February 11, 2025
SHARE
The Backbench
#117 Man of Steel, Nation of Bloat
The government hired 110,000 workers over the past 10 years, did we get 110,000 times more efficient?
Noor Azrieh
Producer
Aviva Lessard
Senior Producer
Sam Konnert
Producer
Caleb Thompson
Audio Editor
Jesse Brown
Host & Publisher

The government hired 110,000 workers over the past 10 years, did we get 110,000 times more efficient? It doesn’t look like it, but veteran public servant Michael Wernick breaks it all down for Noor. 

 

And, yes folks, we’re talking about tariffs again, because Donald Trump enacted a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, with NO exceptions. Plus, our nominations for Fentanyl Czar, and the defamation case against Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman, CIJA, and Ezra Levant.

 

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Michael Wernick

 

Background reading:

 

Sponsors: 

Take action at remoteworks.ca today to support a future of work that benefits everyone. 

 

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

More from this series
Canada is deep in the trenches of a trade war with the United States
March 11, 2025
For the first time since 2021, the Liberals are beating the Conservatives in a recent poll.
March 4, 2025
The Arctic is quickly becoming the center of a geopolitical shitstorm.
February 25, 2025
Jagmeet Singh has taken a lot of shit: his nice watch, his ambivalence on taking down the Liberals, and of course his polling. But he says he’s not giving up. He says he’s here to win.
February 18, 2025
The government hired 110,000 workers over the past 10 years, did we get 110,000 times more efficient?
February 11, 2025
A trade war is bad, but some businesses might fare better than others.
February 4, 2025
When Justin Trudeau stepped down earlier this month, it should have been the perfect opportunity for Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to swing the narrative. To seize control.
January 28, 2025
Donald Trump’s back, but Canada is STILL divided on how to respond.
January 21, 2025
all podcasts arrow All Podcasts
The Backbench