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The U.S. midterm elections on November 3 are the first big chance for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to rewire the way the United States works, with dozens of endorsed candidates eager to seize on the unpopularity of President Donald Trump and Republicans. But if you’re exasperated by the disruption and instability of Trump, these radicals promise to be much worse, as Brian discusses with American journalists David Kaufman and J.D. Tuccille. With its anti-capitalist, anti-corporate dogma, the DSA distrusts free trade with Canada even more than the president does. It also wants to end military alliances, entirely rewrite the Constitution, and cut off all support for Israel. And, as our guests explain, these neo-revolutionaries have momentum on their side. (Recorded October 29, 2026)
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Twenty-five years ago they rewired the province’s political thinking with their landmark “Alberta Agenda,” aka the “firewall” letter: a manifesto for the premier to assert sovereignty within a systemically inequitable federation. Days after Alberta’s referendum on some of the same issues they raised — but also going drastically further in considering separation — Brian speaks with letter-writers Ted Morton, who went on to become a provincial cabinet minister, and Ken Boessenkool, now a strategist and lobbyist. With voting results showing a hard no to separation and more narrow losses on questions of greater provincial powers in justice, social services, and regulation, they discuss whether Premier Danielle Smith’s tactic helped the cause of a more assertive Alberta, or set it back. (Recorded October 23, 2026)
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Even as our prime minister seeks favour and greater bonds with Beijing, the communist regime continues to threaten to invade the free, democratic and economically vital republic of Taiwan, putting to the test where Canada’s values truly lie. Brian speaks with George Takach, author of the new book Inspired by Taiwan: Why Supporting Taiwan Matters for Democracy. He makes the case for why standing with the small island nation is even more vital to our interests, and the welfare of the world, than the temptation of Chinese market access. And he warns that signals of weakness from the West might entice China’s Xi Jinping to soon make good on his threats to invade Taiwan, surrendering an invaluable and potent Western ally to our adversaries. (Recorded July 29, 2026)
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Frances Widdowson was fired from her tenured professorship at a Calgary university after criticizing Black Lives Matter. She has been arrested on other campuses when she tried to engage students in debates about residential schools. Now she’s suing one university for $3 million, alleging it defamed her by accusing her of spreading hate and disinformation. She tells Brian she won’t be stopped because she believes she’s doing what academics are supposed to do: research, question and argue to get at the truth. And she explains why she believes so many professors and universities have betrayed that responsibility by pursuing ideological activism — or worse, by meekly surrendering what they really believe and submitting to woke repression. (Recorded October 7, 2026)
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It’s another announcement from Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. And it’s about the same West Coast pipeline they’ve announced before. This time it’s been designated a project of “national interest.” Still undetermined is whether it’s of interest to investors and shippers. Joining Brian are Chris Varcoe, Postmedia’s western business columnist, and Lorne Gunter, political columnist. They discuss the likelihood of this pipeline ever happening, the battles yet to fight, the eye-watering costs, and the dismaying timeline before it gets done. They discuss Smith’s feats in pushing the Liberals to overturn the last prime minister’s anti-oil dogmas. But given Carney’s costly carbon-capture conditions and other roadblocks, simply declaring “national interest” won’t be enough to make Alberta’s oilpatch great again. (Recorded October 2, 2026)
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