Today on On The Line, host Matt Gurney is joined by two guests for conversations about Canadian preparedness — both military and medical.

This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. We started in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver.

Threats don’t wait for bureaucracy. They are moving faster than our institutions. Dominion is closing that gap. Speed is now the strategic capability, and Dominion Dynamics is proving you can build capability at the speed of the threat.

Defend the dominion. Dominion Dynamics.

Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com.

First up is Richard Shimooka of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and The Hub for a discussion about the future of Canadian defence. What does the military actually need to rebuild itself after decades of neglect? Why will restoring real capability take the better part of a decade, even under ideal conditions? They also discuss what Canada’s defence industrial strategy needs to get right if the country is serious about rearmament, and why the costs involved may soon collide with political and fiscal reality.

Then Matt is joined by Dr. Isaac Bogoch of Toronto General Hospital and the University Health Network for a rapid primer on Hanta virus, the recent cruise ship evacuation that drew headlines, and why evacuation isn’t the same thing as quarantine. They also reflect on the lessons of COVID, what Canada learned, what it failed to learn, and what public-health systems need to get right the next time a serious infectious disease threat emerges.

This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by ACDC. Canada’s defence industrial base is fragmented. Critical platforms are owned and controlled abroad. That model doesn’t work anymore.

The Alliance of Canadian Defence Companies is rebuilding Canada’s sovereign defence-industrial base. ACDC champions Canadian-owned, Canadian-controlled companies that design, build, sustain, and export next-generation defence systems. Change requires new processes, new policies, and new behaviour. ACDC membership is open to Canadian-controlled defence companies ready to lead that change.

To join, email Info@AllianceCanada.com.

All that, plus the usual On The Line conversations about risk, preparedness, and the systems Canadians rely on more than they often realize. Oh. And shotguns.

#OnTheLine #CanadaDefence #RichardShimooka #CanadianForces #Military #HantaVirus #IsaacBogoch #PublicHealth #CanadaPolitics #MattGurney

In today's episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 8, 2026, your hosts rush through the recording so they can hang up and go focus on what really matters — today's UFO document dump!

Kidding. But it is a short episode, because Jen Gerson is travelling this week. She's in Ottawa, attending not one but two conferences. She reports back on the vibe from Ottawa, including her thoughts on a speech given by Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservatives. She notes that the man is much better at rebranding than at changing. They also discuss why Mark Carney and the Liberals are struggling to change, too — the choice of Louise Arbour as our next governor general isn't bad, the hosts agree. Not exactly. But it is a worrying sign of what Matt identifies as path dependency — Arbour is a very old-fashioned move by a government that, at least in terms of what they're saying, understands this country is in deep trouble, and needs to move fast to prepare for a new normal.

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com.

Next, your hosts chat about the latest from Alberta. Even though she's been in Ottawa all week, Jen can't quite escape the unfolding story about the data breach. She updates everyone on the latest. Matt also notes that he's been asking for months where provincial NDP leader Naheed Nenshi has been. Well. Seems like we found him! Jen also offers a word of warning about believing the polls. That way, she says, only complacency lies.

This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion Dynamics is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. Dominion is starting in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver.

Defend the Dominion. Dominion Dynamics.

Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com.After that, with Jen needing to bolt back to her next conference event, Matt tells her about some funny reaction he's been getting to a column he wrote this week for the Toronto Star. He's a bit worried that we have normalized dysfunction in this country to a point where we are starting to see parts of it as heartwarming, not alarming — a perfect real-world example of the "orphan crushing machine" internet meme. (He explains, don't worry.) Jen notes that she's seeing a lot of that herself on her visit to the capital. It's looking a little bedraggled.

All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast.

(Note for video viewers: please forgive the video issues with Jen’s feed late in the third segment — we were at the mercy of hotel wifi.)

#thelinepodcast #CanadianPolitics #AlbertaPolitics #DataBreach #NaheedNenshi
#CanadaUSRelations #UFOs #CurrentAffairs

In this episode of On The Line, host Jen Gerson sits down with author and longtime journalist John Fraser to discuss his latest book, The Governors General: An Intimate History of Canada’s Highest Office. The book is part history, part memoir, and part insider account, drawing on Fraser’s decades of experience in Canadian public life.

This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can't see your own territory, you can't defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. We started in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver.Threats don't wait for bureaucracy. They are moving faster than our institutions. Dominion is closing that gap. Speed is now the strategic capability, and Dominion Dynamics is proving you can build capability at the speed of the threat.Defend the dominion. Dominion Dynamics.Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com.

Fraser brings a mix of personal anecdotes and sharp observation to the conversation, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the Canadian-born Governors General who have shaped the modern office. There’s a fair amount of gossip — some of it affectionate, some of it less so — but it’s always in service of a larger point: that the personalities who occupy Rideau Hall matter.

The conversation widens into a discussion about monarchism, the role of the Crown in Canada, and why the Governor General still plays a meaningful role. Gerson presses Fraser on whether Canadians take the institution for granted.

This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com.

Fraser argues that Canada’s history offers a deeper reservoir of ideas and solutions than we often assume. In a political culture that tends to look outward — to the United States, to Europe, to global trends — he makes the case for looking inward, and for taking seriously the institutions that have quietly shaped the country.

They also talk about how the Governor General’s role fits into the modern media landscape, where political leaders dominate headlines. That imbalance, Fraser suggests, can distort public understanding of how power really works in Canada, and where the safeguards in the system actually lie.

This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by ACDC. Canada's defence industrial base is fragmented. Critical platforms are owned and controlled abroad. That model doesn't work anymore.

#OnTheLine #GovernorsGeneral #CanadaHistory #CanadianPolitics #Monarchy #GovernorGeneral

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on May 1st, 2026, your hosts flip the usual format. This time, Matt Gurney takes the interviewer’s chair and speaks with Jen Gerson about how she unexpectedly found herself at the centre of a breaking news story — as a whistleblower.

Rather than running through the week’s headlines, Matt asks Jen to walk listeners through how her latest column came together. You can read it at ReadTheLine.ca. Back in March, Jen was presented with information suggesting a major data breach involving sensitive government records tied to millions of Albertans. The potential consequences were severe. Individuals whose identities and locations must be kept private to protect their lives were included. Jen explains what the data was, how it was reportedly released, how it reached her, and what happened when she brought it to the authorities as an urgent matter of public safety.

The response, she says, was deeply troubling. Officials did not do much of anything — and then, more alarmingly, they misled the public about what had occurred. It’s a stark and unsettling story about a serious issue, and for The Line it represents an unusual moment: being part of the story, not just covering it.

Defend the Dominion. Dominion Dynamics. Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com.

So settle in, if you can, as Matt and Jen unpack this strange and disturbing situation out of Alberta — and how Jen ended up right in the middle of it.

All that, and not much more, in this episode of The Line Podcast.

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#JenGerson
#Whistleblower
#DataBreach
#AlbertaPolitics
#CanadianPolitics
#InvestigativeJournalism
#GovernmentAccountability
#CyberSecurity
#BreakingNews

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on April 24th, 2026, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson open with a plug for their ongoing fundraiser. Day three is off to a great start, but we haven't hit our target yet. If you can help us out, please go here. Every dollar counts. The Line accepts no bailouts and no subsidies, and competes against much larger outlets that have gladly (or even reluctantly) taken the government money. We need your help to compete. Please give what you can by going to Donorbox.org/hold-the-line-928062.

Having gotten the telethon out of the way, for the rest of the segment, they run through the latest developments in the Canada–U.S. trade dispute. Jen wonders why there’s suddenly so much activity, and Matt offers a surprisingly mundane answer: we’re running out of time before the deal runs out. They assess the credibility of both sides in the negotiations and, in a move that may frustrate some listeners, also take a look at comments made by Pierre Poilievre this week. Jen suggests he's living in a fantasy, and Matt explains what he thinks he's doing when he attacks Mark Carney for not wanting a deal. Matt broadens the lens to include the opposition in the United States as well, and warns that if Canada’s strategy is simply to rag the puck until the midterms, it may be time to rethink the plan. The Democrats may be more predictable, but they're not necessarily going to be much friendlier on the trade front. Trump, and MAGA, have moved the needle on that one. Probably for a generation.

Next, Jen discusses her latest column, which leads to a longer conversation about Canadian complacency and the difficulty of reforming a country that places such a high premium on avoiding hurt feelings. Matt notes that her argument aligns closely not only with his recent writing on the collapse of Canadian accountability, but also with something he wrote years ago — a piece about expectations, and how they can be a problem.

They wrap up with a quick, and somewhat frustrated, update from their respective home provinces. As Matt puts it, we’re not sending our best.

All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. And if you like what you heard, don't forget to go to Donorbox.org/hold-the-line-928062 to help us hold the line.

#TheLinePodcast

#CanadianPolitics

#CanadaUSRelations

#TradeWar

#PierrePoilievre

#MarkCarney

#CanadianEconomy

#PoliticalAnalysis

#CanadaPolitics

#CurrentAffairs

Today on On The Line, host Matt Gurney is joined by two guests to break down what comes next for Canada’s governing party.

First up is Jamie Carroll of Carroll & Co., for a conversation about the Liberal Party of Canada now that Mark Carney has secured a majority government. What does he do with it? What are the immediate priorities, and what actually needs to happen to turn political momentum into results? Carroll explains why a slim majority can create unique challenges in managing caucus, and Matt presses him on the perennial risk of Liberal hubris — and whether Carney can avoid the mistakes that have tripped up past governments.

Then Matt is joined by Gregory Jack of Ipsos to talk about what voters are actually looking for. Even in a political environment still shaped by Donald Trump and global uncertainty, the fundamentals haven’t changed: affordability remains the defining issue. Jack walks through the latest polling on what Canadians expect from the government, and where Carney will need to deliver if he wants to hold onto public support.

It’s a practical look at power, priorities, and the narrow path between political success and overreach. Be sure to visit our main page at ReadTheLine.ca, and as always, like and subscribe.

#OnTheLine #CanadaPolitics #MarkCarney #LiberalParty #JamieCarroll #Ipsos #GregoryJack #Affordability #CanadianPolitics #MattGurney

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on April 17th, 2026, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson start with a bit of housecleaning. Jen’s recent trip to Montreal for the Liberal convention, along with some of the coverage that followed, has prompted a few questions, and your hosts move quickly to address them before getting into the main discussion.

From there, they turn to the big story: Mark Carney now has his majority government. Matt and Jen unpack what that means and offer differing views on whether the way he secured it is ultimately a good thing. They also take aim at the Conservatives, particularly over some of the attacks on Carney’s résumé this week. At one point, Matt channels a bit of Donald Trump at his most blunt to explain the kind of Conservative he prefers: the kind that wins. He confesses to his greatest frustration here: the Liberals aren't actually doing that well. The Conservatives ought to be able to land a shot. But they can't. The Liberals are winning, easily. And they'll keep winning until someone in CPC Land can come up with a plan that isn't whining about the media.

They close with a discussion of provincial politics and return to a theme from last week — Canada’s increasingly fragile accountability mechanisms. It’s not the most cheerful conversation, but for anyone curious about Matt’s next column, consider this a preview. He more or less lays out the argument on air, while also noting he wouldn’t mind writing it from somewhere warmer, with lower taxes and better healthcare. Hint, hint.

All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast.

#TheLinePodcast

#CanadianPolitics

#MarkCarney

#LiberalParty

#ConservativeParty

#CanadaPolitics

#PoliticalAccountability

#FederalPolitics

#CanadianMedia

#CurrentAffairs

In this week's On The Line, host Jen Gerson speaks with Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, who was recently in the news after receiving hard treatment from newly converted Liberal MP Michael Ma at a parliamentary committee examining the potential security risks associated with importing Chinese EVs. They talk about McCuaig-Johnston's long history studying China and technology and her growing concern about the superpower's use and abuse of its leading technology industry to potentially spy on western nations. How adept is Canada at navigating Chinese relations. And, oh yes, they get into the now infamous committee hearing. Is Canada run by the ChiComs? What was Michael Ma thinking? All this on this week's On The Line, filmed while Gerson was in Montreal.

#Canada #Politics #China #EV #MichaelMa #Politics #thelinepodcast