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Maclean’s on the Hill: Jason Kenney on his return to Alberta

The Maclean’s Ottawa bureau gives its weekly audio debrief on all things #cdnpoli

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Each week, the Maclean’s Ottawa bureau sits down with Cormac Mac Sweeney to discuss the headlines of the week. This week, despite being seen as the natural frontrunner, Calgary MP Jason Kenney opted out of the federal Conservative leadership contest. Instead, he’ll look to become a provincial leader and unite the right in Alberta. To explain why he’s making the switch, we’re joined this week by Kenney himself.

Canada is committing 450 troops and light armoured vehicles to a new mission in Latvia as a part of NATO’s beefed up presence in eastern Europe, which aims to deter further Russian aggression in the region. We’re joined by Steve Saideman, Paterson Chair in International Affairs at Carleton University,* who is in Poland for the latest NATO summit.

Parliament may be on a break, but the House of Commons committee on electoral reform is still hard at work, hoping to finish its study in time to change Canada’s voting system for the next federal election. We speak about that mission with former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley.

Could Canada soon have gender-neutral passports? The federal government says it is reviewing the gender requirements for federally issued IDs. We speak with a transgender rights activist who says a change is long overdue.

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The full episode


Part 1. Jason Kenney heads home

Alberta Conservative MP Jason Kenney arrives at an event announcing he will be seeking the leadership of Alberta's Progressive Conservative party in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, July 6, 2016. (Jeff McIntosh/CP)

Alberta Conservative MP Jason Kenney arrives at an event announcing he will be seeking the leadership of Alberta’s Progressive Conservative party in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, July 6, 2016. (Jeff McIntosh/CP)

Despite being seen as the natural frontrunner, Calgary MP Jason Kenney opted out of the federal Conservative leadership contest. Instead, he’ll look to become a provincial leader and unite the right in Alberta. To explain why he’s making the switch, we’re joined this week by Kenney himself.


Part 2. Canada heads to Latvia

Canadian Army instructors discuss mechanized infantry defence tactics with their Ukrainian Armed Forces colleagues during Exercise RAPID TRIDENT in Starychi, Ukraine on June 30, 2016. (Joint Task Force Ukraine)

Canadian Army instructors discuss mechanized infantry defence tactics with their Ukrainian Armed Forces colleagues during Exercise RAPID TRIDENT in Starychi, Ukraine on June 30, 2016. (Joint Task Force Ukraine)

Canada is committing 450 troops and light armoured vehicles to a new mission in Latvia as a part of NATO’s beefed up presence in eastern Europe, which aims to deter further Russian aggression in the region. We’re joined by Steve Saideman, Paterson Chair in International Affairs at Carleton University,* who is in Poland for the latest NATO summit.


Part 3. Parliament mulls electoral reform

Chief Electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley announces Canada's involvement for electoral monitoring of the upcoming elections in Iraq at a news conference in Ottawa Monday Dec. 20, 2004.(TOM HANSON/CP)

Chief Electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley announces Canada’s involvement for electoral monitoring of the upcoming elections in Iraq at a news conference in Ottawa Monday Dec. 20, 2004.(TOM HANSON/CP)

Parliament may be on a break, but the House of Commons committee on electoral reform is still hard at work, hoping to finish its study in time to change Canada’s voting system for the next federal election. We speak about that mission with former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley.


Part 4. Canada ponders gender-neutral passports

A sign marks the entrance to a gender neutral restroom  at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007. (Toby Talbot/AP/CP)

A sign marks the entrance to a gender neutral restroom at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007. (Toby Talbot/AP/CP)

Could Canada soon have gender-neutral passports? The federal government says it is reviewing the gender requirements for federally issued IDs. We speak with a transgender rights activist who says a change is long overdue.


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CORRECTION, July 9, 2016: An earlier version of this post referred to Steve Saideman as the Chair of Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. In fact, Saideman holds the Paterson Chair in International Affairs at Carleton University. Maclean’s regrets the error.

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