The Vassy Kapelos Show

It's midterm election day in the U.S. as President Trump's Republican party fights to retain control of Congress. Vassy goes one-on-one with former U.S. Ambassador to Canada and Governor of Michigan, James Blanchard, to discuss the stakes and how tariffs on Canada are factoring into races in key swing states.

On today's show:

• CTV's Mike Le Couteur checks in from battleground Michigan, one of the states that could decide control of the Senate
• Money Talk with John Klotz: Financial Literacy Month and year-end tax planning
• The Daily Debrief panel with Nojoud Al Mallees, Jordan Paquet and Louis Hamann
• Vassy is joined by Sarah Bell, COO, BC Children’s Hospital and Board Chair of Children’s Healthcare Canada and Bruce Squires, CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, to discuss a new report calling for action on children's health care ahead of this week's federal budget
• CTV National News deputy Ottawa bureau chief Marieke Walsh joins Vassy with details of a push by the Conservative Party to have the federal Ethics Commissioner investigate Prime Minister Mark Carney's ties to tech firm Telesat

The U.S. President's comments come after 10 days of renewed talks behind the scenes around some kind of trade agreement between Canada and America - after a previous round of talks collapsed in August.

On today's show:

• The Atlantic's David Frum joins Vassy to discuss what's at stake for Canada in tomorrow's U.S. Midterms.
• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu to talk about what Canada will get out of a new partnership with the E.U. signed last week.
• Gladstone A.I.'s Jeremie Harris breaks down why most of Canada's big banks have now banned A.I. assistants from accessing customer accounts.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Tom Mulcair, Tim Powers, and Saeed Selvam.
• Vassy speaks with former Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz about what he's looking for in this week's Federal Budget.
• CP24's Beatrice Vaisman has the latest on the investigation into a violent home invasion in Toronto's Bridlepath neighbourhood.

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: Trade talks heat up ahead of Tuesday's U.S. Midterms. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra warns that Canada could be blamed for Republican losses. The latest from the E.U.-Canada Summit in Montreal. Lessons from Ontario's municipal elections. Budget 2026 arrives next week.
• The Big Conversation: Canada's Auditor General Karen Hogan joins Graham to discuss her reports on the CAF's management of ammunition stockpiles, and the Canadian Dental Care Plan being over-budget.
• Life with Canada's Best: Dave Chilton, author of 'The Wealthy Barber', joins Graham to chat about his pending retirement and the lessons he's learned over 35 years of advising Canadians' on personal finances.
• CTV's Katie Griffin speaks with voters in key states ahead of the November 3rd U.S. Midterms.
• A new poll sheds light on Canadians' changing attitudes toward immigration in this country. Graham speaks with Andrew Parkin, the Executive Director of the Environics Institute.
• Canada's former Ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, joins Graham with his thoughts on Canada's new National Security Strategy.
• Graham goes 1-on-1 with Cameco CEO Tim Gitzel, who says the federal government is unfairly advantaging CANDU reactor technology in its Nuclear Energy Strategy.
• Have Your Say: Carney says Canada is pursuing E.U. 'associate membership'.
• What made Graham smile this week: It took 57 painful years, but the Milwaukee Brewers are champions of baseball!

Despite reports to the contrary, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says discussions will still include 'Associate Member' status for Canada, while Carney says the summit in Montreal isn't a 'marketing exercise' and the terminology doesn't matter. Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Canada's Defense Minister David McGuinty ahead of the first official meetings.

On today's show:

• CTV U.S. political analyst Eric Ham joins Vassy for a look at how the U.S. Midterms are shaping up in the final days of the campaign.
• Talk Science To Me with CTV Science and Technology specialist Dan Riskin: Breast milk antibodies protect against RSV, influenza, and respiratory viruses.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Mike LeCouteur, Rob Benzie, and Laura Stone.
• Vassy talks Budget 2026 with economist Don Drummond.
• Belgium's Ambassador to Canada joins Vassy to discuss the E.U.-Canada Summit.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra told a closed-door meeting on Tuesday that Ottawa could be blamed if key races in next week’s Midterm elections go against U.S. President Trump’s Republican Party. The sources said Hoekstra expressly mentioned races in Michigan and Maine, where the Republicans need to win if they hope to hold onto the U.S. Senate. The Daily Debrief Panel digs into the comments, and the latest developments on Canada-USA trade talks.

On today's show:

• The Bank of Canada has raised its key interest rate for the first time since 2023. BMO Chief Economist Doug Porter joins Vassy with instant analysis.
• What is the 'Super El-Nino' and how will it impact Canada's Winter weather in 2027? The Weather Network's Doug Gillham joins Vassy for this week's Explainer segment.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Stephanie Levitz, Laura D'Angelo, and Jeff Rutledge.
• A coalition of health organizations are calling on the feds to finally implement new vaping regulations that have sat on the books since 2021. Foram Patel, a Senior Policy Specialist at the Heart and Stroke Foundation, joins Vassy to explain why they are making the call to action now.
• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Neepinak to discuss the results of this week's First Ministers meeting.

Graham Richardson fills in for Vassy Kapelos today. She will be back in the hosting chair tomorrow. Tuesday marks the first time that Prime Minister Carney has publicly commented on the resumption of trade talks between Canada and the United States - just a week before the U.S. Midterms take place. Graham is joined by Scotty Greenwood, a former U.S. diplomat to Canada, for reaction and analysis.

On today's show:

• Graham speaks with Sean Strickland, the Executive Director of Canada's Building Trades Unions, following his testimony at committee today on Bill C-39.
• Money Talk with John Klotz: Preparing for retirement, and the next chapter of your life.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Jamie Ellerton, Sharan Kaur, and Nojoud Al Mallees.
• Graham speaks with Jon Allen, Canada's former Ambassador to Israel, about the stakes in today's national elections and how they are widely seen as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership.
• CTV's Rachel Aiello dissects what's included in Canada's MAiD legislation update, which was tabled in the House of Commons today.

Multiple government and industry sources close to trade discussions between Canada and the United States tell CTV News the momentum of the talks, combined with U.S. President Trump’s political vulnerabilities ahead of the U.S. Midterms, leads them to believe there is considerable appetite from the White House to strike a deal with Canada. Vassy is joined by CTV National News Ottawa Bureau Chief Graham Richardson for the latest details.

On today's show:

• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Parliamentary Budget Officer Annette Ryan, who has a new warning about the national debt ahead of the 2026 Federal Budget.
• Tech Check with tech analyst Carmi Levy: A.I. generated content can plant fake memories.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Tim Powers, Tom Mulcair, and Zain Velji.
• Vassy speaks with Dinesh Patnaik, India's High Commissioner, as Canada and India seek to sign a free trade deal before the end of 2026.
• CTV B.C. legislative reporter Rob Buffam joins Vassy for a post-mortem on the B.C. election.

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: U.S. President Donald Trump hints that a trade deal with Canada might happen before November's Midterms. Prime Minister Carney fires back at U.S. election interference claims. The B.C. election hits the final stretch, as voters head to the ballot box on Saturday. Carney's controversial trip to Turkiye. An update on the tragic CFB Wainwright fire.
• The Big Conversation: Vassy Kapelos joins Graham to break down U.S. President Trump's comments on a possible trade deal.
• Graham goes 1-on-1 with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith following Monday's referendum results.
• Meet Brady Rogers, who was elected to Kelowna City Council after his unenthusiastic campaign signs went viral.
• CTV B.C. legislative reporter Rob Buffam joins Graham with an election campaign update, as the polls are mere hours away from opening.
• Former Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien joins Graham to talk about his new book - a prescription for handling Trump's trade war.
• Dozens of Canada's top scientists have signed a letter urging the Carney government to amend Bill C-39. Graham speaks with one of them, Dr. Sally Otto, from the University of British Columbia.
• Have Your Say: Is Trump going to blink on tariffs?
• What made Graham smile this week: Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley's amazing postgame interview.

It's the first ever bilateral visit by a Canadian Prime Minister to Turkiye, and Mark Carney is already facing criticism from some groups over that country's human rights record. Vassy is joined by CTV National News senior correspondent Abigail Bimman, who is with the Prime Minister in Ankara.

On today's show:

• Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Eleanor Olszewski, Alberta's lone federal Cabinet Minister, to discuss the results of Monday's referendum.
• CTV Chief Financial Correspondent Amanda Lang dissects why more economists are predicting the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates before the end of the year.
• Talk Science To Me with CTV Science and Technology specialist Dan Riskin: Why lying down makes things hurt less.
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Marieke Walsh, Laura Stone, and Brian Platt.
• Cybersecurity expert David Shipley joins Vassy to discuss the Crime Stoppers data breach, and what it says about Canada's privacy laws.

Tim Powers guest hosts for Vassy Kapelos, who is on the way back from Alberta. And in a provincial address Tuesday evening, Premier Danielle Smith says she will respect Albertans’ vote after the majority opted to stay in Canada. CTV's Rachel Aiello has the key takeaways from Smith's address.

On today's show:

• Tim is joined by CTV National News Alberta correspondent Kathy Le, who is hearing from the family of one of the soldiers hospitalized with severe burns after the CFB Wainwright tragedy.
• Tim speaks with Chris Kilford, an External Fellow at the Queen's University Centre for International and Defense Policy and a former Senior Canadian Military Attaché to Turkey. They discuss Prime Minister Carney's first bilateral visit to Turkey, a trip that few Canadian Prime Ministers have taken.
• The Explainer with immigration lawyer Chantal Desloges: How is Quebec's immigration system different than other provinces?
• The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Jordan Paquet, Sabrina Grover, and Stephanie Levitz.
• CTV U.S. political analyst Eric Ham breaks down how the trade war is factoring into key U.S. Midterm election races with less than 2 weeks left in the campaign.