The Vassy Kapelos Show

It's 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. And we wish you all a very safe and happy Thanksgiving Weekend!
On today's show:
The Friday Five: The Parti Quebecois takes Quebec, but fall short of a majority. Canada's jobs report for September is out, and it's bad. Canada influences a pivotal U.S. Senate race. Canada's Conservatives support Bill C-39. And when it comes to Canada-USA trade talks, there remains no movement.
The Big Conversation: Canada's 2026 job gains were quickly erased in a cruel September. Graham speaks with economist Moshe Lander about the stunning data.
Life with Canada's Best: Meet Bob Gibson, a Canadian veteran with ALS pushing the federal government to fund research into the disease's little-known link to military service.
Retail analyst Bruce Winder discusses why the new federal grocery rebate is falling short for many Canadians.
The Toronto Star's Rob Benzie has an update on the RCMP investigation into the Ford government's Greenbelt scandal after 1,100 days.
Graham speaks with Jeremy MacDonald, a Superintendent of Security for the Arctic Region, as we delve inside the Canadian Coast Guard's mission to assert arctic sovereignty.
Janet Leith, President of the Ontario Dental Association, discusses the latest shortcomings in the Canada Dental Care Program.
Have Your Say: Canada's gloomy job numbers, plus the Conservatives' polling problem.
What made Graham smile this week: It's Thanksgiving!

The richest man on Planet Earth is no stranger to commenting on other countries' politics. This week, Canada is apparently on the mind of Tesla founder Elon Musk, as he reacted to the Parti Quebecois' election victory. In a series of posts, Musk encouraged Quebec, Alberta, and Saskatchewan to seek independence from the country they live in. Prime Minister Carney reacts to Musk's comments, while the Daily Debrief Panel dissects those soundbites from a political perspective.
On today's show:
Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Liberal Caucus Chair James Maloney amid the fallout from the Carney government's MAiD decision.
Heather McPherson, the NDP MP for Edmonton Strathcona, discusses why she's pushing for an emergency debate in Parliament over the Alberta referendum on October 19th.
Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lisa Barrett has a reality check on the 'Russian Plague', and addresses the ongoing fears surrounding a future outbreak.
The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Marieke Walsh, Mike LeCouteur, Laura Stone, and Rob Benzie.
CTV U.S. political analyst Eric Ham weighs in on Trump-endorsed Senate candidate Mike Rogers now running anti-tariff ads ahead of America's Midterms.
CTV's Jeremie Charron has the details on a new $2 billion federal rebate program, aimed at encouraging Canadians to switch to heat pumps this Winter.

It's a decision that has been years in the making. On Wednesday, Canada's Justice Minister announced that the Carney government will table legislation to indefinitely pause the expansion of medically assisted death for Canadians whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. The Daily Debrief panel weighs in on the politics around Canada's MAiD regime.
On today's show:
Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Stephen Fuhr, the Secretary of State for Defense Procurement, on why the government is converting the new Defense Investment Agency into a Crown corporation just a year after it was launched.
B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson joins Vassy to discuss the B.C. election campaign.
The Explainer with CJAD Montreal host Elias Makos: What exactly do Quebec separatists want?
The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Laura D'Angelo, Jeff Rutledge, and Paul Wells.
Weeks of violent protests across France show no signs of slowing down, as the Macron government scrambles to deal with multiple political crises. Vassy speaks with European political expert Professor Laurie Beaudonnet from the University of Montreal.
CTV's Rachel Aiello joins us with all the details on the Justice Minister's MAiD announcement.

Parti Quebecois leader Paul St. Pierre Plamondon campaigned on a promise to hold a referendum on Quebec independence, but not until after U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office. CTV Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin joins Vassy with a breakdown of the Quebec election results.
On today's show:
A new report from the Institute for Research on Public Policy is highlighting the gaps between political rhetoric and actual action on diversifying Canada's trade economy. Vassy is joined by Chris Ragan, the Founding Director of McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.
Money Talk with John Klotz: The key highlights from the annual IPC Wealth Conference in Ottawa.
The Daily Debrief Panel - featuring Jamie Ellerton, Sharan Kaur, and Nojoud Al Mallees.
Vassy goes 1-on-1 with Conservative MP Scott Aitchison, the eighth member of the Conservative caucus to either resign or cross the floor since the 2025 Federal Election.
CTV National News correspondent Judy Trinh has an update on the investigation into a Canadian intern at NATO, who is on trial for espionage.

In this 4-part series, Vassy Kapelos is joined by psychotherapist Jentzen Michael Shea for an in-depth discussion about various aspects of understanding grief. We examine how it impacts our lives and explore strategies for addressing and dealing with grief when it becomes an impediment to our mental health.