The Line

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson
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The Line is a Canadian magazine dedicated to covering local, national and international politics, news, current events and occasionally some obscure stories.  Hosted by Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson.

  1. 2 hr ago

    Angry Quebecers, rogue AIs (and maybe some overlap?)

    In this episode of On The Line, host Matt Gurney is joined by two guests for conversations about politics, technology, and trust. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by BioCanRX, a federally funded, not-for-profit Canadian research network that specializes in bringing Canadian cancer immunotherapy research from the lab all the way to patients in clinical trials in Canada. Can science help your immune system detect and destroy cancer? Immunotherapy is about assisting your immune system in identifying unhealthy cells –– especially cancer –– that have found a way to evade detection. One way researchers are doing this is through something called CAR T. They draw your blood, isolate one type of your immune cells –– T-Cells –– and use a virus to inject genetic instructions that cause them to grow new receptors designed specifically to bind with your particular cancer. When those cells are re-infused into your body, they hopefully will be able to find and destroy your cancer.  The results are promising. In one of the 16 trials BioCanRx funds based on Canadian technology, CLIC-01, the median number of months remaining for patients with late-stage leukemia and lymphoma tripled. For some, the response was even bigger: they went from being out of options to cancer free, and have stayed that way for several years. Many questions remain — and we're working on answering them. You'll hear more over the summer. For now, go to BioCanRX.com to learn more. First up is PJ Fournier of 338Canada for a look at the latest political numbers. They discuss the good news for Mark Carney, the bad news for Pierre Poilievre, and why the Liberal numbers may not be quite as strong as they first appear. The conversation then turns to Quebec, where the next provincial election is shaping up to be one of the strangest contests either man can remember. Fournier struggles to find a historical comparison. They also discuss softening support for separation in Quebec, how that compares with developments in Alberta, and a point Matt makes that PJ suspects may not be especially popular with Quebec nationalists — even if he doesn’t disagree with it. Then Matt is joined by David Shipley of Beauceron Security for a discussion about artificial intelligence, social media, and the growing gap between technological change and political institutions. How much of the current AI boom is real, and how much is hype fuelled by companies racing toward public offerings? Shipley argues that Canadians deserve greater transparency around the Tumbler Ridge case, while Matt notes that he can’t even get straightforward answers about transit delays, leaving him less than optimistic about the prospects for accountability. This episode is also brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. A stronger forest industry starts with predictability. Mill modernization, bioenergy, mass timber, and advanced biomaterials all depend on reliable access to usable Canadian wood fibre, workable timelines, and clear rules. Provinces lead forest management, and the federal role should be coordinated, complementary, and focused on results. Every unnecessary delay makes it harder to keep jobs and attract investment. For a sector rooted in communities, regulatory efficiency is economic policy. Learn more at FPAC.ca. The conversation also examines how major social media platforms are being exploited for fraud and manipulation, an issue Shipley has been testifying about. The core problem, he argues, is that the internet moves at the speed of light while politicians move at the speed of Parliament. That mismatch is creating vulnerabilities that are only getting worse. The episode closes with a warning to Albertans heading into a possible referendum campaign: Shipley isn’t telling anyone how to vote, but he is urging people to be extremely careful about what they believe online. Foreign interference efforts are already arriving, and they’re unlikely to get less sophisticated from here. This episode is also brought to you by Cameco. In nuclear energy, timelines and costs matter. Incomplete designs carry real risk of delays and cost overruns. That’s why the AP1000 reactor is the right choice for Canada: it is already operating today and ready now to deliver the power we need, with 100 percent Canadian ownership and strong participation from Canadian suppliers. If we are serious about building Canada and powering it on time and on budget, the choice is clear. The AP1000 reactor is the only option that delivers. To learn more, visit ap1000.cameco.com. Check out our main page at ReadTheLine.ca and be sure to like and subscribe. We’ll be back on Friday with another episode of The Line Podcast. #OnTheLine #CanadaPolitics #338Canada #PJFournier #MarkCarney #PierrePoilievre #QuebecPolitics #AlbertaPolitics #ArtificialIntelligence #CyberSecurity #DavidShipley #ForeignInterference #MattGurney

    56 min

  2. 3 days ago

    Canadians secretly love Mark "Mean" Carney BECAUSE he yells

    In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on June 5th, 2026, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson begin with reports that Prime Minister Mark Carney has a tendency to raise his voice behind closed doors when dealing with his Liberal caucus. According to reporting in the Toronto Star, the PM may not always be the calm technocrat he appears to be in public. Your hosts cannot endorse a toxic workplace, of course, but they also suspect many Canadians won’t be especially upset by the news. After all, they argue, a lot of voters chose the Liberals out of necessity rather than affection, and more than a few people might conclude that after a decade of terrible Liberal management, the former PM's leftovers deserve a real chewing out. This episode is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canada’s forest industry is a national economic anchor rooted in hundreds of communities across the country. The Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force was created to chart a path toward a stronger, more competitive, and more resilient sector. That means practical federal action on long-standing priorities: stronger supply chains, better productivity, more homes, and regional resilience. Learn more at FPAC.ca. After that, they discuss Carney’s recent efforts to reassure Canada’s Jewish community. Both hosts agree the attempt fell short. Matt argues that putting Marc Miller in charge of a new advisory panel feels like a very Trudeau-era response to a serious problem — process instead of action. Jen then raises reports that the Trump administration may consider offering asylum to Canadian Jews. She also notes, to Matt's horror, that he warned months ago that such a possibility could eventually arise. Perhaps, they joke, he manifested it. This episode is also brought to you by BioCanRx. Nearly half of all Canadians will face a cancer diagnosis in their lives, and Canadian scientists are racing to build better treatments. But it's not just the science — it's the logistics of actually getting it to patients. BioCanRx is a federally funded, not-for-profit research network that specializes in moving Canadian cancer immunotherapy from the lab to clinical trials here at home. Since 2015, they've funded sixteen trials and treated more than four hundred patients — all with made-in-Canada technology. So what is immunotherapy? Your immune system eliminates threats every day, including your own cells when they mutate. But sometimes mutating cells are able to evade the immune system — and that's usually when we call them cancer. Immunotherapy supports or modifies your immune system so cancer can't slip past it. Stay tuned this summer, and visit BioCanRx.com to learn more. Finally, the hosts check back in on Alberta after what was, by recent standards, a surprisingly quiet week. Probably won't stay that way for long, though. It never does. Also: Ricky Martin reference! All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. #TheLinePodcast #MarkCarney #CanadianPolitics #CanadaPolitics #AlbertaPolitics #MarcMiller #CanadianJews #MediaAnalysis #FederalPolitics #CurrentAffairs

    1hr 18min

  3. 2 Jun

    What Canadian Digital Sovereignty?

    In this episode of On The Line, host Jen Gerson sits down with James McLeod of the Canadian Shield Institute to discuss one of the most talked-about — and least understood — concepts in Canadian public policy: digital sovereignty. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by BioCanRX. Nearly half of all Canadians will get a cancer diagnosis in their lives. Canadian scientists are moving fast to come up with better treatments to help these people. But it’s not just about science, it’s about the logistics of implementing it.   BioCanRx is a federally funded, not-for-profit Canadian research network that specializes in bringing Canadian cancer immunotherapy research from the lab all the way to patients in clinical trials in Canada. Since launching in 2015, they’ve funded 16 clinical trials and treated more than 400 patients across Canada, all with made-in-Canada technologies. What is immunotherapy? Most immune systems successfully eliminate threats every day –– including our own cells when they mutate in ways they shouldn’t. But when our mutating cells find a way to trick our immune systems, things can start getting out of control. That’s usually when we apply the label "cancer." Immunotherapy is about modifying or supporting your immune system so cancer can't evade it. Stay tuned this summer to learn more about what Canadian research is doing to fight cancer. Go to BioCanRX.com to learn more. The word “sovereignty” has become a fixture of Canadian political debate in recent years, particularly in response to economic pressure and even annexation rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump. But what does sovereignty actually mean in a world where much of Canada’s digital infrastructure, cloud computing, social media, and online services are controlled by American companies and governed by American laws? McLeod walks Gerson through the realities of living in a digital ecosystem largely built and operated south of the border. They discuss the vulnerabilities that creates for Canada, the limits of what governments can realistically do to regain control, and the difficult trade-offs involved in pursuing greater independence over data, privacy, and critical digital infrastructure. This episode is also brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canada’s forest industry is a national economic anchor rooted in hundreds of communities across the country. The Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force was created to chart a path toward a stronger, more competitive, and more resilient sector. That means practical federal action on long-standing priorities: stronger supply chains, better productivity, more homes, and regional resilience. Learn more at FPAC.ca. The conversation also explores what a Canadian digital sovereignty strategy might actually look like in practice. Can Canada build more domestic capacity? Should it? And what kinds of regulatory and policy tools are available to a middle power trying to assert greater control in a digital world dominated by American technology giants? It’s a timely discussion about privacy, security, national resilience, and what sovereignty means in the twenty-first century. Check out our main page at ReadTheLine.ca and be sure to like and subscribe. We'll be back on Friday with another episode of The Line Podcast. #OnTheLine #DigitalSovereignty #Canada #Technology #Privacy #CyberSecurity #DataPrivacy #CanadianPolitics #JenGerson #JamesMcLeod

    1hr 3min

  4. 29 May

    Carney is winning the vibes war

    In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 29, 2026, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson begin with discussion of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to New York and the state of Canada-U.S. trade negotiations. Your hosts debate whether Canada has actually surrendered ground in the talks or merely put an opening offer on the table. They also discuss Carney’s popularity. Matt remains eager to see more concrete accomplishments, but he concedes that, at least for now, the prime minister is decisively winning the vibes war. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com. Next, Jen asks Matt to explain the Swedish aircraft Canada is buying, giving him an opportunity to walk listeners through the logic behind the deal. Is this a new line for Canada, or just Carney buying himself the room to buy some U.S. equipment next? That conversation quickly expands into a broader rant about Canada’s inability to simply get important things done. Once again, governments are creating new mechanisms, new processes, and new workarounds to accomplish tasks that functioning countries often manage through their existing institutions. This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion Dynamics is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. Dominion is starting in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver. Defend the Dominion. Dominion Dynamics. Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com. In the final segment, the hosts return to Alberta and the ongoing federalist-versus-separatist debate. They spend considerable time discussing what role, if any, Canadians outside the province should be playing in the conversation. Can outsiders help the federalist cause, or do they risk making matters worse? Matt and Jen don’t agree on every detail, but both recognize that the stakes extend well beyond Alberta itself. All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. #TheLinePodcast #MarkCarney #CanadaUSRelations #TradeNegotiations #CanadianPolitics #AlbertaPolitics #Federalism #PierrePoilievre #DefencePolicy #Geopolitics

    1hr 37min

  5. 26 May

    When Trump is gone, will we still want a military?

    In this episode of On The Line, host Matt Gurney is joined by two guests for conversations about defence, geopolitics, and the changing nature of modern warfare. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. We started in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver. Threats don’t wait for bureaucracy. They are moving faster than our institutions. Dominion is closing that gap. Speed is now the strategic capability, and Dominion Dynamics is proving you can build capability at the speed of the threat. Defend the dominion. Dominion Dynamics. Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com. First up is Philippe Lagassé of Carleton University, one of Canada’s leading defence analysts, for a discussion about the political and economic realities facing the new government. (You can read Phil's work at his Substack.) They talk about the opportunity Mark Carney may have to make painful but necessary decisions on defence spending, and whether Canadians will remain willing to spend massively on national defence once Donald Trump is no longer dominating the headlines. They also discuss the role domestic industry will need to play in any serious Canadian rearmament effort — and whether the country is actually prepared to invest the money required to make that happen. For now, probably. But for how long? And even after a scandal? This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com. Then Matt is joined by Lazar Berman of The Times of Israel for an update from the war against Hezbollah. Berman discusses how the terror group has increasingly relied on first-person drones to target the IDF, giving relatively cheap technology an outsized impact on the battlefield. He also explains how the Israelis are adapting, what countermeasures are emerging, and what these developments reveal about the future of warfare more broadly. It’s a pair of conversations about deterrence, industrial capacity, and how quickly military assumptions are changing in a more dangerous world. This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by ACDC. Canada’s defence industrial base is fragmented. Critical platforms are owned and controlled abroad. That model doesn’t work anymore. The Alliance of Canadian Defence Companies is rebuilding Canada’s sovereign defence-industrial base. ACDC champions Canadian-owned, Canadian-controlled companies that design, build, sustain, and export next-generation defence systems. Change requires new processes, new policies, and new behaviour. ACDC membership is open to Canadian-controlled defence companies ready to lead that change. To join, email Info@AllianceCanada.com. For more from The Line, check out our main page at ReadTheLine.ca, and don't forget to like and subscribe. #OnTheLine #CanadaDefence #PhilippeLagasse #MarkCarney #CanadianForces #Israel #Hezbollah #LazarBerman #DroneWarfare #Geopolitics

    1hr 22min

  6. 22 May

    Alberta chooses chaos for all Canadians

    In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson devote the first segment to a full catch-up on the increasingly wild situation unfolding in Alberta. Jen is furious, arguing that five million people — and indeed the entire country — are now being dragged through this largely because Danielle Smith is trying to save her political career. She’s equally angry at parts of the political right that, in her view, are repeating the mistakes the left made during the peak of woke politics: refusing to challenge allies and friends when things start getting out of control. Still, both hosts agree that now that the fight is fully underway, the issues can at least finally be debated openly. Jen states plainly, with Matt’s agreement, that The Line holds an explicitly federalist position. You've been warned. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com. In the second segment, the hosts discuss some of the major personalities shaping events, including Smith, Naheed Nenshi, Jason Kenney, and Pierre Poilievre. Jen also flags a particular political group that listeners should keep an eye on. Matt spends part of the segment stress-testing two of Jen’s arguments, offering an interpretation of Smith’s conduct that could potentially prove constructive, and sketching out a possible good-news scenario that Jen reluctantly entertains. He doesn't think he sold her. This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion Dynamics is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. Dominion is starting in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver. Defend the Dominion. Dominion Dynamics. Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com. To close, your hosts briefly revisit last week’s CBC controversy, which has only become worse as additional targets — including retired RCMP officers — have emerged. The CBC says it has halted funding and launched a review, but neither host believes that will resolve the problem. Both agree that media organizations tend to forget everything they know about how the media works the moment they become the story themselves. Speaking of institutional trouble, Matt closes by asking, only half jokingly, whether the CRTC could perhaps avoid declaring war on the United States for at least the next month or so. If it's not too much trouble. All that and more on the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Check us out at ReadTheLine.ca, and God help us all. #TheLinePodcast #AlbertaPolitics #DanielleSmith #CanadianPolitics #NaheedNenshi #PierrePoilievre #CBC #CRTC #CanadianMedia #CanadaUSRelations

    1hr 22min

  7. 19 May

    Canada vs. America in the trade war

    In this episode of On The Line, host Jen Gerson speaks with Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, about the increasingly tense state of Canada-U.S. trade relations. This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. We started in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver. Threats don’t wait for bureaucracy. They are moving faster than our institutions. Dominion is closing that gap. Speed is now the strategic capability, and Dominion Dynamics is proving you can build capability at the speed of the threat. Defend the dominion. Dominion Dynamics. Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com. They discuss the ongoing negotiations around CUSMA, what could happen if the United States ultimately decides to walk away from the deal, and why Canada doesn’t have the luxury of negotiating these disputes loudly or publicly. Volpe explains the deeply integrated nature of the North American auto sector, and why a full reshoring of American automotive manufacturing would be far more disruptive — and far less realistic — than many politicians seem to believe. This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com.  The conversation also touches on the political theatre surrounding the talks, including recent comments from Howard Lutnick suggesting that Canada “sucks” at negotiating. Gerson asks Volpe directly: is there any truth to that criticism, or are Canadians underestimating the constraints they’re operating under? It’s a practical discussion about trade, manufacturing, political leverage, and the realities of economic interdependence between Canada and the United States. This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by ACDC. Canada’s defence industrial base is fragmented. Critical platforms are owned and controlled abroad. That model doesn’t work anymore. The Alliance of Canadian Defence Companies is rebuilding Canada’s sovereign defence-industrial base. ACDC champions Canadian-owned, Canadian-controlled companies that design, build, sustain, and export next-generation defence systems. Change requires new processes, new policies, and new behaviour. ACDC membership is open to Canadian-controlled defence companies ready to lead that change. To join, email Info@AllianceCanada.com. #OnTheLine #Canada #US #Trade #CUSMA #USMCA #Auto #FlavioVolpe #CanadaPolitics #JenGerson

    49 min

  8. 15 May

    Pipe down, separatists! (Get it?)

    In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 15, 2026, your hosts Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson start with Alberta. The new energy agreement has been signed. They think it'll help, but only to an extent, because what's happening in Jen's province isn't primarily economic. It's cultural. And a pipeline can't fix that. This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com. Next, they talk a bizarre story where the CBC (and APTN) chose to bankroll a so-called comedy group that was trying to "satirize" prominent people from Canada's heterodox right-wing, such as Frances Widdowson and Lindsay Shepherd. Your hosts walk you through the huge number of concerns here, but focus mostly on the CBC's role. This is not a good look for the public broadcaster, and guess what? The people your hosts have spoken among CBC's journalists get that. Very much so. Why didn't their bosses see the danger? This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion Dynamics is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. Dominion is starting in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver. Defend the Dominion. Dominion Dynamics. Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com. To wrap, they chat briefly about a few overlapping stories that suggest that the world has started to tune Donald Trump out. Matt wonders if that's going to work out — how will Americans, particularly MAGA Americans, end up getting what they want: a world that doesn't rely on American leadership, because we've tuned them out entirely? All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Happy Victoria Day! We'll talk to you next week. #TheLinePodcast #AlbertaPolitics #CanadianPolitics #CBC #DonaldTrump #CanadaEnergy #PipelinePolitics #MAGA #MediaCriticism #CanadaUSRelations

    1hr 26min
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About

The Line is a Canadian magazine dedicated to covering local, national and international politics, news, current events and occasionally some obscure stories.  Hosted by Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson.

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    203
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Line
  • Show Website
    The Line

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