Wag The Doug

Meet David Wallace, political fixer. After decades in the game he says he’s getting out, telling all, and dumping his files in public. The result is the viral "Klondike Papers" theory of conspiracies, conservatives, and cults. But are the allegations true? And why is he really implicating himself, and so many others? A wild, true story.

Series launches October 31st.

Subscribe now (link).

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With electricity demand set to rise and Pickering’s nuclear plant set to close, Doug Ford’s government is now scrambling to keep the province’s lights on. Perhaps spending hundreds of millions to cancel green-energy projects and dismantle new wind turbines might not have been the most forward-thinking of ideas.

With an eye on the thermostat, Allison and Jonathan plug in to Ontario’s frayed energy system, its Ticketmaster-like approach to billing, and how, in fleeing from the problem, Doug Ford has gone fission.

Hosts: Allison Smith, Jonathan Goldsbie

Credits: Kattie Laur (Producer), André Proulx (Managing Editor), Nathan Burley (Music)

This episode is supported by Douglas.

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

Socials:

Jonathan Goldsbie on Twitter: @goldsbie 

Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The province has got a housing crisis, and the only prescription is… more mayoral powers?? Allison and Jonathan probe the comically flimsy pretense under which Doug Ford has fundamentally, if casually, reshaped how Ontario’s two largest cities are governed. Because what doesn’t quite kill Toronto and Ottawa, apparently just makes their mayors stronger.

Clarification (September 22, 2022, at 8:46 p.m. EDT): Ottawa mayoral candidate and councillor Catherine McKenney uses "they/them" pronouns — not "she/her" pronouns, as used in this episode.

This episode is supported by oxio and Douglas.

Support Canadaland: canadaland.com/join

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allison and Jonathan talk with Jacobin’s Luke Savage about why the NDP so often provokes indifference, while its American and British counterparts sometimes seem poised to spark revolution. Might a new leader succeed where Andrea Horwath did not?

Plus: The Premier’s new cabinet offers unprecedented representation by members of the Ford family. Because it’s 2022.

Savage’s new book, The Dead Center, is available for pre-order here.

https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/the-dead-center/

This episode is supported by Oxio, Douglas and the Images Festival.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The PCs are up seven seats from last time, and the opposition parties are down two leaders. 

We were going to record this from Doug Ford's election-night event, but Jonathan wasn't allowed in. So he and Allison met up after to talk about life in the Second Age of Ford, and what it means when a vindictive government also believes it's a vindicated one. 

This episode is supported by Douglas, Oxio, Ground News, Skipper Otto and How'd You Like That Movie

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Doug Ford campaigns against fumes, his opponents are increasingly running on them. Less than a week away, the election's outcome is hardly a foregone conclusion, but the Liberals, at least, have reached chicken-suit levels of desperation. Are they telling us there's no candour available in all of Del Duca's vista?

Also, Allison and Jonathan consider whether Doug Ford has actually “evolved” (he hasn't) and why the Star's Queen's Park columnist is so convinced that he has.

Further reading:

Read Martin Regg Cohn's Toronto Star column about how Doug Ford has changed: https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2022/05/24/on-the-campaign-trail-doug-ford-is-a-changed-man-in-changed-times.html

Watch the Liberals' chicken suit video: https://twitter.com/OLPWarRoom/status/1529521747019571200?s=20&t=gNYPcy-hNBzCX1JvH7lTJg

Want to try ad-free? For a limited time, get access to all of Canadaland's shows ad-free for $1/month for 3 months! Subscribe at canadaland.com/join

This episode is supported by Oxio, Ground News, Skipper Otto and How'd You Like That Movie

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our election coverage continues into week three. This week, there was a weirdly upbeat leaders' debate, two party leaders got COVID and several trade unions came out in support of Doug Ford and the PCs. Jonathan and Allison break down what it all means.

Want to try ad-free? For a limited time, get access to all of Canadaland's shows ad-free for $1/month for 3 months! Subscribe at canadaland.com/join

This episode is supported by Oxio, Ground News, Skipper Otto and How'd You Like That Movie

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On week two of the election campaign, the dirt starts to surface about candidates, the party leaders participate in their first debate and the Liberals release their fully-costed platform. 

Links: 

• Read the Press Progress piece about Stephen Lecce participating in a slave auction: https://pressprogress.ca/ontario-education-minister-stephen-lecce-participated-in-slave-auction-during-time-as-frat-house-leader/
• Read that Toronto Life profile of Steven Del Duca: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://torontolife.com/city/this-man-would-like-your-attention/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1652390474737927&usg=AOvVaw3Yr7-kv7OiNcRxodCwhQ7n
• Watch the parody version of Doug Ford's campaign song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlVaVueCe3E

Want to try ad-free? For a limited time, get access to all of Canadaland's shows ad-free for $1/month for 3 months! Subscribe at canadaland.com/join

This episode is supported by Oxio, Ground News, Skipper Otto and How'd You Like That Movie

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wag the Doug is going weekly for the Ontario election!

On the first weekly Wag, Jonathan and Allison talk about Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca's introductory Youtube series, Ford's campaign launch, cringey Star Wars memes, transit ideas and plenty more. 

Want to try ad-free? For a limited time, get access to all of Canadaland's shows ad-free for $1/month for 3 months! Subscribe at canadaland.com/join

This episode is supported by Oxio, Ground News, Skipper Otto and How'd You Like That Movie

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.