This week on On the Line, Matt is joined by two familiar voices. First up, P.J. Fournier from 338Canada.com and 338Canada.ca drops in with a quick update. He’s been tracking the polls as Parliament gets back to work, and his verdict is that not much has shifted since the election. Still, he lays out the opportunities and headaches facing Mark Carney and the Liberals, Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives, and what's left of the NDP as it tries to figure out what exactly it wants to be ... and what leader will help get them there.

After that, Matt is joined by a friend of the show, Jamie Carroll of Carroll & Co. Consulting. You’ll remember him from our anti-panel during the campaign, and this time he sticks around for a longer chat about what’s happening inside Liberal circles. Why is the caucus already grumbling? What’s keeping Mark Carney awake at night? And why does poor Michael Sabia seem to have been left with a to-do list that might as well include stopping a Russian offensive in eastern Europe all by himself?

We’re (mostly) joking about that last part, but it’s fair to say it’s been a strange few weeks, hasn't it?

Subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, follow us on your favourite podcast app, and don’t forget to leave us a nice review. Audio drops every Tuesday morning, with video rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and our social channels. Catch it wherever you listen or watch.

In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Sept. 12th, 2025, Rob Breakenridge joins Matt from Calgary, filling in for Jen Gerson, who is on assignment out of town. The two men acknowledge — but deliberately steer away from — the emerging details of the rapidly unfolding Charlie Kirk assassination investigation. Instead, they focus on the bigger picture: the mood, the vibes, and why so many people on both sides of the border seem to be bracing for some kind of civil conflict against a vaguely defined “them.” Neither is certain how Canada, or the United States, can pull back from this trajectory. Or if people really even want to.

After that, they turn to issues closer to home. The Carney government has officially launched its Major Projects Office and revealed the first programs slated for elevation. Rob breaks down what’s on the agenda and why, despite the office not explicitly mentioning a pipeline, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has responded positively. Matt, meanwhile, shares the part of the announcement he found oddly amusing — but also despair-inducing — in the way it revealed deeper national challenges. Both men agree that it might be better to just fix the problems with approvals, rather than creating a new, special unit that gives a few chosen projections the efficient treatment, while everything else suffers. Matt quips that this is Canadian health-care-style thinking applied to permit approvals. Should go fine.

This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, contributes $21 billion annually to our nation's economy, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the U.S. are siphoning jobs and investment away, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are preventing critical projects that both prevent wildfires and boost our economic self-reliance.

We can and should have programs that expand domestic wood use, advance biomass use and pulp market opportunities, and cut red tape and regulatory barriers. The government of Canada has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

Finally, Matt and Rob interview each other about their latest Line columns. Rob walks listeners through his piece on Alberta’s book ban that badly backfired, while Matt explains why he thinks Canadians are rightfully losing faith in their own safety — and why that needs to change if Canada is to avoid sliding down the same dangerous path already visible in the United States.

Cheerful stuff, eh? If you need your mood lifted even further, check us out at ReadTheLine.ca. Like, subscribe, and pray.

In this week’s episode of On The Line, Matt Gurney is joined by Stephanie Levitz from Ottawa. Steph is a senior reporter in the Globe and Mail's Ottawa bureau. They break down the wave of Liberal announcements last week — and why the government will struggle mightily to turn promises into reality.

Then they turn to the Conservatives: Pierre Poilievre’s new self-defence and home defence plan is well timed, especially when contrasted with the Liberals’ clumsy response. But the party is also deliberately testing the waters on temporary foreign workers. Matt and Stephanie dig into how a modern Western conservative party can navigate the line between legitimate criticism of a specific policy and sliding into anti-immigrant hysteria — and why, so far, Canada's Conservatives have mostly avoided that trap.

Finally, a brief check-in on the NDP … which doesn’t take long.

Oh, and a lot of Ghostbusters references that go right over Steph's head. Matt couldn't help himself. They just ... popped in there.

Subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, follow us on your favourite podcast app, and don’t forget to leave us a nice review. Audio drops every Tuesday morning, with video rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and our social channels. Catch it wherever you listen or watch.

In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Sept. 5, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson talk about the sudden flurry of announcements from Prime Minister Mark Carney. Matt wonders if any of these promises will actually lead to results, while Jen says her 100-day countdown for Carney begins now. Matt also points out an amusing way the current PM reminds him of his predecessor.

Next, the conversation shifts to law and order. A recent quote from a senior police official in the GTA has sparked outrage, and with good reason. While both Matt and Jen can imagine a very narrow context in which the chief’s point might hold, they agree he was mostly wrong — and with a spate of terrible crimes in southern Ontario in recent days, his timing could not have been worse.

PLEASE NOTE: Chief MacSween issued a statement while this episode was being edited. You can read it here:

https://x.com/chiefmacsween/status/1964047883457421469

The hosts next turn to Kevin Roberts, who had been invited to address the Carney cabinet. The man’s deep ties to the far right of U.S. politics make him a lightning rod, and it’s no surprise he was controversial. Still, Matt and Jen argue Canada might have been better off if Carney had actually heard him out.

All that and more on the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Check us out at ReadTheLine.ca.

In this episode of On The Line, Jen Gerson sits down with former Alberta deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, who is the lead of Forever Canadian — Keep Alberta in Canada - a petition to force the question of separation to the table before the separatists have a chance to take a crack at it. Lukaszuk speaks about his time in office, his goals with the petition, and his oftentimes testy relationship with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Aug. 25, 2025, the hosts start with the return of politics. Carney is striking the right tone, with a new major projects office and a European trip under his belt, but whether the country actually gets its act together is still an open question. Jen explains why she always hated Trudeau’s “business case” comments, while Matt notes that the business case for the entire country has been called out by Donald Trump.

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, contributes $21 billion annually to our nation's economy, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the U.S. are siphoning jobs and investment away, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are preventing critical projects that both prevent wildfires and boost our economic self-reliance. We can and should have programs that expand domestic wood use, advance biomass use and pulp market opportunities, and cut red tape and regulatory barriers. The government of Canada has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca/

The conversation then discusses fascism in the U.S. Matt talks about an essay from a generally reasonable U.S. writer who says the U.S. has crossed the line. Matt isn’t convinced, but neither host loves the trendlne. They suggest a test for the viewers and listeners: write down your own personal “red line.” Send them to us. And we'll review in a year.

This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Airbnb. Canada needs to take real action on bringing housing costs down — but experts agree that regulating short-term rentals like Airbnb is nothing more than a distraction. This makes sense when you consider two key statistics: Canada needs 5.8 million homes to reach affordability by 2030, and Airbnbs account for only 0.6 per cent of Canada’s overall housing stock. The closer you look, the clearer it gets that Canada needs bold action that addresses the entire housing market, not just 0.6 per cent of it. Additionally, regulating short-term rentals would limit the productive role that Airbnbs play in helping Canadians get by. Did you know that 47 per cent of Airbnb hosts in Canada report that income from hosting has helped them stay in their homes? To learn more about how Airbnb is helping, not hurting, Canada’s economy, visit Airbnb.ca/closerlook.

In the final stretch, Alberta’s battles over book banning take centre stage. Passive-aggressive librarians may have found a way to box in the provincial government.

All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Check us out and like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca.

This week on On The Line, Matt Gurney is joined by two guests for two very different conversations.

First up is Christopher Nardi, a parliamentary reporter at the National Post’s Ottawa bureau, and an old friend of Matt’s. They talk about the end of the summer — yes, sadly it’s true — and what we’ve seen so far from the Carney government. Chris offers some hope that there might be more going on than has met the eye, but he’s also a realist about the challenges the new government is going to face. The two also touch on the Conservatives, and why that party is glad to have its leader back in the House, before musing about the future — if any — of the federal NDP. They aren’t writing the New Democrats off entirely, but making it back from here will be a steep climb.

After that, Matt is joined by Ian Runkle, a lawyer with expertise in firearms law and self-defence, and also the voice behind the YouTube channel Runkle of the Bailey. The conversation is all about, as they say, "just the facts." What is the law on self-defense in Canada? What can you do, and what can’t you do? Why did an attempt by the Harper government to make the law better for people defending themselves actually end up making things worse in some ways? And if Ian had the chance, how would he fix it? As it turns out, he and Matt are thinking along very similar lines.

Subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, follow us on your favourite podcast app, and don’t forget to leave us a nice review. Audio drops every Tuesday morning, with video rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and our social channels. Catch it wherever you listen or watch.

In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on Aug. 22, 2025, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson have lots to talk about. And carefully avoid confessing to any crimes.

The show opens with breaking news: Canada is dropping many — though not all — of its retaliatory tariffs against the United States. Matt and Jen agree the economic impact is limited, but the political optics could be rough for a prime minister who built a reputation on opposing Washington. This leads naturally into a discussion about when it’s fair to start judging Mark Carney’s performance. Jen presses Matt on what Canadians could reasonably have expected by now; Matt, in turn, asks her how long she’s willing to wait before demanding results.

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, contributes $21 billion annually to our nation's economy, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the U.S. are siphoning jobs and investment away, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are preventing critical projects that both prevent wildfires and boost our economic self-reliance.

We can and should have programs that expand domestic wood use, advance biomass use and pulp market opportunities, and cut red tape and regulatory barriers. The government of Canada has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

Next, the hosts turn to a controversial story out of Lindsay, Ontario, where a man has been charged after using a knife against a home invader. With key details still missing, both Matt and Jen caution against rushing to judgment, but they stress that Canadians need stronger protections for people defending themselves. They stop short of calling for U.S.-style “castle laws,” but argue that Canada must do much better in balancing the scales between citizens and criminals. They share a few stories of their own experiences. Very carefully share them.

This episode is also brought to you by Airbnb. To solve the housing crisis, Canada needs 5.8 million new homes by 2030. And while some think short-term rentals like Airbnb are taking homes away, that's just not the case. Because — according to Statistics Canada — the number of Airbnbs that could be converted into long-term homes amounts to only 0.6 per cent of Canada’s housing stock.

How can you solve the problem when you're focused on less than one per cent of the housing market?

To learn more, visit Airbnb.ca/closerlook.

Finally, the episode closes with a quick take on Pierre Poilievre’s victory in a new Alberta riding. What does it mean? What doesn’t it mean? And why are so many people working overtime to spin this into a seismic event? Matt and Jen break down the hype and the reality, and they don’t mind pointing out who looks silly in the process.

All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Check us out and like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca and follow us on YouTube or your favourite podcast app. New episodes drop every Friday. And also! Help The Line grow. Share us with a friend, or two. Spread the word.