Best The Backbench Podcasts (2024)

1
Introducing: The Secret Life of Canada | Sorry not Sorry 33:12

2d ago33:12

33:12

We’re bringing you a special episode of a show we love! The Secret Life of Canada from CBC Podcasts is a podcast about the country you know and the stories you don't. Join hosts Leah-Simone Bowen and Falen Johnson as they reveal the beautiful, terrible and weird histories of this land. In this episode, “Sorry not Sorry”, they explore the history of…

1
When is protest powerful? 45:35

1d ago45:35

45:35

What role do protests play in climate activism? How have tactics changed over time? And when is controversy constructive? Amy talks with Hannah Martin, Co Executive Director at Green New Deal Rising, which is a movement of young people fighting to stop climate change. Produced and presented by Amy Mount. Edited by Sarah Eldridge. For more insights,…

1
Do local communities make a difference? 41:21

8d ago41:21

41:21

Why is it important to think about the places we live, work and experience, when responding to climate change? Why do local communities matter to climate action - and vice versa? And what opportunities and constraints do communities face? Amy talks with Danielle Walker-Palmour, the Director of Friends Provident Foundation, which works towards a fai…

1
Introducing A Field Guide to Gay Animals 42:47

14d ago42:47

42:47

Strap on your binoculars and lace up your boots: today we’re sharing an episode of the newest show on the network, A Field Guide to Gay Animals. A Field Guide to Gay Animals explores sexuality, gender, and joy in the animal world. Animal enthusiasts Owen Ever and Laine Kaplan-Levenson take us on a quest to see beyond the natural world as we know it…

1
The Spy Who Loved MPs 47:07

20d ago47:07

47:07

On June 3, a cross-party committee released a redacted document alleging some parliamentarians have been "semi-witting or witting" participants in the efforts of foreign states to interfere in Canadian politics. Trudeau says he has “concerns,” Singh says he’s “alarmed,” May is “relieved,” and Poilievre won’t even look. So who’s right about foreign …

1
Can the Anthropocene be awesome? 44:44

22d ago44:44

44:44

Is a better world possible? Why are the stories we tell so important in the politics of climate? And what’s the relationship between social and environmental tipping points? Amy talks with Solitaire Townsend, co-founder and Chief Solutionist at “change agency” Futerra. Produced and presented by Amy Mount. Edited by Sarah Eldridge. For more insights…

1
How can backbenchers defeat the government? 44:41

1M ago44:41

44:41

How can Parliament force progress on climate when the Government is resistant? What does it take for backbench MPs to amend legislation? And how does their power wax and wane as the composition of Parliament changes? Amy talks with Isabella Gornall, who is Founder and Chair of Seahorse Environmental, a politics and communications agency. Produced a…

1
Flip-Flopping on Decriminalization 41:46

1M ago41:46

41:46

When B.C. decriminalized small amounts of drugs in January 2023, it was seen as a promising weapon in the battle against the drug crisis. In May, B.C. walked that policy back, saying it caused disorder in the streets. In a similar move, Toronto tried decriminalizing, but the feds quickly shot down their attempt. So what gives? Was this year-long ex…

1
How can Scotland get back on track? 39:20

1M ago39:20

39:20

How did scrapping a climate target bring down a First Minister? What would a good transition to net zero look like in Scotland? And what should be the climate priorities for the Scottish Government's new leadership? Amy talks with Miriam Brett, Co-Director of the Future Economy Scotland think tank. Future Economy Scotland is non-partisan and aims t…

1
What is the state's role in climate investment? 42:04

2M ago42:04

42:04

How can the government drive investment into the net zero transition? What opportunities and constraints does it face? And why did the Labour Party adopt - and then drop - its £28bn green investment commitment? Amy talks with Carys Roberts, one of the UK’s leading thinkers on economic policy. She’s executive director of the Institute for Public Pol…

1
Stop, Students What’s That Sound 1:02:00

2M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

When the first group of students parked up at Columbia University, it sparked a movement that has gripped schools across the world. These encampment protests have now gripped universities across Canada- at U of T, U UOttawa, McMaster, U of C, McGill, U of A, UBC, and Dalhousie. The encampments have sparked a debate on the legality and ethics of pro…

1
Introducing Pretendians 14:54

2M ago14:54

14:54

Today we’re sharing with you a preview of the first episode of Canadaland’s newest show Pretendians. What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and thinkers have in common? They aren’t Indigenous. From major universities, to the halls of power, to Hollywood, there are people claiming to be Indigenous in the intere…

1
Should the climate movement be fighting for beauty? 40:28

2M ago40:28

40:28

How has climate politics in the UK been shaped by this country’s longer history of environmentalism? Do economic arguments fully capture what’s at stake in climate policy? And how can we navigate tensions between action for the climate and the countryside? Amy talks with Dame Fiona Reynolds, a former Director-General of the National Trust, and auth…

1
Canada’s Exploited Foreign Workers Program 51:59

2M ago51:59

51:59

Temporary foreign workers are relied upon to fill the gaps in the Canadian labour market. But the system is convoluted and ripe with exploitation – all at a time when immigrants are being blamed by politicians and the public for the housing crisis. The system needs an overhaul to protect our economy and the workers that make it tick. Are immigrants…

1
How did the Climate Change Act happen? 41:00

2M ago41:00

41:00

Why was the Climate Change Act such an important moment of UK leadership? Why did it happen when it did? And what were the politics that made it possible? Amy talks with Baroness Bryony Worthington, who campaigned for and then drafted the legislation. Produced and presented by Amy Mount. Edited by Sarah Eldridge. For more insights and references, r…

1
Does international diplomacy make a difference? 42:51

3M ago42:51

42:51

What’s it like to negotiate climate agreements with other countries? What are the most consequential power dynamics at the UN climate talks? And how does climate sit alongside other foreign policy objectives? Amy talks with Camilla Born, who held the pen on the strategy for COP26, the UN climate talks that the UK hosted in 2021. She then went on to…

1
Conservative Comic-Con 42:58

3M ago42:58

42:58

The Canada Strong and Free conference is one of the biggest events of the year for Canadian conservatives. The party is polling high, and this event was set to be a launching point for an upcoming wave of victories. Boris Johnson and former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott were in the house, along with premiers Danielle Smith and Blaine Higgs.…

1
Are power lines the next battle lines? 41:41

3M ago41:41

41:41

Are fights brewing over the new infrastructure needed for clean electricity? What’s the real difference between the Conservative government’s 2035 target and Labour’s 2030 target? What do energy companies think about net zero - and what do they need from policymakers to help them transition? Amy talks with Emma Pinchbeck, CEO of the Energy UK trade…

1
What about China? 38:52

3M ago38:52

38:52

Does it matter what the UK does on climate change, when China’s annual emissions are now so much higher? Is it reasonable to ask “what about China?” - or is it a delaying tactic? And what assumptions does the question reflect about the pros and cons of climate action? Amy talks with Sepi Golzari-Munro, formerly executive director of the Energy and …

1
State of Emergency Rooms 27:58

3M ago27:58

27:58

We’re bringing you a special episode today from our friends at Commons. Over thirteen seasons, Commons has exposed Canada’s foundational reliance on monopolies, our addiction to real estate and the dark side of hockey. In their new season, host Arshy Mann is now dissecting the state of work in Canada to ask – how did we get here? And what can we do…

1
Too much democracy - or too little? 40:26

3M ago40:26

40:26

Is our democracy up to the challenge of responding to climate change? What do MPs see as their role on climate? And how was it possible for the government to approve a new coal mine in Cumbria, despite being signed up to net zero? Amy talks with Rebecca Willis, Professor in Energy and Climate Governance at the Lancaster Environment Centre, and auth…

1
What power does the oil and gas industry have? 45:20

3M ago45:20

45:20

How did the oil and gas industry become a force in UK politics? What tactics has it deployed to disrupt climate progress? And what would a fair transition to net zero look like, for the workers and communities that rely on North Sea drilling rigs? Amy talks with Tessa Khan, Executive Director at Uplift, which supports a rapid and just transition aw…

1
The Convoy Keeps Rolling 54:55

3M ago54:55

54:55

When the trucks moved out of Ottawa in 2022, our public discourse changed. Grievance politics thrived, and our political parties adapted. Supporters of the convoy splintered into different groups. They became very politically engaged in causes like the 1 Million March for Children, the Save the Children Convoy, Canadians for Truth and even a grassr…

1
Do voters care about the climate? 37:36

4M ago37:36

37:36

Will parties’ net zero policies help or hinder their electoral chances? How has public concern about the climate changed in recent years? And are Red Wall voters as sceptical about cutting carbon as is commonly assumed? Amy talks with Rachel Wolf, who co-wrote the Conservative Party manifesto in 2019 and is now founding partner at Public First, a p…

1
The Hate U Post 50:10

4M ago50:10

50:10

Richard Warman used to take neo-nazis he found online to the human rights commission. He used an obscure provision called Section 13, which was repealed in 2014. But it may be coming back. The long-awaited Online Harms Act includes a section allowing human rights complaints over online hate speech. Free speech advocates are worried, but some say it…

1
Introducing Political Heat 1:25

4M ago1:25

1:25

Political Heat is here to make sense of climate politics. We know the science tells us to phase out fossil fuels. But it’s politics that will determine how we do that. Whose voices matter in decision-making? Who will benefit - and who might lose out? Host Amy Mount brings two decades’ experience of environmental politics, policy and organising. She…

1
Failing Universities 101 44:25

4M ago44:25

44:25

Canadian universities are barely scraping by. Queen’s is in a whole lot of debt, Laurentian declared insolvency in 2021, Alberta universities are slashing budgets, and McGill and Concordia are in danger over an out-of-province tuition battle. On top of it all, the international student visa cap will limit revenues for cash-strapped universities. Co…

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