The Backbench

18

If your Twitter feed’s a dumpster fire, and your dinner table discussions aren’t what they used to be, The Backbench has the insights you need on Canada's most important political issues.


Each Tuesday, we’ll ask bold questions and offer sharp analysis, giving you the tools to challenge any perspective — maybe even your own. 


With the next federal election looming, you’ll want us in your ears and your back pocket.



The Backbench is made by Noor Azrieh, Aviva Lessard and Sam Konnert.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent Episodes
  • BONUS: The Candidates Caught on Doorbell Cams
    Apr 24, 2025 – 8:19
  • Will Canada Split if Carney Wins?
    Apr 22, 2025 – 43:34
  • BONUS: The Loose Moose Candidate
    Apr 17, 2025 – 7:23
  • Political Animals in the Wild (a Field Report from Ottawa)
    Apr 15, 2025 – 41:14
  • BONUS: The Garfield Porn Guy Running for Parliament
    Apr 10, 2025 – 5:51
  • Is Pierre Actually a Girl's Girl?
    Apr 8, 2025 – 39:54
  • BONUS: The Hams for Terrorism MP
    Apr 3, 2025 – 4:39
  • Pardon His French? Quebec's Crush on Carney
    Apr 1, 2025 – 42:45
  • How Poilievre Went From Top Dog to Underdog
    Mar 25, 2025 – 41:44
  • Why AI Isn't Going To Steal Our Election
    Mar 18, 2025 – 43:38
  • None of That 51st State Sh*t
    Mar 11, 2025 – 35:07
  • Mark Carney — the Less We Know, the Better
    Mar 4, 2025 – 42:00
  • Is There Going to Be a War Over the Arctic?
    Feb 25, 2025 – 37:14
  • Jagmeet Singh On Why He Won't Step Down
    Feb 18, 2025 – 35:54
  • Man of Steel, Nation of Bloat
    Feb 11, 2025 – 28:23
  • Three Businesses Jerked Around by Trump
    Feb 4, 2025 – 29:24
  • Did Jagmeet Singh Miss His Big Chance?
    Jan 28, 2025 – 30:41
  • Introducing: The Copernic Affair
    Jan 22, 2025 – 3:35
  • Trump Almost Forgot to Bully Us
    Jan 21, 2025 – 38:12
  • Interview With a Young Lefty
    Jan 14, 2025 – 33:26
  • The Long Goodbye: Trudeau’s Not Gone Yet
    Jan 7, 2025 – 27:01
  • Payday Loans: the Cost of Being Poor
    Dec 24, 2024 – 23:30
  • The Undoing of Justin Trudeau
    Dec 17, 2024 – 21:24
  • Interview with a Conservative Bro
    Dec 10, 2024 – 27:59
  • Does Trudeau Know How to Deal with Trump?
    Dec 3, 2024 – 31:00
  • The Government Deadlock Nobody Knows About
    Nov 26, 2024 – 31:42
  • Danielle Smith's All You Can Eat Alberta-Style Freedom
    Nov 19, 2024 – 34:57
  • UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, the Canadaland Interview
    Nov 12, 2024 – 35:53
  • How Canadian Voters Could Sway the U.S. Election
    Nov 5, 2024 – 36:47
  • Trudeau, Trump, Poilievre, Harris: What Do Voters Even Want?
    Oct 29, 2024 – 29:30
  • India’s “Horrific Mistake” in Canada
    Oct 22, 2024 – 36:08
  • B.C.’s Batsh*t Election
    Oct 15, 2024 – 30:01
  • Trump Says Canada Doesn’t Pull Its Weight in NATO—He’s Right
    Oct 8, 2024 – 33:43
  • Canada's Gutless Palestine Policy
    Oct 1, 2024 – 35:21
  • Parliament is Back and More Childish Than Ever
    Sep 24, 2024 – 41:16
  • Introducing The Worst Podcast
    Sep 12, 2024 – 2:37
  • What Trudeau's Housing Minister Has to Say for Himself
    Sep 10, 2024 – 30:22
  • Politics and Violent Threats: It’s Getting Worse
    Aug 27, 2024 – 38:13
  • How Poilievre Will Win YOUR Vote
    Aug 13, 2024 – 44:43
  • Can Kamala Save Canada from Trump?
    Jul 30, 2024 – 42:52
  • Introducing: The Secret Life of Canada | Sorry not Sorry
    Jul 2, 2024 – 33:12
  • Introducing A Field Guide to Gay Animals
    Jun 20, 2024 – 42:47
  • The Spy Who Loved MPs
    Jun 18, 2024 – 47:07
  • Flip-Flopping on Decriminalization
    Jun 4, 2024 – 41:46
  • Stop, Students What’s That Sound
    May 21, 2024 – 1:02:00
  • Introducing Pretendians
    May 14, 2024 – 14:54
  • Canada’s Exploited Foreign Workers Program
    May 7, 2024 – 51:59
  • Conservative Comic-Con
    Apr 23, 2024 – 42:58
  • State of Emergency Rooms
    Apr 9, 2024 – 27:58
  • The Convoy Keeps Rolling
    Mar 26, 2024 – 54:55
Recent Reviews
  • Diganta
    Energetic and "Funny" in its way
    You need to be a bit prepared to listen and enjoy it. Also, keep in mind that the hosts and the panelists are nor "average" Canadians but with significant lean to the left but they are open about it. For a political and policy junkie, it was a joy to hear an informed, passionate group of panelists covering the areas of coalition politics, development of policies, federal issues with the relationship with provinces, and above all, the complexity of implementation with many agencies involved.
  • The Actual Rapper Cam'Ron
    2?
    ...is all they did?
  • lazarillo de tucson
    Interesting perspectives
    A good listen.
  • hammett
    Love these two!
    Their dynamic is hilarious and the conversation light and informative. Btw guys, QC exists and you should give it some attention too. Overall, two thumbs up!
  • torontoelite416
    unparalleled coverage; unseasoned hosts
    Insightful commentary that provides perspective on Canadian politics from different parts of the country. This political diversity is not available from any other source in Canada. However, it needs to be clear on what its "vision" is. As an "opposition" show it raises some good discussions between Ms. Gerson and Mr. Ling, however every time one talks over the other (or, for example, a guest, like Ms. Gerson did throughout the most recent episode), it becomes impossible to understand. They are both intelligent and articulate, but both could benefit from some kind of radio training. This COULD be is a sound-mixing problem, but I think it's something that just doesn't work for this medium
  • Dissatisfied with grabcar...
    A Coup for Canadaland
    Jen Gerson is just about the sharpest national political commentator these days so it’s a huge coup that Canadaland was able to bring her into their podcast network. Only thing I don’t get is the initial “oppositional” format between Jen and Justin. I don’t get why they play this up in the title and opening sequence. OPPO is not a “crosstalk”-style, oppose-for-the-sake-of-opposition show, and that’s good!
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