CBC Radio's The House: Biden's first week, Payette's last
CBC Radio | Posted: January 23, 2021 9:00 AM | Last Updated: January 23, 2021
Here is what's happening on this week's episode of The House
Canada's top diplomat in Washington on Biden's first week in office
On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden made his first call to a foreign leader — and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the other end of the line.
It was meant to be a symbol of the value both countries place on their relationship. But it also came after Biden followed through on a campaign promise to revoke the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.Alberta Premier Jason Kenney called the cancellation a "gut punch" and called on the federal government to consider economic sanctions.
What does this say about Canada-U.S. relations under a new administration? Host Chris Hall checks in with Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the United States.
What comes after the governor general's resignation?
Julie Payette stepped down from her role as governor general on Thursday, following a blistering independent workplace review of Rideau Hall. That investigation unfolded after multiple sources described a toxic workplace and incidents of harassment to the CBC's Ashley Burke last summer.
What impact will this have on Trudeau's minority government? What would the consequences of a vacant vice-regal office be in the event the government suddenly falls? And what kind of pressure does Trudeau now face in choosing Payette's successor?
Philippe Lagassé, associate professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, joins The House to discuss.
Conservatives expel a controversial MP
The chaos of the final weeks of the Trump presidency also stirred up trouble on this side of the border, with Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole firing back at Liberal claims that his party caters to far-right ideology. As the Official Opposition attempted to distance itself from Trump-style politics, it emerged this week that Conservative MP Derek Sloan had accepted a campaign donation from a self-described white nationalist.
The CBC's Catherine Cullen discusses Sloan's subsequent ouster from the Conservative caucus and what it says about the party's image.
The pandemic, Parliament and a possible election
Parliament is set to return next week, with a busy legislative calendar ahead and the possibility of an election in the near term. The government will need to navigate the intricacies of a minority government amid a pandemic, a massive vaccine rollout, an upcoming budget and the recent departure of the governor general.
NDP MP Heather McPherson, the Liberals' Arif Virani and Conservative Michael Chong join The House to discuss the action they want to see over the next few months.
Japan's climate change ambitions could be an opportunity for Canada
Japan and Canada have both pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 — and hydrogen may very well be a way to get there.
Japan's Green Growth Strategy promises to eliminate gas-powered vehicles within 15 years and sets out targets for utilities and other big emitters to increase the use of renewable energy and hydrogen. The low-carbon fuel is at the centre of a new strategy unveiled by the Canadian government in December.
Can the two countries work together to reduce emissions and promote hydrogen as a clean energy alternative? Japan's Ambassador to Canada Kawamura Yasuhisa outlines his country's vision.