Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has had a rollercoaster ride of a political career. Moving from news media to Wildrose Party leader, to disgraced floor-crosser, back to news media and then to leader of the province, her far-right populism has been key to her political success. But where would smith be without the platform provided by Canada's news corporations? Jeremy Appel, independent journalist behind The Orchard and author of the new book Dark Phoenix: The Rise, Fall, and Re-emergence of Danielle Smith joins Scott to discuss the fundamental role that news outlets played in getting Smith to lead the province of Alberta.

Check out Dark Phoenix: The Rise, Fall, and Re-emergence of Danielle Smith

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Sources and further reading:

https://readthecatch.ca/how-news-media-made-danielle-smith-ft-jeremy-appel

Artwork by Zo at Studio Bonjourhi

Intro Music: Vigilante - Cross Dog

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Tô Lâm, president and general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam visited Canada on September 24. It was Canada's first official state visit of 2026 and the first time Canada welcomed a Vietnamese president to the country. Though the visit largely flew under the radar, the visit signalled a new chapter in Canada-Vietnam relations. Why did arch-capitalist Prime Minister Mark Carney build a bridge with communist Vietnam? Mike Tatarski, Ho Chi Minh-based independent journalist behind the Vietnam Weekly podcast and newsletter, joins Scott to discuss Vietnam's geopolitical approach, their response to Trump tariffs and what this visit means for both countries moving forward.

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Sources and further reading:

https://readthecatch.ca/canada-and-vietnam-bffs-ft-mike-tatarski-podcast

Artwork by Zo at Studio Bonjourhi

Intro Music: Vigilante - Cross Dog

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CORRECTION: Scott mistakenly said that the policeman who exchanged gunfire with the Belleville synagogue shooter died as a result. This is incorrect. He is recovering in hospital. The episode has been updated to reflect this. We apologize for the error.

Protestors chanted slogans condemning a former Israeli ambassador who defended military killings and mocked Palestinian victims. Leader of a federal party with five seats uses Yom Kippur to denounce the state committing violence in the name of his religion. Both of these are obscured, distorted and lambasted as pinnacles of antisemitism by pro-Israel voices. Three years into a Zionist genocide, outrage is continually directed at those who oppose Israel's extermination campaign, written under the guise of concern for antisemitism. Alex Cosh, news editor at The Maple, joins Scott to disentangle the overarching Zionism in the latest attacks in the right-wing press.

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Sources and further reading:

https://readthecatch.ca/zionist-canadian-outlets-throw-their-weight-around-ft-alex-cosh-podcast

Artwork by Zo at Studio Bonjourhi

Intro Music: Vigilante - Cross Dog

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