Each week, the Maclean’s Ottawa bureau sits down with Cormac Mac Sweeney to discuss the headlines of the week. This week, we speak to Charlie, a 10-year-old transgendered girl who’s fought for equal treatment most of her life. She celebrated the Liberal government’s tabling of a bill that would extend the scope of human rights legislation to include transgendered people. Then, Ottawa bureau chief John Geddes speaks with the latest entrant to the Conservative Party’s leadership race: Michael Chong. Later in the show, we speak to the co-editor of a book that celebrates 150 years of a press gallery in Ottawa. And finally, we crunch the numbers and reveal who’s missed the most votes so far in the House of Commons.

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The full episode

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Part 1. Ottawa moves ahead on transgender rights

Meet Charlie, a 10-year-old transgendered girl who’s fought for equal treatment most of her life. She celebrated the Liberal government’s tabling of a bill that would extend the scope of human rights legislation to include transgendered people.

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Part 2. Michael Chong enters the fray

Ottawa bureau chief John Geddes speaks with the latest entrant to the Conservative Party’s leadership race, Michael Chong, about his vision for the party and how he hopes to win back government.

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Part 3. The Press Gallery turns 150

Hear from Bloomberg reporter Josh Wingrove, the co-editor of a book that looks back at the Parliamentary Press Gallery’s 150-year history in Ottawa.

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Part 4. Who misses the most votes in the House?

Who’s missed the most votes so far in the House of Commons? Maclean’s assistant editor Nick Taylor-Vaisey crunches the numbers on the current session, as of May 16.

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