In the latest episode of Inside Politics, host Kevin Klein and Winnipeg Sun columnists Lawrence Pinsky, KC and Royce Koop argued that Canada’s affordability crisis is overwhelmingly a made-in-Canada disaster, driven by Ottawa’s policies—not by Donald Trump, U.S. tariffs, or external forces. Klein opened by challenging the popular narrative that Canadians are paying more because of U.S. trade policy. Roughly 90% of goods traded under the Canada–U.S.–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA/USMCA) are tariff-free, he noted, meaning federal policy in Ottawa bears primary responsibility for sky-high prices at the pump and in the grocery aisle. Pinsky was blunt: responsibility for inflation “lies entirely with both the fiscal and monetary policy out of Ottawa,” pointing to massive COVID-era overspending, persistent deficit spending, and ballooning debt under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government. With CUSMA up for review in 2026, he warned that a “weak government in Canada” could face a ruthless renegotiation if Trump returns to the White House. Koop highlighted how bad things have become for ordinary Canadians, citing Abacus data showing over half of Canadians are now focused on basic survival needs—food, shelter, and personal safety—rather than the aspirations expected in a wealthy democracy. “We should be doing so much better in this country,” he said. “What a shame.” The panel tied the affordability crisis directly to Canada’s crushing tax burden. Klein described layer upon layer of taxation—municipal fees, carbon taxes, and levies “on everything that moves and everything that stands still.” Pinsky noted a recent study showing taxes now consume the largest share of Canadians’ paycheques, more than food or housing. The discussion then turned to Manitoba, where Premier Wab Kinew released a light-hearted video celebrating a new liquor trailer beside a Costco, declaring, “Life is good in Manitoba.” Klein contrasted that with 3% inflation in Manitoba, boarded-up local businesses, and one of the weakest economies in North America. “You didn’t cure cancer,” Klein said. “You opened a trailer that sells booze.” Both guests warned that high taxes, weak growth, and performative politics are driving skilled immigrants and Canadians alike to leave for lower-tax jurisdictions such as the United States or even Ecuador. Pinsky argued that Canadians themselves must stop rewarding political showmanship: “We have a lot of termites in Ottawa and in our legislatures. It’s got to stop before it’s too late.” #canada #canadianpolitics #politics #markcarney #wabkinew #inflation

The latest episode of Inside Politics with Kevin Klein delivered an unflinching assessment of Canada’s deepening social fractures, government complacency, and a growing wave of extremist intimidation playing out across the country. Joined by Winnipeg Sun columnists Royce Koop, professor of political science at the University of Manitoba, and Lawrence Pinsky, KC, former human rights adjudicator, Klein led a wide-ranging discussion connecting foreign-influenced activism, campus unrest, and political paralysis at the highest levels of government. The panel began with the explosive revelation that a Palestinian group was granted access to a Senate meeting room, where—according to Klein and Pinsky—the gathering devolved into open hostility and anti-Israel rhetoric. Pinsky called the event a “corruption of Canada’s political system,” noting that Canada recognized Palestine despite it lacking defined borders, democratic leadership, or functioning institutions. “How have we allowed groups aligned with terrorist organizations to gain platforms in our most important institutions?” he asked. The discussion broadened as the panel examined a troubling surge in extremist rhetoric, including the flying of Palestinian flags at public events where Canadians were prevented from playing “O Canada.” Klein described it as a deeply symbolic moment: “You can raise the flag of a territory run by Hamas, but you’re told to turn off the Canadian anthem.” Koop, while cautious about conflating all issues with immigration, acknowledged a severe “loss of trust” in the system, driven by years of mismanagement. Meanwhile, Pinsky cited a Global News report alleging hundreds of people with Hamas affiliations entered Canada under refugee or immigration streams—proof, he said, of a system that is “wide open to abuse.” University campuses were another flashpoint. Klein highlighted incidents at McGill and Toronto Metropolitan University where Palestinian activists forcibly took over classrooms and events, leaving students intimidated and administrators largely silent. Pinsky argued this wasn’t protest, but “hijacking—just as past Palestinian movements hijacked planes, they now hijack narratives, classrooms, and public spaces.” The episode’s bluntest warning came from Canada’s own intelligence chief, who recently cautioned that youth are being radicalized online at unprecedented levels. Yet, as Klein noted, “Not one Canadian politician responded. Not one.” The panel agreed this silence reflects a political class paralyzed by fear, electoral calculations, and a desire to avoid confrontation. Klein closed with a stark assessment: “Canada is losing its identity, losing its confidence, and losing its grip on the rule of law. And our leaders are pretending nothing is happening.” #canada #cdnpoli #politicalnews #politics #immigration

The newest episode of Inside Politics delivered a blunt critique of the federal budget, with host Kevin Klein and panellists Royce Koop and Lawrence Pinsky, K.C., arguing that the document fails to provide any serious roadmap for Canada’s economic future. Rather than focusing on political theatre or close vote counts, the panel dissected the structural weaknesses at the core of the government’s fiscal plan—and the consequences for Canadians. Klein opened by noting the media frenzy around the budget’s tight passage but quickly shifted to what he called the “real story”: the complete absence of long-term economic strategy. While an MP from the Conservatives and one from the NDP abstained—significant but ultimately inconsequential to the outcome the trio agreed the real concern lies not in procedural drama but in the government’s approach to Canada’s economic health. A central criticism was the budget’s silence on Canada’s largest trading partner: the United States. Despite escalating trade pressures, supply chain vulnerabilities, and a rapidly changing global market, the budget offered no meaningful discussion of U.S.–Canada relations. Koop noted that Canadians heard far more about self-sufficiency fantasies than pragmatic economic planning. Klein pointed to the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s warnings, which directly contradict the government’s assumptions that Canada can replace U.S. trade with offshore markets. Pinsky was blunt: “It’s a mindless view of how the economy works from a former central banker.” The panel argued that Canada cannot meaningfully grow its economy while ignoring its most critical export pathways. The conversation intensified around blocked or stalled resource and infrastructure projects. Klein highlighted the absurdity of Canada banning tankers along the British Columbia coast while U.S. tankers travel the same route daily, shipping products Canada could be selling. Koop emphasized that public opinion in B.C. is not uniformly anti-pipeline despite political messaging and that many Canadians understand the national economic necessity of these projects. Pinsky stressed that the federal government holds the constitutional authority to advance nation-building initiatives, but instead offers “smoke and mirrors” through flashy announcements with little chance of materializing. Even the government’s newly revealed list of five major projects, promoted as transformational, was immediately undermined by officials admitting only one may actually proceed. Across the panel, one conclusion was shared: Canada is running out of time to correct its economic course. With weak growth, heavy deficits, and stalled development, the budget represents not a plan, but a political holding pattern. Klein ended the episode with a promise that in the next episode, the panel tackles the government’s inflation narrative and the widening gap between political spin and Canadians’ lived reality. #canada #politicalnews #politics

This week’s edition of Inside Politics with Kevin Klein delivered one of its sharpest and most critical roundtable discussions yet, as Klein sat down with Winnipeg Sun columnists Lawrence Pinsky, K.C. and Royce Koop to dissect Prime Minister Mark Carney’s latest “nation-building” announcements—proposals the panel said fell far short of the hype. Carney billed his five major project updates as generational, but the panel noted most were previously announced or re-announced ideas packaged as new. Pinsky was blunt in his assessment, calling the approach a throwback to failed “command-economy” thinking. “You set up a bureaucracy, appoint a friend, and let them pick winners and losers inside an economy you’ve already restricted,” he argued. “No investor is risking billions in that environment.” Klein and Koop echoed concerns that the Prime Minister continues to ignore Canada’s most valuable economic advantage—its critical minerals, energy resources, and export potential. Instead, Carney stressed Indigenous co-governance requirements for major projects, which the panel suggested may deter investment if imposed as rigid conditions rather than organic partnerships. Koop noted the deeper issue: expectations. “Carney built this up for weeks,” he said. “Canadians were promised transformative policies. Instead, we got baby steps—announcements we already knew about.” He questioned how long voters would tolerate grand rhetoric followed by minimal action. The panel then turned to perhaps the most eyebrow-raising proposal: Carney’s plan to bolster Canada’s defence readiness by giving 300,000 federal civil servants firearms training. Klein joked it sounded “like something out of a bad sitcom,” while Pinsky warned it made Canada look unserious on the world stage. “Imagine presenting this to American defence officials,” he said. “It’s beneath parody.” From defence blunders, the conversation shifted to symbolism—and controversy. The panel sharply criticized recent decisions by courts and even the federal Veterans Affairs Minister to uphold poppy-wearing bans in certain courtrooms, despite widespread public backlash. Pinsky called the reasoning “legally baseless” and “morally disconnected,” while Koop warned of a growing trend of courts ruling based on implausible hypotheticals rather than facts. The episode closed with an exploration of internal Liberal Party tensions, particularly the influence of environmental hardliners like Steven Guilbeault—who, according to recent reporting, has been successfully pressuring Carney to scale back economic growth initiatives, including energy and pipeline development.

The latest episode of Inside Politics with Kevin Klein delivered one of its most provocative and compelling discussions yet, as Klein sat down with Winnipeg Sun columnists Royce Koop and Lawrence Pinsky, K.C., to tackle a series of pressing issues gripping Manitoba and the country at large. The conversation opened with Klein reflecting on a recent column that sparked significant reaction, especially from within Manitoba’s Indigenous communities. His reporting highlighted band leadership salaries and expense claims—some nearing $200,000—in communities struggling with poverty, housing shortages, and unsafe water. Klein said he was struck by how many Indigenous residents reached out to thank him for raising the issue and to express their own concerns about where the money is going. Koop emphasized that the core challenge is making sure community members have the tools needed to hold leaders to account, just as Canadians expect at other levels of government. The discussion broadened as Klein noted that the accountability gap isn’t limited to Indigenous politics. He pointed to examples such as Winnipeg’s decision to nearly double councillor expense budgets, and a federal MP who billed $173,000 for nine days of costs—examples that, he argued, show a wider pattern of politicians spending freely while avoiding scrutiny. Pinsky added that without strong accountability mechanisms, public confidence erodes quickly. The panel then turned to national concerns, including warnings from Canada’s spy chief about rising radicalization among youth. Despite the alarming nature of the intelligence, all three panelists noted the near silence from political leaders. Koop argued that Canada’s political class has abandoned the nation-building efforts that once united people under a shared identity. Instead, symbolic gestures—such as raising foreign flags—risk creating deeper divisions. Pinsky was especially critical of Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s decision to raise the Palestinian flag during a period of national tension, calling it political pandering that ignores core Canadian values. He warned that such decisions contribute to growing fragmentation at a time when the country needs unity and clarity of purpose. As the episode wrapped, the panel highlighted broader concerns: rising separatist sentiment, declining national cohesion, and a lack of leadership willing to defend Canadian identity. For viewers seeking a direct, unfiltered conversation about the future of this country, this episode of Inside Politics with Kevin Klein is essential watching.

Welcome to another edition of Inside Politics. Host Kevin Klein gathered his Winnipeg Sun colleagues—Lawrence Pinsky, K.C., former human rights adjudicator; Royce Koop, University of Manitoba political scientist; and Geoff Currier, veteran broadcaster and columnist—to dissect what Klein cheekily dubbed the “big, beautiful budget.” The smiles ended there. Koop led off, calling the fiscal plan “a massive spending budget sold as austerity.” He pegged a $78-billion deficit, arguing the red ink is the product of years of structural overspending and a last-minute pivot to secure NDP support. “This wasn’t restraint—it was a deal,” he said. Currier drilled into the math: by 2029-30, annual interest costs could top $76 billion, with federal debt heading toward $1.6 trillion. “Tax-and-spend—and now pay the interest,” he warned, adding that promised tax relief for average Canadians is “minuscule.” Pinsky fired the night’s sharpest volley, branding the plan “central-planning theatrics—like a Politburo picking winners.” He argued that pipelines and major projects remain paralyzed while Ottawa “micromanages the economy from the centre.” Klein pressed the politics: after heavy hype about “nation-building,” marquee items like high-frequency rail “are years away,” while Churchill port and energy corridors remain talk, not shovels. “How long can we carry this without a U.S. trade deal nailed down?” he asked. The panel then pounced on a parliamentary snafu: Pierre Poilievre’s failure to table Conservative amendments during his budget reply. Currier called it “a colossal blunder—no do-overs, just sub-amendments.” Meanwhile, talk turned to floor-crossing: a Nova Scotia MP’s jump to the governing benches drew bipartisan scorn. “Parliamentary prostitution,” Pinsky snapped, arguing voters elect parties as much as people. Klein added: “If you switch teams, resign and re-run. Dance with who you came with.” Economic realities loomed over every exchange. A senior official’s clip underscored that 75% of Canada’s trade runs through the United States—a dependency the panel said this budget doesn’t realistically replace. Koop flagged cuts touching the Public Prosecution Service as “baffling—cut anywhere but there.” Klein’s closing shot was blunt: “Leadership means telling Canadians the truth about debt, growth, and projects that actually get built. This budget talks big. Canadians live with the bill.” “Austerity? Bold? Nation-building?” the show asked. The panel’s verdict: “Not yet—just bigger, costlier promises.”

This week’s Inside Politics delivered one of its most explosive and urgent discussions yet, as host Kevin Klein and his Winnipeg Sun colleagues Lawrence Pinsky, K.C., Royce Koop, and Jeff Currier took on what Klein called “the most divisive issue in Canada right now”—the growing number of Indigenous land-rights claims stretching from British Columbia to Manitoba and Quebec. Klein opened the show by referencing his recent National Post column and a new lawsuit involving the entire city of Kamloops, a case few Canadians had even heard of. The panel listened to a clip from Global BC’s Keith Baldrey, who revealed the land claim had been quietly filed nearly a decade ago—covering municipalities, ski resorts, and private property. “This is bigger than anyone realizes,” Klein warned. “And I haven’t heard a single word from Prime Minister Mark Carney or anyone in Ottawa. Canadians deserve answers.” Lawyer Lawrence Pinsky called the situation “a legal and political disaster in the making,” pointing to the 3,700-paragraph Cowichan decision from August 2025, which upended established land titles. “These cases should never be in court,” Pinsky said. “They’re political problems being handled by judges who are making law instead of interpreting it. The result? Judicial activism that undermines fairness and threatens property rights.” Klein pressed the political dimension, saying fear and cancel culture are silencing leaders. “No one wants to say the wrong thing,” he said. “But homeowners are terrified. What happens when your mortgage isn’t renewed because your land might be part of a claim? What if you’re taxed twice—by a municipality and a First Nation?” Royce Koop, a political science professor, agreed that governments have failed. “This needs to go straight to the Supreme Court in a reference case. Instead, everyone’s dodging responsibility. It’s cowardice.” Jeff Currier warned that “fear and uncertainty” could stall housing and investment, especially in B.C. “Developers are walking away,” he said. “It’s a mess.” Klein closed the fiery segment by demanding leadership. “Reconciliation must go both ways,” he said. “Canada can’t heal if we’re dividing people by fear and silence. We need a Prime Minister who will stand up, bring us together, and lead.” “If no one takes a stand,” Klein warned, “this country will belong to nobody.”

This week’s episode of Inside Politics erupted into one of the most passionate debates of the season, as host Kevin Klein and his Winnipeg Sun colleagues clashed over reports from Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan that people were being told not to wear poppies in courtrooms. What began as a discussion about judicial policy turned into a blistering critique of what the panel described as “woke overreach” and the erosion of Canadian identity. Lawyer Lawrence Pinsky delivered one of the night’s sharpest rebukes. “This is utter nonsense,” he said flatly. “The notion that wearing a poppy is somehow political is a bastardization of the very concept of politics. It’s wrong—repulsive, even.” Pinsky pointed to Manitoba’s own courts, where displays commemorate members of the bar who served and died in the World Wars. “Our courts honour sacrifice. They don’t silence it,” he added. He warned that such rulings reflect a deeper misunderstanding of what it means to be Canadian. “This is part of an age of DEI and misplaced guilt that’s corroding national pride.” Klein echoed his frustration. “These are liberal-appointed judges bringing ideology into the last place it belongs—the courts,” he said. Former broadcaster and columnist Geoff Currier brought a personal dimension to the conversation, sharing stories of relatives who fought and died in past wars. “The poppy is not political—it’s sacred,” he said. “When a judge forbids it, that’s disturbing.” Political scientist Royce Koop added that Canada’s tradition of shared civic observance was being lost under the guise of neutrality. “Judges should be impartial, yes, but impartiality doesn’t mean erasing symbols of sacrifice,” he said. “The poppy is different—it’s the symbol of what binds us together.” As the discussion intensified, the panel questioned whether Canada is losing confidence in its own history. Pinsky described a growing “embarrassment at being Canadian,” while Klein lamented that “our heroes are honoured abroad more than at home.” The group agreed that this controversy could have been a pivotal moment for Prime Minister Mark Carney to speak up. “This was a golden opportunity for national unity,” Klein said. “The Prime Minister could have reminded Canadians that freedom and justice exist because of those who sacrificed for them.” The panel closed by warning that if Canadians fail to defend their symbols, they risk forgetting what those symbols represent. As Pinsky concluded, “This isn’t just about a flower—it’s about the soul of our country.”