Hub Podcasts

Heather Reisman, founder and CEO of Indigo, discusses her Build Canada policy memo on Canada's literacy crisis, in which she explains why early childhood is a critical window for literacy development and the role of parents, schools, and public policy to support better reading outcomes. She also explains the importance of phonics instruction, limiting screen time, and how improving literacy is not only an economic imperative and civic infrastructure issue, but also crucial to preserving children's natural love of reading and storytelling. The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Editor Sean Speer - Host  

Rudyard Griffiths and Sean Speer discuss Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent election supermajority in Japan and its implications for Canadian politics. They explore how she used loose fiscal policy, tax cuts, and deficit spending to secure electoral victory—a playbook potentially being replicated by Prime Minister Mark Carney. They then address the political appeal versus economic risks of transactional policies, structural reform challenges, and the dangers of fiscal profligacy for Canada's long-term economic health and borrowing costs.   The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple)  https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer  Elia Gross - Editor Rudyard Griffiths and Sean Speer - Host Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo - Photo Credit    To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts email support@thehub.ca

Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best commentaries and analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go.   0:20 - Why Chinese EVs were never going to get Canada to its electric vehicle adoption goal, by Alicia Planincic   4:49 - Here's the solution to Canada's military recruitment crisis, by Eric Sauvé and Walter Wood   This program is narrated by automated voices. To get full-length editions of popular Hub podcasts and other great perks, subscribe to the Hub for only $2 a week: https://thehub.ca/join/hero/   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch The Hub on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Alisha Rao – Producer & Sound Editor

In this episode of Hub Politics, Sean Speer is joined by Amanda Galbraith, co-founder and president of Oyster Group, and David Coletto, founder and CEO of Abacus Data, to discuss Pierre Poilievre's resounding leadership review victory and the Conservative convention's strategic messaging. They analyze Poilievre's focus on affordability over Trump, the significance of the 20th anniversary of Stephen Harper's first election win, and new Abacus Data polling revealing widespread Canadian nostalgia for the 1950s. They then explore emerging political risks around artificial intelligence and job displacement, questioning whether the Carney government's embrace of AI is a vulnerability.   The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple)  https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify)   Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer Alisha Rao - Sound Editor  Sean Speer - Host

Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best commentaries and analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go.   0:29 - Stephen Harper got the big things right: The Weekly Wrap, by Sean Speer   This program is narrated by automated voices. To get full-length editions of popular Hub podcasts and other great perks, subscribe to the Hub for only $2 a week: https://thehub.ca/join/hero/   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch The Hub on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Alisha Rao – Producer & Sound Editor

Rudyard Griffiths and Sean Speer discuss Carney government's multi-billion dollar auto industry strategy, and its attempt to walk back unrealistic EV mandates while preserving Ottawa's climate commitments. They critique how the policy will create a captive market that will lead to less consumer choice and higher prices. In the second half, they discuss major developments this week in the world of Artificial Intelligence and what it means for different industries and workers, including the so-called "laptop class."  If you are enjoying the free version of the Hub Roundtable, subscribe to become a Hub Hero or Fellow to access the full version every week: https://thehub.ca/join/ The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple)  https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Editor   Rudyard Griffiths and Sean Speer - Hosts   To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts email support@thehub.ca

Stephen Beatty, former senior executive at Toyota Canada and automotive consultant, examines Canada's emerging auto policy following Mark Carney's China visit. He analyzes the proposed tariff-rate quota for Chinese vehicles, questions about pricing assumptions, and potential manufacturing incentives for foreign brands. He also explores how these policies intersect with CUSMA negotiations, cybersecurity concerns around EVs, and Canada's strategic position between U.S. market access demands and Chinese investment opportunities. The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Editor Rudyard Griffiths - Host

Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best commentaries and analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go.   0:20 - Carney's energy superpower talk isn't cutting it—we need action, by Heather Exner-Pirot   8:52 - One small policy change that could fix Canada's housing crisis, by Matt Spoke   This program is narrated by automated voices. To get full-length editions of popular Hub podcasts and other great perks, subscribe to the Hub for only $2 a week: https://thehub.ca/join/hero/   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch The Hub on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Alisha Rao – Producer & Sound Editor

Duff Conacher, co-founder of the Canadian political accountability group Democracy Watch, discusses his organization's Supreme Court case challenging a decision by the federal ethics commissioner that cleared then-prime minister Justin Trudeau of violating ethics laws during the WE Charity scandal. He argues that allowing politicians to write their own rules and appoint their own watchdogs creates a closed accountability loop that undermines the rule of law and erodes democratic integrity. He explains how much corruption he's witnessed in Canada after nearly 33 years of keeping a close eye on Canadian politicians.   The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple)  https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer  Elia Gross - Editor Harrison Lowman - Host Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press - Photo Credit    To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts email support@thehub.ca

Full Press discusses the short clip turned major conspiracy involving Canadian media producers saying they have Prime Minister Carney's back, asks whether social media influencers have successfully replaced journalists, and explains why culture is back on the chopping block in U.S.-Canada trade talks.   The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet. Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer Alisha Rao - Sound Editor  Harrison Lowman - Host

Jeromy Farkas, Calgary's recently elected mayor, reflects on his first 100 days in office and makes the case for a post-partisan style of politics—one focused on execution and governing within clear jurisdictional limits, rather than culture wars or ideological signaling. From confronting a looming water infrastructure crisis, to cutting a proposed tax increase, and reversing Calgary's blanket housing rezoning policy; Farkas explains why textbook solutions sometimes fail in practice, and why municipal governments can still deliver results even as higher levels of government stall.   This podcast is generously supported by Don Archibald. The Hub thanks him for his ongoing support.   The Hub is Canada's fastest-growing independent digital news outlet. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get our latest videos: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple)  https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify)   Want more Hub? Get a FREE 3-month trial membership on us: https://thehub.ca/free-trial/ Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Falice Chin - Host, Producer, and Editor

Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best commentaries and analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go.   0:21 - Carney's dime-store realpolitik makes Canadians feel good—but that's not enough, by David Polansky   7:11 - Stephen Harper and the power of principled leadership, by Stephen Staley   This program is narrated by automated voices. To get full-length editions of popular Hub podcasts and other great perks, subscribe to the Hub for only $2 a week: https://thehub.ca/join/hero/   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch The Hub on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Alisha Rao – Producer & Sound Editor   To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, email support@thehub.ca

Martha Hall Findlay, director of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, and Carlo Dade, director of the New North America Initiative, unpack how Canada has repeatedly misread the signals coming out of Washington — mistaking deep, structural shifts in U.S. politics for temporary disruptions. They argue that Canada has been managing its most important relationship while looking in the rearview mirror, and that the costs of that complacency are now impossible to ignore.  Moving beyond election-cycle drama and the latest tariff threats, this conversation examines the forces reshaping North America, why old political labels no longer apply, and what Canada must do to adapt to a fundamentally changed relationship with its closest ally. This episode is produced in partnership with the New North America Initiative at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. From the shifting ideologies of the new Right and the new Left in the U.S., this multi-month series will bring Canadians inside debates on trade, globalization, and power that are likely to shape America's policy direction — and Canada's interests — for the years and decades to come. The New North America Initiative is generously funded in part by the Government of Alberta. Learn more about the initiative: newnorthamerica.org The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this multimedia content do not necessarily represent those of the New North America Initiative, the School of Public Policy, or the University of Calgary. This content has been made available for informational purposes, and our role in production does not constitute an endorsement.   The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet. Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Elia Gross - Producer and Editor Sean Speer - Host    

Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best commentaries and analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go.   0:16 - What rising separatism means for Canadian jobs, by Trevor Tombe   7:33 - Love, loss, and the sweet pain of sports suffering, by Kirk LaPointe   This program is narrated by automated voices. To get full-length editions of popular Hub podcasts and other great perks, subscribe to the Hub for only $2 a week: https://thehub.ca/join/hero/   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch The Hub on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Alisha Rao – Producer & Sound Editor   To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, email support@thehub.ca

Luca Oriani, the president of APx Delivery at Westinghouse, discusses the AP1000 reactor, including how its simplified design helps reduce construction costs and timelines, as well as the key lessons the company has drawn from projects in Georgia and China. Oriani also explores the technology's strong reliability record, Westinghouse's approach to localization across different markets, and the particular advantages Canada brings to the table, given its mature nuclear supply chain and deep workforce expertise. This episode is presented in partnership with Westinghouse.   The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet. Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Elia Gross - Producer and Editor Sean Speer - Host

Andrew Coyne, columnist for The Globe and Mail, discusses Canada's national identity crisis amid growing threats from President Trump. He explores Canada's weakened national symbols and story, the decline of unifying narratives since the British Empire, and whether anti-Americanism is a unifying force. He argues Canada must strengthen internally through democratic reform, the removal of interprovincial trade barriers, and ambitious immigration to become a great power capable of defending itself in an increasingly hostile world. The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple)  https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Editor   Rudyard Griffiths - Host Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press - Photo Credit    To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts email support@thehub.ca

Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best commentaries and analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go.   0:18 - How Poilievre's Conservatives can win the next election, by David Coletto   12:08 - Canada courting Qatar raises hard questions for Carney about values and security, by Ariella Kimmel   This program is narrated by automated voices. To get full-length editions of popular Hub podcasts and other great perks, subscribe to the Hub for only $2 a week: https://thehub.ca/join/hero/   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch The Hub on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Alisha Rao – Producer & Sound Editor   To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, email support@thehub.ca

Elliot Kaufman, Wall Street Journal opinion writer and editorial board member, discusses the dramatic shifts in Western political discourse on immigration, crime, and antisemitism over the past two decades. He examines how policies that were once mainstream became polarizing, and the role of academic elites, activist groups, and judicial constraints in shaping debates. He also analyzes rising antisemitism across Western democracies, anti-Zionism being institutionalized, and concerning trends on both the political left and right regarding Jewish communities. This episode is a part of The Hub's new Fault Lines initiative, which examines the pressures pulling Canadian society apart and the principles that can hold it together. Click here to learn more: https://thehub.ca/fault-lines/ The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Video Editor Alex Matta - Sound Editor Steve Staley - Host

Rudyard Griffiths and Sean Speer discuss policy expert Charles Lammam's new analysis in The Hub, which challenges the narrative that Canada is fiscally prudent. They examine how Canada ranks among the world's most indebted nations, when accounting for combined household, corporate, and government debt. They also explore why Canadians remain complacent about debt accumulation, the real costs of rising borrowing levels, and how government deficits drive up interest rates for mortgages and consumer loans, warning of potential unsustainability ahead.   The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Video Editor Alisha Rao - Sound Editor Rudyard Griffiths - Host Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press - Photo Credit 

Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best commentaries and analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go.   0:19 - Take the Alberta separation threat seriously, Canada, by Derrick Hunter   5:46 - Are conservatives really rights-deniers?, by Christopher Dummitt   This program is narrated by automated voices. To get full-length editions of popular Hub podcasts and other great perks, subscribe to the Hub for only $2 a week: https://thehub.ca/join/hero/   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get all our best content: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Watch The Hub on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHubCanada The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Alisha Rao – Producer & Sound Editor   To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, email support@thehub.ca