The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge

Lots of finger-pointing as the week comes to an end -- Danielle Smith tells separatists to get out of her party and Pete Hoekstra tells Canadians to stop interfering with Washington politics. Quite the week for Chantal and Bruce to sum things up on this week's Good Talk.

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If this week has proven anything its that Bridge listeners are book readers. Big-time book readers. Also today, the Random Ranter gets his say on the Alberta referendum, and he doesn't hold back.

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It's a Wednesday End Bits special. The NY Times has a fascinating piece titled 100 Questions that can't be answered -- yet. We'll review some of them.  

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The votes are still being counted, but it's clear Albertans, in large numbers, favour remaining in Canada over a second referendum on separation. Althia Raj and Rob Russo discuss how Ottawa is likely to respond to what some might argue is a mixed message.

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This could become a weekly series. Dr. Janice Stein again this week talks about how Russian leader Vladimir Putin somehow convinces Donald Trump to waive sanctions against his country. We'll deal with that, plus what's behind the widespread riots in France.

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The referendum about referendums is just days away in Alberta, and Mark Carney is pulling out all the stops.  There are ten questions on the ballot, not just one, and the results could have a big impact not just on Alberta, but on Canada as well.  Bruce and Chantal with their thoughts on that, plus the latest shot from the ever thoughtful US Ambassador to Canada.

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The topic this week is about habits and how to break them. The most common habit that people have wanted to break over the last fifty years is almost certainly smoking and that was often mentioned this week. But there were more. Also this week, the Random Ranter with his latest rant about Donald Trump.

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As Thanksgiving fell on Monday this week, Dr. Janice Stein joins us for her regular weekly conversation on Wednesday this week. The topic is all about Donald Trump's claim that he arranged a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia...a ceasefire neither country says they were aware of.

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I received a number of letters this week from loyal Bridge listeners and viewers on two topics worth exploring. From Albertans worried about being "stressed out" by the referendum in their province and what it may mean for them and the country. And from British Columbians with related concerns about the upcoming BC election and the impact it may have on the rest of Canada.

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Encore Episode. The richest man in the world says Alberta and Saskatchewan should pick up their stuff and get out of Canada, presumably to join the United States. It's been quite a week on all that, and Bruce and Chantal are here to discuss.

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The richest man in the world says Alberta and Saskatchewan should pick up their stuff and get out of Canada, presumably to join the United States. Bruce and Chantal are here to discuss.

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The annual clock change that most Canadians have done for almost a century may be slowly coming to an end. How do you feel about that?That was the question this week for our listeners, and as usual, they delivered a range of answers.

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If you have high blood pressure, have you tried Bach? Or Beethoven, or Pavarotti? Maybe you should, say researchers. That story and more on your Wednesday End Bits special.

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The PQ win the Quebec election with a promise to call a referendum at some point in their mandate. What does this do to Canada's united approach against Donald Trump? Rob Russo and Althia Raj are here to discuss.

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Zelenskyy of Ukraine says Putin of Russia has told his military leaders to ignore the "rules of war". If that's true what does it mean and what could happen as a result? Dr. Janice Stein of the Munk School at the University of Toronto is here with her latest Monday analysis of our changing world, with today's focus on the Ukraine War.

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Quebec elections are always interesting, but Monday's vote carries with it all kinds of questions about what the future holds for the province and the country. Bruce and Chantal tackle that and also the latest moves by Donald Trump.

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Quebecers go to the polls on Monday and while the vote is about the formation of the next provincial government it could also lead to a third referendum on separation in the province. Then a couple of weeks later, the referendum on a referendum in Alberta. Also the Random Ranter with Part 2 of his rant on immigration.

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For Canada's National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, we revisit interviews with the Minister of Indigenous Services and the Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. How to navigate the road forward, and how to discover the truth.

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When David Eby called an election in BC, he seemed to be missing one thing -- a reason. James Moore and Gerald Butts are together again for another conversation and this is a natural, Conservative James knows BC and Liberal Gerald knows elections.

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Another week that had observers scratching their heads over Donald Trump. The US President gives the Chinese President a red-carpet welcome, then offers Vladimir Putin a seat at an upcoming G20 meeting. Dr. Janice Stein tries to make sense of those moves, and more.

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The Prime Minister drops a news nugget in an interview in New York -- and, not surprisingly, it makes headlines. How surprised should we be that he's asked for a risk assessment on US troops crossing into Canada?

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Once a month, usually the final Thursday, we open Your Turn for an Ask Me Anything episode. Today follows that pattern, with more interesting questions from your host, his personal and professional experiences, his thoughts on media, and more.

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It's an End Bits Wednesday, and you know what that means -- news you can use. A number of different "bits" today, including a fact that may surprise you. Of all the different age groups that exist in our society, which one do you think is the fastest growing?

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With Althia in sick bay, Andrew MacDougall joins Rob Russo for the latest Reporter's Notebook. While Andrew writes the occasional opinion piece, he's not really a reporter -- but he sure knows the business from his time as Comms Director for Stephen Harper.

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There's a lot of talk about war, especially in countries located close to Russia, but does talk mean ready?  That's the discussion today with Dr. Janice Stein of the Munk School at the University of Toronto, in the latest of her regular Monday discussions right here on The Bridge.

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For Mark Carney, this was a week to remember. Wining and dining the big players in big money, then flying over to France to be wined and dined by the EU. What will all this deliver, and how will Donald Trump react? And no matter what he says, should Canada care? Chantal and Bruce are here with their thoughts.

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Is the title just another alarmist threat or is there some truth to the new worries surrounding artificial intelligence? On this week's Your Turn you have the chance to answer that question and as always, you didn't fail us. Plus the Random Ranter joins in with his take on one of the issues of our times.

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Brian Stewart is a veteran of The Bridge but we've missed him the last few years as he was off writing, and then selling, his highly successful  book -- On The Ground. Today he returns to talk about current times and how they fit in history. I've done 1520 episodes of The Bridge, this may be in the top ten!

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Our first Moore-Butts Conversation of the new season, and Gerry Butts and James Moore take us "inside the room" to get a better understanding of what happens in high-stakes trade talks.

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Mondays on The Bridge mean Dr. Janice Stein from the Munk School at the University of Toronto, and this week the topic is Iran. While Donald Trump tries to distance himself from the mess he's created, the problems remain and may be getting worse.

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Prime Minister Carney is in Banff, Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre is in New York, and for this moment at least, they're towing somewhat the same line. The latest on where we are on this story, and a lot more, with Chantal Hebert and Bruce Anderson.

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A summer away from The Bridge has given you lots to think about, especially about the importance of your country. Comments from coast to coast to coast make up this first Your Turn of the new season.

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For the past two years, we have relied on the very experienced foreign and domestic correspondent, Keith Boag, to give us his take on Donald Trump. Keith covered him in Washington during Trump's first term, 2016-2020, and has been watching him from afar during his second, 2024 to the present.

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Our first Reporters Notebook of our new season brings together The Economist's Rob Russo and the Toronto Star's Althia Raj. The topic -- what else? Where we are on the trade war between Canada and the United States.

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All summer I was getting mail... lots of it. Most of it starting with "Where's Janice?" Well, today the Munk Schools' founding director kicks off a new season with her views on two issues that affect us a lot.

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Encore Episode. It's been a week. Canada/US relations have never been so low. Attacks on each other's trade strategies, attacks on our sovereignty, even a pathetic, rather lame attack on one of the Great Lakes that shares our joint border. Sounds like enough for a final, special summer  episode of Good Talk.

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It's been a week. Canada/US relations have never been so low. Attacks on each other's trade strategies, attacks on our sovereignty, even a pathetic, rather lame attack on one of the Great Lakes that shares our joint border. Sounds like enough for a final, special summer  episode of Good Talk.

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Encore Episode. Calling Trump a "fascist" or a "Nazi" has become far more commonplace in the past few months. But is it correct? That's the question for the opening segment of the latest Moore Butts conversation with former Stephen Harper cabinet minister James Moore and former senior aide to Justin Trudeau, Gerald Butts. 

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Encore Episode. There are hardly any governments in the world right now who aren't faced with an "affordability" crisis. Voters want action but what action is even possible? That was the question on our first Moore Butts Conversation of 2026. The former Harper cabinet minister and the former Trudeau principal secretary combine forces to face the issue.

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Encore Episode. James Moore and Gerald Butts are back with another one of their highly anticipated "Conversations." This time it centres around the possibility that the near future could see two referendums, one in Quebec and one in Alberta. Is Ottawa ready to handle that fight? Who would Captain Canada be if it came to that?

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