Best Edmontonjournal Podcasts (2025)

1
How the deadly drug fentanyl became Canada's public enemy No. 1 28:36

2 days ago28:36

28:36

Fentanyl has become a dominant street drug in Canada, claiming thousands of lives. Recently, it has also been used by U.S. President Donald Trump to justify tariffs on Canadian exports. How did it get to this point? National Post reporter Tom Blackwell joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the factors behind fentanyl's rise, the growth of labs in Cana…

1
How Canada turned itself into a fentanyl playground 47:28

4 days ago47:28

47:28

If you want a thriving fentanyl trade in your country, attracting heavily armed cartels, super labs, and a large and growing market of users subsidized by the government and unimpeded by law enforcement, just do everything Canada’s been doing. So says Marshall Smith, former chief of staff to the Alberta premier, a former addict, and a prominent dis…

1
How Donald Trump’s threats gave Doug Ford an edge in the Ontario election 21:29

8 days ago21:29

21:29

Ontario PC leader Doug Ford is nearing a third term after calling a snap election. Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how U.S. President Trump's threats, including tariffs, have overshadowed other issues in the campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Why Doug Ford keeps steamrolling his Ontario election critics 57:29

11 days ago57:29

57:29

They said his calling an early provincial election was hubris, and yet Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford may win an even bigger majority on Feb. 27. They scoffed when he claimed a vote was needed to fight U.S. tariffs, but that turned out to be all Ontarians were thinking about. And, as Brian discusses this week with Postmedia’s Ontario col…

1
Here in Washington, the Trump vs. Canada reality isn’t what we think 46:35

18 days ago46:35

46:35

The premiers blitzing the U.S. capital wasn’t the pointless fiasco reports made it out to be, and President Trump’s plan for Canada may not really about tariffs or fentanyl. In this special episode, Brian reports from the ground in Washington, D.C. where he interviews Canadian provincial and business leaders who were there and hears about their act…

1
Will Canada's approach to tariff threats sway Trump? 24:11

20 days ago24:11

24:11

Canadian politicians, aiming to avoid a trade war amid U.S. tariff threats, have met with White House officials and appointed a 'fentanyl czar.' National Post's Catherine Levesque joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss these efforts and their potential impact on President Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
The forgotten women of Afghanistan 31:49

21 days ago31:49

31:49

For two decades, Afghan women had freedom. Then everything changed in an instant with the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban in 2021 amid the withdrawal of Western troops. Ehsanullah Amiri, the 2024 recipient of Postmedia’s Michelle Lang Fellowship, joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the conditions under which women now live in Afghanistan, what th…

1
Why Trump isn’t just joking about taking over Canada anymore 31:43

25 days ago31:43

31:43

It might seem unbelievable, but some Americans, including President Donald Trump, really think it’s possible that Canada, or parts of it, might join the U.S.A. Joel Pollak, California-based editor for Breitbart News and author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, tells Brian that the president’s unexpected, confrontational tar…

1
What could a trade war mean for Alberta's energy and economy? 16:48

27 days ago16:48

16:48

Canada's response to Trump’s trade war threats and the carve-out for Canadian energy has put Alberta’s oilpatch in the spotlight. While Alberta’s oil faced less impact from tariffs, the threat remains a major concern. Calgary Herald columnist Chris Varcoe joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the potential impact on Alberta’s economy and key industrie…

1
U.S. tariffs on hold 30 days after Canada commits to beefing up border security 21:03

28 days ago21:03

21:03

Canada received a temporary reprieve from U.S. tariffs after committing to border security and drug policy changes. National Post reporter Stephanie Taylor joins the show to discuss the agreements and Canada’s new drug strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia

1
Trump has already changed everything in the Middle East 57:22

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about a year ago57:22

57:22

It’s the deal no one thought they wanted and one the Biden administration couldn’t get done. Then Donald Trump showed up, sending his envoy Steve Witkoff to force it through. Soon, the hostages starting coming home, in their tortured bodies, telling their unspeakable stories. As Vivian Bercovici tells Brian from Israel, where she was formerly Canad…

1
No 'traitors' in Parliament, foreign interference inquiry finds 26:28

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about a year ago26:28

26:28

Marie-Josée Hogue, head of the foreign interference inquiry, has delivered her final report, making sweeping recommendations for the federal government, while asserting that, despite allegations of some MPs possibly being foreign agents, there is no evidence of traitors in Ottawa, as discussed by National Post politics reporter Chris Nardi with Dav…

1
Premier Doug Ford is calling a snap election in Ontario 19:17

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about a year ago19:17

19:17

The question in Ontario politics is whether a trade war over Trump’s tariffs will boost Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives’ majority, as he calls a snap election, with Bryan Passifiume and Dave Breakenridge discussing Ford’s strategy and opposition reactions. Background reading:Premier Doug Ford confirms he’s calling snap Ontario election …

1
The reason Trump plans to crush Canada that our politicians just don’t get 53:56

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about a year ago53:56

53:56

It’s not just about tariffs. If you examine what the America First advisers around Trump really think, you’ll understand their determination to undertake a sweeping overhaul of the global economic system — and why they’re starting with Canada. Brian’s guests this week, trade researcher Carlo Dade, from the Canada West Foundation, and Ian Lee, publi…

1
The dirty fight shaping up between Carney and Freeland 54:30

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about a year ago54:30

54:30

Was a photo of Mark Carney with Jeffrey Epstein’s girlfriend leaked by Chrystia Freeland’s team? Who sent the Rolls Royce to Carney’s campaign launch event? Is Karina Gould’s candidacy just a strategy to undermine Freeland? Brian talks with Liberal strategists Sharan Kaur, who worked inside the Trudeau government, and Kieran McMurchy, consultant at…

1
Is Donald Trump set to try to annex Canada? 25:14

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about a year ago25:14

25:14

Is Donald Trump set to try to annex Canada? Or is he trolling us in the worst possible way. Truly only he knows at this point, but it has raised somewhat of a sovereignty crisis in this country. Carson Jerema, National Post’s comment editor, joins the show to discuss what Trump could be angling for, how our leaders have responded, and what the poli…

1
Paul Godfrey wants to make Toronto pretty good again 49:21

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about a year ago49:21

49:21

By sheer force of will, Paul Godfrey built a Major League Baseball team in what was then Canada’s sleepy second city, when everyone doubted it could be done. (He ended up in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and the Blue Jays would go on to win two World Series.) He helped shake up a staid and boring local newspaper scene with the scrappy Toronto …

1
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepping down good news for western Canada 31:10

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about a year ago31:10

31:10

After much speculation about his political future, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would be stepping down... eventually. David Staples and Lorne Gunter join the show to discuss the factors that led to Trudeau's departure, how his legacy will be viewed in western Canada, and whether there is a potential successor who could turn Liberal fo…

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BEST OF 2024: The COVID lies they told us continue to warp our lives 37:46

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about a year ago37:46

37:46

Over the holidays, we’re looking back at some of the best episodes of 2024, which in December marked the fifth anniversary of the COVID virus escaping China and wreaking global havoc. We’re still learning how institutions and officials politicized science during the pandemic to justify economic lockdowns, border closures, school shutdowns and other…

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BEST OF 2024: Jordan Peterson on why everyone should be afraid of what happened to him 42:59

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about a year ago42:59

42:59

Over the holidays, we’re looking back at some of the best episodes of 2024, a year that may have marked the beginning of the end for left-wing political censorship, especially by professional bodies. Last January, the courts shut the door on overturning a decision by the College of Psychologists of Ontario that ordered Jordan Peterson into a mandat…

1
Trudeau’s taking you all down with him 53:38

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about a year ago53:38

53:38

His finance minister has quit in disgust. He seems only able to come up with increasingly bad ideas. His government is in disarray, with crises in immigration, housing, the cost-of-living, deficits, debt and more. And the U.S. is about to hit Canada with economy-killing tariffs. Yet, as Brian discusses with Postmedia’s Lorne Gunter and Chris Selley…

1
Federal politics roller-coaster ride saved best for last in 2024 31:50

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about a year ago31:50

31:50

Federal politics saved perhaps its biggest surprise for one of the last weeks of the year with the surprise cabinet resignation of Chrystia Freeland. But it has been a very eventful year in Canadian politics. National Post Parliamentary Bureau Chief Stuart Thomson and parliamentary reporter Antoine Trepanier join Dave Breakenridge to break down the…

1
You won’t believe how badly your bank is fleecing you 39:36

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about a year ago39:36

39:36

Canadians have been deceived into believing that having strong, stable banks means sacrificing competition, as Andrew Spence, author of Fleeced: Canadians Versus Their Banks, tells Brian. So, we have no real competition, which means we pay more — loads more — for ATMs, Interac, mortgages, NSF fees, exchange rates and more, than people do in compara…

1
John A. helped Indigenous people, Riel didn’t, and other unpopular realities 52:02

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about a year ago52:02

52:02

Imagine Indigenous people getting to vote for the first time — and voting for John A. Macdonald. Many did. And it was Canada’s first prime minister who gave them the vote. The Conservative leader also kept Aboriginal communities fed (against fierce Liberal opposition) when the buffalo disappeared and protected them from disease, as Patrice Dutil, a…

1
Trudeau did ‘almost everything wrong’ on immigration. It’s about to get worse 48:42

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about a year ago48:42

48:42

What was once the best immigration system in the world has been turned on its head, former immigration minister and premier Jason Kenney tells Brian this week — all because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has preferred pandering platitudes over practical policy. After eight years of mass migration, Canadians everywhere — including immigrants — are su…

1
Sadistic killer Paul Bernardo denied parole or any form of release 26:19

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about a year ago26:19

26:19

Notorious killer Paul Bernardo faced the Parole Board of Canada for the third time this week. The man convicted of murdering three girls 30 years ago was again denied parole. National Post reporter Adrian Humphreys joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss Bernardo's parole hearing, the board's decision, and the victims' families' reactions. Learn more ab…

1
Randy Boissonnault has resigned from cabinet after weeks of mounting controversies 25:55

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about a year ago25:55

25:55

Randy Boissonnault resigned from Justin Trudeau's cabinet amid controversy over his business dealings and Indigenous identity claims. National Post’s Chris Nardi joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss his departure and what’s next for the Edmonton MP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
They call us ‘settlers’ because they’re planning to kick us out 40:58

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about a year ago40:58

40:58

You’re not welcome in “so-called Canada.” That’s what academics and activists call this country, which they declare “illegitimate.” And, as Adam Kirsch, author of the new book On Settler Colonialism tells Brian, these people aren’t using metaphors. They truly see anyone who isn’t Indigenous as an active colonizer and criminal who doesn’t belong. Th…

1
The Trump train is bearing down on Trudeau 48:47

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about a year ago48:47

48:47

The federal Liberals are likely facing an even less friendly Donald Trump administration than last time. And they’re in an even weaker position than they were then, as Brian discusses this week with Postmedia columnist Chris Selley. Their minority government is teetering, mounting scandals are weighing them down, and their mass-immigration and anti…

1
Revenge of the normal people, from Trump to Canada 52:19

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about a year ago52:19

52:19

The presidential election came down to the clevers versus the normals, guest John Robson tells Brian this week. Those succeeding in the establishment’s ever more complicated system of official and unofficial rules around work, business, education and identity politics went for Kamala Harris. Everyone else —feeling left behind, ignored and scorned —…

1
If Trump is a ‘garbage’ candidate, Harris is a ‘vacuous sociopath’ 55:22

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about a year ago55:22

55:22

It’s the final hours of a “dumpster fire” of a presidential election, as guest and American political writer J.D. Tuccille calls it. And it’s hard to imagine a worse one. Democrats are back to comparing Donald Trump to Hitler, and Republicans say the Democrats are communists. The vice-presidential picks JD Vance and Tim Walz have had minimal impact…

1
Trudeau survived. He’s still screwed. 54:41

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about a year ago54:41

54:41

So, the rebels in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s caucus couldn’t convince him to quit. But they’re still fed up, and they still have forceful ways of showing it, as veteran Postmedia politics columnist John Ivison discusses with Brian this week. That may just include sabotaging a confidence vote that could bring down their own government. Now Trud…

1
The opioid crisis has a 'hidden' brain injury epidemic 19:37

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about a year ago19:37

19:37

For years, Canada has wrestled with an overdose crisis, with thousands of people succumbing to the deadly effects of toxic drugs like fentanyl. But there’s a second brewing crisis involving those who don’t die after overdosing. Ottawa Sun reporter Andrew Duffy joins the show to discuss the effects a non-fatal overdose can have on a person, how that…

1
The underqualified, anti-racist activist doctor will see you now 33:48

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about a year ago33:48

33:48

Prioritizing medical expertise and skill in doctors is so passé. If powerful activists pushing to redesign Canada’s physician regulators get their way, tomorrow’s doctors will be focusing on promoting anti-oppression and anti-racism. Dr. Mark D’Souza has been on the forefront of the fight to prevent that. He explains to Brian how the radicals’ plan…

1
David Eby is pivoting in panic away from the NDP’s unpopular policies 44:18

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about a year ago44:18

44:18

British Columbia voters are so unhappy that they might elect a party this week that barely existed two years ago: the Conservatives led by John Rustad. No wonder. As veteran B.C. politics columnist Vaughn Palmer tells Brian, voters see crime as out of control; drug decriminalization creating no-go zones everywhere; and immigration soaring even as t…

1
Why Conservatives are supporting an increase for old age pensions 23:08

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about a year ago23:08

23:08

In the wake of the NDP ending its agreement to keep the Trudeau government afloat, opposition parties have been jockeying for position as power brokers, trying to advance agendas to either stave off or force an election. The Bloc Quebecois has seized the opportunity on a couple of files, including a pricey increase to pension coverage supported by …

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