Episode list

Guests: Kirsten Hillman, Ambassador of Canada to the United States; Elizabeth May, Green Party Parliamentary Leader Location: Ottawa, ON

On this week's edition of 'The West Block' Mercedes Stephenson covers all the angles of the war in Europe - speaking with Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Canada's ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae and former senior director for European affairs in the Obama administration Charles Kupchan.

The West Block" host Mercedes Stephenson is in Latvia, where she sits down with President Egils Levits to talk about European Security and the importance of having Canada's military in his country. Then, guest host Eric Sorensen speaks with Canada's Ambassador to Ukraine Larisa Galadza about her experience seeing Ukrainians flee the Russian invasion, and their hardened stoicism. With the Conservatives set to chose a new leader in September, Sorensen is joined by Summa Strategies chair Tim Powers to preview the race, which Powers anticipates becoming a "barroom brawl."

This week on "The West Block," host Mercedes Stephenson reports on the refugee situation on the Ukraine-Moldova border and speaks about what's needed to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces with Defence Minister Anita Anand. Then back in Ottawa, guest host David Akin speaks with Natural Resource Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz about the rising cost of energy.

This week on 'The West Block,' guest host David Akin speaks with Immigration Minister Sean Fraser about Canada's emergency policies to help Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. Then, Akin sits down with former Canadian ambassador to the UN Allan Rock to get his insight on the challenges western countries face in trying to support Ukraine but avoid escalating the conflict. Then, a new face has entered the Conservative leadership race - akin asks Ontario MP Scott Aitchison why he thinks he's the one for the job.

This week on 'The West Block', guest host Eric Sorensen speaks with the United States' former ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker to get his insights on what Putin's next moves and how NATO can respond. Then, Canada's ambassador to the UN Bob Rae joins Sorensen share why Canadians should prepare for higher costs at home due to the conflict. Plus, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is in studio to talk about his deal to support the Liberals.

This week on 'The West Block', host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with retired Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the parallels he sees between that conflict and the Rwandan genocide. Then, Canada is sending troops to Poland to assist in coordinating refugees. Stephenson speaks with Defence Minister Anita Anand about sending additional military support to Ukraine. Plus, acclaimed singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk joins Stephenson to discuss her work assisting raising funds for Ukraine with the Ukrainian World Congress.

This week on "The West Block," guest host David Akin speaks with Anna Veduta, a close ally of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Veduta explains why it's important to continue to place personal sanctions on close Putin allies, as the war in Ukraine enters its third month. Then, big name Conservatives Brad Wall and James Moore join Akin to discuss the Tory leadership race and what it takes to hold the big-tent coalition together. Plus, housing policy expert Mike Moffatt joins the show to give a reality check on federal measures aimed at cooling the hot housing market.

This week on "The West Block," host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, who says Canada plans to ban 'high-risk vendors' in other sensitive industries in the wake of barring Huawei from the nation's 5G infrastructure. Then, Stephenson speaks with former Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith about her goal to lead Alberta's United Conservative Party following Premier Jason Kenney's shocking resignation. Plus, the racially motivated mass shooting at a Buffalo, N.Y., supermarket thrust a white supremacist conspiracy theory into the spotlight. Stephenson is joined by extremism research Amarnath Amarasingam on what needs to be done to address white supremacy.

his week on 'The West Block,' host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Transport Minister Omar Alghabra about the end of domestic vaccine mandates for travel, plus why the ArriveCAN app and mask mandates aren't heading for the departures gate. Then, Stephenson gets economist Don Drummond's grade for the government's affordability plan and why key interest rates need to rise. Plus, Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest says he still has a path to victory, despite his main rival, Pierre Poilievre claiming to have sold more than 300 party memberships.