Open Minds with Christopher Balkaran

• #237: Unpacking MAiD in Ontario with Chief Coroner Dr. Dirk Huyer

  Send us a textI sit down with Dr. Dirk Huyer, Ontario’s Chief Coroner, to explore the evolving complexities behind Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada. As the chair of the province’s MAiD Death Review Committee (MDRC), Dr. Huyer offers a rare and in-depth perspective on what the data really shows, how legislation is being interpreted in practice, and whether concerns over coercion or systemic failure hold weight.MAiD Death Review Committee Reportshttps://arpacanada.ca/ontario-maid-death-review-committee-reports-2024/Support the showVisit my NEW Website! https://www.christopherbalkaran.comCheck out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspodTiktok @openmindspodcast

  --------  

  45:16

  --------

  45:16
• #236: Dr. Salim Mansur: Multiculturalism or Identity Crisis?

  Send us a textI sit down with Dr. Salim Mansur, professor emeritus and political scientist, to explore the untold story behind Canada’s multiculturalism policy. Dr. Mansur pulls back the curtain on the political, philosophical, and constitutional roots of multiculturalism in Canada—revealing how a once well-intentioned idea may now be weakening liberal democracy and national cohesion. From the War Measures Act to the Emergencies Act, and from Pierre Trudeau’s grand vision to Justin Trudeau’s declaration that Canada has “no core identity,” this conversation unpacks the real consequences of prioritizing group identity over individual liberty.Support the showVisit my NEW Website! https://www.christopherbalkaran.comCheck out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspodTiktok @openmindspodcast

  --------  

  57:15

  --------

  57:15
• #235: Peter Copeland, Canada’s Border Blindspots - Fentanyl and the Myth of Security

  Send us a textI’m joined by Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, to unpack the truths and myths around Canada’s border security. From fentanyl trafficking and human smuggling to legal blind spots and our fractured jurisdictional model, Peter offers a research-backed, nonpartisan perspective on the known unknowns we face. What can Canada learn from its allies? Why are our legal frameworks outdated? And is our public safety strategy more reactive than proactive? This conversation brings much-needed depth to an issue that often escapes the spotlight.Support the showVisit my NEW Website! https://www.christopherbalkaran.comCheck out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspodTiktok @openmindspodcast

  --------  

  42:12

  --------

  42:12
• #234: Professor Paul Robinson (pt 2) - Proxy, Peace, or Prolonged Pain?

  Send us a textI sit down once again with Professor Paul Robinson to continue our exploration of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. We dive into the uncomfortable questions rarely addressed in mainstream media: Have Western sanctions actually worked? Why does media silence dissent within Ukraine? And is Canada’s role sustainable—or even justified—in a war with no clear end?From examining the economic reality of sanctions and shadow fleets to questioning the strategic silence on Ukraine’s democratic backsliding, this conversation pulls no punches. We also explore the uncomfortable truth about Western foreign policy’s double standards, and whether Ukraine is being used as a proxy in a much larger geopolitical chess match.Professor Robinson and I also tackle the peace process—if it can even exist—and the uneasy truth that peace often means compromise no one wants to make. We dissect the differing diplomatic philosophies between the Biden and Trump camps, the shifting Overton window in Canada, and the quiet erosion of civil society’s voice in the name of “duty.”Support the showVisit my NEW Website! https://www.christopherbalkaran.comCheck out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspodTiktok @openmindspodcast

  --------  

  59:00

  --------

  59:00
• #233: Mark Carney Is Not Justin Trudeau – And That Might Be a Good Thing

  Send us a textAfter nine years of Justin Trudeau, Canadians finally got a change — but is it real change, or just better branding?In this solo episode, I break down the aftermath of the April 28th federal election and what I think Mark Carney actually represents. From the tone of his first press conference to his early decisions — like refusing a coalition with the NDP and allowing Pierre Poilievre to run in a by-election — Carney seems to be signalling a major pivot from Trudeau’s performative politics.But let’s not get too comfortable.I also explore eyebrow-raising Liberal policies still on the table: statutory funding for the CBC, the push for a national digital ID, IVF funding directed toward specific groups, and a carbon tax on foreign goods based on other countries’ climate policy (yes, really).Support the showVisit my NEW Website! https://www.christopherbalkaran.comCheck out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspodTiktok @openmindspodcast

  --------  

  16:58

  --------

  16:58

More Government podcasts

Trending Government podcasts

About Open Minds with Christopher Balkaran