The Paul Wells Show

As Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae is not afraid to speak his mind, even when it’s not clear whether the government stands behind him. In this episode, he talks about the role of the UN in an age of mounting skepticism towards global institutions, his reputation for being outspoken, and dealing with the "cascade of crises" taking place around the world. He also challenges Paul on a column he wrote in 2020, questioning Rae’s appointment to his current job. This episode originally aired on October 26, 2022.

Ben Woodfinden, former communications director for Pierre Poilievre, shares his insights on the shifting tides of Canadian conservatism. He defends the party's recent electoral strategy and emphasizes the need for a strong, inclusive populist message to attract diverse demographics. Woodfinden also discusses the media landscape's evolution, including the transition from traditional outlets to social media for voter engagement. He highlights pressing issues like affordable housing and the complexities of coalition building to ensure future success.

How should people outside government be involved in shaping government policy? Who has the government's ear, and how do they decide which voices to listen to? Those are the questions Paul puts to this week's guests, Taylor Owen from McGill’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, and Rachel Samson from the Institute for Research on Public Policy.  This panel was organized by the Max Bell Foundation and the episode was recorded live at McGill University. 

k.d. lang reflects on her four decade-long musical career, which may have reached its end. “All music tends towards silence and I have to honour the silence,” she tells Paul in an open and wide-ranging conversation in Calgary. We originally released this episode in March, 2023.

Today, we're sharing an episode from our friends at the podcast WONK, which Paul appeared on this week. Paul talks to host Amanda Lang about some surprising shifts in the wake of the federal election, including an easing of the 'ever-deepening animosity' that’s become a trademark of politics, evidence of a common understanding of what's good for Canada and why we should be grateful Trump isn’t better at his job. 

Join Andrew Bevan, former national campaign director for the Liberal Party, Gerald Butts, senior advisor to the Carney campaign, and Conservative MP Scott Aitchison as they dissect the recent Canadian election. They share insights on leadership challenges within the Liberal Party and the importance of strategic collaboration in addressing economic pressures. Aitchison reflects on the need for the Conservative Party to prioritize affordability, while all three discuss the urgent call for diverse representation in politics, blending serious topics with a touch of humor.

With less than a week left until election day, Paul calls up a few colleagues to talk about what we’ve learned and what will come next. They also talk about how politicians have changed their relationship to the press.   Our panel this week features political journalists Vassy Kapelos, Hélène Buzzetti and Steve Murphy.    Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Someday we should probably sit down and have a talk about election platforms. Count this week’s instalment of The Panel as a down payment on that conversation. Platforms are weird: if you release yours on Easter Saturday, after the television debates are already over, and a month after the election campaign started, your body language doesn’t say “Key piece of voter information.” But nobody dares not release one. Anyway, we’ve got Allison Gifford, Marci Surkes and Jason Lietaer to discuss the platforms, the debates, and the home stretch of this fascinating campaign.

How concerned should we be about election interference online? Taylor Owen and his colleagues at the Media Ecosytem Observatory keep a close eye on who's trying to sway our elections, and whether or not they're succeeding. He joins Paul to discuss that work and share his wish list for the next government’s digital policy.    Taylor Owen is the founding director of the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University. You can hear him every other Tuesday on his podcast Machines Like Us.   In campaign news, Carney and Poilievre appeared on Quebec's biggest talk show this week. Now, they're getting ready for the debates. Hélène Buzzetti, political columnist for Coops de l’information, breaks down Montreal Week.   Season 3 of the Paul Wells Show is supported by McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy

This week is mostly about Quebec. Sorry, people who get bugged by that. The Conservative and Liberal leaders were on Tout le monde en parle, the only talk show in either official language that’s a must-attend for the Carneys and Poilievres of this world. On Wednesday they’ll be at the French-language leaders’ debate, followed by the Thursday English-language debate, both in Montreal. (The leaders of the emergency back-up parties will join them.) Mark Carney, at least, decided to stay in the Montreal area between TLMEP and Wednesday. Poilievre had Montreal events on Monday too. Our Panel also discusses Carney’s habit of putting his campaign up on blocks so he can return to Ottawa and be prime ministerial every time Donald Trump does the sort of thing Donald Trump would do; and the tendency of both major-party leaders to go on quirky offbeat lifestyle podcasts where nobody ever asks a backup question or points out a contradiction. Mostly I’m the one who wanted to talk about that last part. Our Panel, once again, is Conservative Jason Lietaer, New Democrat Allison Gifford, and Liberal Marci Surkes. And they’re the best. Enjoy.