The Vassy Kapelos Show

It's the debut episode of the Graham Richardson Show - where we talk politics and also have a little bit of fun! You can catch Graham every single Friday from Noon until 2PM.
On today's show:
In what StatsCan calls the first significant employment gain since last November, the Canadian economy has added a surprise 88,000 jobs in May. We sift through the data with Frances Donald, a Chief Economist with the Royal Bank of Canada.
For 55 years and 150 million spectators, the Snowbirds have been Canada's symbol of excellence and pride. The government wants to ground them at the end of this year, leading to pushback from a wave of veterans, former commanding officers, and a former Chief of Defense Staff. We chat with Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Maryse Carmichael, the Snowbirds' first female pilot and their first female Commanding Officer.
In honour of the FIFA World Cup coming to Canada this year, a historical first for our country, the Royal Canadian Mint has issued a new commemorative Loonie. We check in with Deneen Perrin, the Royal Canadian Mint's Director of Public Affairs.
What's it like serving as an MP for small-town Canada? What are the pressing issues you have to deal with on a daily basis? We dig deeper with (CON) Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan MP Fraser Tolmie and (LIB) Labrador MP Philip Earle.
Harvey Brownstone, Canada’s first openly-gay judge, reflects on his life and career in his new memoir 'Without Prejudice'.
Canadian filmmakers are exploring the bottom of Lake Superior with world-leading underwater drone technology. We sink our teeth into that subject with Yvonne Drebert, an award-winning Canadian filmmaker and the co-founder of Inspired Planet Productions.
Your calls, texts, and emails!

Tim Powers fills in for Vassy Kapelos, who is on assignment today.
On today's show:
Prime Minister Carney has announced a long-awaited National A.I. Strategy. We take you live to Toronto as he addresses the media. Then, we gather instant reaction from Jeremie Harris, the co-founder of an A.I. national security company that works with security specialists.
Canada’s big-city mayors are calling on the feds to do something about the state of Downtown sectors. We check in with Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.
Talk Science To Me with CTV Science and Technology specialist Dan Riskin: How AirBnB listing language affects bookings.
The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Rob Benzie, Laura Stone, and Marieke Walsh.
Newfoundland Premier Tony Wakeham joins Tim ahead of a potential Marine Atlantic strike.
The Premiers of Alberta and Quebec are meeting for a face-to-face chat in La Belle Province. CTV political analyst Tom Mulcair chimes in with his two cents.

The United States Trade Representative is proposing a new 10% tariff on Canadian goods following an investigation into enforcement of rules meant to prevent products made with forced labour from entering the North American supply chain. The latest tariff threat came just hours after Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc met with Greer in D.C. on Tuesday afternoon. Guest host Tim Powers is joined by Vassy Kapelos to break down the latest on the trade file.
On today's show:
A new poll from Leger has the Carney Liberals at a record-high 50% support. Tim speaks with Leger Executive Vice-President Andrew Enns about the latest numbers.
Tech analyst Carmi Levy joins us for this week's Explainer segment: What is Anttropic's Mythos A.I. platform, and why is Canada now involved in 'Project Glasswing'?
The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Jeff Rutledge, George Soule, and Saeed Selvam.
Hear CTV News Senior Political Correspondent Mike LeCouteur's 1-on-1 interview with Kerri-Lynne Findlay, the new leader of the B.C. Conservative Party.
TSN reporter Claire Hanna recaps Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals and examines the NHL's latest scheduling headache. As the league expands to an 84-game season, the new time zones in B.C. and Alberta are causing some grey hairs to form.

Tim Powers fills in for Vassy Kapelos, who is on assignment today. Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is traveling to D.C. for a meeting with the U.S. Trade Representative, as the clock on the CUSMA review gradually winds down. CTV's Abigail Bimman has the latest from Washington.
On today's show:
Tim is joined by CTV U.S. political analyst Eric Ham to gather some insight on the politics of CUSMA from the American perspective.
A trio of U.S. companies dominate 85 percent of Canada’s cloud computing market. According to a new report, that is bad news for A.I. sovereignty. We dig deeper with Curtis McCord, a policy analyst at the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project and the co-author of this report.
Money Talk with John Klotz: What does a technical recession mean for your portfolio?
The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Sharan Kaur, Jordan Paquet, and Nojoud Al Mallees.
Prime Minister Carney has announced a new Advisory Council to deal with the alarming rise of antisemitism in Canada. What needs to happen next? We check in with Noah Shack, the CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
The 2026 Stanley Cup Finals kick off tonight, as the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights search for their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. TSN 1200 Ottawa's Gord Wilson tees up Game 1 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

After calling for an emergency debate at Parliament Hill about the state of Canada's economy, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre held a press conference this morning, accusing Prime Minister Carney of hiding from the issue. What do the numbers really say about Canada's 'technical recession'? Vassy Kapelos picks the brain of Don Drummond, an Economist and Fellow-in-Residence at the C.D. Howe Institute. Prior to that, he was a Chief Economist with TD Bank.
On today's show:
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is kicking off next Thursday in Toronto. TSN Senior Correspondent Rick Westhead prepares to pack his bags, as he follows Team Canada all tournament long.
Kirstin Hillman, a former Canadian Ambassador to the United States, joins us one month before CUSMA's expiration date. Where do things stand today, and what's the level of optimism that a deal can be reached ahead of July 1st?
Tech Check with tech analyst Carmi Levy: Prime Minister Carney says a national A.I. strategy will be unveiled next week.
The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Sharan Kaur, Tom Mulcair, and Tim Powers.
Vassy speaks with Stephen Fuhr, Canada's Secretary of State for Defense Procurement, about last week's GlobalEye early warning radar announcement and the long-delayed decision on buying F-35s.
Hamish Telford, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Fraser Valley, gives us the political 4-1-1 on Kerry-Lynne Findlay. She claimed victory in last week's B.C. Conservative Party leadership race.