We have a bit of a different episode this time. Last week, during International Development Week, I hosted a Symposium in Parliament to explore the relationship between international development and geopolitical competition. Each speaker had 10 minutes to speak and take questions. We recorded the whole event, for your listening pleasure.   The panel of distinguished speakers was: 1. Chinelo Agom-Eze, Senior Policy Advisor, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, 2. Andrii Bukvych, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Ukraine, 3. Luke De Pulford, Executive Director, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China ..read more

In today's episode of Resuming Debate I talk to David Frum. David is an author, political commentator, and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. We mainly planned to discuss how the US elections stand to shape the trajectory of world affairs, but pursued a number of digressions that I think you will find interesting. David is a controversial and sought-after commentator on both sides of the border ..read more

In this episode of Resuming Debate, I speak with Amanda Achtman, former political staffer and activist. Amanda and I have worked together for many years. We talked primarily about her work opposing the expansion of euthanasia and magnifying important stories about death and dying. We also talked about the war in the Middle East, the impact on the Jewish community in Canada, and her engagement with Palestinian Christians. To follow Amanda’s work: Website: https://amandaachtman.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmandaAchtman On the show we discuss a number of specific projects Amanda is working ..read more

Resuming Debate is back! Today we’re discussing what’s on Parliament’s agenda as it relates to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In the first half I speak with Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine. He recently appeared before a Parliamentary committee in Canada to discuss the abduction of children from Ukraine by Russia. You can watch his appearance along with formerly abducted children here, watch an earlier hearing on the same subject here, and click here to find out more about Save Ukraine. In the second half, I am joined by MP Kyle Seeback, Shadow Minister for International Trade, to discuss t ..read more

The private military corporation Wagner Group is responsible for brutal violence in Ukraine, but it has also been active in Syria and parts of Africa. Up until this weekend the Wagner Group was generally understood to be a tool of Russian foreign policy. However this weekend it turned its guns on its patron and appeared to launch a military coup against the Russian government. So what is Wagner really, and where does it go from here? Joining me for a discussion on this topic is Jason Blazakis, Director at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. We break down the Wager Group’s horre ..read more

For 30 years, Sudan was led by genocidal dictator Omar al-Bashir. In 2018-19, the Sudanese people came together in heroic resistance against al-Bashir’s regime and forced him out of office. Since then, the transition to civilian democratic rule has been difficult, with violence and political strife interrupting the pursuit of this fundamental human right. Joining me for a discussion on Sudan’s past, present, and future is journalist Reem Abbas. We discuss the historical context for the current instability in the region and talk about the steps needed for democracy and civilian rule ..read more

Recent reports of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong have been the talk of the town. In the interests of cross-party conversation, I reached out to former Liberal and current independent MP Kevin Vuong to share his thoughts on foreign interference. Kevin comes from a family that fled communism in Vietnam. He believes that an allegation of sexual assault against him may have been another instance of foreign interference. *This episode was recorded immediately prior to the government decision to declare Zhao Wei persona non grata. This move was, in the view ..read more

The International Human Rights Act (Bill C-281) would be a game-changer for Canadian engagement on international human rights issues. Negotiations on this bill are ongoing at the Foreign Affairs Committee to hammer out a version that all parties support. On today’s episode, I speak to MP Philip Lawrence, the bill’s sponsor. We discuss how his bill will strengthen human rights, and how bills struggle through the legislative process in a minority Parliament You can see more on the International Human Rights Act here: C-281 (44-1) - LEGISinfo - Parliament of Canada ..read more

What is Conservatism? How do conservatives balance different and potentially contradictory impulses like respect for tradition and promotion of freedom?  On today's episode I discuss these issues with two extremely smart Canadian conservatives: Ginny Roth, Vice President at Crestview Strategy, and MP Tom Kmiec, Member of Parliament for Calgary Shephard. I would love to hear your take on this topic as well. Please tweet me at @GarnettGenuis or email Garnett.genuis@parl.gc.ca ..read more

Ottawa has been buzzing with talk of foreign interference. A CSIS employee has taken a significant personal risk by leaking information about alleged CCP interference in Canadian elections. What does foreign interference mean? How does it affect our daily lives? How can we protect Canadian democracy?  Professor Christian Leuprecht and I discuss these critical questions in today’s episode of Resuming Debate. Christian is a professor at Queens’ University, Munk Senior Fellow in Security and Defense at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, and expert in security and defense. I hope you enjoy the ..read more