Wonk is a podcast about policy and policymakers in Canada — but you don’t need to be a policy wonk to enjoy it. Hosted by PPF President and CEO Edward Greenspon...
Local news has been disappearing at an alarming rate, leaving a huge void in communities and undermining a key pillar of democracy. Guest host Alison Uncles talks to Lisa Sygutek, the publisher of the Crowsnest Pass Herald, Stacey Brzostowski, editor and publisher of The Haida Gwaii News, and Andrew Phillips, former editor-in-chief of The Montreal Gazette and Victoria Times Colonist, and a columnist with The Toronto Star, about misinformation, community ties and why they have a newfound sense of optimism in their battle for survival against big tech. They also delve into the results of a new PPF report outlining some key steps to help put the local back in local news.
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A 30-day window to save Canada’s economy
Canada has a very short time to act before Donald Trump's 30-day tariff reprieve ends. It's a tall order given the stakes and magnitude of the challenge ahead. Our panel of experts, host Edward Greenspon, Janice Stein and Riaz Kara, talk about the need for a disciplined response, the time-intensive task of diversification, and why the smart move now might be to reopen trade negotiations.
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41:04
How Canada's energy industry can respond to Trump
President Donald Trump’s tariff threats have forced Canadians to take a long, hard look at our economy and how it needs to evolve. This is especially true for the oil and gas industry which is deeply linked with the United States. Our panel of top energy wonks — Jackie Forrest, Janet Annesley and Bryan Cox — discuss the impacts and real costs of U.S. tariff threats, and the path to Canadian energy security.
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42:43
President Trump and Canada’s big choices
The moment Canadians have been waiting for, and in some cases dreading, is here. President Donald Trump is continuing to threaten us with massive tariffs, but now with all the levers of a president who controls both houses of Congress. What does Trump's so-called "Golden Age for America" mean for the world and for Canada? Our expert panel — Luiza Savage, Don Wright and Sean Speer — discuss the dangers and opportunities in the early days of Trump’s new term, what Canada needs to be doing and why this presidency is nothing like 2016.
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42:03
U.S. panel: Is Canada ready for President Trump?
In the lead-up to President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, he has escalated his taunts and economic threats against Canada. How can we prepare for the potential upending of a trade relationship that is the backbone of the Canadian economy? To help sort through this we've gathered one of our all-star panels: Marta Morgan, former deputy minister of foreign affairs, Peter Loewen, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, and Mark Cameron, a former director of policy and research in the prime minister's office. They discuss Canada’s challenges, missteps and the odds we’ll have new tariffs on Day 1 of Trump’s second term.
Wonk is a podcast about policy and policymakers in Canada — but you don’t need to be a policy wonk to enjoy it. Hosted by PPF President and CEO Edward Greenspon, we talk to leaders, thinkers and doers who are setting the agenda and driving change for the better in Canada. We also probe the passionate personalities behind the policies. After all, good policy at its core is about people. Listen to Wonk, and be in the knoW. New episodes on Thursdays.
This feed also hosts the archive for Public Policy Forum's podcast, Policy Speaking.
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