Unpublished Cafe

You would have to live under a rock in this country if you haven’t heard the clarion call, “Axe the tax!’ The federal government’s latest increase to the carbon tax is set to rise on April 1st. First introduced in 2019 at $20 a tonne, the latest increase will see it rise from $65 a tonne to $80 a tonne. Has it become Politicized? Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre calls it a 23% increase. The Liberals point out it’s about 3 cents a litre. Our Unpublished Vote question asks: Do you receive the Canada Carbon Rebate? Yes NoUnsure You can cast your vote on this topic at Unpublished.vote. Don’t forget to email your MP afterwards using our tool to them why you think what you do. All comments on the Unpublished.ca website will be entered into a draw for a one-year membership. You can log on and vote right now at Unpublished.vote and have your voice heard. Guests: Joining us to discuss the carbon tax is: Christopher Ragan, Associate Professor and Director, Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill UniversityRalph Torrie, Director of Research for Corporate KnightsJon Roe, Angus Reid Institute

Since October 7th, the world has been littered with horrific images from the attack by the terrorist group, Hamas on unsuspecting Israelis. The pushback from Israel has been strident and expanding. In the middle are five million Palestinians who have seen destruction of their homes as the Israeli military pursued Hamas. While the violence is half a world away from Canada, there has been a huge uptick in violence and antisemitism here at home. Our Unpublished Vote question asks: Do you feel police in Canada are addressing the violence and antisemitism professionally? YesNoUnsureYou can cast your vote on this topic at http://Unpublished.vote. Check out the supporting articles and then email your MP afterwards, using our tool, to them why you think what you do. All comments on the Unpublished.ca website will be entered into a draw for a one-year membership. You can log on and vote right now at Unpublished.vote and have your voice heard. Guests: Warren Kinsella: Political commentator, author, and former special advisor to PM Jean ChretienJoe Adam George: Research analyst specializing in Middle East and South Asia Affairs. Macdonald Laurier Institute contributor.Richard Robinson: Director of Research and Advocacy at B’Nai Brith, Canada

Will Canadians be going to the polls federally in 2024? Will the Grits or even the NDP have a leadership change? Can Canada tackle affordability housing shortages? South of the border, what can we expect in November? So many questions. But by far the biggest one is whether or not Canadians will go the polls in 2024? So we ask in our Unpublished Vote question this month: “Do you expect a Canadian federal election in 2024? YesNoUnsureYou can cast your vote on this topic at http://Unpublished.vote. Don’t forget to email your MP afterwards using our tool to them why you think what you do. All comments on the Unpublished.ca website will be entered into a draw for a Free 1-year membership. You can log on and vote right now at http://unpublished.vote and have your voice heard.Guests: Darrell Bricker CEO Ipsos Public Affairs @darrellbrickerStephanie Chouinard Associate Professor Dept. Political Science Queen’s University @DrSChouinardLori Turnbull Chair, Public & Int’l Affairs Dept. Political Science Dalhousie University @LoriLturnbul

The New Democrats have come off their latest leadership review, and Jagmeet Singh survives to lead another day. Will it get the party further ahead?Our Unpublished Vote question over the last 10 days asked, “Is the NDP squandering its chance by supporting the Liberals?While the delegates in Hamilton gave Singh 80 % support, our voters saw it differently: 82 % Yes16 % No2 % UnsureIf you haven't voted yet, you can still cast your vote on this topic at http://Unpublished.vote. Don’t forget to email your MP afterwards using our tool to tell them why you think what you do. All comments on the Unpublished.ca website will be entered into a monthly draw for a Free Membership to Unpublished.ca for one year. Guests: Tom Parkin is an NDP strategist and commentatorMarvin Ryder is with the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster UniversityMario Canseco is the President of ResearchCo in Vancouver

Is it time for the Liberal—NDP coalition to pull the plug? The Liberals don’t mind as they’re still in power, but the NDP, which is propping them up, hasn’t seen much in gains when it comes to the deal? They didn’t ask to form a coalition government with the Liberals, but they seem to be wearing every mistake the government makes.  Is time running out for the New Democrats? Our Unpublished Vote question asks:Has the NDP squandered its chance by supporting the Liberals in Parliament? Yes No Unsure You can cast your vote on this topic at Unpublished.vote. Don’t forget to email your MP afterwards using our tool to them why you think what you do. All comments on the Unpublished.ca website will be entered into a draw for a $10 gift certificate. Guests: Warren Kinsella, Politico and columnistDavid Coletto, Abacus DataHave your say on the Unpublished Media Network

Did China try and influence two previous Canadian elections? A stunning report from Canada’s spy agency claims that country’s government attempted to interfere in our previous two federal elections but the report also pointed to a lack of concern from the PMO. Prime Minister Trudeau has appointed David Johnston as special rapporteur to investigate the claim. Our Unpublished dot vote question asks, Do you feel there should be a full public inquiry into the allegations of election interference? Yes No or Unsure.Yes 90%+No 8%Unsure 1.2%However you’re watching and listening to our show, whether through our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, or on our podcast channels—iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more—I would like to remind you that you can “cast your vote” on this topic at Unpublished.vote, and then email your MP to tell them why. Our new portal for political discussion and debate. Guests:Gar Pardy Former Canadian diplomat/author China in a Changing WorldColin Robertson Former Canadian diplomat/ Sr.Advisor Canadian Global Affairs Institute @DonaldColinRob1Charles Burton Charles Burton Senior Fellow Macdonald Laurier Institute Served as Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy to China between 1991-1993 and 1998-2000

It’s cloak and dagger stuff, the latest dispute between Canada and China.  A CSIS report suggests that China was complicit in trying to influence the outcome of the last two federal elections using money and intimidation.  The report points out, despite the attempt, the outcome of the elections would have been the same. The head scratcher is why the federal government is not holding a public inquiry into what happened. Our Unpublished.vote question asks: Do you feel there should be a full public inquiry into the allegations of election interference? YesNo UnsureYou can log on and vote right now at Unpublished.vote and have your voice heard.  Guests: Joining us to discuss the issue about the interference and a public inquiry is:  Warren Kinsella, political commentator; Former special advisor to PM Jean ChretienElliot Tepper, Senior Fellow Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton UniversityCharles Burton, Senior Fellow, Macdonald Laurier Institute

The curtain will soon fall on 2022, a year that started with so much optimism after two years of Covid restrictions, vaccine mandates and lockdowns. Instead of a rebound to normal, many other issues have risen to prominence during the year. In today’s show, we look back at some of those events of 2022 and where they may lead us in 2023. Our Unpublished.vote question is: What do you feel was the biggest story in Canada this year? The Freedom Convoy and use of Emergencies Act Liberal NDP Cooperation pact Pierre Poilievre winning the Conservative leadership race Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Healthcare crisis in hospitals You can log on and vote right now at Unpublished.vote…Guests: Nik Nanos, Chief Data Scientist and Founder, NANOS RESEARCH Tasha Kheiriddin, Columnist National Post, Principal Navigator Nelson Wiseman, Professor Emeritus Dept. Political Science, University of TorontoTom Parkin, Commentator / Columnist and Principal at Impact Strategies

Canada’s inflation rate in June was 8.1%, something we haven’t seen since the early 1980’s. To cool off the economy, the Bank of Canada has rigorously increased the cost of borrowing which slammed the brakes on our red-hot housing market. The reaction has seen the cost-of-living start sliding down towards the goal of two percent. Currently it stands at 7%.As you sat down for Thanksgiving dinner, you likely noticed it cost you much more than a year ago. The economy is still being roiled by other impacts which have many worried about which way it will go. Are we headed for a recession? That’s the question we ask our panel this week on Unpublished TV with host Ed Hand.Our Unpublished Vote question asked:Do you feel the Canadian economy is on track for a recession? Yes, No or Unsure.Our audience voted:84% = Yes12% = No4%   = UnsureHowever, you’re watching and listening to Unpublished TV, whether through our social media channels on Facebook, YouTube, or on our podcast channels—iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more—We would like to remind you that you can “cast your vote” on this topic at the link below, and then email your MP to tell them why. Only on Unpublished.ca—Canada’s forum for political discussion and debate.Guests: Lori Turnbull Director School of Public Administration Dalhousie University @LoriLturnbul Retired Senator Vern White @SenateCA Warren Kinsella Political commentator @kinsellawarren Marvin Ryder Associate Professor McMaster University DeGroote School of Business @DeGrooteBiz Karl Nerenberg Parliament Hill Correspondent Rabble.ca @KarlNerenberg

The Emergencies Act Inquiry, which probes whether the federal government was able to utilize such powers to bring the Ottawa occupation to an end, has been running for about three weeks now with plenty more testimony to come. From this vantage point the one thing that is very clear is that no level of government was competent in ending the occupation until the Act was finally implemented. A municipal government that was led by a questionable police force, a provincial government that sat on its hands and continues to do so. And a federal government with a front row view of the occupation that paralyzed the city for more than three weeks. Through it all, the residents of Ottawa were tormented by the hundreds of truckers and thousands of protesters who initially came to demonstrate against vaccine mandates. Our Unpublished.vote question asks: Was the Emergencies Act required to bring an end to the occupation? YesNoUnsureYou can log on and vote right now at Unpublished.ca—Our new portal for political discussion and debate. Guests: Lori Turnbull, Director School of Public Administration, Dalhousie University

Canada’s inflation rate in June was 8.1%, something we haven’t seen since the early 1980’s. To cool off the economy, the Bank of Canada has rigorously increased the cost of borrowing which slammed the brakes on our red-hot housing market. The reaction has seen the cost-of-living start sliding down towards the goal of two percent. Currently it stands at 7%.As you sat down for Thanksgiving dinner, you likely noticed it cost you much more than a year ago. The economy is still being roiled by other impacts which have many worried about which way it will go. Are we headed for a recession? That’s the question we ask our panel this week on Unpublished TV with host Ed Hand. Our Unpublished Vote question asked:Do you feel the Canadian economy is on track for a recession? Yes, No or Unsure. Our audience voted: 84% = Yes12% = No4%   = UnsureHowever, you’re watching and listening to Unpublished TV, whether through our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, or on our podcast channels—iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more—We would like to remind you that you can “cast your vote” on this topic at Unpublished.vote, and then email your MP to tell them why. Only on Unpublished.ca—Canada’s forum for political discussion and debate.If you haven’t voted yet, you can still do so at: GuestsIan Lee, Associate Professor at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton UniversityMichael Veall, Economics Professor at McMaster University

Sticker shock at the pumps and the grocery store is the number one concern of Canadians according to Ipsos Research, with 8 in 10 worried that a recession is in the financial horizon. Anyone who has had to fill up or pick up staples at the store has seen their buying power reduced. The latest inflation numbers peg the cost of living at 7% for August, which is down marginally from the previous month. The Bank of Canada has been aggressive in hitting the brakes on an overheated economy, hiking the prime rate in dramatic fashion which has seen a somewhat cooling of our scorching housing market. Economists do expect inflation to remain above 6 percent through the end of the year. Fuel prices and shelter have seen a bit of a dip but grocery prices remain at their highest level since the Empire Strikes Back hit the big screen in 1981. Our Unpublished Vote Question asks: Do you feel the Canadian economy is on track for a recession? Yes | No | UnsureYou can log on and vote right now at Unpublished.vote to cast your vote and email your MP to them why you feel the way you do.Guests: Ian Lee from the Sprott School of Business at Carleton UniversityMoshe Lander from Concordia University.Mostafa Askari, Chief Economist at Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy, uOttawa.

It’s a laundry list of names vying for the votes of Ottawa residents for the top job in municipal politics in the Capital. Fourteen in all are looking for your vote to put them in the Mayor’s chair for the next four years. Jim Watson had announced late last year that he would not seek re-election. There will also be a number of new faces around the Council table as many have decided not to run again. Coming up on the show we will take a look at the candidates running to lead the City of Ottawa over the next four years. Of the fourteen candidates, some names are familiar. Catherine McKenney, the former councillor for Somerset threw her hat in the ring early. So did former Regional Chair, Mayor and MPP, Bob Chiarelli. Long-time broadcaster and entrepreneur, Mark Sutcliffe has waded into the election waters for the first time and Mike Maguire, who finished second to Jim Watson in 2014 has jumped back in again. Nour Kadri is doing surprisingly well for a first-time candidate if Mainstreeet’s last poll is any indication of how he is doing. Coming up on the Unpublished Cafe, we’ll chat with the editor and publisher of the Orleans Star, Fred Sherwin, a long-time watcher of City Hall. As well, Brigitte Pellerin, columnist with the Ottawa Citizen will share her views on the hotly contested race.

It was a 7-month scorched earth strategy that led Pierre Poilievre to the top spot in the Conservative Party as leader. Can he turn that into a federal election victory?The member from Carleton was first in the race and had an insurmountable lead he would not relinquish. Almost 70 percent of members supported him, giving a first ballot victory. Let’s face it. Poilievre was in control from the outset drawing big crowds and training his eye not only on the other contenders, but of course the Prime Minister as well. Our Unpublished poll question asked: Can a Pierre Poilievre led Conservative party win the next federal election?76.87% = Yes20.56% = No2.57% = UnsureHowever, you’re watching and listening to our show, whether through our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, or on our podcast channels—iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more—I would like to remind you that you can still “cast your vote” on this topic and email your MP to tell them why. Click on the link below to do so. GuestsDarrell Bricker, CEO Ipsos Public Affairs @darrellbrickerWarren Kinsella, Political commentator/ former advisor PM Chretien @kinsellawarrenLori Turnbull, Director School of Public Administration Dalhousie University @LoriLturnbulGarry Keller, Strategy Corp / former Chief of Staff John Baird/Rona Ambrose @garry_keller

The day is drawing near for the federal Conservative Party to choose a new leader. September 10th in Ottawa delegates will gather to cast their ballot for the person to lead them into the next federal election, whenever that may be. Pierre Poilievre has led from the beginning and shows no sign of easing up. Jean Charest is a distant second in the race leaving Leslyn Lewis, Scott Aitcheson and Roman Baber in the dust. Former Ontario PC leader, Patrick Brown was turfed from the contest over the summer for what the party called initially, “improper corporate donations”, which then became “suspicious memberships”. That move has drawn legal action from Brown. The Party has been unable to knock Prime Minister Trudeau out of office three times despite ample opportunity to make their case with the electorate. In our last show before the Summer, we asked you which candidate would win the Conservative Crown and Pierre Poilievre was overwhelmingly the favourite. Our Unpublished Vote question today asks: Can a Pierre Poilievre led Conservative Party win the next federal election? Yes NoUnsureYou can log on and vote right now at our new portal for political discussion and debate,  Unpublished.ca, and have your voice heard. Guests: Lori Turnbull Director School of Public Administration Dalhousie University Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. Warren Kinsella, Political commentator, and former advisor Prime Minister Jean Chretien

Another month and another eye popping inflation number for Canadians. The cost of living rose 7.7 percent in May, a 40 year high. It won’t surprise anyone who has filled up the tank or shopped for groceries in the last few months.  It has money minds worried about the economy running off the rails.The Bank of Canada has moved to curb inflation by hiking interest rates with further increases on the horizon. Fully three quarters of Canadians feel we are headed toward recession or are already there. This is more than a Made in Canada problem as the issues sparking it are global. Supply chain breakdown, Covid lockdowns in China and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have all thrown fuel on the red hot economy.Is Canada headed for a recession?Our Unpublished Vote question asks: Do you feel the Canadian economy is heading for a recession?Audience Response: 88% = Yes6% = No6% =  UnsureJoining us to discuss the potential for a global recession and the impact on Canada: Jim Stanford Director, Centre for Future Work @JimboStanfordMoshe Lander, Professor Economics, Concordia University @CU_researchnewsDavid Macdonald, Senior Economist Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives @DavidMacCdnIan Lee, Associate Professor Sprott School of Business Carleton UniversityMike Veall Professor Economics McMaster University @McMasterEcon

The price of everything is at a 30 year high in Canada. Record setting prices at the pump and on grocery store shelves have us clinging to our cash and eliminating all but the necessities. The Bank of Canada has moved with interest rate hikes to cool down the economy. But this is far from a “Just in Canada” type of thing. So many other dominoes had to fall into place to get us here. Recently, a survey of economists found that half felt Canada was heading for a recession while the other half did not. Our Unpublished Vote question this week asks: Is the Canadian economy heading for a recession? YesNoUnsureYou can log on and vote right now at Unpublished.vote and have your voice heard. Guests: Ian Lee, Associate Professor at the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University Moshe Lander, Economics professor at Concordia University

You’d be hard pressed to recognize them as on the same team, but that is the picture before us of the federal Conservative leadership race. Six in all have lined up to present their case as best choice to lead the party into the next election. Will they tack even further to the right? Hello and welcome to Unpublished TV. It’s been a bare-knuckle brawl in two debates so far. The party reports a record 600,000 party memberships sold, giving those people a say in who will capture the leadership. First to declare was Carleton MP, Pierre Poilievre, in the middle of the trucker protest in Ottawa. He has grabbed the most attention and support thus far. But it’s a long campaign with the vote not coming until September 10th in Ottawa. Our Unpublished Vote question asked: Which candidate will the Conservatives select? Our audience responded:Pierre Poilievre = 83.02%Jean Charest = 4.72%Leslyn Lewis = 3.30%Patrick Brown = 5.19%Roman Baber = 3.77%Scott Aitchison = 0% However you’re watching and listening to our show, whether through our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, or on our podcast channels—iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more—we would like to remind you that you can “cast your vote” on this topic at http://Unpublished.vote, and then email your MP to tell them why.Guests: Warren Kinsella, Political commentator / former advisor PM Chretien Lori Turnbull, Director School of Public Administration, Dalhousie UniversityCristine de Clercy, Professor Political Science, Western UniversityMario Canseco, President Research CoRick Peterson, Co-founder, Centre Ice Conservatives

With the nasty barbs, the explosive rhetoric and sucker punches to personality, Conservatives are lining up behind six potential candidates to lead them out of Opposition and into the government. Which way will they go? Animosity is driving the bus in the Conservatives largest leadership race ever. More than 400,000 memberships have been sold according to the Party leadership committee, with the closing deadline today. Six candidates in all are looking to lead the party into the next election with Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre siphoning off most of the air in the room. Former Quebec Premier and leader of the PC Party, Jean Charest is on the list, along with former Brampton Mayor and Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown and former leadership candidate, Leslyn Lewis in the ring. Roman Baber, a former Ontario MPP, and current Conservative MP Scott Aitchison round out the list. Two debates are behind us with the leadership convention set for September in Ottawa. Our Unpublished.vote question asks: Which candidate will the Conservatives select? Pierre PoilievreJean CharestLeslyn LewisPatrick BrownRoman BaberScott AitchisonYou can log on and vote anytime at Unpublished.vote to have your voice heard. Guests: Jack Jedwab, President of the Association of Canadian StudiesLori Williams, Mount Royal University David Coletto, Abacus Data Nelson Wiseman, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto