The Progress Report

Where did Kevin J. Johnston come from? Independent journalist Kevin Metcalf digs into the history of this infamous Ontario and relatively recent Calgary transplant who has recently been locked up for a series of increasingly dangerous and aggressive anti-lockdown stunts.

Edmonton Public school board trustee Bridget Stirling and Speaking Municipally co-host Troy Pavlek join us to talk about the city council and school board elections in Edmonton coming later this year. With massive turnover coming to both institutions what are the races to keep an eye on and what kind of campaigns are we likely to see? And yes, two-thirds of the panel is on team Breezy Brian Gregg for mayor.

In the first of our interviews with Alberta NDP leadership candidates, Duncan chats with Sarah Hoffman. Then, some analysis with Jim. Show notes and more content, including our ANDP leadership tracker, can be found at our website, The Progress Report [https://www.theprogressreport.ca/]

Jeremy Appel joins the pod to talk about his newly published book, Kenneyism: Jason Kenney's Pursuit of Power. We discuss how Jason Kenney's ghost continues to haunt us still and the effects his time in politics have wrought at the federal and provincial level.

Law professor Joshua Sealy-Harrington joins host Duncan Kinney to discuss how universities and police forces across Canada are cracking down on pro-Palestinian speech and the serious effects these actions are having on Canada's very broken and barely functioning democracy.

The Progress Report podcast is back and fellow Progress Reporters Jeremy Appel and Jim Storrie are around to break down the resolutions and the vibes heading into this weekend's UCP AGM. This is the first AGM with Danielle Smith at the helm and we'll see where her loosey-goosey leadership style plays with an increasingly bug-eyed UCP grassroots.

After a long hiatus due to moving offices the Progress Report pod is back. Jeremy Appel joins host Duncan Kinney to sift through the wreckage of the Alberta election. They discuss the Alberta NDP's spin on their catastrophic loss as well as what is to be done about the coming UCP cruelty.

Police body cameras are sold as a solution that will increase trust, transparency, and accountability with police. Daniella Barreto of Rights Back at You joins host Duncan Kinney to debunk every one of these claims and make the case that police body cameras actually suck ass.

Ophelia Black is not just a young woman who lives in Calgary who likes to read fantasy romance novels and cross-stitch, she's also proof that safe supply programs can work. When the UCP tried to take away her treatment plan she took the government to court, and won. Black joins Duncan Kinney to talk about her case, the life she's built for herself thanks to her treatment and why the UCP are trying to kill her and other intravenous drug users.

Canadian Anti-Hate Network writer and research Peter Smith joins host Duncan Kinney to talk about the recent spate of far right protests at all-ages drag reading events and other queer events in Alberta—and the counter-protests that resist them.

Freelance investigative journalist and former paramedic Brett McKay joins Duncan Kinney to discuss his recent piece in the Breach which makes the convincing case that the increased use precarious paramedics in Alberta is a part of a deliberate strategy to make it easier for the UCP to privatize ambulance service in Alberta. If you like this podcast please support it! Go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron. Make a one-time donation here [https://www.progressalberta.ca/donate-onetime]. Or e-transfer a donation to info@progressalberta.ca Links: * Rise in Alberta's precarious paramedics a UCP 'privatization strategy' [https://breachmedia.ca/rise-in-albertas-precarious-paramedics-a-ucp-privatization-strategy/]

Shama Rangwala joins Duncan Kinney to discuss the students of Uleth owning Frances Widdowson, the UCP reaction and the historical context of academic free speech and how it's been weaponized by the right. If you like this podcast please support it! Go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron. Make a one-time donation here [https://www.progressalberta.ca/donate-onetime]. Or e-transfer a donation to info@progressalberta.ca Links: * Pronouncing un-freedom [https://www.blackwoodgallery.ca/publications/sduk/pronouncing/pronouncing-un-freedom] * Free Speech and the University: A Closer Look at the Chicago Principles [https://www.pyriscence.ca/home/2019/5/30/chicagoprinciples] * Controversial academic meets noisy resistance at U of L after school halts planned lecture [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/frances-widdowson-lethbridge-1.6733896]

Paris Marx of the Tech Won't Save Us podcast joins Duncan Kinney to explore Danielle Smith's obsession with cryptocurrency and taking Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan.

Euan Thompson of Each + Every joins Duncan Kinney to discuss the incredibly evil "Alberta Model" of addressing the drug poisoning crisis and why it must be destroyed.

University of Calgary law professor Martin Olszysnki joins Duncan Kinney to discuss the recently passed Alberta Sovereignty Act and its corrosive effects on democracy, the rule of law and the treaties.

@garthmullins joins @duncankinney to discuss what it means for the rest of Canada that a coalition of cops and capitalists have seized control of Vancouver's city council through a campaign of fear.

Freelance journalist Jeremy Appel joins Duncan Kinney to discuss the assent of Danielle Smith, the origin of the Trash Can Dani nickname and Jason Kenney's legacy.

Danielle Paradis of APTN joins host Duncan Kinney to discuss politics and policing, body cams and the context and fallout of the violent push that was caught on camera in Chinatown last week.

Law professor Martin Olszynski joins Duncan Kinney to talk about the unique danger Danielle Smith and her proposed Alberta Sovereignty Act poses to democracy.   If you like this podcast please support it! Go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron. Make a one-time donation here [https://www.progressalberta.ca/donate-onetime]. Or e-transfer a donation to info@progressalberta.ca Links: * Martin Olszynski's Twitter thread on Danielle Smith, wannabe tyrant [https://twitter.com/molszyns/status/1567676371455082496]

The podcast is back from its summer break with an extended conversation with Angus Quinton with Get Your Drugs Tested. This Vancouver based organization has done the most testing of the illicit drug supply of anyone in the world and it's a model that has huge public health implications in dealing with the drug poisoning crisis.