Canada Calls Trump’s Bluff (#572)
Summary
The hosts discuss William Shatner’s enduring curiosity at 95, a trip to Montreal highlighting Quebec’s cultural shifts and the US-Canada trade war, and the diplomatic fallout from Trump’s tariffs. They critique J.D. Vance’s rhetoric on Canada and analyze how protectionist policies damage cross-border economic integration and human relationships. The episode also touches on Sanna Marin and the hosts’ new newsletter.
Topics discussed
Intro, poutine, and catching up with guests
William Shatner interview highlights and anecdotes
Shatner's Star Trek habits and 5th Column updates
Trade war tensions, Quebec separatism, and hockey stories
US-Canada trade relations, tariffs, and economic interdependence
Tourism decline, political delusion, and Vance's trade views
Political predictions, Iran policy, and negotiation blunders
Tucker Carlson, Putin, and Richard E. Grant film discussion
Assassination theories, antisemitism, and political rhetoric
Zohran Mamdani, religious language, and NYC politics
Immigration rhetoric, demographics, and far-right politics
Listen ad-free on Castria