The West Block

This week we take a look at COVID-19 and how it is impacting relations between Canada and the US as the White House wanted to add troops within 30 km of the border to prevent illegal border crossings. Then medical supplies rationed...what is this doing to those on the frontlines?  And how is the coronavirus affecting Canadians?

Guests: Mercedes Stephenson, (Show host self-isolating); Lt. Gen. (ret'd) Andrew Leslie, Bluesky Strategy Group; Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions; David Coletto, Abacus Data

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Governments are telling its citizens to avoid travelling outside the country and while here at home social distance, work from home if possible...this after providing more economic fiscal stimulus to help combat the impact of COVID-19.  Is this enough? How is the business community responding?  And the markets? Is there a silver lining?

Guests: Dr Gigi Osler, Former President Canadian Medical Association; Goldy Hyder, President Canadian Business Council; Philip Cross, Macdonald-Laurier Institute; Peter Zeihan, Geopolitical Expert

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Jamie Metzl, WHO Advisory Committee Member; technologist and health care futurist, tells David Akin, the United States is lacking leadership on COVID-19 and given outbreak data, this virus will get much worse with many nations ill prepared to mitigate the impact on its citizens.

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This week we take a look at how the Canadian economy is being impacted by the coronavirus...what tools is the government prepared to use to help workers and businesses if the outbreak continues?  We then take a look at critical global threats...are we doing enough to mitigate those threats and which nations are at the top of that threat list?  Plus the Conservative Party of Canada will be choosing a new leader in June, we'll talk to one of the eight candidates seeking the top party job.

Guests: Bill Morneau, Finance Minister; Brian DePratto, Senior Economist TD Bank; Frederick Kagan, American Enterprise Institute Critical Threats Project; Rudy Husny, Conservative Leadership Candidate

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Today we talk to author and journalist Ethan Lou who recently traveled back to China to visit family and found himself in the centre of the coronavirus outbreak.

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In this edition we look at how the Indigenous blockades have affected Canada and what are some possible paths forward to get over this impasse, plus as more countries report an outbreak of the coronavirus, are nations doing enough to contain the virus and is it time to delay vacations?

Guests: Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister; Dr Marcos Espinal, Pan American Health Organization; Grand Chief Joe Norton, Mohawk Council of Kahnawake

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Last fall Canadian diplomats warned the government not to get too close to China, why?  And did the government listen?

Guest: Charles Burton, MacDonald-Laurier Institute

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