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    The Backbench
    #11 An Emergency, But First An Election
    The show after Labour Day warrants a look at federal parties' commitments to workers and how they say they will grow our economy. And when it comes to climate change proposals, will voters respond to ambition or reality?

    This week’s contributors: Caroline Elliott (Welcome!), Murad Hemmadi, and Jaskaran Sandhu

    UPDATE: The Green Party released their platform after we recorded the episode, which includes a section on a just transition for workers via introducing a Just Transition Act before the end of 2021 that would take care of workers during the climate transition.

    Links:

    • To honour Murad’s point of order, here are parties’ platforms:

    • More on platforms’ “climate sincerity” this federal election

    This episode is supported by The Peak, Aussie Hair and Dispatch Coffee.

    September 8, 2021
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    #21 The So-Called Era Of Reconciliation
    Three generations of Indigenous panelists join us this week on what The Backbench thought was the biggest story of 2021: the unmarked graves on former residential school grounds. We break format to take stock of what has been promised and repromised, the diversity of demands from Indigenous communities, and what a new "interlocutor" position can do to help with healing.
    January 11, 2022
    #20 Economy As Entertainment?
    Political showmanship about #Justinflation abound, just as the Liberal government is set to release their Fall Economic Statement this week. And it's our last episode of 2021! We offer some highlights and lowlights of the year.
    December 14, 2021
    #19 A Bill That’s Ideally Never Used
    BC's emergency on top of emergency has us wondering where the federal government needs to step in. And the latest "lockdown bill" and Throne Speech reveals where our federal government is at.
    November 30, 2021
    #18 A Cynical Guide To COP26
    Prime Minister Trudeau celebrated Canada's role at COP26 - but what is there to celebrate really? And Conservatives MPs try to start a 'civil liberties caucus' while the Liberal caucus vote not to empower themselves. 
    November 16, 2021
    #17 A Money Manel: Equalization & Inflation
    Alberta thinks it made a "powerful" statement to Ottawa this week. And the Bank of Canada says inflation is persistent, which can also be perceived as good news if you look really hard.
    November 2, 2021
    #16 Two Former MPs Dish On China & Climate
    We invited former MPs on because it was supposed to be the first week of Parliament. It got pushed back, but we get into what the first days of Parliament are like and what issues this government will be inheriting anyway. 
    October 19, 2021
    #15 Truth, Reconciliation and China
    Trudeau drops the first apology of his third term and has us wondering how reconciliation can go beyond symbolic actions. And as the Two Michaels make it home, what have we learned from this whole saga?
    October 5, 2021
    #14 A Conversation With A PPC Voter
    This week, we bring you something different: an in-depth chat with a People’s Party of Canada supporter. Derek Taylor emailed Fatima after she called the party racist. He agreed to an interview. Derek gets into how he heard about the party, why he supports them, and the direction the party has taken since its creation in 2018. 
    September 28, 2021
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