The House

As Canada seeks to land a trade deal with the United States, cracks began to emerge this week over whether some sectors — and corresponding provinces — are getting more attention than others. David Paterson, Ontario’s representative in Washington, joins the show to discuss whether Ottawa is too focused on Canada’s auto industry as B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba ask for more help with their lumber and canola sectors.Plus, while the trade war continues to bubble, Prime Minister Mark Carney is attempting a plan to get tougher on crime — and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called RCMP leadership “despicable.” Political strategists Kate Harrison, Marci Surkes and Jordan Leichnitz join The House to dig into some of the biggest headlines of the week.Then, Catherine Cullen speaks with former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell, who’s been tapped by the B.C. government to improve the city’s Downtown Eastside amid ongoing complex problems surrounding drugs, crime and homelessness.And: even with cuts to government spending on the horizon, Carney says he’s making the Trudeau-era National School Food Program permanent. Debbie Field, national coordinator for Coalition for Healthy School Food, discusses the state of the program and whether the funding is still far from hitting the mark.This episode features the voices of:David Paterson, Ontario’s representative in Washington, D.C.Kate Harrison, Conservative strategist and vice chair at Summa StrategiesMarci Surkes, former senior advisor to Justin Trudeau and chief strategy officer at Compass RoseJordan Leichnitz, NDP strategist and Canada Director at the Friedrich Ebert FoundationLarry Campbell, B.C.’s new adviser on Vancouver’s Downtown EastsideDebbie Field, national coordinator of the Coalition for Healthy School Food

Valérie Pisano, CEO of Mila, emphasizes the need for responsible AI governance to protect Canadians while harnessing research strength. Hamish van der Ven highlights the environmental impacts of AI, urging for caution and sustainable practices in tech development. Evan Solomon discusses Canada's national AI strategy, focusing on privacy legislation and the balance between innovation and safety. The conversation navigates the risks of AI on jobs, societal relationships, and the urgent need for robust regulatory measures.

Mark Carney and Donald Trump met Tuesday in the White House to try and hammer out a resolution to the U.S. trade war that has wreaked havoc on critical Canadian sectors like steel, aluminum, auto manufacturing and forestry. Later in the day, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters that the talks were "substantive," but made no announcement on a deal or tariff relief — saying conversations with his American counterparts will continue. So was Carney’s visit to Washington a win, a waste of time or a wash? Co-hosts and political nerds Catherine Cullen, Daniel Thibeault and Jason Markusoff tackle the big meeting in this last — for now — episode of House Party.  

Since Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his major projects goals, Alberta has been crystal clear — it wants a new pipeline to the west coast. Now, the province is planning to submit a formal application to Canada’s Major Projects Office, but B.C. won’t play ball. The House checks in with B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix to get the west coast perspective, as well as Alex Pourbaix, Cenovus Energy’s board chair, who is co-leading the advisory group assisting the Alberta government on its pipeline pitch.Plus, as the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, Palestinians in Canada are calling on Ottawa to bring their family members to safety through an emergency temporary immigration program. CBC’s Raffy Boudjikanian shares the story of Eman Alatbash, who worries about her sister’s fate in Gaza and the rest of her family stuck in Cairo.Next, in the two years since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, incidents of antisemitism have risen dramatically around the world. What has to happen to stop it? Human rights lawyer and former justice minister Irwin Cotler joins Catherine Cullen to talk about the rise of antisemitism in Canada and how to address it.  Then, a new report from an RBC research team suggests Canada’s farming workforce is drying up. Author Lisa Ashton joins the show to discuss what the federal government needs to do to shore up Canada’s farms.Finally, On his first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation as prime minister, Mark Carney spoke in detail about a piece of art he’s recently had installed on Parliament Hill. Catherine Cullen speaks with artist Luke Parnell, who created A Brief History of Northwest Coast Design back in 2007, about the prime minister’s reflections on his work and the road ahead for reconciliation.This episode features the voices of:Adrian Dix, B.C. Minister of EnergyAlex Pourbaix, board chair of Cenovus EnergyRaffy Boudjikanian, CBC NewsIrwin Cotler, former special envoy on combatting antisemitismLisa Ashton, agriculture policy lead for RBC Climate Action InstituteLuke Parnell, creator of A Brief History of Northwest Coast Design

Canada Post is on strike for the second time in less than a year, after the government authorized significant changes like ending home delivery across the country and closing some post offices. The Crown corporation is on track to lose $1.5 billion this year and the minister in charge of the file said it was “effectively insolvent.” So: what’s the future for Canada Post? And as the federal government tightens its belt ahead of next month’s federal budget, what does Prime Minister Mark Carney’s tough stance on Canada Post signal about what services he'll keep or cut? Co-hosts and political nerds Catherine Cullen, Daniel Thibeault and Jason Markusoff are here to talk about it all. 

Bob Rae, Canada's UN Ambassador, discusses the significance of recognizing Palestine amidst global security concerns and Trump’s provocative UN address. Emma Godmere shares firsthand accounts from Nuuk, Greenland, revealing local sentiments about international attention and strengthened ties with Canada. Paul Wells analyzes the political repercussions of a leaked audio involving the public safety minister's comments on gun policy, shedding light on internal government dynamics. The conversation touches on pressing geopolitical trends and the evolving role of Canada in global affairs.

The U.S. Ambassador to Canada says he’s disappointed in what he calls the “anti-American” sentiment of the elbows up campaign. So this week on House Party, we’re asking: are those hurt feelings getting in the way of Prime Minister Mark Carney being able to strike a trade deal with President Donald Trump? Was the ambassador warning Canada’s politicians to stand down? And what does the business community — to whom Ambassador Pete Hoekstra was speaking — make of the ambassador’s message? Co-hosts and political nerds Catherine Cullen, Daniel Thibeault and Jason Markusoff talk about all of that… and whether there’s a good alternative to U.S. bourbon for your party cocktails.

This week, Donald Trump enjoyed a second state visit to the United Kingdom and was feted by King Charles and the royal family at Windsor Castle — a move some Brits saw as the United Kingdom sucking up to the U.S. president. Canadian podcaster and author Stephen Marche and former Mexican politician Agustín Barrios Gómez discuss whether their countries should suck up or stand up to Donald Trump.Plus, this week has seen high-profile Liberals from the Trudeau era announce their departure from Parliament Hill to take on diplomatic roles, including Chrystia Freeland and David Lametti — and there’s rumours of more on the way. Catherine Cullen sits down with Lametti Then, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson talks about major projects, oil pipelines, and whether Canada — in the midst of this push to build big — can meet its upcoming emissions reduction targets.Finally, political strategists Mitch Heimpel and Carlene Variyan go into sportscaster mode to review the tape from the first-ever Mark Carney/Pierre Poilievre question period faceoff in the House of Commons this week.This episode features the voices of:David Lametti, Canada’s incoming ambassador to the United NationsStephen Marche, author and host of “Gloves Off”Agustín Barrios Gómez, former Mexican congressmanTim Hodgson, minister of energy and natural resourcesMitch Heimpel, Conservative strategistCarlene Variyan, former chief of staff to Liberal ministers

Parliament is back. And so is House Party. As Prime Minister Mark Carney faces off against newly re-elected Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre while grappling with the trade war, the rising cost of living, the housing crisis, the climate crisis, a budget that ain’t gonna be pretty, two overseas wars, a possible national unity crisis or two… need we go on? Sure, because co-hosts and political nerds Catherine Cullen, Daniel Thibeault and Jason Markusoff have got the party started and are here to talk about how Mark Carney is handling it all.

Ahead of MPs returning to the House of Commons, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre joins The House for a sit-down interview in studio to discuss the federal government’s major projects list, his views on climate change and his worries about his family’s security in a time of growing political violence.Then, Catherine Cullen talks to Dan Myerson, CEO of the Foran copper mine in Saskatchewan that made the top tier of Carney’s projects list, and Martin Imbleau, the CEO of Alto, the high-speed rail project connecting Toronto to Quebec City that still has work to do before moving up to the A-list.Plus, Tonda MacCharles of the Toronto Star and Stuart Thomson of the National Post evaluate whether Carney can walk the political tightrope and keep provinces and territories happy. Finally, former federal environment minister Catherine McKenna discusses her new memoir, Run Like A Girl, and explains how she coped with sexist attacks and the increasingly toxic nature of political life in Canada.This episode features the voices of:Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of CanadaDan Myerson, CEO of Foran MiningMartin Imbleau, CEO of AltoTonda MacCharles, Ottawa bureau chief for the Toronto StarStuart Thomson, parliamentary bureau chief for the National PostCatherine McKenna, former federal environment minister and author of Run Like A Girl