Canada's Conservatives support Bill C-39. And when it comes to Canada-USA trade talks, there remains no movement.
• The Big Conversation: Canada's 2026 job gains were quickly erased in a cruel September. Graham speaks with economist Moshe Lander about the stunning data.
• Life with Canada's Best: Meet Bob Gibson, a Canadian veteran with ALS pushing the federal government to fund research into the disease's little-known link to military service.
• Retail analyst Bruce Winder discusses why the new federal grocery rebate is falling short for many Canadians.
• The Toronto Star's Rob Benzie has an update on the RCMP investigation into the Ford government's Greenbelt scandal after 1,100 days.
• Graham speaks with Jeremy MacDonald, a Superintendent of Security for the Arctic Region, as we delve inside the Canadian Coast Guard's mission to assert arctic sovereignty.
• Janet Leith, President of the Ontario Dental Association, discusses the latest shortcomings in the Canada Dental Care Program.
• Have Your Say: Canada's gloomy job numbers, plus the Conservatives' polling problem.
• What made Graham smile this week: It's Thanksgiving!

The richest man on Planet Earth is no stranger to commenting on other countries' politics. This week, Canada is apparently on the mind of Tesla founder Elon Musk, as he reacted to the Parti Quebecois' election victory. In a series of posts, Musk encouraged Quebec, Alberta, and Saskatchewan to seek independence from the country they live in. Prime Minister Carney reacts to Musk's comments, while the Daily Debrief Panel dissects those soundbites from a political perspective.

On today's show:

• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Liberal Caucus Chair James Maloney amid the fallout from the Carney government's MAiD decision.
• Heather McPherson, the NDP MP for Edmonton Strathcona, discusses why she's pushing for an emergency debate in Parliament over the Alberta referendum on October 19th.
• Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lisa Barrett has a reality check on the 'Russian Plague', and addresses the ongoing fears surrounding a future outbreak.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Marieke Walsh, Mike LeCouteur, Laura Stone, and Rob Benzie.
• CTV U.S. political analyst Eric Ham weighs in on Trump-endorsed Senate candidate Mike Rogers now running anti-tariff ads ahead of America's Midterms.
• CTV's Jeremie Charron has the details on a new $2 billion federal rebate program, aimed at encouraging Canadians to switch to heat pumps this Winter.

It's a decision that has been years in the making. On Wednesday, Canada's Justice Minister announced that the Carney government will table legislation to indefinitely pause the expansion of medically assisted death for Canadians whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. The Daily Debrief panel weighs in on the politics around Canada's MAiD regime.

On today's show:

• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Stephen Fuhr, the Secretary of State for Defense Procurement, on why the government is converting the new Defense Investment Agency into a Crown corporation just a year after it was launched.
• B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson joins Vassy to discuss the B.C. election campaign.
• The Explainer with CJAD Montreal host Elias Makos: What exactly do Quebec separatists want?
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Laura D'Angelo, Jeff Rutledge, and Paul Wells.
• Weeks of violent protests across France show no signs of slowing down, as the Macron government scrambles to deal with multiple political crises. Vassy speaks with European political expert Professor Laurie Beaudonnet from the University of Montreal.
• CTV's Rachel Aiello joins us with all the details on the Justice Minister's MAiD announcement.

Parti Quebecois leader Paul St. Pierre Plamondon campaigned on a promise to hold a referendum on Quebec independence, but not until after U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office. CTV Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin joins Vassy with a breakdown of the Quebec election results.

On today's show:

• A new report from the Institute for Research on Public Policy is highlighting the gaps between political rhetoric and actual action on diversifying Canada's trade economy. Vassy is joined by Chris Ragan, the Founding Director of McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.
• Money Talk with John Klotz: The key highlights from the annual IPC Wealth Conference in Ottawa.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Jamie Ellerton, Sharan Kaur, and Nojoud Al Mallees.
• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Conservative MP Scott Aitchison, the eighth member of the Conservative caucus to either resign or cross the floor since the 2025 Federal Election.
• CTV National News correspondent Judy Trinh has an update on the investigation into a Canadian intern at NATO, who is on trial for espionage.

In this 4-part series, Vassy Kapelos is joined by psychotherapist Jentzen Michael Shea for an in-depth discussion about various aspects of understanding grief. We examine how it impacts our lives and explore strategies for addressing and dealing with grief when it becomes an impediment to our mental health.

Graham Richardson fills in for Vassy Kapelos today, as Quebec heads to the ballot box. La Presse Ottawa Bureau Chief Joel-Denis Bellevance joins Graham with a breakdown of what's at stake, as Quebecers vote for their next government.

On today's show:

• The Globe And Mail's Carrie Tait joins Graham with details of an investigation into Alberta separatist leaders, and their ties to U.S. political operatives.
• Tech Check with tech analyst Carmi Levy: How much time do Canadians annually waste looking for something to watch?
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Tim Powers, Zain Velji, and Tom Mulcair.
• A recent study has found that Military members are twice as likely to develop ALS. Graham is joined by ALS Society of Canada CEO Tammy Moore, who is calling on the federal government to fund research.
• CTV's Rob Buffam breaks down B.C. NDP leader David Eby's promise to raise taxes on high-income earners if he's re-elected later this month.

It's the Graham Richardson Show - where we talk politics and also have a little bit of fun! You can catch Graham every single Friday from Noon until 2PM.

On today's show:

• The Friday Five: The Cornell Seven and the ripple effects of this frat house rape investigation. The Pacific Link Pipeline is designated as a 'project of national interest' by the Carney Liberals. A Mississauga mayoral debate descends into chaos. Behind the scenes of Prime Minister Carney's inner circle. Michael J. Fox is promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada.
• The Big Conversation: Investigative journalist Justin Ling joins Graham to discuss his deep-dive reporting on who is inside the Prime Minister's inner circle.
• Richard Masson, a former CEO of the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, joins Graham to explain why the G7 is releasing 100 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserve in response to pressure from Trump.
• Jack Canfield, the co-creator of the iconic Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, returns with a new passion project called Ayahuasca.
• A new national survey shows that Canadians are enthusiastic about using A.I. to improve healthcare. Patrick Nelson, a Managing Partner of Santis Health, joins Graham to dissect the findings.
• Graham checks in with CTV political analyst Tom Mulcair ahead of Monday's Quebec election, with the PQ poised to form government.
• What is the real risk posed to killer whales on the Southern B.C. coast from the new pipeline plan? It might not be what you think. Graham speaks with Professor Andrew Trites, the Director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of British Columbia.
• Have Your Say: Pipeline politics and Mark Carney's inner circle.
• What made Graham smile this week: Michael J. Fox gets promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada.

It's a significant milestone on the path to a new oil pipeline in Canada, but there is a long road ahead before shovels hit the ground. Vassy dissects the Prime Minister's press conference and explains why this announcement matters for Canadians.

On today's show:

• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Corey Hogan, Canada's Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy.
• Airline safety expert Dave Soucie joins the show to break down what we know - and don't know - about the nearly-successful hijacking of a FlyDubai airliner on its way to Israel yesterday.
• Talk Science To Me with CTV Science and Technology specialist Dan Riskin: Canadian astronaut Josh Kutryk headed to the ISS.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Laura Stone, Rob Benzie, Marieke Walsh, and Mike LeCouteur.
• Part 4 of a 4-part series with psychotherapist Jentzen Michael Shea, digging deeper into the different sections of grief.
• Vassy speaks with Jesse Stoeppler, the Executive Director of the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, about the opposition to LNG Canada Phase 2 in B.C.

The company is laying off staff at its Hamilton plant, as it restructures its business due to the impact of Trump's 50% tariffs on Canadian steel. CTV's Rachel Aiello joins Vassy with the details and reaction from the Carney government.

On today's show:

• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with former Chief of Defense Staff and Retired General Wayne Eyre, who reveals in a new memoir he once considered resigning during the Trudeau years over the government's lack of attention to military preparedness.
• Deloitte Canada chief economist Dawn Desjardins joins Vassy with a fresh economic forecast that shows Canada's economy continuing to struggle into 2027.
• Money Talk with John Klotz: Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Sharan Kaur, Jamie Ellerton, and Graham Richardson.
• Vassy is joined by Claudette Commanda, an Algonquin Elder and Chancellor of the University of Ottawa, for a conversation about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The latest U.S. trade action against Canada is set to take effect tomorrow, as Canada's Conservatives push the Carney government to take action on rising diesel fuel prices. CTV's Michael Serapio joins us with a breakdown.

On today's show:

• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Canada's A.I. Minister Evan Solomon, who discusses the government's plan to address growing doomsday warnings about the technology.
• Canadian historian Margaret MacMillan joins Vassy for a frank conversation about a new world 'disorder', and what can be done to counter growing global threats.
• Tech Check with tech analyst Carmi Levy: Big banks aren't on board with A.I. bots doing your shopping.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Zain Velji, Tim Powers, and Anne McGrath.
• Vassy speaks with Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse-Nepinak ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.