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The Hot Room is a podcast by The Hill Times, Canada's all-politics, all-the-time newspaper in the heart of Parliament Hill. We talk to politicians, experts, and other reporters about the biggest stories of the day.
Hot Room podcast theme music written and performed by Gavin Gardiner for The Hill Times.
Hot Room podcast theme music written and performed by Gavin Gardiner for The Hill Times.
235 Episodes
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Canada's Supreme Court has been asked to rule on Quebec's ban on religious clothing in the public service, and whether the Constitution's "notwithstanding" clause can be used indefinitely. Peter Mazereeuw speaks with University of Ottawa law professor Natasha Bakht about what's happening, and what's at stake.
Peter Mazereeuw and Hill Times reporter Stuart Benson recap a hectic week in Canadian politics, including the return of Parliament, Chrystia Freeland's resignation from cabinet, and the setting of a date for the government's fall budget. Benson also gives us an inside look at the party circuit surrounding Parliament Hill. Editor's note: This episode includes a reference to the government's hate crime bill, which was released shortly after the recording was finished. You can see details of the government's bill here.
Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Sheila Copps about the impending return of Parliament, Mark Carney's planned budget cuts, NDP and Conservative strategy, Donald Trump, and more.
Peter Mazereeuw talks to Hill Times columnist and conservative strategist Gerry Nicholls about the challenges facing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in the months ahead, including the return of Parliament, his January leadership review, and how to compete with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
International talks toward a treaty on plastic pollution fell apart again this past week in Geneva. Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Karen Wirsig, who attended the summit on behalf of the NGO Environmental Defence, about why countries can't reach a deal, what it will take to reduce plastic pollution, and what Canada can do next.
Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Natan Obed, the president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, about Prime Minister Mark Carney, the major projects fast-track law, what Canada's Inuit need most from the federal government, and Obed's decision to run for the top job at ITK once more.
Former senior civil servant and Hill Times columinst Bhagwant Sandhu weighs in on the looming cuts to the federal public service, in an interview with Peter Mazereeuw.
Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Ocean Canada's Josh Laughren about the state of Newfoundland's cod fishery, and the government's decision to open it back up to fishing after a more-than 30 year moratorium.
Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Eric Miller, a trade consultant leading Rideau Potomac Strategy Group, about the latest developments in trade talks between Donald Trump and Mark Carney.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has signed Canada up for a new defence spending target worth tens of billions of extra cash per year. David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute joins The Hot Room to talk us through what we might spend it on, obstacles to getting the new gear, and Carney's promised new defence procurement agency.
Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne about his new book, The Crisis of Canadian Democracy. The two touch on why Canada's political system has concentrated so much power in the hands of the prime minister, why the big parties can afford to ignore some parts of the country, and what it will take to set things right.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May joins The Hot Room to break down Mark Carney's Building Canada Act, which proposes to give the cabinet the power to skip major infrastructure and natural resource projects past the environmental assessment process.
Peter Mazereeuw and Sheila Copps dig into the return of Parliament, how Mark Carney might handle Question Period, whether the Liberals should elect a Conservative House speaker, and more. 2025 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards | Sat, Jun 14, 2025, 6:30 pm | Southam Hall | National Arts Centre Nominate your favourite artist for a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award | National Arts Centre
Mark Carney's finance minister, François-Philippe Champagne, says the government isn't releasing a budget this year. Peter Mazereeuw digs into why, what that means, and how the government gets its money, with the help of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy's Mostafa Askari.
Author, columnist and CEO Rose LeMay joins The Hot Room to discuss her new book, Ally is a Verb: A Guide to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Jared Wesley, a political scientist at the University of Alberta, about how Albertans are taking the election of another Liberal government, Danielle Smith vs. Mark Carney, and the tensions between East and West.
"There's executive risk all over these platforms," says former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page, now with the University of Ottawa's Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy. Page takes a high-level look at the Liberal and Conservative party election platforms with Peter Mazereeuw.
Ekos Research pollster Frank Graves joins The Hot Room to discuss the historic Liberal collapse and resurgence in opinion polls over the past year, why men and women are so far apart in their party preference, and the conservative activists rejecting opinion polls that show their party trailing.
Canada Proud? Protecting Canada? Hill Times reporter Stuart Benson joins the podcast to talk about the so-called "third party" groups behind political ads posted on trucks and spamming your screens.
Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Sahir Khan, an expert in government finances at IFSD, about election promises from Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre to cut wasteful spending in government—and what the next prime minister should really do to get taxpayers the best bang for their buck.
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