The LeDrew Three Minute Interview

Kate Marland, deputy editor at Without Diminishment, joins Stephen LeDrew to discuss morality, leadership, community, and whether society has lost the ability to tell right from wrong.In this episode, Marland argues that modern culture has become detached from reality, tradition, history, and objective truth. She says that when people are encouraged to define morality only for themselves, it becomes harder for society to defend shared standards of right and wrong.LeDrew and Marland also discuss political leadership, law and order, the decline of institutions, market-driven thinking, family, community, and why money alone cannot provide meaning or happiness.This is a conversation about moral clarity, responsibility, and rebuilding a society rooted in something deeper than self-interest.Topics covered in this episode:The decline of moral clarityLeadership and moral courageTruth, reality and traditionThe limits of “leave me alone” politicsLaw and order in societyThe role of institutionsMoney, happiness and meaningCommunity over self-optimizationConservative politics and valuesRebuilding shared standards

Jerry Amernic, author of Sleepwoking, joins Stephen LeDrew to discuss the controversy surrounding residential schools, the Kamloops announcement and calls to criminalize residential school “denialism.”Amernic argues that Canadians must be allowed to question historical claims and examine the evidence without fear of criminal punishment. He and LeDrew acknowledge that residential schools existed, that children died from illness and that incidents of abuse occurred, while challenging claims about undiscovered mass graves and deliberate killing fields.They also discuss the federal funding provided to investigate possible burial sites, questions about financial accountability and why many educated Canadians remain uncertain about what is fact, allegation or political messaging.This is a provocative conversation about history, evidence, free expression and whether Canadians are still permitted to challenge the country’s dominant political narratives.Topics covered in this episode:Calls to criminalize residential school denialismThe evidence surrounding the Kamloops announcementResidential schools and historical contextAbuse, disease and deaths at the schoolsFederal funding for burial-site investigationsFinancial transparency and accountabilityWhy Canadians remain confused about the evidencePolitical messaging versus established factsFree speech and historical debateJerry Amernic’s book SleepwokingYou can buy Sleepwoking here - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1775239942

Peter Shurman joins Stephen LeDrew to discuss why Canadians increasingly expect government to solve every problem — and why both men believe government should be doing far less.Shurman argues for a more minimalist approach: government should focus on core responsibilities like defence, immigration, transportation, health and education, while leaving businesses and individuals free to build, invest and create.LeDrew and Shurman also discuss how Canada was built by entrepreneurs and small businesses, the expansion of government programs, taxpayer-funded media and proposals for municipally- operated grocery stores.Their message is simple: government should handle the things only government can do — and stay out of everything else.Topics covered in this episode:What government should actually be responsible forThe case for smaller governmentImmigration and national prioritiesHealth, education and provincial responsibilityHow entrepreneurs built CanadaGovernment replacing private initiativeTaxpayer-funded programs and mediaMunicipal governments entering retailWhy bureaucracy keeps expandingLetting business do what government cannot📌 Subscribe to Peter Shurman’s Substack here: https://substack.com/@shurmanator

In this LeDrew rant, Stephen LeDrew asks how Canada allowed a generation of young people to leave school without mastering basic skills like handwriting, spelling, reading and writing.LeDrew argues that schools, education experts, unions and governments abandoned fundamentals in favour of digital learning — while many parents had no idea what their children were no longer being taught.But his bigger target is Canadians themselves. From education and municipal spending to deteriorating infrastructure, questionable priorities and political leadership, LeDrew says too many Canadians have stopped challenging “experts” and have stopped demanding accountability from their elected officials.His message is simple: Canada’s problems will not fix themselves. Canadians need to pay attention, ask harder questions and start demanding better.Topics covered in this episode:The decline of handwriting and basic literacyWhat schools stopped teachingParents being left in the darkHolding education experts accountableCanadians’ reluctance to challenge authorityPotholes versus municipal prioritiesWasteful spending and political distractionsTrudeau’s post-national vision of CanadaFailing the next generationWhy Canadians need to push back

John Turley-Ewart, contributing columnist with The Globe and Mail, joins Stephen LeDrew to discuss Nutrien’s decision to invest roughly $1 billion in export infrastructure at Longview, Washington, rather than expanding through the Port of Vancouver.Nutrien is a major Canadian potash producer, but Turley-Ewart explains that railway bottlenecks, labour disruptions and concerns about reliability made Washington State the more practical choice for its exports. The company can now move more of its product to international markets while reducing its dependence on a single Canadian port.LeDrew and Turley-Ewart also discuss warnings Nutrien reportedly gave Carney Ministers, the government’s lack of urgency, and what this decision says about Canada’s ability to attract investment, build infrastructure and move its own resources to market.It is a smart decision for Nutrien — but a troubling story for Canada.Topics covered in this episode:Nutrien’s billion-dollar U.S. investmentWhy Longview beat the Port of VancouverRailway and shipping bottlenecksLabour disruptions at Canadian portsOttawa’s response to Nutrien’s warningThe cost of unreliable infrastructurePotash exports and Canadian tradeLosing investment and jobs to the U.S.The risks of relying on American portsWhat Carney must fix

Brian Lilley, columnist with the Toronto Sun, joins Stephen LeDrew to discuss Mark Carney’s secretive approach to government, including international agreements,the China Agreement, the Gordie Howe deal, and why Canadians are still giving the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt. In this episode, Lilley argues that all politicians prefer secrecy, but that Carney has taken it further by keeping major agreements and government decisions away from public scrutiny. LeDrew and Lilley also discuss Carney’s confidence, arrogance, judgment, and whether his popularity with Canadians is beginning to fade. They also look at Pierre Poilievre’s struggles, Conservative infighting, Donald Trump’s role in Canadian politics, and why Carney continues to benefit from the “elbows up” effect. This is a sharp conversation about secrecy, transparency, political judgment, and whether Canadians will eventually turn on Mark Carney’s government. Topics covered in this episode:Carney’s secretive approach to governmentChina agreements and unanswered questionsThe Gordie Howe bridge deal controversyTransparency versus political controlCarney’s confidence, arrogance and judgmentWhy Canadians still trust CarneyThe long political honeymoonPoilievre and Conservative infightingTrump as Carney’s political shieldWhen voters may turn on the government