Front Burner

Kyle Cheney, Politico senior legal affairs reporter who covers high-profile investigations, walks through the DOJ’s 3 million Epstein files. He outlines links to powerful figures, details prolific communications like those with Steve Bannon, and explores Epstein’s role as a broker among elites. The conversation also covers released sensitive material, questions about prosecutorial review, and what accountability might look like.

Amy Fischer, Director for Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty International USA, is an expert on U.S. immigration detention conditions. She describes arrests and processing, barriers to legal access, family detention harms, shocking findings at facilities like Alligator Alcatraz, denied inspections, rising deaths in custody, and how courts and Congress can try to respond.

Aaron Wherry, senior Parliamentary bureau writer who analyzes Canadian federal politics, breaks down Pierre Poilievre’s strong leadership review and what it actually means for his future. He discusses convention voting dynamics, Poilievre’s tone on affordability and separatism, policy resolutions, internal party risks, and whether recent grocery-store announcements signal election readiness.

David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data and pollster, breaks down polling and coalition shifts. Aaron Wherry, longtime parliamentary writer, traces party dynamics and leadership turmoil. They trace the Conservatives’ revolving leadership, analyze Poilievre’s rise and its electoral paradox, and debate whether the party can stay united or needs a new direction.

Ali Breland, staff writer at The Atlantic who covers the far right, explains how Nazi-coded imagery and slogans have appeared in recent official social posts. Short takes cover which agencies posted them, the fashwave aesthetic, niche song and slogan references, who these messages target, and how such messaging reshapes the idea of America.

Patrick Lennox, national security analyst and former federal candidate, and Jason Markusoff, Calgary political reporter and energy commentator, discuss U.S. interest in Alberta separatism. They cover MAGA figures weighing in, private U.S. outreach, resource-driven motives, disinformation risks, and how foreign influence could alter local politics.

Aaron Ettinger, a political science professor at Carleton University who studies international security and transatlantic relations, walks through NATO’s history and its changing missions. He discusses early Cold War crises, post‑Soviet enlargement, Afghanistan versus Iraq divisions, Russia’s 2014 resurgence, and how recent U.S. actions and Greenland tensions strain transatlantic trust.

Michael Scherer, Atlantic staff writer who profiles power in American politics, discusses Stephen Miller's expanding control over immigration and enforcement. Short, sharp takes cover Miller’s push to redefine federal authority, his legal and organizational tactics, his daily oversight of enforcement agencies, and how spectacle and retaliation shape policy. The conversation focuses on Miller’s methods and influence.

Hugh Lovatt, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, dives into the complexities of Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace.' He unpacks its questionable origins tied to a 20-point Gaza plan and how critics fear it could undermine the UN. Lovatt warns about the board's expansive ambitions beyond Gaza, the potential conflicts arising from private investor interests, and the risks of global governance fragmentation it may provoke. His insights raise pressing questions about international order in a multipolar world.

Paul Wells, a seasoned Canadian political journalist, dives into the recent World Economic Forum in Davos. He shares insights on the contrasting speeches of Donald Trump and Mark Carney, particularly focusing on Trump's peculiar comments about acquiring Greenland. Wells critiques Trump's NATO claims, highlighting their implications for allies. He elaborates on Carney's call for middle powers to unite against a changing global order and discusses the dangers of economic coercion. The conversation also touches on Carney's reception at Davos and potential Canadian strategies in uncertain times.