Profile with Michael Serapio

Historian and author J.D.M. Stewart saw a gap in Canadians’ knowledge of their 24 prime ministers. His new book The Prime Ministers: Canada's Leaders and the Nation They Shaped addresses this problem with a chapter on every Canadian prime minister. In an interview with award-winning CPAC host Michael Serapio. Stewart discusses why he felt the need to write this book and what we can learn from prime ministers past.

While the annual Halifax International Security Forum historically focuses on defence, democracy was at the forefront of this year’s agenda. Democracy is being challenged globally with the increasing influence of authoritarian regimes and with the United States — traditionally a democratic leader — signalling a shift away from supporting democratic efforts and protecting the rules based international order. The United States' commitment to democracy and Canada-U.S. relations were main discussions at the Forum, with a large bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation attending alongside Canadian political and military leaders. This episode of Profile explores the defence of democracy through interviews by award-winning CPAC host Michael Serapio featuring Peter Van Praagh, President, HFX; Chris Coons, United States Democratic Senator (Delaware); Janice Gross Stein, Founding Director, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto; and James Bezan, Conservative Shadow Minister for National Defence.

With Canada-U.S. trade at an impasse, award-winning CPAC host Michael Serapio sits down with Pete Hoekstra, U.S. Ambassador to Canada. A close political ally of President Trump, Ambassador Hoekstra shares his thoughts on what derailed trade talks in fall of 2025 and offers a glimpse of what a future trading relationship between Canada and the U.S could look like.

As this year’s Halifax International Security Forum was getting underway, the U.S. released a peace proposal for Ukraine, one that was negotiated between U.S. envoys and Russia. It was a plan that was drafted without Ukraine’s involvement and reflected Russian objectives. The initial plan has not gone forward – Ukraine and European partners have put forward counter proposals and talks continue. But the precedent worried many at the forum, as Russia broke international law with the invasion. This episode of Profile explores the situation in Ukraine and the global security threats that democracies face with the growing influence of authoritarian regimes. Award-winning CPAC host Michael Serapio interviews Andriy Shevchenko, Former Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada, Ukrainian World Congress Head of Mission in Ukraine; Vladimir Kara-Murza, Russian opposition politician and Vice President of the Free Russia Foundation; James Bezan, Conservative Shadow Minister for National Defence; Janice Stein, Founding Director, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto; and Ming-chi Chen, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan.

Description: Is Canada at a breaking point? That’s the question that Darrell Bricker, Global CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, and John Ibbitson, writer and journalist, explore in their new book “Breaking Point: The New Big Shifts Putting Canada at Risk.” In an interview with award-winning CPAC host Michael Serapio, the co-authors discuss the political, economic and cultural, and social shifts in Canada, the resulting crises putting the country at risk and how Canada can act to address the breaking points.