Progress Canada

Created and hosted by Theresa Lubowitz
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The Progress Canada Podcast explores the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. Each episode brings thought-provoking discussions with policymakers, activists, and experts who are driving change across Canada. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to deliver progressive change that builds a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future for us all.

  1. The People's Opposition with MPP John Fraser

    12/15/2025

    The People's Opposition with MPP John Fraser

    In this episode, we’re joined by John Fraser — five-term MPP for Ottawa South and the Ontario Liberal Party’s Leader in the Legislature — for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of Ontario politics heading into 2026, what constructive opposition looks like, and the work required to rebuild public trust after seven years of Doug Ford.Fraser reflects on how this year’s campaign compares to past races and what lessons the Ontario Liberal Party should take from it. We talk about the return to official party status, how a larger caucus is changing what Liberals can accomplish at Queen’s Park, and the priorities the party has focused on this fall, from holding the Ford government accountable to putting forward legislation designed to help families hit hardest by the affordability crisis.We dig into the Ford Government’s mismanagement of the Skills Development Fund, the growing youth unemployment crisis, and the PCs’ pattern of siding with well-connected insiders over everyday Ontarians. Fraser also outlines the Ontario Liberals’ approach to tackling the province’s worsening health care and education crises, drawing on his experience as former Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and his current role as Education Critic.Finally, we explore Fraser’s unique tenure as Leader in the Legislature, the upcoming Liberal leadership race, and his advice for the next Liberal leader.Topics include:Ontario politics • John Fraser • Ontario Liberal Party • 2025 Ontario election • Queen’s Park • Doug Ford government • Skills Development Fund scandal • affordability crisis • youth unemployment • Youth Career Fund • health care crisis • education funding • student outcomes • official party status • legislative leadership • political accountability • provincial policy • Canadian politics 2025 • Progress Canada

    49 min

  2. 12/12/2025

    Fighting Poverty and Hunger in Canada with Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington

    In this episode, we sit down with Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, for a wide-ranging conversation about poverty, hunger, and the alarming rise in food bank use across Toronto and beyond.We discuss the findings from Daily Bread’s 2025 "Who’s Hungry?" report, which shows food bank visits hitting a record 4.1 million this year — a staggering 340% increase since 2019. Hetherington explains why food insecurity has shifted from a temporary emergency to a long-term structural crisis, and what the data reveal about the pressures forcing people deeper into poverty. He breaks down the main drivers of hunger — including unaffordable housing, stagnant wages, and the growth of precarious work — and why so many people with jobs and post-secondary education are still unable to afford the basics.We also explore how the housing crisis is fueling food insecurity, the growing number of single adults falling into poverty, and the rise in food bank use among people with disabilities. Finally, we talk about what listeners can do right now to support their communities — from advocating for stronger social policies to taking simple, practical actions that make a meaningful difference.If you care about poverty reduction, housing affordability, disability justice, or the growing crisis of hunger in Canada, this is an essential conversation.Support the Daily Bread Food Bank this holiday season:https://www.dailybread.ca/give-now/ways-to-give/Topics include:Food insecurity • Daily Bread Food Bank • Who’s Hungry report • poverty in Canada • housing crisis • precarious work • single adults in poverty • Canada Disability Benefit • National School Food Program • fresh food tax credit • social policy • income supports • Toronto affordability • economic inequality • anti-poverty advocacyWhere to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

    54 min
  3. Standing with Everyday People with NDP Leadership Candidate Rob Ashton

    12/10/2025

    Standing with Everyday People with NDP Leadership Candidate Rob Ashton

    In this episode, we sit down with Rob Ashton — National President of ILWU Canada and candidate for federal NDP Leader — for a wide-ranging conversation about class politics, worker power, and what it would mean to elect a leader who comes from working class.We explore Ashton’s 30-year career as a longshoreman, how his background shapes his understanding of Canada’s working class, and why he believes the NDP must speak plainly, fight harder, and return to its roots. He discusses his vision for tackling economic inequality, ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share, and building a country where everyone has security and dignity. We also dig into the central pillars of his platform, including the Good Jobs Promise and Worker Power Plan.Finally, we talk about the state of the leadership race, what supporters can do to get involved, and — in a lighter moment — the eclectic soundtrack powering his cross-country tour.If you follow the NDP, labour politics, economic inequality, or the future direction of the Canadian left, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Topics include:NDP leadership race • Rob Ashton • working class politics • class war • economic inequality • tax fairness • labour movement • Good Jobs Promise • Worker Power Plan • union rights • housing affordability • corporate landlords • co-op and non-profit housing • rent control • economic sovereignty • affordability crisis • political elites • Canadian politics 2025 • progressive politics • federal NDPWhere to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

    53 min
  4. Fighting for a Better Ontario with Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles

    12/08/2025

    Fighting for a Better Ontario with Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles

    In this episode, we sit down with Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP and Leader of the Official Opposition, for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2025 election, the party’s fall agenda, and what it will take to build a government ready to deliver for working people.We discuss Stiles’ reflections on her first general election as leader, what she learned from voters across the province, and why she believes the NDP must build a true “culture of winning” to earn the confidence of Ontarians. She talks about the changes she’s made inside her office, why she brought in experienced strategists from NDP governments across the country, and how the party plans to show it’s ready to govern.We also dig into the party’s work in the Legislature this fall — from cataloguing the Ford government’s ongoing scandals to proposing legislation aimed at helping families struggling with the cost of living. Stiles reflects on the NDP’s visibility in a crowded media environment, including the 61 news releases issued in the first month of the fall session and the headlines that followed her removal from the Chamber.We explore the province’s worsening job market, Stiles’ criticism of Doug Ford as a “jobs disaster,” and what she sees as the untold story of the Premier’s economic record. She outlines the accountability reforms an NDP government would bring forward and the party’s approach to fixing the province’s housing crisis after years of Conservative dysfunction.Finally, we look ahead to the new year and Stiles shares how she’ll be spending the holidays with her family.Topics include:Ontario NDP • Marit Stiles • Doug Ford • 2025 Ontario election • Official Opposition • jobs crisis • Skills Development Fund • government ethics • accountability reforms • housing affordability • RCMP Greenbelt investigation • provincial politics 2025 • Ontario Legislature • cost of living • political strategyWhere to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

    43 min

  5. 11/28/2025

    Making Parliament Work for Young People

    In this episode, we’re joined by Amandeep Sodhi, Member of Parliament for Brampton Centre. Elected to office for the first time in the 2025 federal election, Sodhi is a member of the so-called “21st Century Club”, a group of four Gen-Z Liberal MPs born in this century.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

    49 min

  6. 11/21/2025

    Supporting Young Business Leaders

    In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Emanuel, outgoing President & CEO of the Central York Chamber of Commerce, to talk about the future of young business owners in Canada. With traditional career paths shifting, we explore what young entrepreneurs need to thrive and how chambers of commerce, policymakers, and other community members can help build a local economy that supports young people.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

    53 min
  7. Holding Doug Ford’s Government to Account with MPP Stephanie Smyth

    11/19/2025

    Holding Doug Ford’s Government to Account with MPP Stephanie Smyth

    In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Smyth, the Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto–St. Paul’s and the party’s Critic for Ethics, Integrity & Accountability, for a wide-ranging conversation about ethics, transparency, and the growing controversies facing Doug Ford’s government. We discuss Smyth’s first year as an MPP, her transition from a decades-long career in journalism, and what she’s learned since being elected. She breaks down the Ontario Auditor General’s explosive report on the $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund, explaining how the program became “not fair, transparent, or accountable,” and what needs to change to ensure it actually helps unemployed Ontarians. We also explore the calls for an Integrity Commissioner investigation, the push for a forensic audit, and new polling showing most Ontarians believe the scandal reflects deeper systemic problems inside Ford’s government. We also talk about Ontario’s worsening labour market, youth unemployment, the future of ethics reform, and how the Ontario Liberals can build a strong accountability agenda ahead of the next election. If you follow Ontario politics, government accountability, labour issues, or the unfolding controversies surrounding Doug Ford’s administration, this is a must-listen episode. Topics include: Doug Ford government • Skills Development Fund scandal • Ontario Auditor General report • David Piccini • Integrity Commissioner investigation • Ontario unemployment • Ontario Liberals • political ethics • government accountability • Stephanie Smyth • Ontario politics 2025 • provincial scandals • Progressive opposition • Toronto–St. Paul’sWhere to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

    49 min

  8. 11/16/2025

    Carney, Poilievre, and Another Election

    In this episode of the Progress Canada Podcast, Theresa speaks with pollster Kyla Ronnellenfitsch about her latest national polling on the 2025 federal budget, Mark Carney’s early days as Prime Minister, and Pierre Poilievre’s favourability numbers ahead of his leadership review. We dig into voter reactions to the Carney budget rollout, where the party horse race stands today, and how Canadians are evaluating political leadership as another election looms. This conversation offers data-driven insight into shifting public opinion, Canada’s political landscape, and what trends to watch in the months ahead.Where to Find Us:Social Accounts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/progresscanadapodcastBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/progresscanada.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/progress-canada/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_canada_podcast Podcast Platforms:RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1027adaac/podcast/rss Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Etut7tXvL8yN4PjQ96pHH?si=7d80390f146a4f07Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8dfa624c-13a8-4268-a977-b3bc509b6cd7/progress-canadaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progress-canada/id1802911774 YouTube Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada/podcasts

    59 min
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The Progress Canada Podcast explores the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. Each episode brings thought-provoking discussions with policymakers, activists, and experts who are driving change across Canada. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to deliver progressive change that builds a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future for us all.

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  • Creator
    Created and hosted by Theresa Lubowitz
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Created and hosted by Theresa Lubowitz
  • Show Website
    Progress Canada

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