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WONK is a show about big ideas in unprecedented times. Hosted by Amanda Lang, we unpack some of the most pressing issues and challenges facing Canada, and talk to some leading thinkers and policymakers about how to tackle them. New episodes drop on Thursdays.
This feed also hosts the archive for Public Policy Forum's podcast, Policy Speaking.
This feed also hosts the archive for Public Policy Forum's podcast, Policy Speaking.
156 Episodes
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For most of human history, free speech was not a welcome concept. The notion that all ideas or expressions are equal is a pretty new one, and it could be argued a dangerous one. Fara Dabhoiwala, a senior research scholar at Princeton and author of ‘What is Free Speech?’ talks to host Amanda Lang about truth, and the history and unexpected outcomes of free speech.
Canada's upcoming federal budget is, by any measure, going to be big. It'll be big in size, symbolism and substance. And it's going to have to find support somewhere in the House to be passed at all. To talk about what’s at stake, we’ve reconvened our policy panel, featuring Armine Yalnizyan and Sean Speer. They talk to host Amanda Lang about the need to fortify the economy, fight tariffs and make concessions.
Canada has a few immediate economic problems, like tariffs and a potential recession. But there are also some long-standing structural problems, including our poor productivity and the erosion of business investment. National Bank Chief Economist Stéfane Marion has highlighted the decimation of investment by Canadian business and the sharp divergence with the U.S. as key factors. He talks to host Amanda Lang about what happened to manufacturing and why Canada needs a red tape czar.
You can review the charts here: https://www.nbc.ca/content/dam/bnc/taux-analyses/analyse-eco/hot-charts/hot-charts-250912.pdf
President Donald Trump is having a sizable impact on America and the world. Canada knows that all too well. For better or worse, there's a new economic order afoot. Will the new vision outlast the president? David Frum is a former Bush speech writer, now a senior editor at the Atlantic, author of many books, including two about Trump and the modern Republican movement. He talks to host Amanda Lang about the trouble with tariffs, what Canada should do and America’s looming economic issues.
As Canada’s environment minister in 2015, Catherine McKenna emerged as a leading voice in the climate debate. She also faced some of the unprecedented and disturbing abuse that was aimed at public officials, and became an advocate for the voice of women in politics. McKenna is still a force at the centre of Canada's climate discussion and the global one. She talks to Wonk host Amanda Lang about the urgent economics of climate change, her new memoir and why Canada needs to deal with rising polarization.
Sophisticated algorithms, endless scrolling and harmful content have affected a generation of children and young adults in alarming ways. Host Amanda Lang talks to Ava Smithing, advocacy director of the Young People's Alliance, about the addictiveness of social media platforms, advice for parents and the legal efforts underway to hold tech firms more accountable.
The time for slow rolling major energy projects in Canada appears to be ending. The resources sector is increasingly seen as both the low-hanging fruit of economic growth and a core component of clean technology in the future— a seeming contradiction that Ottawa is eagerly embracing. Host Amanda Lang talks to Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson about attracting capital, the Major Projects Office and what success looks like.
Canada’s Central Bank lowered rates this week to the surprise of no one. Tens of thousands of jobs were lost over the summer, and inflation, if not easing, does appear to be contained. But as the Bank said in its statement, the path ahead will still be very much determined by what happens on trade. Host Amanda Lang speaks to Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, about the decisions ahead and how friction with the US will continue to affect our economy.
Canada just recorded a quarter of negative growth and sits on the edge of a potential recession. U.S. tariffs continue to hit the economy hard. Meanwhile, the country is plowing ahead with plans to build mega projects and diversify trade. We are, to put it mildly, at a pretty consequential fork in the road.
Host Amanda Lang talks to one of Canada's top economists, Frances Donald, about the challenges ahead and the surprising case for optimism. As chief economist at RBC, Canada's biggest bank, Donald’s insights and pronouncements on both the Canadian and the U.S. economies are vital. And in this climate of unprecedented uncertainty, needed more than ever.
One thing most people assume about stock markets is that they're an accurate reflection of what's happening in the economy. Yet nothing about markets or politics feels typical right now. Despite global tariffs and unprecedented uncertainty, markets continue to soar. Howard Marks is co-chair of Oaktree Capital Management. He's something of a legend in the investing world and in-depth regular memos are must-reads among those in the industry and well beyond. He speaks with host Amanda Lang about what’s going and what it all means.
Jean Chretien, Canada’s oldest living prime minister, isn't taking Western separatism lying down. Having seen Canada through the threat of Quebec separation, his Clarity Act of 2000 could find new currency today. Chrétien — now 91, mentally sharp and still not pulling his punches — talks to host Amanda Lang about Donald Trump, Team Canada and his message to Alberta.
This episode originally aired on June 12, 2025
In her incredible career as a journalist and author, Sally Armstrong told stories no one else would about the atrocities of war and became a towering figure for women's rights. She speaks with host Amanda Lang about the ongoing fight for rights, the ‘small group of greedy men' who start wars and how a former phys-ed teacher at a magazine called Homemaker became a groundbreaking war correspondent.
This episode originally aired on May 1, 2025.
Once eradicated in Canada, measles is making a comeback in Canada. Is it part of a bigger, post-pandemic trend we're seeing of vaccinations declining? What will it take to get public health back on track? Host Amanda Lang talks to Dr. Joss Reimer, president of the Canadian Medical Association, and Dr. Michael Gardam, a leading infectious disease expert about confronting misinformation, acknowledging COVID mistakes and why we’re still not ready for another emergency.
This episode originally aired May 15, 2025.
Canadians are feeling patriotic these days and acutely aware of what we think makes Canada great. But like a lot of good things, our successes should not be taken for granted. In fact, it's been suggested that our democratic processes have fallen so far over time, we’ve lost sight of what "good" even looks like. Host Amanda Lang talks to Andrew Coyne about his new book The Crisis of Canadian Democracy, and how Canada’s political system and structures are under siege.
The housing market dominates conversation for many Canadians, especially when it comes to the lack of affordable homes. Absent a trade war, it is the subject that ranks most important to many of us. And it’s not just about the real estate market — housing now dominates the Canadian economy. Peter Gilgan founded the largest private home builder in North America, Mattamy Homes. He talks to host Amanda Lang about what’s been driving up prices, the impact of investors and his bet on modular home building.
The risks the world faces today feel not just numerous, but in some cases existential. Ian Bremmer is one of the top political scientists and risk experts in the United States. He’s the head of Eurasia Group, a global consultancy, a highly regarded media commentator and the author of 11 books. He talks to host Amanda Lang about America’s ‘dysfunctional democracy’, the threats leading up to the midterm elections and how Canada lacks the infrastructure of a sovereign nation.
The One Canadian Economy Act is supposed to streamline new projects in Canada, including big resource projects. Can the government pursue these nation-building efforts while also answering other aims, including securing sovereignty over Canada's Arctic and working in partnership with Indigenous groups? Sean Boyd helped grow Agnico Eagle into the largest miner in the country and one of the biggest builders in the Arctic. He talks to host Amanda Lang about why his company is so invested in Canada, the importance of building trust on big projects and why the Northwest Passage needs to be developed.
AI is both a massive opportunity and a big threat. And that is especially true for Google, a tech innovator whose bread and butter business (search) faces an uncertain future in the age of artificial intelligence. Kent Walker is the president of global affairs at Google and its parent company Alphabet. He talks to host Amanda Lang about fending off anti-trust allegations, why Sergey Brin is coming back into the office and the “most fundamental transformation” of the tech giant.
Tim Snyder is one of America’s most important scholars. While his work has focused on Eastern Europe, Russia and on the Holocaust, more recently he's written hugely popular books about the nature of tyranny and freedom. He recently moved with his family to Canada, where he is in high demand as someone who can help make sense of what is happening in the world. He talks to host Amanda Lang about America’s slide toward tyranny, the importance of local media in democracy and what keeps him hopeful for the future.
This episode originally aired on April 24, 2025.
Within five years, ‘agentic AI’ could make 40 percent of today’s skills irrelevant. Valérie Pisano is the president and CEO of MILA — Quebec AI Institute, founded by one of the godfathers of AI, Joshua Bengio. She speaks to host Amanda Lang about why the latest technology is being dramatically underestimated and whether it’s time for governments to put the brakes on its unregulated development.
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