The West Block

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The West Block episodes

November 26, 2017 Episode 12: Unanswered Calls, Rohingya Refugees and Food for Thought
The Auditor General slams the Canada Revenue Agency for blocking calls and not answering calls from taxpayers, what is the federal government's response? And a deal has been struck between Bangladesh and Myanmar to allow over half a million Rohingyan refugees to return home, but is it safe for them to go back to Myanmar? And another in our occassional series, Food for Thought, this week Conservative Deputy Leader Lisa Raitt.
Guests: Steve MacKinnon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Service and Procurement; Bob Rae, Special Envoy to Myanmar; Lisa Raitt, Conservative Party Deputy Leader
23 min
November 19, 2017 Episode 11: NATO, Security, Russia and the West, plus Canada's Military Operations
This week The West Block is in Halifax covering the Halifax International Security Forum where leaders from over seventy countries have gathered to talk about advancing a modern vision of security. We talk to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about member nations, including Canada, meeting their pledged financial support for the alliance and what NATO is asking its members to do regarding Afghanistan. We also sit down with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen to talk about Russia and its interference in the U.S. election and the present relationship between Putin and Trump. And, will Canada intervene and take a role to help ease the tensions between Iraqi and Kurdish leaders given we have troops on the ground, caught in the middle?
Guests: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen; Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

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28 min
November 19, 2017 Episode 11: NATO, Security, Russia and the West, plus Canada's Military Operations
This week The West Block is in Halifax covering the Halifax International Security Forum where leaders from over seventy countries have gathered to talk about advancing a modern vision of security. We talk to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about member nations, including Canada, meeting their pledged financial support for the alliance and what NATO is asking its members to do regarding Afghanistan. We also sit down with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen to talk about Russia and its interference in the U.S. election and the present relationship between Putin and Trump. And, will Canada intervene and take a role to help ease the tensions between Iraqi and Kurdish leaders given we have troops on the ground, caught in the middle?
Guests: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen; Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.
28 min
November 12, 2017 Episode 10: Canada's Climate Commitments; Alberta's Bill 24; Offshore Tax Havens
We begin the show this week with Canada's climate commitments and whether or not we are meeting our greenhouse gas emissions targets. Then, Alberta politicians on the right and left are deeply divided over Bill 24, a bill that prevents teachers from telling parents if their child is a member of a gay straight alliance club, what happens now? And, the fallout continues from the Paradise Papers showing who and how much taxes are being avoided by those using offshore tax havens, does the government have enough tools to put an end to this and will they disclose their findings following investigations?
Guests: Catherine McKenna, Environment Minister; Jason Kenney, United Conservative Party Leader, Carla Qualtrough, Public Services and Procurement Minister

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24 min
November 12, 2017 Episode 10: Canada's Climate Commitments; Alberta's Bill 24; Offshore Tax Havens
We begin the show this week with Canada's climate commitments and whether or not we are meeting our greenhouse gas emissions targets. Then, Alberta politicians on the right and left are deeply divided over Bill 24, a bill that prevents teachers from telling parents if their child is a member of a gay straight alliance club, what happens now? And, the fallout continues from the Paradise Papers showing who and how much taxes are being avoided by those using offshore tax havens, does the government have enough tools to put an end to this and will they disclose their findings following investigations?
Guests: Catherine McKenna, Environment Minister; Jason Kenney, United Conservative Party Leader, Carla Qualtrough, Public Services and Procurement Minister
23 min
October 29, 2017 Episode 8-Ethics, Escalating Tensions in Iraq and Civility in the House
As ethical concerns continue surrounding Finance Minister Bill Morneau's assets, we'll sit down with him to discuss these concerns and whether or not he has any regrets regarding this controversy. Then the Iraqi government rejects the Kurdish Regional Governments offer to freeze moving forward on its independence vote, what happens now in Iraq and is civil war a possibility? And heckling in Question Period, is it getting worse and do parliamentarians think it is time for more civility in the house?
Guests: Bill Morneau, Finance Minister: Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Kurdish Regional Government Representative to the U.S.; Mike Morden, Samara Canada Research Director

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22 min
October 29, 2017 Episode 8-Ethics, Escalating Tensions in Iraq and Civility in the House
As ethical concerns continue surrounding Finance Minister Bill Morneau's assets, we'll sit down with him to discuss these concerns and whether or not he has any regrets regarding this controversy. Then the Iraqi government rejects the Kurdish Regional Governments offer to freeze moving forward on its independence vote, what happens now in Iraq and is civil war a possibility? And heckling in Question Period, is it getting worse and do parliamentarians think it is time for more civility in the house?
Guests: Bill Morneau, Finance Minister: Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Kurdish Regional Government Representative to the U.S.; Mike Morden, Samara Canada Research Director
22 min
October 22, 2017 Episode 7: Ethics Conflict, NAFTA Reset and Morneau Woes
Embattled Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced late last week he was divesting his company shares and setting up a blind trust to quell outrage over his personal assets. Plus we take a look at the comments of two former presidents speaking about the current president and what this means for nations doing business with the Trump administration. Finally, we'll talk to two parliament hill journalists about Trudeau and his liberal governments brand following the Morneau controversy.
Guests: Joel Lightbound, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance; Gordon Giffin, Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada; Josh Wingrove, Bloomberg News; David Akin, Chief Political Correspondent Global News.

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25 min
October 22, 2017 Episode 7: Ethics Conflict, NAFTA Reset and Morneau Woes
Embattled Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced late last week he was divesting his company shares and setting up a blind trust to quell outrage over his personal assets. Plus we take a look at the comments of two former presidents speaking about the current president and what this means for nations doing business with the Trump administration. Finally, we'll talk to two parliament hill journalists about Trudeau and his liberal governments brand following the Morneau controversy.
Guests: Joel Lightbound, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance; Gordon Giffin, Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada; Josh Wingrove, Bloomberg News; David Akin, Chief Political Correspondent Global News.
24 min
October 15, 2017 Episode 6: NAFTA, no to social conservative issues, 'Food for Thought'
Congressman Richard Neal is the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, a committee which could determine if a new NAFTA deal passes congress. Then we will talk to Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown about why he is telling his party they will not debate social conservative issues at their convention next month. And, we begin our occassional series, Food For Thought, this week cabinet minister Kent Hehr on his favourite pub in Ottawa and lessons learned from being a victim of random violence.
Guests: Congressman Richard Neal, Democrat-Massachusetts; Patrick Brown, Ontario PC Leader; Kent Hehr, Sports and Persons with Disabilities Minister

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31 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.