The West Block

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The West Block episodes

April 15, 2018 Episode 32: Pipeline politics and social media privacy & security
As political leaders meet today in Ottawa to try and find a solution to the political standoff over the Trans Mountain pipleline project, we take a look at the opposition to this project and what the federal government can do to get it built. Then Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifites before congress over privacy breaches. What can we do to protect ourselves when it comes to social media?
Guests: Andrew Weaver, B.C. Green Party Leader; Jim Carr, Natural Resources Minister; Josh Constine, TechCrunch Editor-at-Large, Tonda MacCharles, Toronto Star
28 min
April 08, 2018 Episode 31: Crunch time for NAFTA, Trump's turmoil and cannabis
Crunch time with NAFTA but late last week more optimism as high level ministerial meetings were held in Washington. Plus President Trump has brought a new style of politics to the White House, what impact is he having on domestic politics and on the world stage? Plus will the federal government consider changes to its cannabis legislation to appease its critics?
Guests: James Moore, NAFTA Advisory Council; Thomas Friedman, Author and New York Times columnist; Bill Blair, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Health

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31 min
April 08, 2018 Episode 31: Crunch time for NAFTA, Trump's turmoil and cannabis
Crunch time with NAFTA but late last week more optimism as high level ministerial meetings were held in Washington. Plus President Trump has brought a new style of politics to the White House, what impact is he having on domestic politics and on the world stage? Plus will the federal government consider changes to its cannabis legislation to appease its critics?
Guests: James Moore, NAFTA Advisory Council; Thomas Friedman, Author and New York Times columnist; Bill Blair, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Health
30 min
April 01, 2018 Episode 30: Momentum and NAFTA, democracy and leaving politics
Momentum in the NAFTA negotiations, is there a breakthrough and is a deal possible? Plus what dangers lie ahead when we mix social media and politics? And Food for Thought with Tom Mulcair, lessons learned and life after politics.
Guests: Andrew Leslie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Niall Ferguson, Author and Historian, Stanford University; Tom Mulcair, Former NDP Leader

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33 min
April 01, 2018 Episode 30: Momentum and NAFTA, democracy and leaving politics
Momentum in the NAFTA negotiations, is there a breakthrough and is a deal possible? Plus what dangers lie ahead when we mix social media and politics? And Food for Thought with Tom Mulcair, lessons learned and life after politics.
Guests: Andrew Leslie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Niall Ferguson, Author and Historian, Stanford University; Tom Mulcair, Former NDP Leader
32 min
March 25, 2018 Episode 29: Pot, cyber security and powers for Canada's upper chamber
This week we look at the government's proposed pot legislation that was nearly snuffed out this past week as a number of senators tried to kill the bill. Will the government agree to any proposed changes on their cannabis bill and should Canadians expect legalization this summer? Then we look at cyber security in light of privacy concerns with Facebook, should governments and citizens be worried? And how independent are the Independent Senators in Canada's upper chamber?
Guests: Mark Holland, Parliamentary Secretary to the Public Safety Minister; Steve Jones, Assistant Deputy Minister-Communication Security Establishment; Former Senator Hugh Segal.

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23 min
March 25, 2018 Episode 29: Pot, cyber security and powers for Canada's upper chamber
This week we look at the government's proposed pot legislation that was nearly snuffed out this past week as a number of senators tried to kill the bill. Will the government agree to any proposed changes on their cannabis bill and should Canadians expect legalization this summer? Then we look at cyber security in light of privacy concerns with Facebook, should governments and citizens be worried? And how independent are the Independent Senators in Canada's upper chamber?
Guests: Mark Holland, Parliamentary Secretary to the Public Safety Minister; Steve Jones, Assistant Deputy Minister-Communication Security Establishment; Former Senator Hugh Segal.
23 min
March 18, 2018Episode 28: Electoral interference and Russian aggression
With less than 18 months to the next federal election, Chief Political Correspondent David Akin asks Minister Scott Brison what the government is doing to protect the electoral system from foreign interference. Then Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institute evaluates The West's response to Russia. And we unpack the politics of the week that was.
Guests:
Scott Brison, President of the Treasure Board and Acting Minister of Democratic Institutions
Michael O'Hanlon: National Security Analyst at the Brookings Institute
Marie-Danielle Smith, National Post
Yaroslav Baran, Earnscliffe Strategy

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25 min
March 18, 2018 Episode 28: Electoral interference and Russian aggression
With less than 18 months to the next federal election, Chief Political Correspondent David Akin asks Minister Scott Brison what the government is doing to protect the electoral system from foreign interference. Then Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institute evaluates The West's response to Russia. And we unpack the politics of the week that was.
Guests:
Scott Brison, President of the Treasure Board and Acting Minister of Democratic Institutions
Michael O'Hanlon: National Security Analyst at the Brookings Institute
Marie-Danielle Smith, National Post
Yaroslav Baran, Earnscliffe Strategy
24 min
March 11, 2018 Episode 27: Tariffs, Trade and Canada's New Top Cop
Global's Chief Political Correspondent David Akin hosts this week's show and tackles the brewing global trade war over the new U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs. And the Mountie's their woman. Can the RCMP change its culture now that they have a female at the helm.
Guests: Christopher Sands, Director of the Centre for Canadian Studies at John Hopkins University; Raoul Delcorde, Belgium's Ambassador to Canada; Liberal Mp Greg Fergus

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24 min

About The West Block

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The West Block with Jeff Semple is Global News weekly political and current affairs program. The show digs deep into the breaking news and major stories that impact Canadians’ lives. Through in-depth conversations with political, national, and international newsmakers.