Maclean’s on the Hill: Electoral reform, pipelines, and a Tory crisis

Maclean's On the Hill Politics Podcast

Each week, the Maclean’s Ottawa bureau sits down with Cormac Mac Sweeney to discuss the headlines of the week. This week, outrage over electoral reform. A long-awaited committee report on changing our voting system led to heated exchanges between Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef and her opposition critics. From proportional representation and referendums to accusations and apologies in the House of Commons, we break down the issue with Conservative MP Scott Reid—a key member of the electoral reform committee.

Next, we hold a Maclean’s panel with Ottawa bureau chief John Geddes and associate editor Shannon Proudfoot that breaks down the political drama and looks ahead to what comes next on a contentious debate.

The Trudeau government approved two major pipeline projects but rejected another—and it’s caused controversy on both the left and the right of the political spectrum. Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr explains why the government gave the green light to Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain proposal, and addressed comments about protesters and the military that rubbed critics the wrong way.

Finally, we speak with Tory pundit Tim Powers about the existential crisis facing the Conservative party, and how the current leadership race could address those challenges.

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The full episode

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Part 1. Parliament shouts about electoral reform

Members of the House of Commons special committee on electoral reform hold a news conference in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

Outrage over electoral reform: a long-awaited committee report on changing our voting system led to heated exchanges between Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef and her opposition critics. From proportional representation and referendums to accusations and apologies in the House of Commons, we break down the issue with Conservative MP Scott Reid—a key member of the electoral reform committee.

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Part 2. What’s next for electoral reform?

Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov. 28, 2016. (Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

We hold a Maclean’s panel with Ottawa bureau chief John Geddes and associate editor Shannon Proudfoot that breaks down the political drama and looks ahead to what comes next on a contentious electoral reform debate.

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Part 3. Jim Carr defends new pipelines

Canada’s new Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr is sworn-in during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa November 4, 2015. REUTERS/Chris Wattie – RTX1URRT

The Trudeau government approved two major pipeline projects but rejected another—and it’s caused controversy on both the left and the right of the political spectrum. Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr explains why the government gave the green light to Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain proposal, and addressed comments about protesters and the military that rubbed critics the wrong way.

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Part 4. On a Conservative identity crisis

From left to right, Chris Alexander, Maxime Bernier, Andrew Scheer, Erin O’Toole and Lisa Rait look on as Conservative leadership candidate Michael Chong responds to questions from the audience at a Conservative leadership debate in Greely, Ont., on Sunday, November 13, 2016. (Fred Chartrand/CP)

We speak with Tory pundit Tim Powers about the existential crisis facing the Conservative party, and how the current leadership race could address those challenges.

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