Hot Politics!

To wrap up the first season of Hot Politics, host David McKie's guest is no other than Canada's National Observer's columnist and sister podcast Maxed Out's host, Max Fawcett.Recent days have witnessed politicians recognizing partisanship. Former leader of the Conservative Party Erin O'Toole and former Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney both delivered speeches about divisiveness and nastiness, particularly on social media.Max joins David to discuss how the divide is not just hurting the public perception of politicians but democracy itself.

Haida Gwaii is a stretch of islands teeming with life just off the coast of British Columbia. The land, its skies, and the bodies of water around it have been protected for thousands of years by local Haida guardians. Protecting Haida Gwaii is a story about a First Nation that continues the fight for its rights, despite having inhabited the territory for thousands of years. Read more about Haida Gwaii at Canada’s National Observer. Written by Brandi MorinEdited by Zahra KhozemaCover art by Ata Ojai

Harvesting critical minerals from the ocean bottom — five kilometers below the surface — is the newest frontier. The minerals found in rocks on the ocean floor are the lifeblood of solar, wind and electric batteries. But what do we know about the ocean bottom? Does anything live there? David McKie explores the issues around seabed mining. How important is it to the efforts to stop using fossil fuels? Can it be done without damaging the seabed? And with companies ready to start harvesting, do we know enough about the risks to the underwater ecosystem?

There aren't many people in Canada unfamiliar with the name David Suzuki. The outspoken environmentalist and passionate educator is best known for hosting CBC's The Nature of Things. At the age of 87, he's still angry and calling on people to be better.

To wrap up the first season of Hot Politics, host David McKie's guest is no other than Canada's National Observer's columnist and sister podcast Maxed Out's host, Max Fawcett. Recent days have witnessed politicians recognizing partisanship. Former leader of the Conservative Party Erin O'Toole and former Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney both delivered speeches about divisiveness and nastiness, particularly on social media. Max joins David to discuss how the divide is not just hurting the public perception of politicians but democracy itself.

Did China attempt to interfere in Canada's elections? Should there be a judicial inquiry? David Johnston, the Special Rapporteur appointed by the Prime Minister, resigned on Friday. What's next? David McKie talks with security and intelligence reporter Jim Bronskill and former senior national security official Artur Wilczynski to sort it all out.

Green Party leader Elizabeth May holds the record for the longest-serving female leader of a Canadian federal party. But in 2019, she stepped down. There was turmoil in Green Party. When her replacement quit after the party had its worst election in decades, May returned to the job she held for 13 years. In an exclusive one-on-one chat with the party leader, David McKie explores that decision and asks if she will stay. 

Do we all need to give up eating meat? After all, how we produce and consume animal products has significant environmental consequences like deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and excessive use of resources like land and water. David Mckie's guests on this episode of Hot Politics explain how we can keep eating meat while transitioning to more sustainable production.