Paul Wells: Is Canadian politics actually getting nicer?
Paul Wells is the de facto dean of political journalism in Canada — a longtime observer and interpreter of what happens in Ottawa. He talks to host Amanda Lang about some surprising shifts in the wake of the federal election, including an easing of the 'ever-deepening animosity' that’s become a trademark of politics, evidence of a common understanding of what's good for Canada and why we should be grateful Trump isn’t better at his job.
--------
34:14
Sally Armstrong on the ongoing fight for women's rights
In her incredible career as a journalist and author, Sally Armstrong told stories no one else would about the atrocities of war and became a towering figure for women's rights. She speaks with host Amanda Lang about the ongoing fight for rights, the ‘small group of greedy men' who start wars and how a former phys-ed teacher at a magazine called Homemaker became a groundbreaking war correspondent.
--------
28:50
America’s descent toward ‘modern tyranny’
Tim Snyder is one of America’s most important scholars. While his work has focused on Eastern Europe, Russia and on the Holocaust, more recently he's written hugely popular books about the nature of tyranny and freedom. He recently moved with his family to Canada, where he is in high demand as someone who can help make sense of what's happening in the world. He talks to host Amanda Lang about America’s slide toward tyranny, the importance of local media in democracy and what keeps him hopeful for the future.
--------
39:23
What should Canada do about China?
It’s getting hard to tell who's a friend and who's an enemy in this turbulent geopolitical era. As Canada searches for new trade partners, one big question that's emerging is what to do about China. Is it time to rethink an economic relationship or are the security risks still too great? Host Amanda Lang talks to Peter Van Praagh, founder and president of the Halifax International Security Forum, about Chinese ambitions, Canadian values and how China will be “working diligently” to influence the federal election.
--------
33:09
Election panel: What Canadians actually need to be talking about
The federal election has been dominated by Donald Trump and his tariffs. But is that the key ballot question? Energy, infrastructure, defense, productivity, housing and affordability, just to name a few, all loom large. The challenges are piling up and the economic future is dark. Host Amanda Lang gathers an all-star election panel — Armine Yalnizyan, Sean Speer and Jay Khosla — to talk about what Canadians need to be thinking about as well as a few of the positive signs in the race so far.
WONK is a show about big ideas in unprecedented times. Hosted by Amanda Lang, we unpack some of the most pressing issues and challenges facing Canada, and talk to some leading thinkers and policymakers about how to tackle them. New episodes drop on Thursdays.
This feed also hosts the archive for Public Policy Forum's podcast, Policy Speaking.
Canada - english