Each week, the Maclean’s Ottawa bureau sits down with Cormac Mac Sweeney to discuss the headlines of the week. This week, the extremist group Abu Sayyaf executed one Canadian in the Philippines—and continue to hold another hostage. The man who was killed, John Ridsdel, was a friend of former Liberal MP Bob Rae, who joins us to talk about the friend he lost, and the efforts he made to try and secure his release.

After that, Cormac speaks with a former Canadian diplomat who has handled more than 100 hostage situations for the federal government. He tells us about the risks inherent to hostage situations, and the need for secrecy during sensitive discussions.

Next, we ask: Does Aerospace giant bombardier really need a federal bailout, now that it has landed a $5.6-billion deal with Delta Airlines? As the Trudeau Liberals consider their options, we speak with one group calling for the talks to end, as well as the aerospace workers’ union that says a financial injection is vital to the industry’s future.

Finally, we all know politicians like to talk, but who blabs the most in the House of Commons? Maclean’s crunched the numbers in a tool called Figures of Speech. Digital production editor Amanda Shendruk explains which MP is most talkative, whether men or women speak more in the House, and how much French the party leaders speak. The answers may surprise you.

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The full episode

Part 1. Bob Rae remembers John Ridsdel.

The extremist group Abu Sayyaf executed one Canadian in the Philippines—and continue to hold another hostage. The man who was killed, John Ridsdel, was a friend of fomer Liberal MP Bob Rae, who joins us to talk about the friend he lost, and the efforts he made to try and secure his release.

Part 2. How should Liberals handle hostage situations?

Cormac speaks with a former Canadian diplomat who has handled more than 100 hostage situations for the federal government. He tells us about the risks inherent to hostage situations, and the need for secrecy during sensitive discussions.

Part 3. Does Bombardier need a bailout?

Does Aerospace giant bombardier really need a federal bailout, now that it has landed a $5.6-billion deal with Delta Airlines? As the Trudeau Liberals consider their options, we speak with one group calling for the talks to end, as well as the aerospace workers’ union that says a financial injection is vital to the industry’s future.

Part 4. Who speaks most in the House of Commons?

We all know politicians like to talk, but who blabs the most in the House of Commons? Maclean’s crunched the numbers in a tool called Figures of Speech. Digital production editor Amanda Shendruk explains which MP is most talkative, whether men or women speak more in the House, and how much French the party leaders speak. The answers may surprise you.

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