

The CGAI Podcast Network
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute
The CGAI Podcast Network is created and produced by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Join us each week to explore the energy, defense, and international affairs stories that matter to Canadians. Listen now to CGAI podcasts “The Global Exchange”, “Defence Deconstructed”, and “Energy Security Cubed”, and partner podcasts “Battle Rhythm" and “Conseils de sécurité”. Visit www.cgai.ca for more, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) is a charitable, independent, non-partisan, research institute based in Ottawa, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta.
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) is a charitable, independent, non-partisan, research institute based in Ottawa, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 18, 2025 • 46min
Trump–Putin: What Was Said, What Wasn’t
On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Andrew Rasiulis and H.E. Kaspars Ozoliņš to discuss the latest events in Putins visit to Alaska and Zelensky's upcoming meeting with the support of European leaders.
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Participants' bios
- Andrew Rasiulis is a CGAI Fellow who previously served in the Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence.
- H.E. Kaspars Ozoliņš is the Latvian Ambassador to Canada.
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Host bio:
Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Reading Recommendations:
- "Nexus" by Yuval Noah Harari
- "The World of the Cold War: 1945-1991" by Vladislav Zubok
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: August 18, 2025
Release date:
August 18, 2025

Aug 15, 2025 • 40min
Canada-EU Strategic Shield
In this #TripleHelix episode, we sit down with Guillaume Décot to discuss Strategic Partnership on Security and Defense signed in June between Canada and the EU. We look at how this new partnership builds off of previous initiatives whilst also differentiates from them, the specific programs established to support the partnership and the significance of Canada’s involvement.
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Guest bios:
Guillaume Décot is a Political Counsellor of the European Union Delegation to Canada
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Host bio:
Dr. David Perry is President and CEO of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Recommended Readings:
- "Les autres ne pensent pas comme nous" by Maurice Gourdault-Montagne
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Defence Deconstructed was brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding.
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
Release date:
15 August 2025

Aug 13, 2025 • 57min
The View from Poland on Energy Security
On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Kelly Ogle and Joe Calnan talk with Kasha Piquette about energy policy in Eastern Europe in the context of the inauguration of the new Polish President and Russian threats in the region, and what Canada can do to assist.
For the intro session, Joe and Kelly talk about Cenovus's offer to buy MEG Energy, the merger of Chinese shipbuilding companies, and where LNG Canada cargoes are headed.
You can find Kasha's article for Energy Now here: https://energynow.ca/2025/08/like-alberta-as-canadas-energy-hub-poland-is-looking-to-expand-its-energy-sovereignty-as-part-of-europes-future/
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Guest Bio:
- Kasha Piquette is the CEO of Canadian Energy Ventures and a Former Deputy Minister of Environment and Intergovernmental Relations for Alberta
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Host Bio:
- Kelly Ogle is Managing Director of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
- Joe Calnan is VP, Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Reading recommendations:
- "Kaput: The End of the German Miracle": https://www.amazon.ca/Kaput-German-Miracle-Wolfgang-M%C3%BCnchau-ebook/dp/B0D71HHHRG
- "No Trade Is Free: Changing Course, Taking on China, and Helping America's Workers": https://www.amazon.ca/No-Trade-Free-Changing-Americas/dp/0063282135
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Interview recording Date: August 12, 2025
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Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary.
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Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

Aug 11, 2025 • 38min
The Next Energy Frontier
On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Heather Exner-Pirot and Martha Hall-Findlay to discuss the most recent paper by the Canada-U.S. Expert Group, "Canada’s Energy Future Moving Ahead in One Canadian Economy".
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Participants' bios
- Heather Exner-Pirot is a Senior Fellow and Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Special Advisor to the Business Council of Canada, and Research Advisor to the Indigenous Resource Network.
- Martha Hall Findlay is Director of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. She previously served as a Member of Parliament, President & CEO of the Canada West Foundation and as Chief Sustainability Officer, then Chief Climate Officer for Suncor Energy.
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Host bio:
Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Reading Recommendations:
- "Canada's Energy Future" by Perrin Beatty, Thomas d’Aquino, Heather Exner-Pirot, Fen Osler Hampson, Lawrence Herman and Tim Sargent
- "Gun, Germs, And Steel" by Jared Diamond
- "Salt: A World History Book" by Mark Kurlansky
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: August 07, 2025
Release date:
August 11, 2025

Aug 8, 2025 • 42min
Inside the Multinational Brigade in Latvia
In this episode of #DefenceDeconstructed, we make available a CGAI webinar conducted in April with Andrew Rasiulis, Chris Shapardanov, Alexandra Richards, Robert Baines and Chris Kilford on their respective travels and experiences to the multinational brigade in Latvia. This webinar was made possible due to a NATO Public Policy grant.
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Guest bios:
- Andrew Rasiulis is a CGAI Fellow who previously served in the Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence.
- Chris Shapardanov is a member of the University of Ottawa's Information Integrity Lab and a former diplomat. He is now a Senior Associate at David Pratt and Associates.
- Alexandra Richards is a PhD candidate at Simon Frasier University working on public opinion, security and defence issues.
- Robert Baines is the President and CEO of the NATO Association of Canada.
- Chris Kilford is the President of Victoria Branch of the Canadian International Council. He previously had a 36 year career in the Canadian Armed Forces Forces.
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Host bio:
Dr. David Perry is President and CEO of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Defence Deconstructed was brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding.
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
Release date:
08 August 2025

Aug 6, 2025 • 54min
China's Journey Away from Coal
On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Joe Calnan talks with David Fishman about energy policy in China surrounding coal and electricity.
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Guest Bio:
- David Fishman is Principal at Lantau Group
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Host Bio:
- Kelly Ogle is Managing Director of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
- Joe Calnan is VP, Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Reading recommendations:
- "The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions", by Jason Hickel: https://www.jasonhickel.org/the-divide
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Interview recording Date: July 31, 2025
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Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary.
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Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

Aug 5, 2025 • 40min
Art of Influence: Canada’s Cultural Diplomacy
On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Sarah Smith and Patricia Bovey to discuss cultural diplomacy through their works, "Trading on Art" and "Cultural Diplomacy at the Front Stage of Canada's Foreign policy", respectively.
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Participants' bios
- Sarah Smith is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Art, Culture and Global Relations at the University of Western Ontario. She is the author of "Trading on Art".
- Patricia Bovey is a former director of the Victoria and Winnipeg art galleries. She served in the Canadian Senate and contributed to the Senate Foreign Affairs committee Report of 2019, "Cultural Diplomacy at the Front Stage of Canada's Foreign Policy".
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Host bio:
Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Reading Recommendations:
- "Trading on Art: Cultural Diplomacy and Free Trade in North America" by Sarah Smith.
- "Cultural Diplomacy at the Front Stage of Canada’s Foreign Policy" by A. Raynell Andreychuk et. al.
- "The Case for a Renaissance in Canadian Cultural Diplomacy" by Colin Robertson
- "A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir" by Jacinda Ardern
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: August 01, 2025
Release date:
August 05, 2025

Aug 1, 2025 • 23min
The Business of Building Canadian Defence
In this #TripleHelix episode of #DefenceDeconstructed we sit down with Dr. Alexander Salt to discuss his latest paper, "Venture Capital Financing and Canadian Defence".
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Guest bios:
Dr. Alexander Salt is a CGAI Fellow. He has a PhD from the University of Calgary’s Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies and an MA in Political Studies from the University of Manitoba.
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Host bio:
Dr. David Perry is President and CEO of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Recommended Readings:
- "Venture Capital Financing and Canadian Defence" by Dr. Alexander Salt
- "The Last Warrior: Andrew Marshall and the Shaping of Modern American Defense Strategy" by Andrew F Krepinevich and Barry D Watts
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Defence Deconstructed was brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding.
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
Release date:
01 August 2025

Jul 30, 2025 • 48min
The US-EU Energy Trade Deal and Unpredictability
On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Kelly and Joe discuss the future of Net Zero, the US-EU energy trade deal, and questions of energy data transparency.
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Host Bio:
- Kelly Ogle is Managing Director of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
- Joe Calnan is VP Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Reading Recommendations:
- Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union, by Vladislav M. Zubok: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300268171/collapse/
- The Buried Giant: A Novel, by Kazuo Ishiguro: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-buried-giant-a-novel/9780345809414.html
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Interview recording Date: July 29, 2025
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Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary.
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Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

Jul 28, 2025 • 46min
The North American Trilateral Relationship
On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Dr. Christopher Sands and Carlo Dade to discuss Canada-U.S. relations and its implications for the trilateral relationship of North America; Canada, U.S. and Mexico.
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Participants' bios
- Dr. Christopher Sands is an Adjunct Lecturer and Director of the Hopkins Center for Canadian Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at John Hopkins University.
- Carlo Dade is the Director of International Policy at the School of Policy at the University of Calgary.
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Host bio:
Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Reading Recommendations:
- "Abundance" by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
- "Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn" by Christopher Cox
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: July 8, 2025
Release date:
July 28, 2025