Gloves Off

In this special edition of Cross Check, Stephen Marche, Vass Bednar, and Jon Shell discuss the 2026 Federal Budget and react to the US Midterm results.With Gloves Off on hiatus, Cross Check returns with occasional reactions to the news shaping Canada’s sovereignty.Canadian Shield Institute research: -Budget 2026 Mentions EU Co-operation, But Not Much Money-Airports and Asset Recycling in Budget 2026 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special edition of Cross Check, Stephen Marche, Vass Bednar, and Jon Shell react to the EU-Canada summit and the new "Alliance for the Future." What does this ambitious partnership mean for Canada’s sovereignty, economic security, and future?With Gloves Off on hiatus, Cross Check returns with occasional reactions to the news shaping Canada’s sovereignty.Canadian Shield Research: What Canada Can Learn From Europe on Digital Sovereignty, Canada and Europe Have the Same AdTech Problem Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Canada sell itself to the world without selling out?In this special live episode of Gloves Off recorded at Toronto’s historic El Mocambo, Stephen Marche tackles one of Canada’s most pressing economic questions: how do we attract the capital we need to build the country without selling off the assets, companies and infrastructure that make us sovereign?Stephen is joined live on stage by economists Armine Yalnizyan and Dan Ciuriak, and Cross Check co-hosts Vass Bednar and Jon Shell, to examine the Carney government’s recent Investment Summit 2026, airport privatization, foreign ownership, and Canada’s struggle to finance its own growth.From defence manufacturing and critical infrastructure, to AI, pension funds, and the future of Canadian innovation, the conversation asks what good investment looks like—and who ultimately benefits.Featuring (in order of appearance): JR Cox, Armine Yalnizyan, Rod Sims, Dan Ciuriak and Cross Check Co-Hosts Vass Bednar and Jon ShellAlso visit our website—gloves-off.ca—for more research behind the issues from the Canadian Shield Institute including Pension and FDI reports.Follow us on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As America pulls back from its traditional alliances, what does that mean for Canada and the future of the global order?In this extended interview, Stephen Marche revisits his conversation with Julianne Smith, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and former senior Pentagon official. Smith explains how the Trump administration has transformed America’s relationships with its allies, why trust in the United States has eroded, and how Canada and other middle powers are responding.From NATO and European defence to Canada’s growing ties with the European Union and Nordic countries, Smith explores whether middle powers can build a new “third pole” of global influence—and whether the existing international order can survive America’s retreat.What happens when America’s allies start building a world without America at the centre?Excerpt of interview originally featured in Ep 8 "What Are We Fighting For?"Also visit our website—gloves-off.ca—for more research behind the issues from the Canadian Shield Institute including: a linguistic analysis of how the concept of "sovereignty" has changed over time, based on how it has been used in the House of Commons since 1900.Follow us on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this extended interview,Stephen Marche speaks with Tim Mak, Editor of the Kyiv-based publication The Counteroffensive about Ukraine’s drone war and the future of warfare. They explore how Ukraine’s decentralized defence-tech ecosystem is driving rapid innovation—and what Canada can learn as it prepares to dramatically increase defence spending.Excerpt of interview originally featured in Ep 5 "How Canada Wins at Defence" Also visit our website—gloves-off.ca—for more research behind the issues from the Canadian Shield Institute including a Canadian history of dual usage technologies and a Chart that tries to imagine the sheer scale of the military budget.Follow us on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.