The Trudeau government has signed its first provincial deal to implement the first stage of its national pharmacare plan.

The agreement with Manitoba comes just weeks before a possible federal election campaign, and amid threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to slap tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with federal Health Minister Mark Holland about whether or not more pharma deals can be signed before Canadians head to the polls, will the program survive after an election, and whether Canadians should brace for higher drug costs amid a possible trade war.

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Doctors in Canada can’t move between provinces to practice medicine without going through cumbersome licensing requirements and a sea of government red tape.

It’s one of the many inter-provincial trade barriers in focus because of the threat of US tariffs.

The Canadian Medical Association says it's time to do away with this antiquated way of licensing doctors and make it one national system that covers all provinces and territories.

Host David Smith speaks with Dr. Joss Reimer, President of the Canadian Medical Association.

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The four candidates in the Liberal leadership race are on the last leg of the campaign after going head to head in French and English debates earlier this week.

The March 9th leadership date is fast approaching. It comes as the country sees a dramatic shift in voter support, with the Liberals vaulting ahead of the Conservatives for the first time in years.

So did the debate move the needle of support, what are the candidates doing in these final days of the campaign, and will this surge in Liberal support last?

To answer those questions, host Cormac Mac Sweeney is joined by Dan Arnold, Chief Strategy Officer at Pollara, and formerly a pollster for the prime minister and head of research and advertising at the PMO.

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It’s less than a week to go before U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to put a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods. After that happens, the Government of Canada will respond with tariffs of our own, and everything on which those tariffs apply will get more expensive.

The fears are very real. There are concerns Canada will enter a recession, that the Canadian dollar will take a hit, and that hundreds of thousands of jobs could be on the line.

Host David Smith speaks with University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe about what it could mean for you and for the economy.

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The Government of British Columbia is overhauling its safer supply drug policy so that drug users will have to take their prescription opioids under the supervision of a pharmacist or health provider.

The change comes after public outcry over mounting evidence of “diversion”, the practice of selling or trading government-provided drugs on the black market.

This is the latest move from the David Eby government to backtrack on its drug policies, which have come under heavy scrutiny and political attack as overdose deaths continue to increase.

Host David Smith speaks with Simon Fraser University addictions expert, Dr. Julian Somers, about what B.C. got wrong and whether safer supply programs have a future in Canada.

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Canada is the only G-7 nation without a high speed rail line, but that might be about to change.

Our federal government has unveiled plans for an ambitious project, which would link Toronto and Quebec City.

But will it happen?

Host Kris McCusker speaks to Lavagnon Ika, Professor of Project Management at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, about the potential challenges and the likelihood the project gets done.

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You want to save for your retirement - but where do you find the money?

Head's up - the RRSP deadline is coming up on March 3, 2025.

Host Mike Eppel is talking to an expert on why it's imperative to start saving for your retirement and how to make it less stressful.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has a plan to end the war in Ukraine. It's basically, cut off support, and capitulate to Vladimir Putin.

It has been three years since Russia’s illegal invasion. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have died defending their country.

This week, the Trump administration cancelled future aid for Ukraine and set up peace talks with Russia that excluded Ukrainian officials.

Host David Smith speaks with Russia expert Marcus Kolga about what will happen next at this critical juncture in the conflict.

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The videos and images of recent airplane crashes are hard to shake.  

For some, it has ignited a fear of flying – but is it warranted?

The statistics say one thing, but our minds say another.  So what can we do?  

Host Melanie Ng speaks with Dr. Ian Shulman, Psychologist and Clinical Director at Shift Cognitive Therapy - where even her subconscious kicks in, making an error right at the beginning of the episode, contrary to her notes!  

You can learn more about Dr. Shulman at https://shiftct.com/.  

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It’s been an unusually bad start to 2025 for air travel accidents.  

Monday’s crash at Pearson International Airport that saw a Delta airlines flight come to rest upside down has a lot of people wondering: is commercial air travel safe? 

Host David Smith gets answers from aviation expert John Gradek with McGill University.

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There is a crisis facing Canada’s post-secondary education sector that no one is talking about.

Now that the federal government has slashed the number of international student permits available in Canada, colleges and universities from coast to coast are facing huge budget shortfalls.  

Several of Canada’s best schools are cutting programs and laying off staff just to stay afloat.  

These institutions have no choice but to take drastic measures, or risk going bankrupt.

Host David Smith speaks with Elizabeth Buckner, Associate Professor of Higher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, about what’s at stake if things don’t change.

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