Party in the U.S.A: The nuances of Neera Tanden

03/01/21 • 37 min

DC is in the midst of confirmation hearings for President Joe Biden’s new cabinet — and some of his picks are generating controversy. Today, a deep dive into just one of the nominees, Neera Tanden. While she may not be a household name, Tanden is a useful lens through which to examine the layers of DC culture. With strikes against her on both the left and right, it’s worth examining why the Biden administration is going to bat for such a polarizing figure. But first, a quick debrief on the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which marked Donald Trump’s first public appearance since he left the presidency and clearly signalled that cult of personality continues. For insight, Elamin calls up Katelyn Burns, a freelance journalist and contributing writer to Vox and Medium, as well as Sabrina Siddiqui of the Wall Street Journal.

Previous Episode

The growing push to decriminalize drugs in Canada

Last week, the federal government unveiled new legislation that would relax penalties for certain drug offences. It doesn’t go as far as decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of certain drugs — something many advocates, municipal leaders, public health officials, even chiefs of police have called for — but could it be a sign of shifting perspectives at the national level? As the opioid crisis continues to claim the lives of Canadians, Rosie and Elamin wonder whether more progressive drug policy could be around the corner. But first: the two turn their attention to Alberta, where Premier Jason Kenney’s government is delivering their 2021 budget. It comes at a time when Kenney finds himself in a pretty bad place: his popularity has plummeted through the pandemic and his average approval numbers are hovering around 40 per cent. Could a welcomed budget be enough of a boost to change how Albertans are feeling about their premier?

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What will it take to solve the military’s sexual misconduct problem?

Two of this country’s former top military leaders are facing accusations of sexual misconduct. Last week, recently appointed chief of defence staff Admiral Art McDonald stepped aside after it was discovered he was under investigation by the military's National Investigation Service; his predecessor, Gen. Jonathan Vance is also under investigation for inappropriate behaviour. All of this has had many people wondering: what did Canada’s minister of defence know, and when did he know it? Opposition parties hoped to find answers this week as former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne testified before a House of Commons committee — and that testimony did not look good for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. Rosie and Elamin break down what came out of the committee, what it says about the state of Canada’s military and what kind of change might be necessary after years of efforts to root out sexual misconduct among their ranks. The two also check in on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, as the feds expect about 945,000 doses to arrive this week alone. As more jurisdictions are able to start vaccinating more people, are governments prioritizing those who need it most?