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The Line

The Line

Auteur(s): Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson
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The Line is a Canadian magazine dedicated to covering local, national and international politics, news, current events and occasionally some obscure stories. Hosted by Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson.

© 2026 The Line Politique
Épisodes
  • Have Carney and the rest given up on Canada already?

    Have Carney and the rest given up on Canada already?
    Jul 31 2026

    In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on July 31st, 2026, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson begin by asking whether Canada's governments are actually prepared to make the sacrifices required to defend the country's interests. Both come away disappointed. Matt points to the federal government's decision to block the expansion of an airport in the Toronto area because it was locally controversial and could complicate an upcoming Liberal byelection. If a government isn't willing to risk losing even a single seat to get important things done, Matt argues, then it's never going to get important things done.

    This episode is brought to you by Cameco. In nuclear energy, timelines and costs matter. Incomplete designs carry real risk of delays and cost overruns. That’s why the AP1000 reactor is the right choice for Canada: it is already operating today and ready now to deliver the power we need, with 100 percent Canadian ownership and strong participation from Canadian suppliers. If we are serious about building Canada and powering it on time and on budget, the choice is clear. The AP1000 reactor is the only option that delivers.

    To learn more, visit ap1000.cameco.com.

    Next, Jen checks in from Alberta with an update on the separatist movement. While recent polling shows federalist forces comfortably ahead, she's far from reassured. The problem isn't the raw level of support for separation, which remains relatively low. It's the intensity. Separatists are deeply motivated, while federalists may assume victory is inevitable and fail to organize or even show up. If that happens, Jen warns, the result could be much closer than today's polls suggest.

    This episode is also brought to you by BioCanRx, a federally-funded Canadian not-for-profit research network dedicated to cutting edge cancer immunotherapy research that they’re helping Canadian researchers bring from labs to patients in clinical trials — all in Canada.If a drug is discovered in a Canadian lab, and conducts successful clinical trials in Canada, there’s a chance it will be launched in Canada. So how do we get more drugs out of Canadian labs and keep them here? Every year around $500 million is spent on Canadian cancer research, but 70 per cent of that is for early-stage work — discovering whether a therapy can do something in the lab. That leaves limited resources for the complex and often disjointed process of moving Canadian innovations from discovery to a clinical trial and hopefully into the health system.BioCanRx has stepped into the gap. They specialize in “translational research” — the unsexy work that makes for boring press releases, but gets results: 16 Canadian cancer immunotherapy clinical trials in just a decade, treating more than 400 patients.Thanks to this, BioCanRx has first-hand experience with the systemic disconnects that are trapping discoveries in Canadian labs, or sending them out of the country to be developed. They have straightforward ideas about how to fix the problems, and spoiler alert: the answer isn’t just “add more money.” Stay tuned to learn more in coming weeks, and visit BioCanRx.com to learn more.


    Finally, Matt raises reports about Jagmeet Singh's possible next job after politics, and he's unimpressed. Jen offers a different perspective, suggesting that perhaps there's something to be said for a political class that takes care of its own after public service. Your hosts don't reach a firm conclusion — but they lay out both sides and leave it to listeners to decide.

    All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Check out our main page at ReadTheLine.ca.

    #TheLinePodcast
    #CanadianPolitics
    #MarkCarney
    #AlbertaPolitics
    #Federalism
    #JagmeetSingh
    #LiberalParty
    #PoliticalAnalysis
    #CanadaPolitics
    #CurrentAffairs
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    1 h et 24 min
  • Is NATO Doomed? (And Canada along with it?)

    Is NATO Doomed? (And Canada along with it?)
    Jul 28 2026
    For decades, Canada has enjoyed the benefits of NATO while spending comparatively little on its own military. That era may be coming to an end.This episode is brought to you by BioCanRx, a federally-funded Canadian not-for-profit research network dedicated to cutting edge cancer immunotherapy research that they’re helping Canadian researchers bring from labs to patients in clinical trials –– all in Canada.If a drug is discovered in a Canadian lab, and conducts successful clinical trials in Canada, there’s a chance it will be launched in Canada. So how do we get more drugs out of Canadian labs and keep them here? Every year around $500 million is spent on Canadian cancer research, but 70 per cent of that is for early-stage work –– discovering whether a therapy can do something in the lab. That leaves limited resources for the complex and often disjointed process of moving Canadian innovations from discovery to a clinical trial and hopefully into the health system.BioCanRx has stepped into the gap. They specialize in "translational research" –– the unsexy work that makes for boring press releases, but gets results: 16 Canadian cancer immunotherapy clinical trials in just a decade, treating more than 400 patients.Thanks to this, BioCanRx has first-hand experience with the systemic disconnects that are trapping discoveries in Canadian labs, or sending them out of the country to be developed. They have straightforward ideas about how to fix the problems, and spoiler alert: the answer isn’t just 'add more money." Visit BioCanRx.com to learn more.This week on On The Line, host Jen Gerson is joined by Jean-François Bélanger, Senior Non-Resident Associate Fellow at the NATO Defense College, for a wide-ranging discussion about Canada’s long-overdue military buildup and what it means for the future of the Alliance. Bélanger’s work focuses on deterrence, nuclear strategy, wargaming, multi-domain operations, and military decision-making, making him well placed to explain the strategic thinking behind today’s defence debates.As Ottawa commits to dramatically increasing defence spending, Gerson and Bélanger examine what those promises will actually require. Is Canada genuinely preparing for a more dangerous world, or simply catching up after decades of underinvestment? What capabilities do the Canadian Armed Forces need most urgently, and how should those investments be prioritized?The conversation also explores how NATO has evolved in recent years, how the Alliance has adapted to the return of Donald Trump to the White House, and what Canada’s role should be in an increasingly uncertain international environment. They discuss the growing strategic importance of the Arctic, the impact of emerging technologies on military planning, and how the character of warfare is changing.This episode is also brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canada’s forest products sector is not asking Ottawa to start over. The federal government has heard the advice. It has recognized the challenges. And it has put a plan on the table. Now the test is action.That means clearing made-in-Canada barriers: regulatory duplication, transportation bottlenecks, and uncertainty around predictable access to manage our forests. It means working with provinces to protect communities from wildfire risk and giving companies the confidence to invest here at home. Nearly 200,000 Canadians working in this sector are looking for results.The playbook is written. Now Ottawa needs to deliver. Learn more at fpac.ca.Along the way, Bélanger explains why modern defence planning increasingly relies on forecasting, simulations, and sophisticated wargaming, and why many Canadians misunderstand both NATO’s purpose and Canada’s obligations within it.It’s a timely conversation about deterrence, alliance politics, and the difficult choices Canada faces as it prepares for a less stable world.For more, be sure to check out our main page at ReadTheLine.ca. Like and subscribe This episode is also brought to you by Cameco. In nuclear energy, timelines and costs matter. Incomplete designs carry real risk of delays and cost overruns. That’s why the AP1000 reactor is the right choice for Canada: it is already operating today and ready now to deliver the power we need, with 100 percent Canadian ownership and strong participation from Canadian suppliers. If we are serious about building Canada and powering it on time and on budget, the choice is clear. The AP1000 reactor is the only option that delivers.To learn more, visit ap1000.cameco.com.#OnTheLine #NATO #CanadaDefence #CanadianForces #JeanFrancoisBelanger #ArcticSecurity #Geopolitics #MilitaryStrategy #JenGerson #CanadaPolitics
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    57 min
  • Overworked Carney needlessly burns a bridge (get it?)

    Overworked Carney needlessly burns a bridge (get it?)
    Jul 24 2026
    In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on July 24th, 2026, hosts Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson set out with the ambitious goal of keeping each segment to a specific, fixed time. They do not succeed.This episode is brought to you by BioCanRx, Ia federally-funded Canadian not-for-profit research network dedicated to cutting edge cancer immunotherapy research that they’re helping Canadian researchers bring from labs to patients in clinical trials –– all in Canada.If a drug is discovered in a Canadian lab, and conducts successful clinical trials in Canada, there’s a chance it will be launched in Canada. So how do we get more drugs out of Canadian labs and keep them here? Every year around $500 million is spent on Canadian cancer research, but 70 per cent of that is for early-stage work –– discovering whether a therapy can do something in the lab. That leaves limited resources for the complex and often disjointed process of moving Canadian innovations from discovery to a clinical trial and hopefully into the health system.BioCanRx has stepped into the gap. They specialize in "translational research" –– the unsexy work that makes for boring press releases, but gets results: 16 Canadian cancer immunotherapy clinical trials in just a decade, treating more than 400 patients.Thanks to this, BioCanRx has first-hand experience with the systemic disconnects that are trapping discoveries in Canadian labs, or sending them out of the country to be developed. They have straightforward ideas about how to fix the problems, and spoiler alert: the answer isn’t just 'add more money." Stay tuned to learn more in coming weeks, and visit BioCanRx.com to learn more.They begin by unpacking a remarkable week in Canada–U.S. relations. New details about the Gordie Howe Bridge agreement have emerged, and neither host likes what they see. Combined with another round of American tariffs, Jen argues that Prime Minister Mark Carney has committed his first major political fumble. Matt agrees that it's a setback, but also argues that the White House is undermining its own objectives. In an unusual role reversal, Matt even attempts to make the best possible case for Carney's strategy — despite having been the more hawkish voice in recent months. Jen isn't convinced.This episode is also brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canada’s forest products sector is not asking Ottawa to start over. The federal government has heard the advice. It has recognized the challenges. And it has put a plan on the table. Now the test is action.That means clearing made-in-Canada barriers: regulatory duplication, transportation bottlenecks, and uncertainty around predictable access to manage our forests. It means working with provinces to protect communities from wildfire risk and giving companies the confidence to invest here at home. Nearly 200,000 Canadians working in this sector are looking for results.The playbook is written. Now Ottawa needs to deliver. Learn more at fpac.ca.The conversation then turns inward to Canadian politics. Jen argues that Carney is trying to do too many jobs himself. That observation leads both hosts to an amusing realization: Carney relies on his communications staff so infrequently that neither of them even knew who the key players were. Matt also argues that while the Conservatives remain effective at opposing the government on domestic issues, they're badly missing the mark on foreign affairs, and that's probably because they don't want to admit some things that they'd find awkward and unpleasant. Jen concludes that Canada really needs the Liberals' strategic instincts combined with the Conservatives' tactical effectiveness. Matt predicts, with characteristic optimism, that the country will somehow end up with neither.This episode is also brought to you by Cameco. In nuclear energy, timelines and costs matter. Incomplete designs carry real risk of delays and cost overruns. That’s why the AP1000 reactor is the right choice for Canada: it is already operating today and ready now to deliver the power we need, with 100 percent Canadian ownership and strong participation from Canadian suppliers. If we are serious about building Canada and powering it on time and on budget, the choice is clear. The AP1000 reactor is the only option that delivers.To learn more, visit ap1000.cameco.com.Finally, Matt ties together many of the themes from the episode by examining the recent arrest of a man alleged to have been involved in terrorism on behalf of Hamas against Canadian Jews. Matt simply walks through the timeline of the investigation and the eventual arrest. The chronology, he argues, speaks for itself. All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast.#TheLinePodcast#MarkCarney#CanadianPolitics#CanadaUSRelations#TradeWar#GordieHoweBridge#PierrePoilievre#NationalSecurity#PoliticalAnalysis#CurrentAffairs
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    1 h et 10 min
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