Published:December 13, 2024
Catch up on all the Season 2 episodes of WONK for smart insights and great conversations around the big issues of the day.
How to build Arctic sovereignty and Canada’s economy
Agnico Eagle chairperson Sean Boyd talks about nation-building projects, building trust with Indigenous partners and working with the Canadian military
Inside the fight of Google’s life
Kent Walker, the president of global affairs at Google, talks to Amanda about AI, regulation and the tech giant’s ‘most fundamental transformation’
The totally unregulated rise of agentic AI
Valerie Pisano, the head of Mila – Quebec AI Institute, speaks about the risks of agentic AI and why it should be a public good
How Canada can get moving on nation-building projects
Authors of PPF’s recent Build Big Things report Jay Khosla and Yiota Kokkinos discuss how to address Canada’s pressing economic challenge through nation-building projects
Jean Chretien on the ongoing fight for national unity
Canada’s 20th prime minister talks to Amanda about the benefits of Team Canada, Donald Trump and unhappy Albertans
How to build ‘one Canadian economy’
Economist Trevor Tombe discusses what it will take to finally kill interprovincial trade barriers — and who will win big
Dominic LeBlanc on getting to ‘zero tariffs’
The minister of trade and intergovernmental affairs talks about getting a trade deal with America and making ‘one Canadian economy’
How Canada’s biggest energy storage project got built
Host Amanda Lang talks to the driving forces behind the Oneida Energy Storage Project about Indigenous partnerships and the secrets to their success
Measles is back. How did it come to this?
Dr. Joss Reimer and Dr. Michael Gardam discuss the ‘devastating’ return of measle, the vaccination problem and hard COVID lessons
Paul Wells: Is Canadian politics getting nicer?
Journalist Paul Wells talks to Amanda Lang about moving past political animosity, toxic social media and the path forward for the new PM
Sally Armstrong on the ongoing fight for women’s rights
The groundbreaking war correspondent talks about the ‘greedy men’ who start wars and the struggle to protect human rights
America’s slide toward ‘modern tyranny’
Amanda Lang talks to historian and author Timothy Snyder about efforts to weaken the American state and what can be done to save it
What should Canada do about China?
Peter Van Praagh, founder and president of the Halifax International Security Forum, discusses Chinese ambitions, Canadian values and how China will be ‘working diligently’ to influence the federal election
What Canadians need to be talking about this election
Amanda Lang talks to an all-star election panel about the big issues, the rise of economic nationalism and some positive notes from the campaign
Is an EU-like arrangement the answer to Canada’s trade crisis?
Roger Martin talks about the unraveling of global trade and why a customs union could be the solution for Canada
How government works in an election on top of a trade war
Former Privy Council clerk Michael Wernick on executive restraint, ‘pruning’ the public service and learning from U.S. mistakes
Fighting about U.S. fighter jets (and government procurement)
Peter MacKay and Sahir Khan discuss the perils of public procurement and how the F-35 purchase haunts us still
Andrew Furey on the nastiness of politics and facing Donald Trump
The popular premier of Newfoundland and Labrador talks about his decision to exit politics, his fears about Trump’s ‘imperialistic’ agenda and a Canada-first response
David Paterson on fighting the trade war and winning over Republicans
Ontario’s trade representative in the U.S. discusses his message to Republicans and why he’s optimistic a resolution is possible
How to save a crumbling pillar of Canadian democracy: local news
Lisa Sygutek of The Crowsnest Pass Herald, Stacey Brzostowski of The Haida Gwaii News, and Andrew Phillips, a columnist with The Toronto Star, talk about the role of local news and stopping its decline
Janice Stein on what’s wrong with the world — and what Canada can do
Renowned international affairs expert Janice Stein talks about Canada’s place in an increasingly unstable and changing world
Sean Speer on how governments can get stuff done
Leading conservative thinker Sean Speer explains what’s behind growing political instability and the challenges of state capacity
Raven Lacerte on a movement to end violence against women and children
The co-founder of the Moose Hide Campaign discusses her work, the roots of violence against women and children and why ‘big things are coming’
Dr. Jane Philpott on getting every Canadian a family doctor
The former health minister outlines why Canada needs a health-care system reboot that’s focused on primary care for everyone
R.J. Simpson on why the North is hot right now
The premier of the Northwest Territories talks about the growing strategic importance of the North, the appetite for its critical minerals and his message for Ottawa
David Campbell on what’s driving Atlantic Canada’s big boom
The economist and ‘wonk of the East’ delves into the region’s transformation and what’s needed to keep the momentum alive
Steve Verheul on what a Trump victory could mean for Canada
Canada’s former chief trade negotiator on the ‘ugly choices’ around Trump’s tariff threats, how they could upend global trade and what Canada can do
Alex Himelfarb on what’s behind ‘the Age of Crisis’
Canada’s former top public servant discusses what he believes is driving so many of today’s crises — an economic and political order that goes by the name of neoliberalism
U.S. election special: What Trump’s big win means for Canada
On our most-listened-to episode ever, PPF friends Don Wright, Janet Annesley and Sean Speer talk Trump’s victory, big political shifts and what it says about Canada’s future
Brett House on the rise of Trumponomics (and Swiftonomics, too)
Columbia Business School professor Brett House breaks down Donald Trump’s economic policies, their flaws and the looming problems for Canada
Peter Loewen on the forces dividing America
The dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University explains the ‘wicked brew’ of populism and polarization in the U.S. today
Andrew Leach: How to hit climate goals without doing harm
Canada’s preeminent climate policy wonk talks about the rush to renewables, carbon pricing and the pressures facing Alberta
Tariff Special: What happened at Mar-a-Lago
We gather an all-star panel — Janice Stein, Steve Verheul and Andrew Phillips — to debate Trump’s tariff threat and what’s next for Canada
WONK panel: B.C.’s game-changing bet on wind power
An all-star panel of Western wonks — Janet Annesley, Kwatuuma Sayers and Don Wright — talk about energy and a bold new way to speed development
Erin O’Toole on how to deal with Donald Trump, Arctic security and energy
The former leader of the Conservative Party — and wonk at heart — discusses why he’s big on boosting defence and why talking publicly about Trump is a bad idea
Is Canada really ready for President Trump?
A panel of PPF Fellows — Marta Morgan, Peter Loewen and Mark Cameron — discuss Trump’s taunts, tariff troubles and what’s missing from Canada’s response
President Trump and Canada’s hard choices
Panelists Luiza Savage, Don Wright and Sean Speer discuss the risks and opportunities for Canada in the first days of Trump’s second term
How Canada’s energy industry can respond to Trump
Energy experts Jackie Forrest, Janet Annesley and Bryan Cox explain the exposure to U.S. tariff threats and the challenge of energy security
A 30-day window to save Canada’s economy
Riaz Kara, Janice Stein and Edward Greenspon discuss the trade war pause and what Canada has to do to face this existential threat
How to save a crumbling pillar of Canadian democracy: local news
Lisa Sygutek, the publisher of the Crowsnest Pass Herald, Stacey Brzostowski, publisher of The Haida Gwaii News, and Andrew Phillips, a columnist with The Toronto Star, talk about the importance of local news and ending its decline.
And see what you might have missed in Season 1 of WONK.
“ Bigger tables, better narratives, broader impact”
Inez Jabalpurwala, President and CEO of the Public Policy Forum
By bringing together established leaders and emerging voices, our work produces resilient, practical policy ideas that serve all Canadians.
