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  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1663 - A New World Order: AI, Geopolitics, and Canada’s Place in a Changing Global System

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1663 - A New World Order: AI, Geopolitics, and Canada’s Place in a Changing Global System
    2026/06/30
    On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian explores how rapidly shifting global dynamics are reshaping geopolitics, technology, and national strategy in the twenty-first century.He is joined by Belgian transformation strategist Joe Coudron, author of End the System and Other Bad Ideas for the Future, for a wide-ranging discussion on Europe’s evolving role in a new era of global uncertainty.Coudron argues that the world is entering a fundamentally different geopolitical phase—one in which long-standing assumptions about trade, security, and cooperation are being replaced by a focus on resilience and self-reliance. As the United States and China increasingly prioritize their own strategic interests, Europe is accelerating efforts to build greater independence in energy, technology, manufacturing, and defence.Together, they explore Europe’s push toward energy independence, technological sovereignty, and strengthened defence capabilities, as well as the rapid pace at which these changes are unfolding.The conversation then turns to Canada’s position in this emerging global order. Brian and Coudron examine whether Canada can continue to rely heavily on traditional trade relationships, or whether it must diversify its economic and geopolitical partnerships. They also discuss the strategic importance of securing domestic capabilities in areas such as energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, and data governance.A key focus of the discussion is the growing role of artificial intelligence in global power dynamics, including the possibility that access to advanced AI systems may increasingly be shaped by geography and national policy—raising new questions about technological sovereignty and security.In closing, Brian reflects on the broader shift underway in international relations: from globalization driven by interdependence to a new era defined by resilience and strategic autonomy. For Canada, he suggests, the central question is no longer only about participation in the global economy, but about which capabilities must be maintained at home to ensure long-term stability and strength.A timely and forward-looking conversation about power, technology, and Canada’s place in an increasingly uncertain world.
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    50 分
  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1664 - You Are Here: The Spirit of Gander and the Canada We Want to Become

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1664 - You Are Here: The Spirit of Gander and the Canada We Want to Become
    2026/07/01
    On this Canada Day special edition of The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian explores the themes of kindness, community, and the values that define Canada at its best.In Part 1, Brian is joined by Toronto-based producer Peter Gentile to discuss the documentary You Are Here: A Come From Away Story, which tells the remarkable true story behind the hit musical Come From Away.Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, nearly 6,700 airline passengers aboard 38 diverted flights found themselves stranded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. In an extraordinary act of generosity, local residents opened their homes, schools, churches, and hearts to complete strangers, creating one of the most inspiring stories of compassion and community in modern Canadian history.In Part 2, Brian delivers a special Canada Day commentary reflecting on what Canada has been—and what it must become. Amid housing challenges, global instability, technological change, growing loneliness, and political polarization, he argues that Canada's greatest aspiration should not simply be to become bigger or wealthier, but to become better: more generous, more united, more courageous, and more committed to creating communities where people feel they belong.The story of Gander offers a powerful reminder that Canada is at its best when people show up for one another—and that spirit of kindness and connection may hold the key to the country's future.A heartfelt Canada Day conversation about compassion, belonging, and the kind of nation Canadians still have the opportunity to build together.
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    48 分
  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1662 - Building Up or Out: Housing, Transit, and the Future of Canadian Cities

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1662 - Building Up or Out: Housing, Transit, and the Future of Canadian Cities
    2026/06/29
    On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Professor Murtaza Haider of the Alberta School of Business for a wide-ranging conversation about housing affordability, urban planning, and the future of Canadian cities.The discussion explores one of Canada’s most pressing policy questions: should cities be building upward through densification, or outward through suburban expansion? Haider challenges the idea that this is a binary choice, arguing instead that effective housing policy must reflect the diverse needs of Canadians—families, seniors, and young professionals alike.Together, they examine why suburban communities continue to attract families seeking space, schools, and livable neighbourhoods, while higher-density housing remains essential for those who prioritize proximity to transit and employment. The conversation highlights how demographic shifts, land economics, approval delays, and rising construction costs have all contributed to Canada’s housing affordability crisis.The second half of the episode turns to transportation and infrastructure. Haider emphasizes that housing and transit are inseparable, and that Canada’s challenge is not choosing between roads and public transit, but building both effectively. The discussion touches on the role of expanded GO Transit service in unlocking housing across the Greater Toronto Area, the potential impact of major highways such as the 413, and the need for faster, more transparent infrastructure delivery.In closing, Brian reflects on the broader implications of housing policy—not just as a technical or economic issue, but as a question of how Canadians live. Where families grow, how workers commute, and whether young people can afford to put down roots all depend on the choices made today.A timely and practical conversation about how to build cities that actually work for the people who live in them.
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    53 分
  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1661 - The Performer vs. The Problem Solver: Leadership, Populism, and the Fragile Future of Democracy

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1661 - The Performer vs. The Problem Solver: Leadership, Populism, and the Fragile Future of Democracy
    2026/06/26
    On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by author Dennis M. Dodo for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, populism, and the future of democracy, drawing on insights from his forthcoming book The Tale of Two Men.Dodo, who grew up during Zimbabwe’s political transformation in Zimbabwe, brings a lived perspective on how democracies can shift from hope to authoritarianism—and why many people believe “it can’t happen here” until it already has.Together, Brian and Dodo explore two contrasting models of leadership: the performer and the problem solver. The performer leads through personality, visibility, and emotional impact, while the problem solver focuses on institutions, analysis, and long-term solutions. Using contemporary examples including Donald Trump and Mark Carney, they examine how modern political systems increasingly reward attention over substance—and what that shift means for governance.The conversation turns to the fragility of democratic systems and how countries like Canada, the United States, and Britain may be more vulnerable than they appear. Dodo reflects on Zimbabwe’s experience to illustrate how democracies rarely collapse suddenly, but instead erode gradually through economic frustration, institutional weakening, and rising populism.They also discuss the growing influence of social media and artificial intelligence in shaping political narratives, the power of emotion over fact in public discourse, and the importance of active citizenship in sustaining free societies.In his closing commentary, Brian connects this discussion to broader themes from recent episodes—Ukraine, Canadian unity, artificial intelligence, youth challenges, and addiction recovery—arguing that strong societies depend on strong institutions, but institutions only survive when citizens choose to stay engaged.Democracy, he concludes, is not a permanent condition. It is a daily practice—protected not only by constitutions, but by citizens willing to think critically, participate meaningfully, and resist indifference.Because the greatest threat to democracy is not disagreement.It is disengagement.
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    54 分
  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1660 - Connection Before Correction: Addiction, Recovery, and the Hope We Give Each Other with Susan Raphael

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1660 - Connection Before Correction: Addiction, Recovery, and the Hope We Give Each Other with Susan Raphael
    2026/06/25
    On The Brian Crombie Radio Hour, the conversation explores one of the most difficult—and hopeful—questions any family can face: how do we help someone we love when they feel beyond our reach, and what allows people and even nations to endure and rebuild through hardship?In Part 1, Brian is joined by clinical psychologist Susan Raphael, author of What’s Wrong with My Teen? Finding Answers to Teenage Addiction and Family Crisis. Raphael speaks not only as a clinician, but from lived experience. After losing her mother at thirteen, she struggled with addiction, eating disorders, homelessness, and despair before finding recovery. Today, more than two decades sober, she supports teenagers and families navigating crisis and healing.Together, they discuss why teens often turn to substances as a way of coping with pain rather than seeking pleasure, how grief, trauma, bullying, and isolation fuel addiction, and the delicate line between helping and enabling. Raphael offers practical strategies for parents in crisis and emphasizes a guiding principle that shapes recovery: connection before correction.In the closing commentary, Brian reflects on a week of wide-ranging conversations spanning Ukraine, Canadian unity, youth mental health, and addiction recovery. Drawing on insights from Christian Thwaites in Ukraine, Professor Daniel Béland, economist Claude Lavoie, psychologist Susan Raphael, and author Susan Pinker, he explores a unifying idea: hope is not only something we feel—it is something we give each other.Referencing Pinker’s insight that “we need to see the whites of each other’s eyes to know that we belong somewhere,” Brian examines why human connection may be the most essential infrastructure any society has. Whether rebuilding a life, supporting a teenager, or holding a nation together, resilience is never built alone—it is built through one another.A deeply human conversation about addiction, recovery, and the quiet power of connection that sustains us all.
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    53 分
  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1658 - Is Canada Coming Apart? Alberta, Quebec & the Future of National Unity withDaniel Beland

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1658 - Is Canada Coming Apart? Alberta, Quebec & the Future of National Unity withDaniel Beland
    2026/06/23
    On this episode of The Brian Crombie Hour, host Brian Crombie is joined by McGill University professor Daniel Béland, one of Canada’s leading experts on federalism and public policy, for a timely discussion on the state of Canadian unity. The conversation examines growing political tension in Alberta and Quebec, including renewed talk of sovereignty and separatism, and asks whether these movements reflect a genuine rise in independence sentiment or are largely amplified by political discourse and media attention. Crombie and Béland explore how Canada’s highly decentralized federal system shapes provincial–federal relationships, and whether current debates signal structural strain or normal political friction within Confederation. The discussion also considers how provincial strategies compare with other global autonomy movements, and what lessons can be drawn from international examples. Beyond politics, the episode reflects on how Canada can strengthen national unity through greater understanding between regions, increased mobility, and breaking down long-standing stereotypes. Béland emphasizes the importance of Canadians seeing themselves as partners in a shared national project rather than as divided regional blocs. The episode closes with a broader question: in an era of global instability and economic uncertainty, can Canada maintain cohesion and build toward shared national goals—or will regional divisions limit its future potential?
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    56 分
  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1657 - Ukraine Front Lines & Father’s Day Reflections: Who Shapes Us? with Christian Thwaites

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1657 - Ukraine Front Lines & Father’s Day Reflections: Who Shapes Us? with Christian Thwaites
    2026/06/22
    On this episode of The Brian Crombie Hour, host Brian Crombie presents two deeply personal and contrasting conversations—one focused on the realities of war in Ukraine, and the other on the people and relationships that shape a life. In the first segment, Crombie speaks with Christian Thwaites, a retired investment executive who is now volunteering in Dnipro, Ukraine with ARTESANS ResQ. Operating near the front lines, Thwaites transports critically ill and wounded patients to specialized hospitals while navigating the ongoing dangers of missile and drone attacks. He shares firsthand insights into daily life in a war zone, Ukraine’s evolving military capabilities, the resilience of civilians, and the increasing strain on Russian forces. The conversation provides a rare ground-level perspective on the conflict and why Ukraine may be gaining momentum militarily, even as the path to peace remains complex and uncertain. In his Father’s Day closing commentary, Crombie reflects on the question: “Who shapes us?” Drawing on personal memories and family moments, he explores the lasting influence of mentors, teachers, coaches, and figures such as Jim Pattison, whose lessons continue to resonate decades later. The reflection highlights the often-unseen impact of relationships that form identity and character, and considers how legacy is less about individual achievement and more about the people we help shape along the way.
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    58 分
  • Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1656 - The Day of Epiphany: The Duplessis Orphans, Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, and the Echoes of History

    Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1656 - The Day of Epiphany: The Duplessis Orphans, Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, and the Echoes of History
    2026/06/19
    On this episode of The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian speaks with award-winning French-Canadian author, actor, and educator Jerome Bourgault about his powerful historical novel, The Day of Epiphany. Set in 1950s Quebec during the era of Maurice Duplessis, the novel explores the tragic true story of the Duplessis Orphans—children who were reclassified from orphanages into psychiatric institutions through political and bureaucratic manipulation, leading to decades of abuse, neglect, and lifelong trauma. Brian and Jerome discuss the social and political realities of pre–Quiet Revolution Quebec, the dangerous concentration of power between church and state institutions, and the role of historical fiction in bringing difficult chapters of history to life. The conversation also examines how authoritarian tendencies can emerge gradually through conformity, bureaucracy, fear, and the erosion of accountability. In his closing commentary, Brian reflects on the lessons of the Quiet Revolution, the importance of critical thinking and empathy, and why democratic societies depend on citizens who remain willing to question power rather than surrender their judgment to institutions or political movements. A compelling discussion about history, literature, democracy, and the enduring warnings that the past may still be offering us today.
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    50 分