In Bed with the Elephant
Hosted by former CBC journalist Adrian Harewood, In Bed with the Elephant is a podcast for people who are passionate about ideas, and crave conversation and debate. Each week, Adrian (now a journalism professor at Carleton University) interviews a guest, or guests, with special knowledge and a unique perspective on what’s happening in Canada — and around the world. The goal is to enlighten and entertain, and we’ll talk about everything. From politics to sports, and from land grabs to trade wars. We will tackle big, uncomfortable questions, and wrestle with taboos. We will disrupt preconceptions and challenge convention. We will transport you to distant lands each week, and bring you home again. Welcome to a podcast that always tackles the elephant in the room. Ricochet Media, an award-winning non-profit outlet known for public-service journalism, is the producer of this podcast. Our funding comes from readers and listeners like you, and charitable foundations. We want to hear from you! Send us your feedback to editor@ricochet.media. Who would you like to hear on the show?
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Episodes
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Our guest today is Andrew Johnston, a professor of late 19th and 20th Century US History at Carleton University in Ottawa. He’s a specialist in imperialism and foreign relations, liberalism and pluralism in American social thought, and the history of international thought.
Donald Trump’s second presidency has already been a game changer. His brazen public statements about his desire to annex Canada and slap tariffs on imports entering the US from Canada seems to have fundamentally altered the nature of the Canada – US relationship. Transforming perhaps for all time, the way Canadians see their American neighbors and possibly transforming the way Canadians understand themselves.
For most of the last century Canadians have imagined the United States as a friendly neighbour, a vital trading partner, a trusted ally. And yet in mere months the ground has shifted under Canadians’ feet. Join us for this episode of In Bed with the Elephant hosted by Adrian Harewood.
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Stephen Maher is an award winning columnist and investigative reporter who has writtenfor Postmedia News, iPolitics, and Maclean’s. His most recentbook is called The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau tellsthe story of one of the more tumultuous prime ministerial tenures inCanadian history.
In early January 2025, Canada’s federal Conservatives seemed headedfor a landslide victory in the upcoming election.Polls suggested the party led by Pierre Poilievre was in the lead by asmany as 20 percentage points over the incumbent Liberals.But then Canadian politics took a turn.
In February, US President Donald Trump started belittling Canada’sPrime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him Governor.
He then raised alarm bells by brazenly threatening Canada’s economyand its sovereignty, vowing to slap tariffs on Canadian goods enteringthe US market and stating his intention to annex his northern neighbourand make it the 51 st state.
In March, the unpopular Trudeau, in power for 9 years, finally steppeddown as Prime Minister and Liberal leader and was replaced by MarkCarney former Governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England.Canada is now in the middle of an election campaign and polls are nowpointing towards a Liberal victory. Some suggest the Mark Carney ledGrits could even win a majority. It’s a remarkable change of fortune forthe once beleaguered party.
Adrian Harewood sits down with Stephen to discuss the 2025 Federal Election