Partisans, pancakes and pathos

In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on July 11, 2025,  your hosts are back together! Matt returns from Europe and Jen gets him caught up. First up: a full debrief on this year’s Calgary Stampede. Matt wants to talk breakfast, but Jen wants to talk vibes — and this year, the CPC was a much quieter, more cautious presence than last. Poilievre showed up and got the applause you'd expect from a friendly crowd, but even some Conservatives are starting to quietly admit … Carney’s off to a strong start.

This episode of The Line Podcast is brought to you by Unsmoke Canada. Canada can be a global leader in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but it requires actionable steps, including giving adult smokers the information they need to choose potentially less harmful alternatives. Learn more at Unsmoke.ca.

Next, Matt shares what actually made news in Europe: a bit about Trump, some sad headlines out of Texas, but very little from Canada. The biggest political storyline back home? The NDP is hunting for a new leader, and neither Matt nor Jen can think of anyone likely to win.  

This episode of The Line Podcast is also brought to you by Forestry For The Future. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, contributes $21 billion annually to our nation's economy, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the U.S. are siphoning jobs and investment away, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are preventing critical projects that both prevent wildfires and boost our economic self-reliance.We can and should have programs that expand domestic wood use, advance biomass use and pulp market opportunities, and cut red tape and regulatory barriers. The government of Canada has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.

To wrap up, Matt offers a few unsentimental takeaways from his European trip. No postcard clichés, just a growing unease: even cities with reputations for being gritty are starting to look better — cleaner, safer, more orderly — than some of Canada’s big cities. Are we losing ground without realizing it? Would Canadians ever accept it even if we were?

This episode is also brought to you by Airbnb. Everyone agrees that Canada needs to take real action to tackle the housing crisis, but only a few people argue that short-term rentals like Airbnb are part of that solution. Countless experts have argued that short term rental regulation is nothing more than a distraction, with the Harvard Business Review recently saying that “Put simply, restricting Airbnb is not going to be an effective tool for solving the housing-affordability problems.” This makes sense when you consider two key statistics: Canada needs 5.8 million homes to reach affordability by 2030, and Airbnb’s account for only 0.6% of Canada’s overall housing stock. The closer you look the clearer it gets that Canada needs bold action that addresses the entire housing market, not just 0.6% of it. Learn more at Airbnb.ca/closerlook.

Oh. And. This is a bit of an aside. But. We discuss why Elizabeth May should not be given a gun. All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca.

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:30 Pancakes and politics
• 28:25 Poor NDP
• 49:45 Uh, why is Europe so clean?