That’s raised hard questions about their role, what accountability mechanisms exist, and how Canadians understand the place of the judicial branch within their system of government.

Like any other institution, courts depend on public trust which must be earned and sustained.

McMaster University political science professor Andrea Lawlor has been tracking how Canadians perceive this institution. She joins Inside Policy Talks to discuss her findings.

Lawlor’s research, conducted with Acadia University’s Erin Crandall, finds that Canadians still generally trust the courts, but this confidence has shown signs of decline, and it appears attitudes are becoming more politicized.

On the podcast, Lawlor tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at MLI, that her research found little shift in how Canadians on the political left perceive the courts. However, she has observed a moderate decline in support from those on the right – particularly tied to court decisions on moral issues like medical assistance in dying.

However, Lawlor says there is one type of court ruling that tends to register a public reaction across the political spectrum: criminal sentencing.

“Those tend to uniformly push public opinion,” says Lawlor. “I think there was some consensus across the political spectrum that Canadians were dissatisfied … and they certainly wanted the legislature to step in.”

Is it time for our culture to grapple with a hard truth: life requires setting priorities and making trade-offs between items like career and family, rather than trying to have it all at once?

Modern societies invest a great deal of resources into children. But often it comes in the form of trends like helicopter parenting, bulldozer parenting, or intensive parenting. Are these short bursts of anxious, structured engagement what children really need? Or do we use these to paper over the gaps our modern culture has left in traditional family and social structures?

Our economies and social norms prize autonomy, flexibility, and paid work. Meanwhile, many parents feel more stretched and isolated than ever, and the social networks they inhabit feel thin.

To discuss these challenges, Komisar joins Inside Policy Talks. Komisar is a clinical social worker trained in psychology, and an author whose work argues that the first years of childhood are foundational for attachment, mental health, and later resilience.

On the podcast, she tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at MLI, that “it's a narcissistic trope that you can do it all, that you don't have to take anything off the plate, that you don't have to sacrifice anything, that you can have everything and do everything all at the same time.”

She says that messaging sets up internal conflict for parents, especially mothers, when they face choices around whether to stay home with their toddlers or return to work. She says deep down many mothers would rather stay home, and the pressure to return to a career sets up internal conflicts leading to health problems or even resentment towards the child. For example, she points to the growing trend of women posting online that they regret becoming mothers.

“When you reject your own children and mothering, we know that we've taken a turn in society,” says Komisar.

This raises bigger questions about the impact of markets. Should markets always follow demand, even when it involves a social harm, letting choice prevail and government coffers swell with the proceeds? Or should we look to the total economic and social impact – like indebtedness, bankruptcy, addiction and mental illness – for a sense of how to approach issues like the demand for gambling?

In Ontario, research has found a sharp rise in gambling-related helpline contacts among young men since the province expanded private online gambling, and reporting has also pointed to a major rise in gambling-linked insolvencies. In the United States, new research has linked legalized online sports betting to worsening consumer financial outcomes, including lower credit scores and higher rates of delinquency and bankruptcy.

To discuss this growing problem, Keldon Bester joins Inside Policy Talks. Bester is the executive director of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project and a fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. He’s one of Canada’s leading voices on monopoly power, competition, and the broader question of how markets should be structured to serve the common good.

On the podcast, he tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at MLI, that the onslaught of marketing geared towards promoting online gambling comes on the heels of society having spent more than a decade figuring out: “how can I make someone spend as much time on their phone as possible?”

He says introducing gambling into the mix makes that an even more dangerous experiment.

“The fact that every 10 minutes you get a notification that says, ‘Hey, place a free micro bet on the outcome of the Jays game might in isolation be fine, but in sort of aggregate [might] be something we don't want to become a much bigger part of our economy,” says Bester.

With terrorism, extremism, and antisemitism surging throughout the West, people are looking for answers. They’re trying to understand why our leaders and institutions are failing to stand up to this threat.

Phillips, one of the clearest voices sounding the alarm about these issues, joins Inside Policy Talks to share her assessment of the problem.

As a journalist, Phillips has championed traditional values in the culture war for more than three decades. She is the author of numerous books, including her 2006 best-seller Londonistan, about the British establishment's capitulation to Islamist aggression. Her latest book, Fighting the Hate: A Handbook for Jews Under Siege, was released earlier this year.

On the podcast, she tells Casey Babb, director of The Promised Land at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, that the West’s “ignorance” of Islam is one of the key factors leading to the extremist threat going unchecked.

“They think (Islam) is a private matter between the individual and the Almighty,” says Phillips. “I'm sure that is part of the religion of Islam, but Islam is also a political project. … If you're a pious Muslim, you have a religious duty to Islamize the non-Islamic world.”

“The West can't get their heads around that at all.”

She says Western governments must show leadership by standing up for their own cultures.

“I don't think it's coincidence that governments that have gone down this bad road of not defending their culture properly have descended into – certainly, as far as Britain is concerned – a mire of absolute incompetence,” says Phillips. “They can no longer keep the show on the road.”

In the wake of these hearings, the justices will now deliberate on Hak v Quebec. It's a case that addresses the scope of rights and their limits, whether the Notwithstanding Clause is subject to any restrictions beyond proper application, and the balance of power between courts and legislatures.

Many are tempted to view this case through the lens of the law that's at issue: Quebec's controversial Bill 21, and whether it is right or wrong. But the stakes are far greater.

This case is really a question of who decides what the law means, how it is interpreted, and ultimately changed. However the court rules, the decision will shape Canadian politics for years to come.

At MLI, this is central to our Judicial Foundations Project, where we examine how courts, legislatures, and constitutional principles interact in Canada’s parliamentary democracy. These cases raise fundamental questions about whether that balance is being maintained, or fundamentally altered.

To discuss the Supreme Court hearings and what's at stake in the outcome, three leading experts join Inside Policy Talks.

Yuan Yi Zhu is a professor of International Law at Leiden University whose work focuses on constitutionalism, public law, and the limits of judicial power. He is a member of MLI’s Judicial Foundations Project.

Xavier Foccroulle Ménard is a lawyer with Stikeman Elliott, and a legal scholar specializing in constitutional law, rights adjudication, and the theory of the Charter.

And François Côté is a lawyer with Droits Collectifs Québec, an organization which is directly involved in the case as an intervener.

On the podcast, they discuss with Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at MLI, the key factors at play in this case and how they connect to Canada's growing culture of judicial activism.

Across the developed world, there’s a similar, troubling pattern. The 2026 UN World Happiness Report, released earlier this month, suggests pronounced declines, particularly in Anglosphere countries. That includes Canada, which dropped to 25th spot in the rankings, while the United States sits at 23rd.

These findings come despite a general rise in material prosperity. While the UN survey moves beyond looking strictly at GDP, some organizations are calling for an even broader view.

To discuss this, Brendan Case, associate director for research at Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program, joins Inside Policy Talks. Case has been closely involved in shaping Harvard’s Global Flourish Study, a major international effort to better understand well-being across countries, cultures, and life stages. The study seeks to move beyond narrow economic measures of happiness.

On the podcast, he tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at MLI, that GDP is “an extremely coarse measure” even when it comes to looking at material wealth, and falls far short on capturing other kinds of well-being.

He says the UN survey also has its limits.

“I think that they have genuinely helped in moving the conversation beyond just a narrow fixation on ‘how can we generate more income?’” says Case. However, his team has been engaged in a “friendly debate” with the UN report’s editors on the best alternative mechanisms.

Case notes that the UN metrics ultimately come down to respondents giving a subjective assessment of how satisfied they are with their lives, while the Harvard study looks at a several concrete measures, like health, as determinants of respondents’ well-being.

For nearly four decades, one Supreme Court ruling has loomed large in shaping an aspect of this debate: how conflicts between rights – and their limitations – are determined in Canada.

That case – R v Oakes, decided in 1986 – gave Canadian jurisprudence the famous “Oakes test,” which courts still use to assess whether limits on Charter rights are justified.

The test is widely cited. But critics argue it’s become confusing, unpredictable, and undermines the historic power legislatures are meant to share in the construction of rights.

That’s why a new paper published by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute – titled Renovating Oakes: Why Section 1 Justifies Reasonable Limits and Not Infringements on Charter Rights – says the Oakes test is in need of a “renovation.”

The authors of that paper, Gerard Kennedy and Geoffrey Sigalet, joined Inside Policy Talks to make that case.

Gerard Kennedy is an associate professor and associate dean at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law. He’s also a constitutional lawyer with extensive experience in public law and Charter litigation.

Geoffrey Sigalet is an associate professor of political science at the University of British Columbia and director of the UBC Research Group for Constitutional Law.

On the podcast, they tell Mark Mancini, an MLI senior fellow and assistant professor at Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law, that when it comes to the Oakes test, courts have drifted away from the Charter’s original logic.

“People are not skeptical enough about what happens in courts, and they are extremely skeptical about what happens in legislatures,” says Sigalet. “And I don't think that they're wrong sometimes about the legislatures. I just think we should be applying our skepticism a bit more evenly.”

In recent weeks, debate has intensified over whether the rules-based international order is fraying. Tariff threats, talk of annexing sovereign territory, and reports of a new “strategic partnership” between Canada and China have all fuelled concern. At the same time, Western elites and the media class seem to be losing their moral compass – with much of the political and media establishment slow to call out the dangers of Islamic extremism despite an uprising being repressed by the Islamic regime in Iran, and a horrific attack at Bondi Beach in Australia.

Canada has so far avoided a Bondi Beach-style attack inspired by Islamic extremism. But on February 10, 2026, five days after the recording of this episode, one of the largest mass shootings in Canadian history took place at Tumbler Ridge, BC, underscoring the broader security challenges facing Western nations.

To unpack these interconnected challenges, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott joins Inside Policy Talks. Abbott, who served as Australia’s 28th prime minister from 2013 to 2015, has not shied away from speaking with moral clarity on these issues – particularly in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach attack, which saw two ISIS-inspired gunmen open fire on a large Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 and injuring more than 40 attendees.

On the episode, he shares his views with former Canadian Member of Parliament Kevin Vuong – who is no stranger to the increasingly brazen actions of the West's adversaries. In Vuong’s case, he was targeted by the Chinese Communist regime.

Abbott tells Vuong that “the problem with the doctrine of multiculturalism” is that it “encourage(s) migrants to stay separate from the country that they've entered.”

“It’s my fundamental position that we do no one any favours – we don’t do the existing population, we don’t do the new migrants any favors – if we try to dilute the Anglo-Celtic core culture and water down the fundamentally Judeo-Christian ethos which have made our countries … so attractive,” says Abbott.

In the aftermath, attention has focused on the canola and electric vehicle deals that emerged, while far less has been said about the “guardrails” Carney previously stated are necessary for dealing with Beijing.

But those promised guardrails deserve serious scrutiny — especially after decades of foreign interference in Canada carried out by China.

To discuss that history, Dr. Dennis Molinaro joins <em>Inside Policy Talks. </em>Molinaro is the author of the recently published book <em>Under Assault: Interference and Espionage in China's Secret War Against Canada</em>. The book describes Molinaro’s incredible investigation into Beijing’s five decades of interference in Canada’s political and public life. Molinaro is a historian and an expert in security, espionage, and counter-intelligence. He’s worked in government as a national security analyst and policy advisor, and is now a faculty member at Ontario Tech University.

On the podcast, he tells Christopher Coates, director of foreign policy, national defence, and national security at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, that if Canada wants to trade with China, it must do so with an “understanding of the country that China is, not the country that Canada wants it to be.”

“The reality is China is an authoritarian system. It is a dictatorship. You have there an immense security state apparatus,” says Molinaro. “This is not a Western country. This isn't just a normal economic viable alternative to trading with the United States.”

It's a gut-wrenching issue, but there's some signs of hope. Our culture is becoming more aware of how vulnerable people are targeted, and how all of society is affected by factors like the omnipresence of pornography. In that context, there's growing talk about the need for laws, policies, and enforcement tools to adapt in response.

But at the same time, less attention is given to how the broader liberalization of sexual norms has rapidly destigmatized behaviours that once carried moral and social boundaries. It’s a trend that coincides with – and perhaps contributes to – greater prevalence of social ills.

To discuss the work they are doing to combat these challenges, Michelle Abel and Armando de Miranda join <em>Inside Policy Talks. </em>Abel is a survivor of family-based human trafficking who has spent the past 15 years working directly with victims, survivors, and their families in Canada and the U.S. She is the founder of the non-profit organization Bridge2Future where she leads research, advocacy, and policy work. De Miranda is a former UN peacekeeper who now works closely with Abel as the legislative strategist at Bridge2Future.

On the podcast, Abel tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, that adverse childhood experiences – known as “ACES” – like the ones that she experienced growing up, lay the groundwork for further abuse.

“Traffickers don't need to create this conditioning. They just need to exploit it,” says Abel.

In that context, she pushes back against the idea that terms like “sex work” should be used to refer to activities like prostitution – which is often tied to trafficking.

“I absolutely reject the term sex work, because it obscures the reality of exploitation,” says Abel, noting that around four out of every five women who enter prostitution before the age of 18 have experienced childhood sexual abuse.

“They're minors, so they're not making informed employment choices,” says Abel. “The term sex work makes it look like it is a legitimate job or a career, and it's absolutely anything but that. Exploitation is never a form of a profession.”

Across the world, births are falling – with many countries are now below replacement levels. It’s a shift could have far reaching impacts – reshaping economic growth and pensions, family life, housing markets, and the future of communities.

To talk about this problem – and the solutions – Hess, a demographer who writes at his Substack More Births joins Inside Policy Talks. Hess’s research focuses on the global fertility decline: what’s driving it, what’s misunderstood about it, and what societies can realistically do if they want to reverse it.

On the podcast, he tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, that “culture is the engine that has to turn this around.”

One of the key factors Hess points to for creating a more fertile culture is marriage – which he describes as “probably the most powerful pro-natal technology ever invented.” He also says higher levels of religiosity and more conservative-leaning political views foster higher birth rates.

The stakes are high. Hess says birth rates matter when it comes to long-term quality of life and economic prosperity.

“More people means more innovation,” says Hess. “Contra the Malthusians, it turns out that when you have a lot of smart people working together, the sum is very much greater than the parts, and so we've had this prosperous virtuous cycle” as the global population rose.

He says the opposite is also true.

“If there's fewer and fewer people, you're going to lose economies of scale. You're going to actually lose innovation.”

For decades, economists and policymakers have warned that Canada’s internal market—fragmented by duplicative rules, sector-specific carve-outs, and a thicket of provincial exceptions—acts as a drag on growth and competitiveness. Even the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, heralded as a breakthrough, is riddled with loopholes.

To dig deeper, Inside Policy Talks brings together legal scholar Paul Daly and MLI senior fellow Mark Mancini for a conversation with Peter Copeland, MLI’s deputy director of domestic policy.

Daly explains the central irony: removing regulatory barriers requires a mechanism with real authority to do it. Without a body empowered by both Parliament and the provinces, “what you're going to get is what we have, which is a mosaic of different provisions.” Canada needs a national coordinating agency with the power to set standards, enforce mutual recognition, harmonize where necessary, and “raise [barriers] to the ground,” as Daly puts it. 

Mancini agrees, stressing that skepticism toward new agencies is understandable—but the status quo simply cannot solve the problem. This wouldn’t be “an agency for the sake of an agency,” but an institution designed to tackle a precise challenge: the inability of governments to coordinate regulatory reform on their own. With nationwide buy-in, such a body could finally move Canada beyond one-off bilateral deals toward a genuinely integrated economic union. 

Together, Daly and Mancini make the case that fixing Canada’s internal trade system is not a technocratic curiosity—it’s a national economic imperative.

The answer may surprise you. Canada is one of the only developed democracies where property rights have no constitutional protection. That gap has real consequences. It can lead to family farms shuttered by regulation, homeowners caught in civil forfeiture, or even recent court decisions like Cowichan Tribes v. Canada which upended long-held assumptions about ownership itself.

To unpack these issues, University of New Brunswick law professor Paul Warchuk joins Inside Policy Talks. Warchuk is the author of a powerful new MLI paper on property rights in Canada, titled Beyond patchwork protection: Towards comprehensive property rights in Canadian law. In it, he traces the philosophical and legal evolution of property from early philosophers up to the Charter era. He argues that property is not only a private entitlement but a public trust that safeguards liberty and prosperity alike.

On the podcast, Warchuk tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at MLI, that “there is a lot of resistance to property rights,” perhaps stemming from the fact that not all Canadians believe these rights serve and protect them.

He added that while most Canadians feel their property rights are secure, the situation is “precarious” because despite some basic protections “it's very easy for government to override them.”

“If you find yourself in the circumstance of one of the unlucky few that is affected in this way,” says Warchuk, “your perspective would change completely, and you'd feel a little bit more of the injustice.”

What should Canadians understand about the risks created by outdated security legislation? And how should policymakers balance the need for lawful access to electronic data with the privacy protections guaranteed under the Charter?

To break down these complex challenges, Dr. John Gilmour joins Inside Policy Talks. A senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Gilmour is an expert in terrorism, counterterrorism, and intelligence. He has served in the security and intelligence branch of the Privy Council Office, worked with CSIS, and now teaches at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute and Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.

On the podcast, he tells Christopher Coates, MLI’s Director of Foreign Policy, National Defence, and National Security, that Canada is now “in a race it cannot afford to lose.” Criminal syndicates and foreign adversaries are exploiting digital communications at a speed that far outstrips current investigative powers. Without modernized tools—such as those proposed in Bill C-2—Canadian authorities risk being permanently outpaced.

Now, as the Carney government prepares to table its first fiscal blueprint, there’s talk once again of rising spending and soaring deficits. A recent Desjardins forecast estimated the deficit for the current fiscal year could exceed $70 billion. That’s a more than 65 per cent increase from what was forecast in Fall Economic Statement 2024. This news comes amid government promises for “generational investments” but also a request to ministers to find “ambitious savings.”

So, what should Canadians be watching for in the November budget? And, more importantly, as billions of dollars continue to flow from federal coffers, are parliamentarians well positioned to give this spending the scrutiny they’re meant to deliver on behalf of Canadians under our Westminster system?

To discuss this, former parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux joins Inside Policy Talks. Giroux served seven years as PBO, finishing his term just last month.

On the podcast, he tells Ian Campbell, digital editor at MLI, that it's less important which fiscal anchor the government chooses, but simply that it picks one and sticks to it over a period of time. With many forecasts predicting that Ottawa is set to drop yet another one of its fiscal anchors – this time, a declining debt-to-GDP ratio – Giroux says this "erodes the confidence of financial markets in the seriousness or the control that the government has over its own finances."

Campbell and Giroux also discussed a number of long-standing issues with the federal fiscal cycle that make it difficult for parliamentarians to exercise a high degree of scrutiny over government spending. Giroux said with only two people in Ottawa holding real sway over what ends up in the budget – the prime minister and finance minister – it's vital to make improvements to the fiscal cycle so parliamentarians can exercise a greater degree of oversight in this process.

These illnesses – which affect about one in 12 Canadians – raise hard questions about health care costs, access, and fairness, and test how well Canada’s fragmented health governance systems can adapt to new challenges.

For a closer look at Canadian rare disease policy, Macdonald-Laurier Institute Senior Fellow John Adams joins Inside Policy Talks. Adams is a management consultant and one of Canada’s leading advocates for patients with rare diseases. Adams is the co-founder of CanPKU and chair of the Best Medicines Coalition, which represents millions of Canadian patients. His personal journey as a parent and caregiver for his son, who has a rare disease, has left Adams with unique insights on drug access, rare disease policy, and health care reform.

On the podcast, he tells host Shawn Whatley, a physician and senior fellow at MLI, that one of the key steps Canada could take to better serve patients with rare diseases is passing an orphan drug law like the one that exists in the United States. These laws incentivize the development of new drugs for rare diseases that are otherwise unprofitable due to small patient populations.

Once a political safety valve that sealed the deal for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, section 33 is now at the center of a national conversation about who should have the final say on fundamental rights.

To unpack the history and stakes of this debate, Professor Geof Sigalet joins Peter Copeland to explain how the notwithstanding clause was born out of provincial insistence on preserving democratic self-government, and how its use has evolved in response to rising judicial activism and federal-provincial tensions.

Sigalet delves into the recent controversies surrounding Quebec’s Bill 21 and the federal government’s intervention, highlighting the clause’s role as both a shield for provincial autonomy and a lightning rod for national debate. 

As courts and governments clash over the limits of the notwithstanding clause, the future of Canada’s constitutional balance hangs in the balance.

Beneath our daily political debates lies a deeper crisis: a broken picture of the basic elements of the world and our place in it.

Are we just collections of small parts, infinitely malleable and divisible – ‘meat lego’, as our guest would call it – ready to be arranged and rearranged through technology in the pursuit of individual aims, and all aspects of life commodified in the pursuit? Or, are we more embodied and interdependent than we like to think?

Until we grapple with some basic questions about the worldviews animating our lives – like how we see the role of individuals and their connections and responsibilities to the broader society – many of our most important political debates—from gender to productivity, family to freedom—will keep missing the mark.

To offer her perspective on these issues, Mary Harrington joins Inside Policy Talks. Harrington is a columnist at UnHerd and the author of Feminism Against Progress. She's one of the most incisive voices challenging core aspects of the dominant modern western worldview – from its assumptions about autonomy and equality, to its blind spots around embodiment, gender, and the limits of technology.

On the podcast, she tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at MLI, that despite the fact that most women become mothers, woman are told that "the core sort of desiderata of feminism are a set of aspirations which ... conceptually exclude this whole domain of experience." She said that led her to "questioning the idea of liberal individualism," including "the feminist difficulties with it" and "how well it fits with being a physically embodied person."

Our culture’s promises of autonomy and self-creation have left young people disconnected from family, tradition, and purpose. We’re missing something deeper – about what it means to love, belong, and build a life that lasts.

To explore this, journalist Louise Perry joins Inside Policy Talks. Perry is the author of the bestselling book The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, which presents a bold challenge to modern sexual ethics. She’s also the host of the Maiden Mother Matriarch podcast, and co-founder of The Other Half, a think tank focused on pro-woman, pro-family policy.

On the podcast, she tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, she discusses a “key historical claim” that progressivism makes about the “shape of history.” It’s been argued that “history is linear and has just got better,” says Perry, but now it’s time to challenge “this belief that the sexual revolution was obviously good.”

Yet its meaning has shifted dramatically since then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau introduced it. It began as a national unity strategy. But for many, it’s become a slogan about diversity for its own sake. That’s left us divided about what it means to be Canadian.

The stakes are high. Immigration, national identity, and multiculturalism affect social cohesion, political stability, and our capacity to share a common civic culture. These aren’t just matters for an academic debate. They’re at the heart of Canada’s future.

To dig into this, Geoff Russ and Michael Bonner join Inside Policy Talks. Russ is a journalist whose recent writing for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute examines how Canadian history, symbols, and traditions shape who we are today. Bonner is a historian, former Ontario government policy director, and the author of In Defense of Civilization. He’s recently written for MLI on multiculturalism's origins, evolution, and current challenges.

On the podcast, Bonner tells Peter Copeland, director of domestic policy at MLI, that Canada needs to focus on unity, and that spending more energy focusing on the differences among the people who live in the country is “not what the present moment calls for.” Russ adds that while he believes in welcoming people from around the world, he cautions against importing social and cultural values, as these risk disrupting Canadian values and democratic institutions.

“If you look at the way that democracy has gone since the end of the cold war, democracy is proving to be very much a cultural feature,” says Russ.

Canada now faces a patchwork system riddled with duplication, inefficiency, and uncertainty of purpose – from the CBC to the CRTC, and from municipal arts grants to federal media funds. As geopolitical pressures rise and American cultural dominance intensifies, the stakes have never been higher when it comes to maintaining a strong Canadian culture.

To discuss this, Macdonald-Laurier Institute Senior Fellow Peter <span class="il">Menzies – </span>a former CRTC vice-chair and past publisher of the <i>Calgary Herald</i> – joins <i>Inside Policy Talks. </i>Menzies is the author of a new paper, titled <i><a href="https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/a-new-vision-for-canadian-culture-rethinking-arts-and-media-funding-peter-menzies/">Rethinking arts and media funding: A new vision for Canada</a>.</i> In it, he calls for a Massey Commission 2.0 — a bold rethink of how Canada supports its creators, institutions, and cultural sovereignty.

On the podcast, he tells Peter Copeland, deputy director of domestic policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, that the idea of multiculturalism "has been confused," and that he hopes to see a future Canadian cultural policy that "takes pride in our foundations."

"There's one thing to be multiracial, multi-ethnic, welcome people from all countries and backgrounds," says Menzies. "But you also need to have a shared sense of identity."

Patrick T. Brown, Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington and a leading voice on family policy, joins host Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute to discuss why marriage and fertility rates are declining, how tax and welfare systems affect families, and what lessons can be drawn from experiences on both sides of the border.

Brown shares insights and offers recommendations for policymakers seeking to support families and reverse demographic decline. He also addresses cultural shifts, economic pressures, and housing challenges influencing family decisions today. 

While Canadians sense that the Arctic is part of their identity, few are deeply familiar with the region — its environment, its vastness, its diversity, or its challenges.

In that context, understanding the Russian Arctic — which is very different from the Canadian Arctic — is particularly important, given Russia's role as a destabilizing geopolitical actor and NATO’s principal adversary.

To unpack this, MLI Senior Fellow Alex Dalziel joins Inside Policy Talks. Dalziel is an Arctic expert who spent 20 years working in Canada’s national security, intelligence, and foreign policy communities. Dalziel has recently published two papers with MLI regarding Russia's approach to the Arctic: Polar Power: The Northern Sea Route in Russia’s strategic calculus and Frozen Assets: Russia’s ambitions to exploit the Arctic Ocean seabed. Three more papers in the series will follow later this year.

On the podcast, Dalziel tells Christopher Coates, director of foreign policy, national defence, and national security at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, that Russia is trying to set itself up "to be the gateway to the arctic," and that Canada must view Russia as its primary challenge in the region.

Over the past two decades, concerns about replication, statistical misuse, and institutional bias have shaken public confidence in science – from medicine to psychology to public health. On the other hand, institutional confidence in science seems unshakeable, defensive, and resistant to change. And with rising polarization and decreasing trust in institutions, the need for both epistemic humility and stronger standards of evidence has never been clearer.

To discuss this, Dr. John Ioannidis, one of the world’s most cited scientific voices confronting these challenges, joins Inside Policy Talks. Dr. Ioannidis, a professor of medicine, epidemiology and population health at Stanford University, is the author of a landmark 2005 paper, Why Most Published Research Findings Are False, which helped spark the understanding of science's replication crisis.

On the podcast, he tells Peter Copeland, director of domestic policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, that when the term “evidence-based policy” arose in the 1980s, it was initially “seen as kind of a revolution” because it was pushing for “rigorous, unbiased, systematically assessed scientific evidence, instead of just expert opinion.” However, says Ioannidis, the term's popularity soon led to it being adopted by political actors as “an alibi” to sway the public towards positions not grounded in evidence.

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Ryan Manucha, a leading expert on interprovincial trade.

Manucha offers a compelling vision of how Canada's provinces can recognize each other's professional licenses, business certifications, and regulations to unlock billions in economic potential and strengthen Canada's economic unity in an increasingly complex global environment.

Be sure to share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

In this episode, Balkan Devlen, Studio Fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Peter Hefele, Policy Director at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies.

Hefele pulls back the curtain on Europe's high-stakes challenges: Can Germany reboot its economic engine? Will Europe finally build a credible defence capability? And where does Canada fit into this complex geopolitical puzzle?

From Germany's political chess match to Europe's urgent defense overhaul, this episode is a front-row seat to the continent's most critical transformation in decades.

Be sure to share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), sits down with Peter Menzies, MLI Senior Fellow, former publisher of the Calgary Herald, and past Vice Chair of the CRTC.

Menzies offers a provocative analysis of the CBC's future, challenging its current funding model and exploring radical solutions for Canadian public broadcasting. With the federal election looming, he examines how government subsidies impact media trust, journalistic objectivity, and the broader news ecosystem.

Menzies argues that the CBC's current structure threatens media diversity and public trust, proposing a bold transition to a subscription-based model that could reshape how Canadians consume news and public media.

Be sure to share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, sits with Ross McKitrick, professor of economics at the University of Guelph.

In a recent commentary series for MLI, McKitrick looks at income levels, demography and population change, and housing construction and price data, from the 1970s and ‘90s onwards, to get a sense of what’s causing the ‘housing crunch’, as he calls it.

McKitrick explains that the issues confronting Canada in 2025 go beyond mere setbacks, and that unless they are resolved quickly, we face a deep and potentially permanent loss of our national standard of living and quality of life.

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In this compelling episode, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Director of Indigenous Affairs, Ken Coates, sits with Dallas Smith, spokesperson for the First Nations for Finfish Stewardship (FNFFS) and a member of the Tlowitsis First Nations in Campbell River, B.C., to unpack the nuanced world of salmon aquaculture on British Columbia's coastal regions.

Smith provides a fascinating insider's perspective on the salmon farming industry, discussing its evolution, economic importance, and critical role in supporting remote First Nations communities.

From the groundbreaking Great Bear Rainforest agreements to the challenges of sustainable resource management, this conversation offers a deep dive into how Indigenous leadership is reshaping economic and environmental policy in Canada.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Tim Carney, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

In their discussion, Carney provides a comprehensive overview of the alarming trends around declining marriage rates, birth rates, and community belonging across North America. He shares insights from his extensive research, examining how government regulations, cultural shifts, and the erosion of civil society contribute to these challenges.

Carney also highlights successful policy approaches from other countries that prioritize family-friendly housing and community-building and explains how the housing crisis is intimately tied to the inability of young people to start families and put down roots in their communities.

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In this episode, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Ken Coates sits down with Linda Sams, biologist with over 37 years of business and management experience in the aquaculture sector, and an expert in the Canadian salmon farming industry. 

In this insightful discussion, Sams shares her extensive background and experience in salmon aquaculture, and provides an inside look at the evolution of salmon farming, the ecological challenges the industry has addressed, and the vital role it plays in supporting rural coastal communities.

Coates and Sams also delve into the controversies and threats facing the salmon farming sector, including poorly informed government policies that could devastate these local economies.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Cardus' Senior Fellow Andrea Mrozek and Program Director Peter Jon Mitchell.

The discussion covers the trends and social effects surrounding marriage and family formation in Canada - Mrozek and Mitchell provide a comprehensive overview of the declining marriage rates and their implications, from poor economic and social well-being to the challenges young adults face in starting families.

Both reflect on the importance of marriage as an institution, highlighting its contributions to social stability, economic prosperity, and positive outcomes for children.

The guests also explore cultural and policy factors influencing marriage, from individualism to the impact of feminism and propose ways for governments to promote marriage, such as removing policy disincentives and fostering positive portrayals in media and culture.

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In this episode, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Ken Coates sits down with Brian Kingzett, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farming Association, to discuss the future of salmon farming in British Columbia.

Kingzett provides a comprehensive overview of the salmon farming industry - its history, economic impact, and the complex relationships between Indigenous communities and environmental groups.

He shares his concerns about the federal government's decision to ban open-net pen salmon farming by 2024, and emphasizes the vital role salmon farming plays in providing jobs, food security, and economic opportunities for coastal communities.

He also highlights the industry's commitment to transparency and innovation in reducing its environmental impac as one of British Columbia's most important agricultural sectors.

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In this episode, Senior Fellow Alex Dalziel is joined by a panel of experts to examine Greenland's pivotal position at the intersection of global superpowers vying for influence in the North American Arctic.

Guests Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen of the Royal Danish Defence College, Christian Keldsen, Director of the Greenland Business Association, Marisol Maddox, Senior Arctic Analyst at the Polar Institute, and Dr. Jessica Shadian, President of Arctic 360, delve into the complex web of security, economic, and diplomatic interests surrounding the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland.

The discussion offers insights on the delicate balancing act Greenland must navigate, and explores the potential for enhanced cooperation between North American partners to address shared challenges and opportunities in the region.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Dave Snow, MLI senior fellow and associate professor at the University of Guelph, to discuss the growing influence of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Canada's major federal research granting agencies.

The discussion delves into how DEI policies impact intellectual diversity, as the language of DEI becomes increasingly pervasive in research funding guidelines.

Professor Snow provides a detailed analysis of the different forms of DEI - mild, moderate, and activist - and offers recommendations on how federal granting agencies can renew their commitment to political and ideological neutrality.

Read Dave Snow's report, Promoting excellence – or activism? Equity, diversity, and inclusion at Canada’s federal granting agencies, here: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/promoting-excellence-or-activism-equity-diversity-and-inclusion-at-canadas-federal-granting-agencies/

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In this episode, a panel of MLI experts discuss the defense and security aspects of the Canada-U.S. relationship in the aftermath of the Trump presidency. 

Transatlantic Program Director Balkan Devlen is joined by Jamie Tronnes, Executive Director of MLI's DC office, as well as Senior Fellows Richard Shimooka and Alexander Lanoszka.

The discussion examines the current temperature in Washington towards Canada's defense commitments and the pressure Canada may face to increase defense spending.

They also explore how a potential Conservative government in Canada could meet the challenge and mend fences with the current U.S. administration.

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Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy at MLI is joined by Marcell Wilson, founder and head of the One by One Movement, a groundbreaking organization dedicated to preventing violence and helping people transition out of gang life.

Marcell brings a wealth of personal experience and insight into the intersection of crime prevention, policing, corrections, and community rehabilitation.

Together they discuss the origins of the One by One Movement and explore key issues in crime prevention, policing, and corrections, as well as the ineffective spending, and the prevalence of activism over results.

Finally, they also discuss the importance of strong social support systems, the critical role of mentoring, stable families, and the presence of positive role models and father figures in building healthy, resilient communities.

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In this episode, hosts Balkan Devlen and Jonathan Berkshire Miller look at the year ahead in foreign policy and global security. They talk about Trump's return to the Whitehouse, shifting global alliances, a dangerous year ahead for Ukraine, and much more.

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Indigenous Affairs Program Director, Ken Coates, is joined by Kody Penner, Vice President of Corporate Development for Nations Royalty. 

Penner provides valuable insights on the innovative model that Nations Royalty is pioneering to transform the financial basis of indigenous involvement in the mining sector. He explains how Nations Royalty is using a mining royalty business model to consolidate and diversify the royalty payments that indigenous groups receive, allowing them to rapidly grow their wealth and economic self-sufficiency.

Penner also discusses how this model empowers indigenous communities to take more control over resource projects on their lands, by providing upfront capital that can be invested in community priorities.

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In this episode, Heather Exner-Pirot, MLI's director of energy, natural resource, and environment, sits down with Lisa Baiton, President and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, to discuss the future of Canada's oil and gas sector, particularly in light of the tariff threats from President-Elect Donald Trump. 

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In this episode, Patrice Dutil, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, sits down with Lindsay Shepherd, the author of the new children's book "A Day with Sir John A."

Shepherd discusses her motivation for writing the book, which aims to introduce Canada's first Prime Minister to a young audience in a positive and engaging way. 

Shepherd shares how the recent controversies surrounding Sir John A. Macdonald's legacy inspired her to create a fictionalized story that allows children to learn about his vision and accomplishments. She also reflects on her own experiences as a public figure and academic who has faced backlash, and how that has shaped her perspective.

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In this episode, host Balkan Devlen sits down with MLI Senior Fellows Alexander Lanoszka and Richard Shimooka to discuss the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the decline of Russia's power globally.

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode, Tim Sargent, Director of the Domestic Program at MLI, is joined by Aled ab Iorweth, Deputy Chief Economist with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC,) a leading voice in housing policy and economics.

Together, they dive deep into the challenges facing Canada's housing market, from the impact of record-high immigration levels and shifting population trends, to the role of taxation policies and rising mortgage rates in reshaping affordability for homeowners and renters.

Iorweth provides valuable insights on the critical importance of municipal regulations, zoning laws, and construction in either enabling or hindering progress on the housing supply shortage. He also explores the complex, shared responsibility between federal, provincial, and local governments in addressing Canada's housing crisis.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI’s Domestic Policy Program, is joined by Ryan Khurana, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation and Machine Learning Lead at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). Together, they discuss first what it is and what it is not, and the many prospects it has, both good and bad. 

Khurana delves into the great deal of warranted and unwarranted hype and concern for AI across its many applications: it holds great economic and productivity promise, as part of what is becoming known as the fourth industrial revolution, as well as peril. 

Some speculate that we will enter the singularity and be replaced, while others point to more realistic futures and already present scenarios, such as those of job loss and transformation, to other threats to human well-being and dignity, from deployment of psychologically manipulative and addictive algorithms, to the negative effects on health and welfare from a technology-saturated and mediated environment, in which we are increasingly online, disconnected from one another and unwell.

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In this episode, Senior Fellow Alexander Dalziel explores intelligence in Canadian policy-making with Michelle Tessier, a former Deputy Director of Operations at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). The discussion highlights challenges in developing an "intelligence culture," integrating intelligence into decision-making, and intelligence sharing outside the federal government.

They explore the differences between intelligence and evidence, the importance of the feedback loop between intelligence agencies and policymakers, and the evolution of CSIS's outreach and transparency efforts. 

Tessier also shares her insights on the challenges of building trust and understanding around intelligence work, as well as the potential benefits of leveraging new technologies to enhance intelligence capabilities.

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In this special feature episode of Inside policy, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director in the domestic policy program here at MLI, is joined by Christopher Dummitt, Professor of History at Trent University, National Post columnist, and MLI Senior fellow, as well as Lindsay Shepherd, Researcher, Author, public intellectual and MLI contributor.

In two separate segments, they discuss the state of intellectual discourse in the Canadian educational and university landscape, and in our public sphere more broadly, finding that censoriousness and ideological conformity, are characteristic, and that this detracts from the quality of public discourse, education, and the advancement of knowledge in our society.

The panel featured four of MLI's esteemed thought leaders:

- Balkan Devlen, director of the transatlantic program (moderator)
- Jonathan Berkshire Miller, director of foreign policy, national defence, and national security
- Heather Exner-Pirot, director of natural resources, energy, and environment 
- Rob Huebert, senior fellow

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode, Ken Coates, Director of Indigenous Affairs at MLI, sits down with Karen Ogen-Toews, President and CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance, and Dr. Matt Vickers, CEO of Northern Nations, and a long-time advocate for indigenous economic development.

They discuss the growing involvement of indigenous communities in international business and trade.

Ogen-Toews and Vickers share their experiences leading indigenous trade missions to countries like China to leverage their natural resources and economic partnerships to build prosperity for their communities.

The conversation delves into the importance of education, relationship-building, and overcoming systemic barriers to indigenous participation in the global economy.

Ogen-Toews and Vickers provide insights into the collaborative approach many First Nations are taking to drive economic development.

Don't miss this insightful discussion on the evolving role of indigenous peoples in international business.

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In this episode, MLI's Balkan Devlen sits down with Aaron Gasch Burnett to discuss an innovative policy solution to fund Ukraine's war effort and reconstruction: confiscating the approximately $300 billion US of Russian assets frozen in G7 countries and give it to Ukraine. Western tax payers wouldn't need to pay a cent.

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode, Ken Coates, Director of Indigenous Affairs at MLI, sits down with Tyee Hasheukumiss (Richard George), Ha’wiih (Hereditary Chief) of the Ahousaht Nation on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, to discuss the unique governance structure and economic development initiatives within First Nations communities on the West Coast.

Hasheukumiss provides insight into the role of hereditary chiefs and how they work alongside the elected band council to steward their nation's lands, waters, and resources.

They delve into the Ahousaht First Nation's efforts to diversify its economy as well as the challenges the nation faces in navigating relationships with various levels of government.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI's Domestic Program, is joined by Kristopher Kinsinger, an Ontario lawyer and civil liberties advocate, to discuss the pressing issues surrounding freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly in Canada.

They delve into the legal framework and jurisprudence around our fundamental Charter rights, and highlight recent Supreme Court cases that have grappled with the limits of hate speech and offensive expression.

They also explore a current case Kinsinger is involved in, where he represents the Canadian Constitution Foundation in a challenge to a municipal bylaw restricting "objectionable" conduct on public property.

Kinsinger offers sharp insights into the shifting landscape of civil liberties and underscores the urgent need to safeguard the fundamental freedoms that uphold a free and democratic society.

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In this episode, Alex Dalziel, Senior Fellow and National Security Project Lead at MLI, sits down with Jamie Tronnes, the Executive Director of MLI's Center for North American Prosperity and Security in Washington, DC. They dive deep into the pressing issues surrounding Canada's immigration policy and its impact on the Canada-U.S. border:

What changes has Canada made to its immigration system in the wake of COVID-19, and how is this affecting the flow of people across the northern border? How are temporary foreign workers and international students faring in Canada, and what are the implications of their potential southward movement? What policy recommendations do experts have to address these complex cross-border challenges?

Tune in to hear Jamie Tronnes' insightful analysis and practical solutions to this critical Canada-U.S. policy issue.

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In this episode, Alex Dalziel sits down with Jamie Ferrill, Head of Financial Crime Studies & Lecturer at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security, to tackle Canada’s growing challenges with transnational crime and money laundering.

Ferrill explains how criminal networks exploit global trade routes and complex supply chains to shift massive illicit funds across borders and through Canada.

She explore the vulnerabilities in Canada’s trade relationships with the U.S. and China, the rise of trade-based money laundering, and how criminal organizations use tactics like gold smuggling, art undervaluation, and luxury goods trading to conceal millions.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI’s Domestic Policy Program, is joined by Senior Fellow Dr. Ramona Coelho, a family physician from London, Ontario, whose practice is dedicated to serving marginalized communities.

Together, they discuss Dr. Coelho's recent work with Ontario’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) Death Review Committee and the disturbing findings from its first report. They delve into the systemic challenges facing marginalized groups who are disproportionately affected by MAiD.

Dr. Coelho contends that MAiD should not become a response to societal neglect and argues that Canada’s regime lacks robust safeguards.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI's Domestic Program, is joined by Ryan Alford, a professor of law and MLI Senior Fellow. They delve into the pressing issues surrounding mandatory minimums and the evolving landscape of criminal justice reform in Canada.

They examine the implications of recent court rulings on mandatory minimums and the ongoing speculation regarding the use of the Notwithstanding Clause in response to perceived judicial overreach.

The conversation further explores the broader implications of crime trends in Canada, including the rising rates of violent crime and the challenges that both federal and provincial governments face in addressing public safety concerns.

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In this episode, MLI's Balkan Devlen sits down with Edward Hunter Christie, a senior research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and former deputy head of NATO's Innovation Unit, to discuss how the West's policy of fear and non-escalation projects weakness and places Europe and even North America in greater danger. 

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI's Domestic Program, is joined by Dave Snow, a professor of political science at the University of Guelph and MLI Senior Fellow, to explore the complexities of bail legislation and crime trends in Canada.

Both discuss MLI's recently released Urban Crime Report, the implications of Bill C-48, which introduced a reverse onus for bail in specific cases, and the potential consequences of this approach on violent crime and the criminal justice system. The conversation also covers the roles of federal and provincial governments in crime prevention and the need for improved reporting mechanisms.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI's Domestic Program, is joined by Matthew Spoke, a Canadian tech entrepreneur and Founder of Moves, a fintech company for the gig economy, to discuss what lies at the root of Canada's current housing crisis.

Both discuss how restrictive land use policies, high development charges, and rent controls have driven up housing costs, while underscoring the urgent need for provincial leadership to tackle supply shortages and streamline housing policy.

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In this episode, MLI's Balkan Devlen sits down with Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova, political scientist and China scholar, to discuss the shifting attitudes towards China across the Baltic countries. In recent years, China has gone from being seen as an economic opportunity (one that the Balkans were in danger of missing out on) to an authoritarian security challenge. 

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI's Domestic Program, interviews Emma Hilton, a leading expert on sex and sports, on the complexities of gender categories in athletic competition, particularly at the Olympics:

What are the performance disparities between males and females in sports? Can testosterone suppression level the playing field? How are individual sports federations redefining fairness?

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In this episode, Alex Dalziel sits down with Alan Bersin, a former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security and Commissioner of the US Customs and Border Protection, to explore modern border management between the U.S. and Canada.

They discuss how a trilateral, technology-driven approach to border security can bolster trade, combat illicit activities like fentanyl trafficking, and make North America more competitive globally.

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In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of MLI's Domestic Program, interviews Christine Van Geyn, Litigation Director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation, on the growing impact of regulatory creep on free expression in Canada:

How are professional regulators limiting freedoms? What are the implications for Canadians' rights? Can we reverse this trend?

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In this episode, MLI senior fellows Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Marcus Kolga, and Alexander Lanoszka discuss their experience in Prague at a premier global security forum, GLOBESEC. 

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode, Alex Dalziel sits down with Dr. Todd Hataley to discuss the growing threat of transnational organized crime in Canada, the fentanyl crisis, and how Canada can better secure its border with the U.S.

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with Dr. Artis Pabriks, Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister of Latvia, to discuss Canada-Latvia relations, with a focus on cooperation in the development of defence technologies, including drones. 

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In this episode, Benjamin Tallis joins Senior Fellow Balkan Devlen to discuss neo-idealism, an ideological framework by which western democratic nations can promote the fundamental values of freedom and democracy on the world stage and counter the forces of authoritarianism and tyranny.

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode you'll hear Alexander Dalziel in conversation with Heather Exner-Pirot on the geopolitical implications of energy security, focusing on Canada's strategic position as a major energy producer and exporter.

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In this episode you'll hear Alexander Dalziel in conversation with Christian Leuprecht on the rise of financial crime in Canada and what our government should be doing about it. 

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In this episode you'll hear transatlantic program director Balkan Devlen in conversation with MLI Senior Fellows Alexander Lanoszka and Richard Shimooka. Devlen, Lanoszka and Shimooka unpack Canada's announcements at the NATO Summit and the governments tendency to substitute policy press releases for concrete action. 

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In sum, Canada was chastised for its freeriding and an unwillingness to fulfill its commitments to the alliance which guarantees our security in an increasingly dangerous world. 

Learn more at: https://cnaps.org/

Success assured? Appraising the Canadian-led Enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup in Latvia

https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/success-assured-canada-latvia-enhanced-forward-presence-battlegroup-toms-rostoks-alexander-lanoszka/

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with Alexander Lanozska and Jonathan Berkshire Miller on their recent paper, Hard constraints – The supply and demand of NATO in the Indo-Pacific.

https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/hard-constraints-the-supply-and-demand-of-nato-in-the-indo-pacific-alexander-lanoszka-balkan-devlen-and-jonathan-berkshire-miller/

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with Alex Dalziel on his new paper Eurasian North: The Geopolitics of Russia and China in the Arctic.

https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/eurasian-north-the-geopolitics-of-russia-and-china-in-the-arctic/

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Sydney Greenspoon, Jewish student leader within the University of Windsor's Law School, on the trials faced by Jewish students since the Oct. 7 terror attacks. 

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with George Takach on his book COLD WAR 2.0 Artificial Intelligence in the New Battle Between Russia, China, and America.

Read George's recent article for MLI here: 

https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/an-urgent-agenda-for-canada-in-a-cold-war-2-0-george-s-takach-for-inside-policy/

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode you'll hear Jonathan Berkshire Miller in conversation with Stephen Nagy on his new book Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific Construct: https://novapublishers.com/shop/southeast-asia-and-the-indo-pacific-construct/

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with Elisabeth Braw on her book Goodbye Globalization: The return of a divided world.

https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300272277/goodbye-globalization/

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Mia Hughes on her research documenting how WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) undermined medical science. 

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The Macdonald-Laurier Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada.

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with David Thomas, former chair of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and author of a recent National Post op-ed entitled: I chaired the Human Rights Tribunal. It has no business policing 'hate speech'.

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/david-thomas-canadian-human-rights-tribunal-has-no-business-policing-hate-speech

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Siavash Safavi.

"You come here for better opportunities. Why? Why is Canada able offer better opportunities for you?... it is because of these ideals that [Canada] has been built around," said Siavash.

Siavash's article for the National Post: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/canadas-clueless-immigration-policy-will-not-end-well

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Christian Leuprecht discussing his recent article "Coalition Strategic Cyber Campaigns: Functional Engagement as Cyber Doctrine for Middle Power Statecraft"

Canada is on a downward trend in our influence in the cyber domain.

"When we hear criticisms of Canada not doing enough, cyber space is one of those [areas]... there is an opportunity for Canada to be a more serious player." - Christian Leuprecht

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Kevin Bardosh of Collateral Global on his work to understand the harms of Covid policy, the politicization of science throughout the pandemic, and the ways in which Covid policy represented an unprecedented departure from the prior consensus of the global health community.

"There is an astronomical amount of academic research on the negative impacts of lockdown and all of the other non-pharmaceutical interventions that were rolled out during Covid." - Kevin Bardosh

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Michael Bonner on his new book, In defence of civilization: How the past can renew our present.

Available here: https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/in-defense-of-civilization/

"What makes the situation in Canada... troubling is that we have an entire class of people, an elite, governing class, who seem to really believe that the way out of humanities problems is to forget history and that being divorced from it is to be free from a burden." 
- Michael Bonner

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In this episode you'll hear Jonathan Berkshire Miller in conversation with Dr. Casey Babb. 

"[UNRWA] was a noble organization with a clear, justifiable cause 75-or-so-years-ago. In the time since it has morphed into something far beyond that and has in a variety of ways made the situation much worse for Palestinians and Israeli's alike."

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Ryan Alford on the decline in the rule of law in Canada. 

"The key problem that we have is the notion that the boundaries for police enforcement are not consistent with uniform and neutral principles but rather that [the law] is being selectively enforced based on political considerations." - Ryan Alford

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with Darren McKee on his new book, Uncontrollable, The threat of artificial super intelligence and the race to save the world.

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Eric Kaufmann on the rise of immigration as a central issue shaping political alignment in Canada and across the Western world.

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In this episode you'll hear Marcus Kolga in conversation with prominent political commentator and author David Frum. Marcus and David discuss everything from the rise of antisemitism in Canada to the fading support for Ukraine in parts of the GOP, to populist movements across North America and the possibility of a Trump re-election in 2024. 

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Kaveh Shahrooz on the shifting sides in the battle for free speech. 

"People need to understand why free speech is an important value. I would argue in fact that it is the most important value. It's the corrective to everything else that can go wrong in a society, you can fix anything else so long as you can talk about it," notes Kaveh.

Read Aaron and Kaveh's article for Inside Policy: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/now-more-than-ever-we-must-resist-an-illiberal-turn-against-free-speech-kaveh-shahrooz-and-aaron-wudrick-for-inside-policy/

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The launch event was cohosted with the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC.

Learn more at: CNAPS.org

In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Ryan Alford on the fraying foundations for free speech in Canada. Whether aimed at the Freedom Convoy or at pro-Hamas / pro-Palestine protestors, calls for censorship have come from actors across the political spectrum. Aaron and Ryan asks how we can establish lines that maximize freedom of expression but still protect individuals with legitimate concerns about violence.  

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with Alexander Dalziel, and Henri Vanhanen on how Canada and other democratic nations should respond to the threat to critical undersea infrastructure from malicious global actors. 

Read Alexander and Henri's article for Inside Policy here: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/undersea-under-threat/

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Christian Leuprecht on his and Jamie Ferrill's new book Dirty Money: Financial Crime in Canada.

Available here: https://www.mqup.ca/dirty-money-products-9780228019053.php

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In this episode you'll hear Jonathan Berkshire Miller in conversation with Kaveh Shahrooz on Hamas' attack in Israel and the thread of antisemitism that runs from Iran to Hamas and other terrorist organizations.

Kaveh's article in the Globe and Mail can be read here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-an-antisemitic-thread-runs-from-hamas-to-tehran/

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Jon Hartley about his recent article for The Hub, Is the ‘New Ottawa Consensus’ killing our economy?.

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In this episode you'll hear Jonathan Berkshire Miller in conversation with Romanian Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja. Romania serves as an energy hub for Ukraine, Moldova, and other partners, blunting Russia's capacity to use energy as a weapon. 

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen in conversation with Jonathan Berkshire Miller and Charles Burton about the recently announced public inquiry into foreign interference. Our expert panel analyses where the inquiry's mandate falls short and suggests how it might become effective in the task at hand. 

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In this episode you'll hear Aaron Wudrick in conversation with Patrice Dutil about his new book, Statesman, Strategists, and Diplomats: Canada's Prime Ministers and the making of foreign policy. 

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In this episode you'll hear Balkan Devlen and Richard Shimooka discuss Canada's recent commitment to expand our enhanced forward presence in Latvia over the next 3 years. Even the 800 troops currently deployed are significantly straining our Armed Forces. It is unclear how Canada will effectively fulfill these new commitments. 

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Find Inside Policy Talks on YouTube and wherever else you get your audio (Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon).

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Find Inside Policy Talks with video on YouTube and wherever else you get your audio (Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon). 

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Balkan and Alexander discuss Canada's recent contribution of 15 Leopard tanks, and the necessary personnel, to the enhanced Forward Presence in the Latvia battlegroup.