The House

CBC News & Politics
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  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The House Podcast

Making sense of the political decisions that affect your life. Every Saturday, host Catherine Cullen takes you to Parliament Hill — and across Canada — for in-depth coverage and analysis of the week’s major political news.

  1. 15 HR. AGO

    What a quip about a bathtub tells us about Canadian politics right now

    Heckling’s pretty common during House of Commons debates. But with tensions running high as the Liberals fight to keep the government afloat, one stray quip can set off a barrage of accusations and criticism. The House sits down with two Hill watchers to discuss Conservative MP Garnett Genuis’ allegedly homophobic comment and what it tells us about civility in Parliament. Then, as the Middle East remains on the brink of all-out war, Canada’s national defence minister tells The House how the government has been preparing over the summer to possibly evacuate tens of thousands of people with Canadian connections stuck in Lebanon. Plus — Chinese dissidents living in Canada share their stories of alleged harassment and intimidation by Beijing. Canada’s former ambassador to China listens in and tells us what steps should be taken to protect free speech and assembly rights for all students across Canadian campuses. This episode features the voices of:  Shannon Proudfoot, writer for The Globe and Mail’s Ottawa bureauPaul Wells, author and podcasterBill Blair, Minister of National DefenceCraig Desson, CBC NewsGuy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian ambassador to China

    50 min

  2. SEP 21

    Political flexing. That’s wassup.

    The House. Is. Back! And everyone’s flexing their muscles.  Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet joins the show to talk about how his party might use its strength to get what they want from the government. Plus, after NDP leader Jagmeet Singh had a standoff with protesters who’d hurled insults at him, MPs talk about just how much harassment they’ve faced in politics.  Then we’ll hear from a panel of political strategists about whose flex was best over an upcoming attempt to bring the government down.   Finally, the second phase of the foreign interference inquiry kicked off on Monday. CBC’s Marina von Stackleberg will bring us up to speed.  This episode features the voices of:  Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois Lori Idlout, NDP MP Gord Johns, NDP MP Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal MP  Yasir Naqvi, Liberal MP Kate Harrison, Conservative strategist Vandana Kattar, Liberal strategist George Soule, former NDP communications director Marina von Stackleberg, CBC News

    50 min

  3. SEP 14

    No, No, No…everything is fine! The Liberal caucus gears up in B.C.

    Liberal MPs met this week in Nanaimo, B.C., quick to tell reporters they’ve got full confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The House is on the ground, taking the temperature, talking to Liberals about how they think they can turn their fortunes — even as one of Trudeau’s own MPs says people are “tired of his face.” We also hear from Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer about how his party hopes to force a non-confidence motion to bring down the government as soon as possible. Then, we head up Vancouver Island to Campbell River, which is likely to become a battleground between the Conservatives and the NDP. The CBC’s Emma Godmere speaks with voters there about the issues that matter most to them. Finally, with British Columbians going to the polls next month, Premier David Eby said he’d scrap the carbon tax if Ottawa removes the requirement to have it. The Toronto Star’s Tonda MacCharles, and the National Post’s Stuart Thomson break down what to expect ahead of Parliament resuming on Monday. This episode features the voices of:  John McKay, Liberal MP for Scarborough—GuildwoodFrancis Drouin, Liberal MP for Glengarry—Prescott—RussellHedy Fry, Liberal MP for Vancouver CentreAndrew Scheer, Conservative House leaderCBC’s Emma GodmereTonda MacCharles, Ottawa bureau chief for the Toronto Star.Stuart Thomson, Parliamentary bureau chief for the National Post

    49 min

  4. SEP 7

    It’s not me, it’s you: the Liberal-NDP breakup

    Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out. The NDP’s decision to end its deal with the Liberals — which for two years brought stability to the minority government — has raised the spectre of a snap federal election. The House sits down with one of the NDP architects of the deal to find out why the party chose to back out now, and what comes next. Then, months after a Toronto byelection loss that rocked the governing Liberals, another test is on the way later this month in a Montreal race. We travel to LaSalle-Émard-Verdun to find out how the campaign — with national implications — is playing out on the ground. Also, a Liberal minister and national campaign committee co-chair sits down with Catherine Cullen to talk through her party’s plan to regain their mojo and win — they hope — a fourth term. Plus — Germany has embraced a novel diplomatic arrangement: two ambassadors for the price of one. A married couple who will rotate in and out of the posting in Ottawa explain what’s behind the arrangement. This episode features the voices of:  Anne McGrath, principal secretary to Jagmeet SinghCraig Sauvé, NDP candidateLouis-Philippe Sauvé, Bloc Québécois candidatePhilippe J. Fournier, founder, 338canada.comSoraya Martinez Ferrada, tourism minister, Liberal campaign committee co-chairMatthias Lüttenberg and Tjorven Bellmann, German ambassadors-designate

    50 min

  5. AUG 31

    Did the Liberals have a ‘Seinfeld’ summer?

    A show about nothing: that’s at least how some are cheekily describing the Liberals’ last few months. Host Catherine Cullen sits down with a panel of former top political advisers to discuss what moves the Liberals have left to make, with two weeks to go until Parliament returns and two more byelections arrive. Plus — we revisit our conversation with Pulitzer Prize finalist John Valliant about his book Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, and why our brains struggle to accept the reality of climate change. And for too many Canadians, justice delayed is justice denied. It’s not just annoying — delays in the system are causing some cases to be thrown out. The House returns to a documentary digging deep into the issue. This episode features the voices of:  Marci Surkes, chief strategy officer at Compass Rose and former Liberal adviserGarry Keller, vice president at StrategyCorp and former Conservative adviserJohn Vailliant, author of Fire Weather: The Making of a BeastCBC’s Kristen Everson

    50 min

  6. AUG 24

    Will closing supervised drug use sites make your neighbourhood safer?

    Ontario’s premier says “the worst thing” that can happen to a neighbourhood is a supervised drug consumption site. He’s closing nearly half the centers in the province — and wants to ban new ones. We talk to one centre about what this means for drug users and a mayor who wishes the premier had gone further. Also — a rail work stoppage that threatened the Canadian economy is … almost resolved? Some trains are rolling, but there’s still risk. The House digs into the political forces at play in the complex case. Finally, the last instalment of our Book Smart Summer Series is here. Jane Philpott sits down with Catherine Cullen to talk about her book Health for All: A Doctor's Prescription for a Healthier Canada and how she thinks primary care in this country can be fixed. This episode features the voices of: CBC’s Janyce McGregorJuanita Lawson, CEO, NorWest Community Health CentresPatrick Brown, Mayor of BramptonJane Philpott, former federal health minister, author, Health for All: A Doctor's Prescription for a Healthier Canada

    50 min

  7. AUG 17

    Is U.S. politics melting down or just heating up?

    How quickly things change. The 2024 campaign was supposed to be a rematch of the 2020 race, but in a matter of a few weeks, the lagging Democrats have ditched U.S. President Joe Biden as the candidate, crowned Harris — and surged in the polls. Now, they’re set to meet in Chicago for their national convention, with the aim of keeping their momentum going. Guest host Katie Simpson sits down with a Democratic insider to talk about the role governors will play in the new campaign, before two journalists break down what the convention might hold. Plus — author David R. Samson talks about his book, Our Tribal Future, digging deep into the origins of the “us versus them” mentality, how it pervades our politics today and how humanity may be able to inoculate itself against it. This episode features the voices of:  Ofirah Yheskel, director of external affairs, Democratic Governors AssociationAmie Parnes, senior political correspondent, The HillRob Russo, correspondent, The EconomistDavid R. Samson, evolutionary anthropologist, author, Our Tribal Future: How to channel our human instinct into a force for good

    49 min

  8. AUG 10

    Preparation for an evacuation, and a puzzling bot barrage

    The Canadian government is blaring the alarm for citizens in Lebanon, with the Middle East teetering on the brink of a wider war. The House sits down with two experts to talk about what needs to be done to bring Canadians to safety. Then, an expert on social media and disinformation helps dig into a peculiar bot campaign that promoted a Pierre Poilievre rally. What’s behind the bot barrage? Plus — Benjamin Perrin, author of Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial, sits down to talk about his change of heart from an advocate of tough on crime policies to calling for the abolition of traditional prison abolition and sweeping criminal justice reforms. This episode features the voices of:  Jon Allen, former Canadian ambassador to Israel Denis Thompson, retired major-generalCraig Silverman, reporter, ProPublicaBenjamin Perrin, author, Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial

    50 min
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Making sense of the political decisions that affect your life. Every Saturday, host Catherine Cullen takes you to Parliament Hill — and across Canada — for in-depth coverage and analysis of the week’s major political news.

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