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Governor General Julie Payette and the top bureaucrat in her office have resigned amid a review into allegations there was a toxic workplace at Rideau Hall.  The allegations claim they were abusive to staff, sometimes reducing them to tears. These resignations have called into question the vetting process that saw the highly accomplished Payette appointed to the position.  National post political reporter Brian Platt is on to discuss the allegations in the report, why Payette may not have been suited for the role despite her accomplishments, and where the government goes next.  Background reading: GG Julie Payette and Rideau Hall's top bureaucrat resign in wake of damning workplace review Despite resigning, Julie Payette still qualifies for perks such as a $149,484 annual pension for life

The Keystone XL pipeline project has long been a sticking point in both Canadian and American politics. It has been a hot potato for successive American presidents, and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney bet big, with more than a billion in investment, plus loan guarantees. But now, the new U.S. president has put a stop to it. Calgary Herald columnist Chris Varcoe joins me to discuss Joe Biden’s motives for cancelling the project, what the ramifications are for Canada’s oil industry, and what it means for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. BACKGROUND READING:  Varcoe: Keystone XL is shot down, and the target turns to other pipelines TC Energy and Alberta face long odds if they sue U.S. government over cancelled Keystone XL

President Donald Trump has left office, but his political presence will likely be lingering for some time, both in the U.S. and Canada. And that poses a problem for Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole. With the threat of a possible election an ongoing concern, O’Toole has tried to distance himself from claims he is ‘far right’ and quash attacks that his party is Trump-lite Dave's guest is Andrew MacDougall, a communications consultant and ex-director of communications to former prime minister Stephen Harper, who wrote for the Ottawa Citizen why Trumpism is a problem Erin O’Toole has to address, and the electoral consequences if he doesn’t.

Ontario has been hit hard in recent weeks with growing numbers of COVID-19 cases. In response, Doug Ford has announced a host of new restrictions to try to stem the tide. But will they work? Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley joins Dave to talk about what’s driving the new measures, why Ontario didn’t opt for a curfew like Quebec, and where the province it at in terms of its vaccine rollout.

While the new year has brought some hope in the covid-19 fight, with a ramping up of vaccine campaigns, 2021 is also presenting a new set of challenges in the pandemic. Variant strains that can be passed more easily from person to person are cropping up, and there are supply issues when it comes to the vaccines. National Post Health Reporter Sharon Kirkey joins Dave to talk about the concerns around the new virus strains, whether Quebec’s new curfew could help slow infections and the challenges Canada is facing with its vaccine rollout.

Prime minister Justin Trudeau has set the lofty goal of Canada being net-zero for carbon emissions for 2050. And as part of that strategy, the country has bet on nuclear power to help get us there. Financial Post energy reporter Geoffrey Morgan joins Dave to talk about why the government is looking at nuclear power, what communities could eventually see mini-reactors at use, and why some are opposed to the technology.

After the National Hockey League finished its season in unorthodox fashion, with playoffs held in hub cities and a Stanley Cup celebration in late September, we’re looking at some semblance of normalcy this season. Fans won’t be in the stands, but the NHL is set to resume with a truncated season in all 31 arenas. But for Canadian fans, things will look a lot different. Postmedia national hockey writer Michael Traikos joins Dave to discuss why people should be excited about the all-Canadian division, what it means to players to have hockey back, and how the league is adjusting while we’re still in the middle of a pandemic.

We are taking a couple weeks off for the holidays. We hope to see you in the new year.

For many many Canadians who grew up in cities, the connection with agriculture and rural life is merely what they drive past on the highway, or produce bought from the store.  But for others, it’s a story of their family history.  In part two of our look at the series Abandoned Saskatchewan Dave talks to Saskatoon Star-Phoenix sports editor Kevin Mitchell about growing up on his family farm, his return to the abandoned property, and what the decline of rural Saskatchewan means to him.  BACKGROUND READING: This old house: Visiting my abandoned home on the Saskatchewan prairie

To many Saskatchewan is still seen as Canada’s breadbasket. A land of farms and flat stretches of road. But as Regina and Saskatchewan grow into thriving cities, there has been a decline in the rural heartland. In the first of two episodes highlighting the series Abandoned Saskatchewan, Dave is joined by Saskatoon Star Phoenix reporter Phil Tank about when the decline started, what’s driving it, and what the potential implications are for the province. In our next episode we’ll talk with Star Phoenix Sports Editor Kevin Mitchell, who took a journey back to his family’s farm. BACKGROUND READING: 'Change is necessary;' Saskatchewan's long-standing rural-to-urban shift poses challenges

The opioid crisis was already ravaging B.C., and then covid-19 showed up. This has meant a disruption to drug supplies, more overdoses, and in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside an increase in crime and social disorder. Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Bramham joins Dave to talk about how COVID-19 crisis has made things worse in the Downtown Eastside, what’s driving an increase in overdose deaths in B.C. and what solutions are being looked at to deal with the opioid epidemic.

Canada is on its way to having some form of national childcare program. In its recent fall economic update, the Trudeau government announced it was looking at more than $400 million dollars for the provinces to train qualified staff as preview of more money coming in next year’s budget. But is a plan to create more child care spaces the right move? Postmedia columnist Tasha Kheiriddin joins Dave to talk about what the feds are proposing, why it may not meet the needs of kids, and why the government should pursue offering parents more flexibility instead.

Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta was among the provinces that seemed ready to face the challenge head on, and in many ways, that’s what happened at first. But, as summer turned to fall, Alberta followed many provinces, and countries with mounting case counts in the pandemic’s second wave. And cries have grown louder for the government to do more. The National Post’s Alberta reporter Tyler Dawson joins Dave to talk about when things started to turn for Alberta, how the government is trying to get a handle on things, and why that may not be enough.

With three major pharmaceutical companies showing success with COVID-19 vaccines in phase 3 trials, a lot of people are getting their hopes up about the beginning of the end of the pandemic. But while other countries could see rollouts in the coming weeks, it could be months before Canadians get their turn. Parliamentary Bureau Chief and National post columnist John Ivison joins Dave to talk about why Canada has to wait, whether the government can do anything to speed that up, and why it could become a political vulnerability for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Canada, the lingering question that’s on a lot of peoples minds is “When the heck are we gonna get a vaccine for this thing?” Well, some promising signs on this front as a pair of pharmaceutical companies say they have vaccines almost ready to go. Dave is joined by National Post health reporter Sharon Kirkey to talk about why cases are on the rise in Canada, the promise shown by these vaccine developments, and the challenge of getting them distributed once they’re approved.

Erin O’Toole could well be Canada’s next prime minister. He just needs to do something that has happened just once in the last 30 years, win a Conservative majority. And to do that, he’s looking for voters you don’t typically see right-wing parties courting. Union members. Dave is joined by National Post politics reporter Brian Platt to talk about why O’Toole is looking at this voter base as a way to grow support, what the pitch he’s making is, and whether this could actually pave the way to a Conservative win. Background reading: Why Erin O'Toole is gambling on building a new, union-friendly Conservative voting coalition

The Republicans may have lost the White House, but it doesn’t mean their party is battered and bruised. With a conservative majority on the supreme court, and potentially retaining the Senate, the Republicans are in a good place to keep president-elect Joe Biden in check over the next four years. But what does a Republican Party look like without Donald Trump? Nicholas Lemann, a staff writer at The New Yorker, joins Dave to talk about what the mentality is behind Trump’s challenge of the results, how party leaders may be looking to move past this election and position themselves for the midterms in two years.  Background reading: The Republican Identity Crisis After Trump

As a candidate for U.S. president, Joe Biden talked about wanting to get the country off its dependency on oil. But how things will actually play out under President Biden — and what this means for Canada’s energy sector — is still up in the air. Will that stance mean less U.S. oil production, which means an opportunity for Canadian companies? Could Alberta’s oil be hit with a cross-border carbon tax? And where does a green new deal fit in? Geoffrey Morgan, who covers energy and power for The Financial Post, joins Dave by phone to talk about the ramifications of a Biden presidency for Alberta oil, the Keystone XL pipeline and how it could force Justin Trudeau and Jason Kenney to work together for the sake of the energy sector.

The Canadian Forces is looking to set up a new propaganda arm to try to influence the behaviour of people in this country. The proposal, revealed in documents uncovered by Postmedia, are an extension of a plan from the Chief of Defence Staff to ‘weaponize’ the military’s public affairs branch Dave is joined by Ottawa Citizen military affairs reporter David Pugliese, who uncovered the story, to walk through what this organization would do, why they’re trying to influence Canadians’ behaviour, and what this could mean for the public perception of the forces. Background reading: Canadian military wants to establish new organization to use propaganda, other techniques to influence Canadians

It has been 11 years since an Ottawa teen vanished without a trace. Initially thought to be a runaway, there appears to be no indication of what happened to Justin Rutter. Dave Breakenridge is joined by Ottawa Citizen reporter Taylor Blewett about the circumstances around Rutter’s disappearance, why his family has concerns about the investigation, and whether his mother feels she’ll ever get closure. Background reading: 'What happened to Justin Rutter?': The Ottawa teen vanished 11 years ago. His disappearance remains a mystery