Why are gas prices so high in Canada if we produce our own? It's complicated.

The US just paused a joint defence effort. How worried should Canada be?

You may not have heard about it, but the Permanent Joint Board on Defense has been a part of Canada and America's shared strategy for decades. Evidently, however, it may not be as "permanent" as its name suggests.  Recently, the US announced it was pausing the board, citing Canada's need to contribute more to mutual defence in North America and a suggestion that we're talking the talk more than walking the walk when it comes to military spending. It's easy to take offence to that, given recent defence spending announcements from the Canadian government. It's easy to assume this is yet another poke to the eye from a US administration that exists only to troll or threaten Canada. But ... what if those claims aren't exactly wrong? What if we should perhaps, get off our high horse, this one time, when it comes to continental security? This week, Joe Varner, Senior Fellow at the MacDonald-Laurier institute, joins us to make the case for focusing on what really matters, and not the rhetoric from the White House. (We're welcoming our first sponsor to CanCon. Go RVing Canad [https://gorving.ca/]a wants to help you explore the country this summer, without leaving behind the comforts of home. If you've ever been curious about RVing, but have questions, they can help [https://gorving.ca/].) Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us [hello.elbowsup@gmail.com]: hello.cancon@gmail.com.

Why are gas prices so high in Canada if we produce our own? It's complicated.

Canada, as you may know, produces a ton of oil. Billions of tons every day, actually. Nearly all the oil we use was taken from the ground, one way or another, right here. And yet! When the Strait of Hormuz shut down, the price Canadians pay for Canadian-produced oil and gas went through the roof, just as it's done in nations that need to import almost all their oil. The answer to why that happened goes back to a policy that Canada has flip-flopped on over decades. It touches on Western Alienation and separatism, the legacy of Pierre Trudeau and a system that we theoretically could change, but practically cannot. Today, Economist Jim Stanford, of the Centre For Future Work, welcomes you to the world of Canadian energy policy! Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us [hello.elbowsup@gmail.com]: hello.cancon@gmail.com.

Midseason update: Surveillance pricing, listener feedback and more

This week we're checking in with the audience on the first few months of CanCon, discussing episodes we did or didn't (yet!) create, reading some of your feedback and getting a feel for where we're at before we dive back in to another few months of Canadian stories. If you haven't yet, don't forget to let us know what you think, and what you'd like us to cover. And thanks, as always, for listening. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us [hello.elbowsup@gmail.com]: hello.cancon@gmail.com.

The emotional side of the Canadian housing crisis

A roof over one's head has been a necessity of life since we lived in caves. But when that roof also represents Canada's class struggle, our income inequality issues and potentially the owner's entire retirement portfolio...things get complicated. More than half of young Canadians don't expect they'll ever own a home. There are millions of Canadians right now who own their homes thanks to privilege, timing, relationships and...just plain ol' luck. Some of those lucky Canadians, including Cancon's host and today's guest, look around and see the generations following them stuck in shoebox apartments with no hope of qualifying for a mortgage and feel guilty for owning their homes. Not enough to do much about it, mind you, but still, guilty. Are we part of the problem? Today we unpack the complicated dynamics of home ownership, at a time when a human right has become an investment strategy. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us [hello.elbowsup@gmail.com]: hello.cancon@gmail.com.

What is YouTube 'Slopaganda'? And why is it pushing Alberta separation?

In recent weeks, dozens of videos pushing Alberta separation (and frequently US annexation) have driven tens of millions of views on YouTube. But there's a problem. All these videos and accounts are remarkably similar, and to someone who actually knows the province, there are signs the people making them ... do not. Who's behind these videos and what's their goal? To truly drive an independent Alberta, or to sow division during a tumultuous political time for Canada? How do they manage to pump out so many, and why do they drive so much engagement? And most importantly, what do Canadians need to know about who's messing with our political discussions? We invited Alex Boyd, a Calgary-based reporter on the Toronto Star's investigations team, to join us to take the temperature on the Alberta separatist movement, break down a study of these videos and explain what and who might be behind them. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us [hello.elbowsup@gmail.com]: hello.cancon@gmail.com.