Dig into Canadian politics from the best seats in the House.

The Backbench

Hosted by Mattea Roach

Dig into politics from the best seats in the House, with host Mattea Roach.

Join Mattea and our rotating roster of panelists from across the country while we engage in discussions about what is happening in Canadian politics right now, and why it matters.

Latest Episodes Most Popular

#78 Roots of Tension in Canada’s Israel-Palestine Discourse

In Canada, the political discourse on the news coming out of Israel and Palestine has given Backbench host, Mattea Roach, some “serious whiplash.”
November 28, 2023

#77 Yukon’s Path to Indigenous Self-Governance

Often underreported or ignored by national media, the unique and complex issues facing the people who call Yukon home rarely get the attention they deserve.
November 14, 2023

#76 Israel, Palestine and Canadian Foreign Policy

Why did Canada abstain on an emergency resolution at the UN General Assembly calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities” in Gaza?
October 31, 2023

#75 Would You Listen to a Government Regulated Podcast?

When you think about film, art and creativity, government policy probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
October 17, 2023

#74 Where Anti-Sikh Press Leads Us & Manitoba Marks the Ballot

Canada is accusing India of a state-sanctioned assassination. What does this mean for the future of Canada and India’s relationship?
October 3, 2023

#73 Students in Strip Malls

We’re busy preparing for our upcoming live events and working away on an exciting fall season, so we’re bringing you an episode from our friends Allison Smith and Jonathan Goldsbie on Wag the Doug  – a monthly podcast that grapples with the realities of the Ford government in Ontario. 
September 19, 2023

#72 GenZ’s Political Apathy-ocalypse

The tale generally goes like this: Gen Z is disconnected, disinterested, and buried so deep into their screens that they don't care about the politics going on around them.
September 5, 2023

#71 Backbench Catch Up

It’s summer time, and Parliament’s been out of session for 2 months. For this episode of the Backbench, host Mattea roach is joined by an all-star panel of Riley Yesno, Emilie Nicolas, David Moscrop.
August 22, 2023
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