Plus, the Ranter was all too willing to get into it again with Trump, this time and his Canada obsession. 

An encore of Syria's Assad government fell and the dictator fled the country.  What happens now and who will pick up the pieces?

He must love baiting Canada and Trudeau. Trump was at it again in a with a new post.

Syria's Assad government fell and the dictator fled the country.  What happens now and who will pick up the pieces?

A week after their Mar a Lago dinner what was actually accomplished by the Trudeau-Trump dinner? Is Canada now dancing to the Trump tune or is there a chance for a meaningful all-Canadian approach to dealing with the new President and his agenda?  Bruce and Chantal join in for their assessment of the new top line item on the Ottawa political calendar.

This week's question sounded simple enough but we got lots of different answers.  The question was, "What is a journalist?" prompted by the changing nature of journalism or at least the assumption from a lot of people that journalism isn't what it used to be.  Answers came from across the country and around the world, and offered an array of opinions.  Plus the Random Ranter drops in with his take on drugs and crypto.

Encore Episode: So how did the media do during the most consequential election of our time? Lots of different opinions on that but today we focus on the views of one person, someone who has a great deal of expertise on this issue. Bill Fox is a former senior reporter, a top political advisor to a former prime minister, and a former executive for major companies. He's also an author specializing in discussion about the media. Today he's our guest. 

As the stories keep getting leaked about what really happened at the Trump Trudeau dinner last Friday night in Florida, a new one has emerged.  Apparently Trump joked (was it a joke?) that Canada could always join the United States as the 51st state if it felt it was being so unfairly handled on trade issues.  Really?  Not that old line again.  That and a lot more on an "end bit" collection of stories for this Tuesday.

Things are moving quickly in both the Middle East and Ukraine -- so quickly that we may be near the end on both fronts.  And while that is happening, suddenly. Syria is back in the headlines.  For her regular Monday appearance, Dr Janice Stein of the Munk School at the University of Toronto has her analysis on all this for us with her usual in depth take on the situation.

The discussion kicks off with a witty take on Winnipeg's winter while unpacking Trump’s tariff threats. It dives into Canada’s border politics and the complexities of U.S.-Canada relations under the Trump administration. Financial relief initiatives like $250 checks and GST holidays spur mixed public reactions. The critique shifts to a controversial tax initiative and its uneven effects, fueling skepticism among younger citizens. Finally, the podcast delves into the parliamentary standoff, highlighting strategies for political navigation amidst growing affordability issues.