The Line Podcast

Hello, Line podcast listeners! A quiet week in the news, but still looks to talk about. How the media handled COVID, how the PM handles protesters, how all of us handle the genuine tension between the rights of different minority groups in our society, and — in a very brief segment — how the media is handling Big Tech being mad about C-18.Would it surprise you to learn that in every case, we are handling those things badly?Written dispatch to come out on Sunday, folks. Enjoy your weekends!The Line is entirely reader funded. If you value our work and worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected]. Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Well, happy Friday, we guess. We sat down to record our first podcast in two weeks, spent 45 minutes on it, and then …. crash. The file was corrupted. Rather than waste all our brilliance and leave you all hanging, we decided to do a speed-version of the podcast. All the same topics! Most of the same wisdom! Half the time!Is that dedication or what?!So, behold: our experimental podcast episode #0.54, Take 2. Topics: the CBC makes a painful retraction, wondering who’ll be the next Jane Creba, the latest depressing Canadian deliverology fail, why our standard of living might be about to tank (and for some of you, might already be tanking) and, ahem, whether Canada should get kicked out of the G7.Oh, and guess what? Almost nothing about C-18! We’re sick of talking about it too, believe us.The Line is entirely reader funded, which has suddenly become extremely fricking important for us to highlight. If you value our work and worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, potentially sometime next week, please make a donation today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Yes, that’s a Cuban Missile Crisis allusion. That’s the state of our mood at present.But hey. Happy Canada Day, everyone! We’ll be back after a week off!The Line is entirely reader funded, which has suddenly become extremely fricking important for us to highlight. If you value our work and worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, potentially sometime next week, please make a donation today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

It was great while it lasted, and we’re more sad than you’ll never know that we arrived just a bit too late to ever really enjoy it at its best. But journalism as we’ve all known it is dying now, and as much as that sucks, the worst thing we could do would be to ignore the obvious and undeniable evidence before our eyes. Someone has to go find a way to save what’s left and then, maybe one day, build something new. No one is more shocked and dismayed than us to realize that, uh oh. We are the adults in the room.We always include the little blue button below, folks, but this week, more than ever, it’s really important. No help is coming except what you decide to provide yourselves. Also: listeners may find it useful to consult this article we wrote some time ago, which gets into a lot of the underlaying economic problems that have brought a once-mighty industry here, and explains why the media isn’t dying for the reasons you might have guessed. It’s much more basic. We had a lot of money once. We don’t anymore. The rest is, sadly, history. Or will be, assuming there’s anyone left to write it down.-30- (If you know, you know.)The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Well, shit, here we go again, we guess. Who came in second in the eminent Canadian rankings? Do we have any astronauts kicking around? Or do we just give it to the Trudeau Foundation?Subscribe. We deserve it after all this nonsense. It’s not our best sales pitch ever, but come on. You gonna tell us we don’t deserve it?We wanted to talk about aliens, guys. And instead we get this.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Well, a typically upbeat podcast from us. Sigh.Sorry it was late. Had a hard time getting the schedules aligned tonight. Enjoy!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

What else this week? The Johnston report, and more-so the fallout. A set up for the Alberta election. And an appeal for money!But seriously, actually listen to that part. Because we make an announcement! The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Pardon us for having this land late — long-weekend related schedule issues. We cover the wildfires, the Alberta debate, a bad ethics report for Danielle Smith, Bill Blair vs. The Globe and Mail, Trudeau vs. the Italians, and why public safety and law and order are making a comeback as political issues.Happy Victoria Day, everyone! Written dispatch will land Monday.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Hey folks, nice to be back after a week off, while Matt travelled abroad and Jen got strep throat again. This podcast covers a lot of ground, but it’s more serious than the title suggests. Matt and Jen worry that our post-COVID societal crises aren’t getting better. And may actually be getting worse.Fun!Subscribe, we guess?The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

This podcast went in an unexpected direction. And that’s before we get to talking about the Traveling Wilburys. Amid all the stories of the week, including us not even knowing if we’re not CRTC regulated or what, Jen and Matt get into what a “conservative” even means in Canada circa 2023. We didn’t plan on that. It just kind of happened. So we ran with it for a while. A long while. We hope you enjoyed the chat, and that you have a wonderful weekend. And we really hope you subscribe!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Howdy, friends. There wasn’t a huge single story in the news this week, so we threw a couple headlines back and forth and sank our teeth into them. The PSAC strike, and when you’ll notice it. Why Trudeau has no friends on that one. Another media company bites the dust, and why Jen is unimpressed with some of our self-styled defenders. Trudeau’s NATO comments, subsidies for VW, and, to the government, just please stop hiring your relatives and friends. Please. It hurts us.You know what doesn’t hurt us? Revenue! We’re having to figure out a new strategy as social media stops being effective, so our best bet is simple word of mouth. Please subscribe today and tell all your friends, and ask them to tell their friends. Thanks!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

We hope everyone had a great long weekend. We’re back to the grind here, and we start by covering the PM’s chief of staff’s return visit to testify before Parliament. We also talk a bit about her last visit to such a committee, and why it’s useful to actually recall the circumstances of the PMO’s handling of Jonathan Vance’s sexual misconduct when assessing their handling of Chinese electoral interference. We talk about lots of other stuff, too: Misfits, Minecraft and national security leaks. Satanism and sex-drenched pop culture. And why Poilievre is still trying to make certain Canadians angry.Thanks for listening, and watch for the full dispatch tomorrow. The Line only exists because of our readers and listeners, so please subscribe today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Getting this out early so that we can all enjoy the long weekend. A correction from Jen, and then, lots on the latest example of how Canada totally isn’t broken. Some local Toronto absurdities, and then Canada’s too-perfect astronaut has Jen asked for uglier men. Have a wonderful long weekend, everyone. Stay safe. We’ll get our written dispatch out shortly, and then we’re off until Tuesday. The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Miss us? We’re back after a week off. And what a week! Tons of stuff happening in the news, and we “speed date” our way through as many topics as possible: the Trump indictment, a terrible event in Nashville, more wild news in Alberta, a weirdly meh budget, and lots and lots on Dong vs. Global News.Thanks for listening, and though a week off was fun, we confess — it’s good to be back. The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

No time for preamble! Must publish podcast before breaking news makes it obsolete again! C-18! China! Transparency! David Johnston! Why Matt thinks Canada has no immune system! HURRY UP! LISTEN TO IT!And also rush to subscribe today so we can make money!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

It’s always a Friday. We try to cover the latest on the China story, and keep getting overtaken by events. Jen also spontaneously develops a new theory about Boomers. *rubs temples*We can’t think of a specific pitch for new subscribers today. Too much happening. We’re fried. Just, you know, like, click the button and send us money. Please?The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Lots happening in the news this week, but most of it is the same story. We get you caught up on the latest. We admit to being baffled by whatever it is the CBC is doing here. You’re not helping yourselves, guys. Also: the axe falls at Global, and that always hurts to see.Speaking of the need for sustainable media … at the rate things going, it’s going to be down to Matt and Jen and like four others before long, so maybe subscribe today, if you can.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Hello from the hockey rink, where Line editor Gurney just basically lives now. (At least it has a bar.) We recorded this earlier on Friday, before Global News made all our Fridays interesting. Hmmm. Interesting. Hey, remember when Gurney said this, like 48 hours ago?Anyway, we’ll get into this in the written dispatch, expected to be out Saturday. For now, enjoy the podcast, and if you want to help The Line keep growing, join us as a paid subscriber today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Whoo boy. Sorry this is late, guys. We recorded this on Friday and Gurney planned to put it together and publish it at once. Then things went bonkers in his hometown and he got sucked into a news vortex. This was recorded before the John Tory affair was reported, so it doesn’t touch on it at all — and that’s just as well, probably. So instead, the health-care deal, more balloons get popped, the CPC vs. the CBC, general media woes, and yet more federal deliverology in action, this time with lives hanging in the balance.Sorry to be late with this, folks. Just couldn’t be helped. And the dispatch will be published tomorrow — we are adjusting to cover not one but two breaking-news stories that came after we recorded this on Friday.Nice, calm weekend, eh?The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Lots going on this week. Updates from Ottawa, including the long-coming Liberal retreat on guns that we told you was gonna happen. Also some new, eye-popping numbers from Abacus, and updates on the media front, too. All recorded in Matt’s brief breaks from hockey dad duty!If you enjoy our musings, or even just remember what it costs to put your kid into hockey, please help us keep the lights on by subscribing to The Line today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Hey folks, hope you had a great week. Some media chat in this episode, and also a big update from Jen on the latest kerfuffle in her province. Also, an update and a grim musing from Matt, who keeps seeing awful things while minding his own business on the TTC. If you enjoy our musings, grim or otherwise, please help us keep the lights on by subscribing to The Line today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

We are our usual cheerful selves in this episode, which includes an unexpected shoutout to Max Miller, a terrific historian and chef who has found fame on YouTube. So that was a curveball. Otherwise, the usual: lots on the feds, lots of Ontario and Alberta, and a sad update on the state of Canadian media. Alas, nothing new on that front.Assuming we haven’t totally bummed you out, subscribe today!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Hey folks, a shorter episode than normal today — we covered all the big stuff on Monday, so here we are just reacting to what cropped up over the week. Enjoy!If you did enjoy this, subscribe, and we’ll do more! Promise? Threat? Who knows?!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

We’re back, starting 2023 with a ba … well, okay, not a bang, but more than a whimper. That’s something, we guess? Jordan Peterson, guns, Alberta, Ontario, and why the Liberals may be creating problems for themselves. If you enjoyed this, subscribe, and we’ll do more! (We’ll probably do more anyway, but if you subscribe, our children won’t starve.)The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

This is it! We’re done! The Nice List series has only one more to come. The Naughty List is all prepped and ready to go. We’re taking the rest of the year off! Wheeee!Well, barring any big news developments, that is. We’re still journalists. But if all goes well, you won’t hear from us again until 2023.Before we go: from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We had a fantastic year and we think we’re going to have an even better 2023, and you make it possible. Remember: we are only supported by readers and donors. Only the support of our fans lets us grow. Thank you for all those that support us. Please join us, for those that haven’t yet.But on that note, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year — any that apply to you, we offer it. Be happy, be healthy and be safe. Talk to you soon.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Are you tired of gun talk? We are too. So we give you an update on the latest (there’s some interesting stuff, we swear) and then we move on. Also on our radar: MAID and a smart delay there. Then we get into whether Canada is broken, and how it’s broken. Plus: Musk is breaking Twitter. And his own rules.We hope you enjoy this. We’ll do one more before the holidays and then we’re on break, so enjoy this one.Enjoy it a lot? Subscribe!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Well, the good news is, we got most of the technical stuff about the gun debacle out of the way last week. This week, we focus on the politics. Spoiler: it’s not going well for the Liberals.You know what else isn’t going well for them? The dental-care rollout. Gee, who could have seen that coming. Deliverology, right?Also: very serious allegations against a reasonably prominent Canadian columnist, author and her publisher. We summarize what’s known. Also, Jen almost throws up on air. So that was fun.Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe today!The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Last week’s episode was our longest and most serious thus far. This week? Kind of the opposite. We do have a serious conversation about C-21, the latest gun control bill, and why it might have been one too many trips to the gun well for Trudeau. We also chat some fascinating but bleak numbers on the state of Canadian media, why antisemites keep hanging out with Donald Tru — no, no, wait. The federal Liberals? Huh. That’s weird.And also, we admit, an segment of very, very dark humour that left Jen unable to speak through her giggles, and then your Line editors fight it out over whether Ontario or Alberta has gone more insane since 2020.So a little bit serious, a little bit silly. All right here on The Line experimental podcast.Enjoy it? Hit the little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Oh boy. This one is long. But it’s important. The Line decided early that it would closely watch the Public Order Emergency Commission in Ottawa, but it would steadfastly refuse to draw any conclusions until it was over. It’s over. The testimony is complete. Justice Paul Rouleau is off to write his report. And now The Line has to begin its work, too, and that includes a long and careful look at our own reporting during the February crisis.Overall? We think we did really well. But there is at least one thing we got wrong, and one thing we just don’t know about — and that’s really frustrating.So please take the time and listen. This is as honest as we can be about what was an obviously exhausting and stressful time. If you like what you hear, please subscribe today, and help us continue our work.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Gurney and Gerson chat about the latest from POEC, Twitter meltdowns, and why Trudeau maybe didn't flub a gotcha question on genocide. Please note: Gurney's laptop broke and Gerson is half out-of-it on cold medication, so the audio quality could be better. Also, expect the written dispatch to come Sunday. Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Ontario becomes the main story. Why Ford likely starts with the lead, and will then likely screw it up. Don’t put big red panic buttons into rooms if you don’t want kids to push them (true story). POEC, the NWC, why Jen was mad at Freeland, and another damned listicle where no one looked at the methodology.Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. Also, we’re nice people, so why not reward us with a small amount of your money?The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Jen Gerson makes her triumphant return to the experimental podcast. She and Matt Gurney talk POEC, whether Canadian minds are capable of changing, Danielle Smith taking on the WEF, Doug Ford runs for the hills again, and the left attacks the independence of the central bank.Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. Also, we’re nice people, so why not reward us with a small amount of your money?The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney is joined by Andrew Potter, former editor-in-chief of the Ottawa Citizen, who steps in to cover for Jen Gerson, who’s on the road this week doing research for her book. In this episode: Lots and lots on the convoy, how Ottawa is extremely poorly run, the problems at the top of the RCMP, APEC and pepper on the plate, Ukraine, and lots more. Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. Also, we’re nice people, so why not reward us with a small amount of your money?The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: Danielle Smith experiences reality again, and gets a bit wobbly. The Emergencies Act commission gets underway in Ottawa, and let’s stay tuned for that. Could get interesting! And Elon Musk picks a fight with Ukraine that he might come to regret.Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. Also, we’re nice people, so why not reward us with a small amount of your money?The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: a real grab bag of stuff, including lots on guns, a lot on Alberta, a lot on Poilievre’s naughty metadata, and pondering whether Anita Anand is absolutely astonishing … or just generally competent amid a group of failures. Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these, even if this episode doesn’t sound like it. If you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: mostly nukes, to be honest. What the scenarios are, whether we’re prepared (ha!) and why we are getting more concerned. We also talk some media stuff and some federal politics stuff, but mostly nukes.Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these, even if this episode doesn’t sound like it. If you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Hello, friends and family of The Line. We had ourselves a bit of a week. Matt Gurney was planning on being off for a few days, trying to finish up the home renovation that has eaten his life (and his money — please subscribe today, really, please). Jen Gerson was going to run the shop but she came down with what she thought was a bit of a cold. Oops! Nope. It’s a strep infection. And it turns out you can’t ignore those — if you do, they seem to just get worse.Anyway, so. Yeah. She’s out of action, friends. By weird coincidence, Jen was actually testifying before Parliament today (more on that later) and she was able to summon her last reserves of strength and finish her appearance. But she used up all of her energy (and her voice!) in doing so.We could have just skipped the podcast, but Matt actually wanted to have a longer conversation with Mitch Heimpel, who wrote the last piece The Line published this week before the bottom fell out of all our best-laid plans. If you haven’t already, read Mitch’s essay, and then come back here, pour a drink of your choice, and settle in for a long chat on The Line’s special episode on the experimental podcast.And if you like it, and the new door trim in Matt’s house, subscribe today.Watch for our written dispatch, as well — that’s coming tomorrow. The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: more thoughts on the royals, including King Charles III as the ultimate boomer. Plus some Ukraine, quite a bit on Poilievre vs. the media, and why Matt once thought he’d had his eyebrow shaved off by a rogue barber.Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. If you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: the Queen is dead. God Save the King. And God help us — the avalanche of hot takes will soon be upon us. Also: CPC leadership race, the RCMP has a problem (or two), but the Russians … they’ve really got problems. Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. If you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: Matt’s theory of nastiness, weirdness in the CPC leadership race, how Poilievre is going to completely steamroller most Canadian journalists, commentators and analysts with his deliberate strategy of confrontation, replacing “Jumping the shark” with “Wendy turning grey,” Brenda Lucki is bad at her job and Jen got a free bike! (Matt’s holding out for an M1 Garand, if any of you have one handy.)Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. If you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: Lisa LaFlamme takes on Bell, and so far, seems to be winning. Related: what we think the real story is (it’s not sexism, but we agree sexism is a part of it). Also: the latest from Ottawa and Alberta. Fun times! Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. If you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: Trump eats another news cycle, why nuclear policy documents make for poor bathroom reading, what Danielle Smith is really talking about, and how right-wingers are turning into the most annoying kind of left-winger, leaving us all stupider for it. Thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun with these. If you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the continuing (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: the pandemic broke our health-care systems (and a few brains), the RCMP commissioner’s explanation is weird, and so is our federal cabinet, Jen vs. Listicles, and much, much more. Including guns. Lots of guns. These experimental podcasts are going well so far. Thank you for listening, and if you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the 12th (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: Toronto is too damn hot, Alberta conservatives are nuts (but it ain’t just an Alberta thing), the meaning and challenge of a papal apology, or any apology, the incredible missing federal customer service task force … and more! These experimental podcasts are going well so far. Thank you for listening, and if you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the 11th (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: an update on the RCMP commissioner’s wee problem. An analysis of Pierre Poilievre’s little stroll. More on Alberta and abortion. And a big, light-hearted blast of sci-fi TV recommendations.These experimental podcasts are going well so far. Thank you for listening, and if you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the 10th (not really) experimental Line podcast. In this episode: it had been a slow week, until things went nuts. We so take on the controversy surrounding RCMP Commissioner Brendi Lucki (she needs to resign, we conclude), analyze the dissent from the three U.S. Supreme Court justices that voted against repealing Roe v. Wade, discuss the collapse of the CPC into something very weird and different, and Matt explains why he thinks things are about to get totally frickin’ bonkers. And like, not in a good way.These experimental podcasts are going well so far. Thank you for listening, and if you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the ninth experimental Line podcast. In this episode: the things a time traveller from 2019 would be most weirded out about, whether the Liberals have hit the point of no return, whether Alberta can play by Quebec’s rules, and Jen gets super dark about why you ought to enjoy this summer — it’ll be the last good one. These experimental podcasts are going well so far. Thank you for listening, and if you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the eighth experimental Line podcast. We mostly avoid the Ontario election, and talk about other things. Like: did the Liberals screw up their recent gun-control announcement and commit themselves to a gun grab they never intended? Is there a cynical reason the government doesn’t want people flying? Is Quebec going totally nuts? And much, much more.These experimental podcasts are going well so far. Thank you for listening, and if you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the seventh experimental Line podcast. This week was honestly kind of grim. It’s hard to be cheerful after what happened in Texas this week. So be warned. We did also talk some Canadian politics, though. Because, well, that’s what we do, right?These experimental podcasts are going well so far. Thank you for listening, and if you like what you hear and haven’t yet signed up, please make use of that little blue button below.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe

Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in the sixth experimental Line podcast. This week: a long chat about Kenney and Alberta, Matt gets angry dealing with government communication flaks, a bit about Huawei, and a lot about how great Jen’s hair looks. These experimental podcasts are going well so far. We are having fun. We even got Jen a new microphone, which makes its debut in this episode (and it sounds great!). If you’re enjoying them, and haven’t joined us yet as a paying subscriber, please considering doing so today. It’ll help pay for the microphone.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Follow us on Twitter @the_lineca. Fight with us on Facebook. Pitch us something: [email protected] Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe