It's Political with Althia Raj

In this episode: Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge, Toronto Star Publisher Jordan Bitove, Ottawa University law professor Michael Geist, Toronto Star reporter Raisa Patel, Meta’s head of public policy Rachel Curran, Google Canada’s Richard Gingras, News Media Canada President Paul Deegan, Village Media CEO Jeff Elgie. La Presse President Pierre-Elliott Levasseur, Yellowknife evacuee Kelsey Worth, Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Hosted by Althia Raj.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized to the world and House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota resigned after MPs honoured a man in Parliament who’d fought with a Nazi unit. This isn’t the only story that rocked Canadian politics recently. Last week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford reversed course on the development of Greenbelt land and Trudeau announced the government of India is more than likely involved in the shooting death of a Canadian citizen.

These controversies may not have come to light if it wasn’t for the work of journalists. But journalism, in Canada, is facing a crisis. Declining advertising revenues have led to the shedding of thousands of jobs and the closures of hundreds of local publications. Meanwhile, Google and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, are reaping billions of ad dollars worldwide.

This week on “It’s Political,” we dig into the federal government’s response to a crisis decades in the making. The Online News Act, which became law this summer, has prompted Meta to block news links on its platforms. Is Google ready to follow suit? Is the government shooting itself in the foot or has it found the path to sustainability for newspapers and local broadcasters?

Ottawa University law professor Michael Geist, the Canada research chair in internet and e-commerce law, joins Toronto Star reporter Raisa Patel in helping us break down the law, formerly known as Bill C-18. We’ll also hear from Meta, Google, and publishers affected by the bill, including Toronto Star owner Jordan Bitove. Then, we’ll sit down with Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge.

The 2025 political landscape is looking very different than it did just a few weeks ago.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pending resignation, the prorogation of Parliament, and the sudden Liberal leadership race has offered the Grits a new lifeline.

U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to hit Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on Feb. 1 also offers the political parties another chance at reframing themselves and what they want the ballot question to be at the next election, whether that’s in eight weeks or eight months.

This week on “It’s Political,” former Conservative party campaign director Fred DeLorey, former Prime Minister's Office head of policy and cabinet affairs Marci Surkes and former NDP press secretary Allison Gifford join Althia to talk about the shifting landscape and what it means for the major players.

But first, Future Borders Coalition’s Laura Dawson explains what Trump’s latest threats could mean for Canada, and how best to brace for the impact.

In this episode: Compass Rose Group chief strategy officer and former senior advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Marci Surkes; NorthStar Public Affairs chair Fred DeLorey; Clear Strategy vice-president of public policy Allison Gifford; and Future Borders Coalition executive director Laura Dawson. Hosted by Althia Raj.

Some of the clips this week were sourced from CPAC, CP24 and the White House.

This episode of “It’s Political” was produced by Althia Raj and Kevin Sexton. Matt Hearn is our sound engineer. Our theme music is by Isaac Joel.

‘It's Political with Althia Raj’ is the Toronto Star’s new Canadian politics podcast. Every two weeks, Raj brings listeners behind the scenes on Parliament Hill with exclusive interviews, in-depth reporting and thoughtful analysis. Join us as we explore the ins and the outs of the drama unfolding in Ottawa with humour and intelligence.The first episode drops Thursday, May 5. Listen and follow or subscribe here.

Two years ago bombshell allegations emerged suggesting foreign actors were succeeding in influencing Canadian electoral contests and Canadian parliamentarians.

Media reports suggested the Liberal government hadn’t done enough to warn the public or even MPs about the matter, and a political debate emerged about how best to get to the bottom of it.

After a series of false starts, it was Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue who was appointed to investigate and weigh in with findings and recommendations.

Tuesday, Hogue issued her final report.

While Hogue left some questions answered, she came to a very different finding on a key matter involving foreign interference and parliamentarians.

This week on “It’s Political,” we unpack what we learned from Hogue’s report and what it says about where foreign interference threats now lie.

Then NDP MP Charlie Angus joins us to discuss what he see as the next and most concerning phase of foreign interference. Hint: it’s at your fingertips.

In this episode: The Center for International Governance Innovation’s senior fellow Wesley Wark, Timmins—James Bay NDP MP Charlie Angus, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Public Safety Minister David McGuinty. Hosted by Althia Raj.

Some of the clips this week were sourced from CPAC, CBC, Global, ABC and CTV.

This episode of “It’s Political” was produced by Althia Raj and Kevin Sexton. Matt Hearn is our sound engineer. Our theme music is by Isaac Joel.

This week on It’s Political, we focus on the Conservative leadership race. First, we take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of each of the six candidates and their strategies. Then, we go behind the scenes at campaign events to hear directly from members and potential party members about what they want to see from a new Conservative leader. And then, we sit down with leadership contestant and former Quebec premier Jean Charest