The West Block

On 'The West Block' podcast Maj. Kellie Brennan describes herself as a warrior scarred by her service in the Canadian Forces. She is now breaking her silence on allegations of inappropriate behaviour against General Jonathan Vance, the former chief of the defence staff. In an exclusive interview with Mercedes Stephenson, Brennan says the time has come to tell her story, sounding the alarm about the barriers complainants of sexual misconduct still face all too often in Canada’s military.

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‘The West Block’ podcast host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister who says the federal government has blocked the provinces ability to procure COVID-19 vaccines from suppliers Ottawa has agreements with. But, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Dominic LeBlanc, says Ottawa has not signed deals disallowing provinces from buying vaccines. Mercedes Stephenson also presses Huawei Canada’s Vice President of Government Affairs Morgan Elliott on why the company won’t condemn the arbitrary detention of the two Michaels in China. 

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On ‘The West Block’ podcast this week Mercedes Stephenson speaks to Canada’s Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra, Unifor National President Jerry Dias, Providence Therapeutics CEO Brad Sorenson and Canadian Medical Association President Dr. Ann Collins. 

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Mercedes Stephenson is joined on 'The West Block' podcast by Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Ottawa Katherine Brucker. Minister LeBlanc says Julie Payette’s resignation as Canada’s governor general “allows the employees of Rideau Hall to have an appropriate workplace and it allows a renewal of the leadership at this important institution.” On U.S. President Joe Biden’s move to cancel Keystone XL, Premier Kenney says ‘it’s a very bad starting point’ for Canada-U.S. relations under a new administration. When asked about Biden's decision, Brucker says “it’s important to know that this is a presidential decision based on a larger climate agenda.” 

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On 'The West Block' podcast this week Mercedes Stephenson speaks to former Chief of the Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance just before his final day as commander of the Canadian Armed Forces. They talk Operation Honour, global instability and he reflects on his time as the longest serving chief of the defence staff in this full extended interview.

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This week on ‘The West Block’ podcast Mercedes Stephenson looks ahead to 2021 and reflects on the global pandemic that changed everything. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, the doctor all over the news delivering the latest information on COVID-19, tells Mercedes he really does believe things will slowly start to get back to normal this year. Green Party Leader Annamie Paul reflects on the social gaps highlighted by the pandemic; she says, "it’s really about completing the social safety net and making sure that people in Canada can live in dignity from the first day of their lives to the very last moment.” Global News’ Ottawa correspondents have their yearly discussion on the year that was and the year to come.

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In a sit down interview with ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson, Prime Minister Trudeau reflects on the government’s pandemic response and what he would do differently.  He also opens about what he thinks his father would have said if he was alive to see his son leading the country through this pandemic. Mercedes also presses the Prime Minister about why the country wasn’t properly prepared for the pandemic.

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Mercedes Stephenson sits down with Foreign Affairs Minister, François-Philippe Champagne for a year-end interview on ‘The West Block' podcast. In the full interview, Minister Champagne recounts his experience coordinating the repatriation of Canadians across the globe, details Canada’s policy approach to a “changing” China and looks ahead to the new year. 

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On 'The West Block' this week, Mercedes Stephenson gets the latest on Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine procurement and manufacturing efforts following Health Canada’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. She speaks to Pfizer Canada President Cole Pinnow. He says Pfizer wants to partner with the Canadian government to find ways to change policies that “jeopardize” the opportunity for Canadians to have breakthrough medicines and therapies moving forward. Public Service and Procurement Minister Anita Anand defends Canada’s vaccine portfolio and says the federal government is investing in domestic manufacturing and research.

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This week on ‘The West Block’ podcast Mercedes Stephenson gets answers on the uptick in COVID-19 cases across the country, particularly in Alberta, and the economic consequences of the virus. Mercedes probes Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on the economic update and fiscal guardrails. Opposition health critic Michelle Rempel Garner weighs in on vaccine distribution and the pandemic response. Alberta’s Health Minister Tyler Shandro warns of more public health measures in the province if cases continue to climb.  

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