Building Left

In this episode, hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins interview recent NDP candidate Shannon Devine about her strong by‑election performance in the Toronto riding of Beaches‑East York, her labour organizing background, and the issues that are bringing voters back to the federal NDP. They discuss key campaign themes—affordable housing, healthcare, climate, labour rights—and the party’s communication and organizing strategies. They also look at broader questions about accountability in Parliament and the politics of foreign investment and pipelines. Background Shannon Devine's campaign website Carney government drops pipelines, oil and gas projects from Impact Assessment review - iPolitics  

Join Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick as they speak with Ben Simoni, Executive Director of the BC Youth Climate Corps. Ben unpacks the rapid growth of this youth-led, community-based climate program across British Columbia. The episode explores the unique model of the Climate Corps: paying youth a living-wage for cohort-based positions working on local climate resiliency projects. These projects range from wildfire mitigation, ecosystem restoration, and water monitoring, to Indigenous-led cultural reclamation projects, all while helping Corps members gain skills, certifications, civic leadership experience and so much more. Tune-in for great lessons about building enduring partnerships and breaking through the political gridlock that so often stymies meaningful climate action.  Background/Further information: https://www.youthclimatecorps.com/  

Join hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins as they sit down with former Vancouver city councillor, professor and strategist Andrea Reimer to unpack "power literacy." What is power? How does it work? And why do activists, politicians and progressive movements need to learn how to use it? The conversation covers concrete organizing tools like power mapping, the social dynamics that shape political choices, and how local governments can push provincial and federal change forward. Follow Andrea: Andrea's PowerU reels on Instagram: @citizenandrea Andrea Reimer (@andreareimer.bsky.social) — Bluesky Website: https://www.citizenandrea.ca/ Background/Further reading: The LOEB Fellowship | Andrea Reimer https://pressprogress.ca/why-powerful-people-do-stupid-things/ https://pressprogress.ca/why-powerful-people-refuse-to-take-action-on-urgent-issues/ https://pressprogress.ca/why-canadian-politics-does-a-such-a-bad-job-at-reflecting-working-class-values/ https://pressprogress.ca/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-revealed-canada-most-powerful-people-have-less-power-than-they-think/ https://pressprogress.ca/how-to-push-canadian-politicians-for-real-change-beyond-symbolic-gestures/ https://pressprogress.ca/heres-how-canadians-can-keep-big-money-out-of-politics/  

In this episode of Building Left, our guest, PhD candidate Dawn Moffat McMaster, discusses her research on the nonprofit sector as a pathway into electoral politics, why women—though making up the majority of nonprofit workers—remain underrepresented in legislatures, and how parties and local recruitment shape who runs for office. Join us for a conversation about nonprofits' role in policy and community life, the challenge of assessing electability in a celebrity-driven era, and why community work and local credibility often matters more to voters than a flashy resume. Background/Further information: Mark Carney on Climate Change

Join Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick as they interview Luke Savage. Luke is a writer whose work has appeared in the Toronto Star, the New Statesman, Jacobin and more. He is also the coauthor of Ed Broadbent’s 2023 book Seeking Social Democracy. Join us for Luke's commentary on the rising popularity of explicitly socialist movements around the world, the failures of Carney's centrism in Canada, and strategies for building broad, bold, progressive political coalitions.  Find Luke on social media: Substack: Luke Savage | Substack BlueSky: @lukewsavage.bsky.social — Bluesky Facebook: www.facebook.com/LukeSavage Background and further reading: How Carney is betraying a vision of a fair and strong Canada: Toronto Star Something's got to give - Luke Savage Mark Carney's "sovereign wealth fund" is a mirage: Luke Savage Reclaiming Socialism in Canada’s NDP Leadership Race: Jacobin