EP 57: Shopomania

With the Canadian federal election now underway, we’re going to have a lot of political content for you in coming weeks. But today, we wanted to change things up a bit and bring you a lighter story about books — and how hard it is these days to find bookstores that stock a range of different perspectives. Our guest on today’s program argues that booksellers are locked in a moral contract with their clientele, and it’s resulted in a narrowing of the titles on offer. Ann Bauer is an American es...

28 Mar 202529min

After much speculation, Prime Minister Mark Carney has called a snap spring election, and Canadians will be heading to the polls on April 28. To kick off Lean Out’s special election coverage, we bring you a conversation with a veteran Canadian journalist about the unusual moment the country is in — and why, in his view, the current disconnect between the federal government and voters is a once in a generation occurrence. Tom Korski is the managing editor of Blacklock’s Reporter, an Ottawa-bas...

26 Mar 202523min

In the wake of President Trump’s executive order on DEI, debates in America have renewed a conversation around DEI in this country. And while the baseline value of greater inclusion is one that many of us share, some DEI programs have proven controversial. Our guest on this bonus episode is the author of a recent report that dives into DEI practices in Canadian federal granting agencies — and asks if they impede political and ideological neutrality and research excellence. Dave Snow is ...

20 Mar 202528min

With Mark Carney in his first week in office as Canada’s new Prime Minister, the Justin Trudeau era is quickly fading in the rearview mirror. But before we move on, it’s important to take stock of what went on in this country during Trudeau’s tenure. Our guest on today’s program says it is time for a national conversation about Trudeau’s legacy. And, in his words, “it’s not flattering.” Andrew Potter is a Canadian author, and an associate professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at M...

19 Mar 202525min

Regular listeners of the show will recognize the name Aaron Pete. He’s a talented young broadcaster from B.C. who has guest hosted Lean Out from time to time. Last month Aaron invited Tara on his show, the Bigger Than Me podcast, to discuss some of the hot-button issues from the past few years, and how the Canadian media has handled them. Tara enjoyed their conversation so much that we are going to share it with you here today, in this special episode of the program, where we turn the tables ...

12 Mar 20251h 2min

On Monday night, American legislation to ban transgender athletes from women’s and girls’ sports in schools was blocked in the Senate. The topic was a sleeper issue in the American election — with polling showing public support for sports participation based on biological sex. Today on the program, in an episode recorded ahead of the Senate vote, we ask why some feminists have backed Trump, in conversation with a British author and columnist who argues that Trump has actually done much to adv...

5 Mar 202538min

One of the themes of the Lean Out podcast is the breakdown of trust between men and women. For a marker of this rupture, we need only look to declining marriage rates. Our guest on today’s program has penned a new book about the institution of marriage, making the case that we should reconsider its benefits — not just for individual health and happiness, but for overall societal good. Andrea Mrozek is a senior fellow at Cardus Family. With Peter Jon Mitchell, she’s written a new book titled I...

26 Feb 202533min

This week, we're changing things up, here at Lean Out. We are pleased to be able to bring you an episode of Tara's new media criticism podcast with The Hub. Her co-hosts are Harrison Lowman, managing editor of The Hub, and Peter Menzies, a former newspaper executive. On this show, they discuss an interview with the new president of the CBC, the use of anonymous sources in Canadian media — and why some women may object to being referred to as “pregnant people.” Enjoy! You can find Tara H...

19 Feb 202539min