TwinTalk Politics

Jerry and Jason Song

TwinTalk Politics is a non-partisan podcast created by Jason and Jerry Song with the aim of increasing youth engagement in Canadian politics. We speak with parliamentarians from all political parties across Canada and democratic experts worldwide to gain their insights on the most pressing issues facing youth today and explore how we can effectively address these challenges. Our mission is to make politics accessible and engaging for the younger generation and put young voices at the forefront of political discussion!

  1. E43 Senator Bev Busson

    4D AGO

    E43 Senator Bev Busson

    We had the incredible honor of speaking with Senator Bev Busson, Senator representing British Columbia. She is a Commander of the Order of Merit of Police Forces, a recipient of the Vice Chief of Defence Staff Commendation, the Order of British Columbia, and a Member of the Order of Canada, among countless other awards and distinctions. Our conversation began with her remarkable journey into the RCMP, from being part of the first ever cohort of women RCMP officers to becoming the first female commissioned officer in Canada, and how she navigated unprecedented challenges. Continuing on the topic of the RCMP, we discussed the structural factors behind current officer shortages and potential solutions to address ongoing recruitment challenges. We then transitioned to defence, where, drawing on her experience as a former advisor to the Government on National Security, she shared her thoughts on Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, including the 2 percent GDP defence spending target, partnerships with Indigenous communities to protect Arctic sovereignty, and efforts to strengthen domestic defence production. Building on her experience as a trailblazer and one of the first women in many roles, we explored strategies to increase women’s representation in elected office and support their long-term success. Lastly, we explored the role of youth in today’s democracy, including the importance of integrating sustained civic education early on. Stay until the end to find out, after living and working across Canada, which province Senator Busson would choose to call home for the rest of her life!

    30 min
  2. E42 Senator Michèle Audette

    APR 13

    E42 Senator Michèle Audette

    We had the honor of a lifetime speaking with Senator Michèle Audette, Senator representing Quebec. She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, a Commissioner for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Women of the Year awardee, and one of, if not the leading voice for Indigenous rights and justice in Canada today. Our discussion began with youth mental health and its stigmatization, before turning to the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, focusing on the structural reasons why only two of the National Inquiry’s 231 Calls for Justice have been fully implemented and more than half remain unstarted. We then explored Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements), where Senator Audette shared her firsthand experience of the harms caused and how a one-parent status model could begin to address longstanding discrimination and structural inequalities in the Indian Act. The conversation also delved into Indigenous languages, from the significance of Senator Audette’s swearing-in oath in Innu to governmental strategies for meaningful protection and revitalization, as well as the graduate program she helped create in Indigenous public administration to advance community-led self-determination. Lastly, we discussed representation, examining how to strengthen women’s presence in elected office and support their success, alongside ways to deepen youth engagement in democracy through initiatives like shadowing programs, Voices of Youth Indigenous Leaders, and Bill S-222 (Vote16 Act). Stay until the end to hear in an alternate timeline where Senator Audette pursued her passion for the arts as a fine arts teacher, which discipline she would teach! Tshinashkumitin.

    44 min
  3. E41 Senator Dawn Arnold

    APR 6

    E41 Senator Dawn Arnold

    We had the immense honour of speaking with Senator Dawn Arnold, Senator for New Brunswick. She is a recipient of the Order of New Brunswick, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, and has been named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government. Our conversation spanned a wide range of issues, beginning with her work on the Senate Committee on Human Rights, examining the growing impact of artificial intelligence on human rights and economic security, including the need for strengthened guardrails and AI’s potential as public infrastructure. We then turned to Canada’s affordability crisis, from measures such as removing GST for first-time homebuyers to overlooked structural barriers like development charges within the housing system. Drawing on her trailblazing experience as Moncton’s first female mayor, she reflected on increasing women’s representation in politics and the importance of supporting women not only in getting elected but also once they are in office. We also explored how Budget 2025’s $503 million investment can boost long-term participation in the arts, alongside the paramount nature of bilingualism to national identity and the risks of not sustaining French across generations. Lastly, we discussed the role of youth in democracy today, including her support for S-222, the Vote16 Act. Stay until the end to hear Senator Arnold’s top three book recommendations (don’t worry, there’s a mix of French and English)!

    36 min
  4. E40 MP Amandeep Sodhi

    MAR 23

    E40 MP Amandeep Sodhi

    We had the immense privilege of speaking with the youngest MP in the House of Commons, MP Amandeep Sodhi, Member of Parliament for Brampton Centre. Our conversation began with the current efforts to address the affordability crisis facing young Canadians, with a particular focus on the effectiveness of youth employment programs such as the Student Work Placement Program, before transitioning to MP Sodhi’s roller coaster of emotions during her first federal campaign and the moment she secured victory. We also had the chance to explore her work on the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, where we discussed possible strategies to maintain affordable, high-quality post-secondary education in light of recent reductions to the international student program. In our final segment, we focused on youth. As one of only 4 MPs in Parliament born in the 21st century, MP Sodhi reflected on how her age has shaped her career, both positively and negatively, and shared her perspective on strengthening youth engagement, including her thoughts on whether Canada should extend the voting age to 16. Stay until the end to hear MP Sodhi’s recommendations on must-visit places in Brampton!

    21 min
  5. E39 Professor Beth Rubin

    MAR 9

    E39 Professor Beth Rubin

    It was an honour speaking with Professor Beth Rubin, Professor of Education and Social Studies Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is one of the leading scholars studying how young people develop civic understanding and identity, and her work has greatly informed our own youth civic campaigns. Our conversation began with Professor Rubin’s leadership in the Civically Engaged Districts Project, which partners with public school districts in New Jersey to embed student-led inquiry and civic voice in classrooms. We explored how schools can treat young people as “citizens of the now” by transforming them from passive recipients of civic education into active co-creators through Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). We then transitioned to her scholarship that has directly influenced our Vote16 work, particularly “It’s Going to Go Beyond These Walls: Toward a More Expansive Vision of Civic Learning.” We explored her idea of cultivating bottom-up civic learning through “critical ecosystems of civic learning.” Professor Rubin explained how civic learning is inherently affective and relational, yet often suppressed in the name of neutrality. We discussed how recognizing the classroom as a “figured world,” where power, identity, and knowledge are socially and historically situated, can actually help educators avoid reinforcing dominant narratives and existing inequalities. To conclude, we touched on the challenges facing civic education today, from rising polarization and disinformation to growing political disillusionment, and how educators can better prepare students for meaningful civic participation. Stay until the end to hear Professor Rubin share which of the places she has studied and taught has the best food scene!

    31 min
  6. E38 MP Jake Sawatzky

    JAN 30

    E38 MP Jake Sawatzky

    We had the privilege of an incredible conversation with MP Jake Sawatzky, Member of Parliament for New Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville. Our discussion touches on MP Sawatzky’s journey into politics and his remarkable uphill election victory in the 2025 federal election, where he defeated a two decade long incumbent. Drawing on his extensive background in neuroscience and counselling psychology, we discussed the current state of mental health and addiction in Canada and the importance of implementing step-down services and rehabilitation centres. As one of only four Members of Parliament born in the 21st century, MP Sawatzky also shares the reality of serving as a young leader in government, the challenges he has faced, his priorities as chair of the Liberal Youth Caucus, and his thoughts on strengthening youth engagement in Canadian democracy. Stay until the end to hear about MP Sawatzky’s concert booking agency, We Outside, and the most memorable concert he has ever hosted! Check it out!

    28 min
  7. E37 Professor Patrick Heller

    JAN 23

    E37 Professor Patrick Heller

    It was an honor speaking with Professor Patrick Heller, Lyn Crost Professor of Social Sciences, Professor of International and Public Affairs and Sociology, and the newly appointed Director of the Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia at Brown University. He is one of the world’s leading experts on social inequality, democracy, and civil societies, with groundbreaking research spanning India, Brazil, and South Africa. Our conversation began with Professor Heller’s work on democracy, drawing on “Deliberation and Development: Rethinking the Role of Voice and Collective Action in Unequal Societies.” We discussed democracy beyond elections, the intrinsic value of participation, and how structured participation builds effective citizenship, particularly for marginalized voices. We then transitioned to participatory budgeting (PB), drawing on Professor Heller’s “Bootstrapping Democracy: Transforming Local Governance and Civil Society in Brazil” to investigate why PB succeeded in Brazil, what this model reveals about deepening democratic practices even in contexts of immense inequality, and the possible institutional designs that can mitigate growth machine politics. Our conversation then diverged into Professor Heller’s incredible work on the Cities of Delhi and Citizenship, Inequality, and Urban Governance (CIUG) projects, focusing on the concept of differentiated citizenship and the specific mechanisms through which inequality shapes urban democracy. To conclude, we discussed the impact of entrenched colonial legacies still shaping urban life today across Brazil, South Africa, and India, as well as how the fate of democratic deepening depends on the intricate balance between political parties and civil society. Stay until the end to hear about Professor Heller’s favourite memories in India, along with his recommended Indian cuisine!  P.S. A huge thank you to Professor Heller for surviving a fire drill with us! :)

    1h 6m
  8. E36 Professor Nolan McCarty

    JAN 2

    E36 Professor Nolan McCarty

    We had the absolute privilege of speaking with Professor Nolan McCarty, Susan Dod Brown Professor of Politics and Public Affairs, and Vice Dean for Academic Affairs in the Office of the Dean of the Faculty at Princeton University. He is one of, if not the, leading scholar in polarization, democratic institutions, and political economy. Our conversation began with polarization, analyzing the self-reinforcing “doom loop” explored in Professor ​​McCarty’s Polarization: What Everyone Needs to Know and its implications for citizens’ trust in public institutions. We then discussed the inseparable link between economic inequality and affective polarization, exploring how individuals’ willingness to engage in cross group cooperation shifts during economic upswings and downturns. Our conversation then ranged from the historical formation of polarization among political elites to today's fragmented media environment, which rewards conflict and partisan attacks, as well as potential solutions such as revitalizing local journalism and altering the systemic incentive structures of big media. Looking to the present, we discussed Professor McCarty’s book Political Bubbles: Financial Crises and the Failure of American Democracy. We examined policy capture, how the 2008 financial crash parallels the concept of political bubbles, and how similar bubbles may be forming in areas such as crypto and AI. We then transitioned to discussing representation and voting, with a focus on ranked-choice voting and its potential drawbacks, including the possibility of non-majority winners, high rates of ballot exhaustion, and the weakening of political power among minority communities. Lastly, we capped off our discussion by looking at the paradox of transparency, where increased transparency and sunshine laws in congressional negotiations can actually reduce the chances of compromise, and the importance of balancing democratic accountability with the pragmatic need for private bargaining. Stay until the end to hear about Professor McCarty’s remarkable and almost superhuman running regimen, his journey, and best advice for runners along the way!

    47 min
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About

TwinTalk Politics is a non-partisan podcast created by Jason and Jerry Song with the aim of increasing youth engagement in Canadian politics. We speak with parliamentarians from all political parties across Canada and democratic experts worldwide to gain their insights on the most pressing issues facing youth today and explore how we can effectively address these challenges. Our mission is to make politics accessible and engaging for the younger generation and put young voices at the forefront of political discussion!

Information

  • Creator
    Jerry and Jason Song
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jerry and Jason Song
  • Show Website
    TwinTalk Politics