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PODCAST

Politics Is Broken

Canadian and Global Politics, Unspun.Politics is messy, loud, and usually full of nonsense. Politics Is Broken takes all that chaos, filters it through a Canadian sense of humour, and hands it back in a way that actually makes sense. Hosted by Brittlestar (Stewart Reynolds) and Lisa B., it’s smart, funny, and just irreverent enough to make the news bearable. www.brittlestar.com

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All Episodes

52:34

Red Hats, Red Tape, and Blue Jays

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/10/26

Big week. Trump’s thrown his toys out of the NAFTA crib, a Canadian MP’s doing his best Charlie Kirk cosplay, and the Blue Jays are suddenly making us believe in something again -which, frankly, is dangerous. Today we’re asking whether American-style politics can actually work here, what ‘ending trade talks’ really means when your biggest customer lives next door, and whether baseball can unite a country that mostly only watches it when we’re winning.The video version of this podcast is only

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46:14

Good Deeds, Bad Motives?

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/10/19

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Brittlestar & Lisa dive into the strange world of good deeds done for all the wrong reasons. From Trump’s ego-fueled Abraham Accords to Doug Ford’s reluctant wins, the crew asks: do motives matter if the results are good?They explore how history’s biggest breakthroughs — from Nixon’s China gamble to Caravaggio’s murderous genius — often came from messy, selfish, or downright awful intentions

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51:00

Carney’s Pivot (?) : Climate, Energy & the Service...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/10/05

Mark Carney built his reputation as the climate banker who’d and help save the planet. Now, as Prime Minister, he’s scrapped the carbon tax, fast-tracked oil exports, and promised “balanced growth.” Gas is cheaper, Alberta’s smiling, but Canada’s services economy — where most people actually work — is shrinking fast. This week, we dig into whether Carney’s pivot is pragmatic politics during turbulent times and tariffs - or a slow-motion betrayal. Can a “dual-energy” Canada work when the climate math

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52:40

Safety, Surveillance, and the BritCard Mirage

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/09/28

Britain promised kids would be safe online. Instead, Instagram “teen accounts” are still full of self-harm content, while Keir Starmer pushes a shiny new digital ID — the so-called “BritCard.” Stewart and Lisa dig into why protections for kids don’t work, how governments keep selling surveillance as safety, and why Canada’s patchwork approach might actually be a blessing. Plus: Politics & the Pen, stolen water glasses, and a very blush-worthy Sean Fraser story

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55:30

Is Canada More Free Than the USA?

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/09/21

Kimmel’s FCC suspension vs. Canada’s CRTC: which country is actually more free? Brittlestar & Lisa B dig into political speech, CanCon, and why the algorithm might be the real censor.Topics: Kimmel/FCC suspension, political speech vs. hate-speech limits, CRTC & discoverability, Canada vs. U.S. free expression, algorithms as gatekeepers.Contact: politicsisbrokenpodcast@gmail.com

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47:12

Elizabeth May on Carney, Kirk, and Keeping Canada Sane

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/09/14

Green Party leader Elizabeth May joins us to unpack the fallout from Charlie Kirk’s murder, Michelle Rempel Garner’s call for Carney to speak up, and whether Canada risks following America’s path. Plus: PM Mark Carney... has his honeymoon already ended?

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51:42

PROJECT CARNEY MEETS THE STUPID AGE

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/09/07

The Liberals invited the author of Project 2025 to a cabinet meeting… and then acted surprised when he ghosted them. Meanwhile, a U.S. DOJ official spilled Epstein file gossip on a Hinge date. In this episode, we ask: why do smart people keep engaging with loud idiots, and is Mark Carney just realizing what the rest of us already know?Video version at Brittlestar.com

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55:18

Starting Over… Duo-Tangs, Teachers, and Tariffs

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/08/31

This one’s the inaugural Politics Is Broken with me and Lisa B… and Owen briefly fighting the intro music. Very professional. Very us.It’s National Payroll Week (Sept 15–19). Share your best payday story with #PowerOfPayroll and #Contest, tag National Payroll Institute, and you could win a $250 prepaid card. Every eligible post also triggers a donation to Food Banks Canada—good deeds with prize potential. Enter!In this episodeThe Power of Payroll: Real people make paydays happen. Let’s celebrate

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61:42

The Return of Pierre Poilievre, The Departure of...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/08/24

It's never easy to say goodbye - and saying hello again to Poilievre isn't so fun either. Thank you for everything, Steve! This week, Brittlestar, Steve and Lisa talk the Air Canada strike coming to an end, the return of Pierre Poilievre, schmoozers in Ottawa, and more! Post your story on Instagram or TikTok with #PowerOfPayroll and #Contest, tag @nationalpayrollinst, and you could win a $250 prepaid credit card. Plus, for every post with those hashtags, NPI donates $1 to Food Banks Canada – up to

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48:42

MUELLER, SHE WROTE! 150 Canadians held in custody,...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/08/17

This week we're joined by the incredible Alison Gill, a.k.a. Mueller, She Wrote! Allison also has her own fantastic podcasts, The Daily Bean, and JACK: A Special Counsel Podcast, to talk Canadians held in ICE custody, and the National Guard in D.C., Oh - also, the sandwich guy.Post your story on Instagram or TikTok with #PowerOfPayroll and #Contest, tag @nationalpayrollinst, and you could win a $250 prepaid credit card. Plus, for every post with those hashtags, NPI donates $1 to Food Banks Canada –

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49:46

Trump & Putin Ask for Pets, a New Gender Policy,...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/08/10

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Stewart, Lisa, and Steve attempt to make it all make sense. It's not going well.This week on Podcast Is Broken, Brittlestar, Lisa, and Steve spiral into bread-cutting conspiracies, a Danish 'Wackadoo-Zoo' (Lisa's words) for their predators. Along the way: a man gets caught kayaking into Canada like it’s an Olympic event, Mexico’s president gives Canada the politest cold shoulder, and Trump and Putin plan a tension-filled meet-up.Post your story on Instagram or TikTok

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54:58

Waggly Bits, Trudeau & Katy Perry, and Spent Fowl Fraud

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/08/03

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Stewart, Lisa, and Steve attempt to make sense of Canadian politics and news… and fail spectacularly but hilariously. Topics include:Justin Trudeau’s dinner date with Katy Perry’s dog (yes, really)Alberta flirting with leaving Canada (again)Spent fowl fraud at the border (no, we didn’t make that up)A mysterious “Blue Hackle Mafia” in the Canadian militaryAnd why driving a trailer on Calgary’s Deerfoot is basically a live-action video game.Plus, our “Make It Make

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65:01

Elizabeth May Tells All (Rerelease)

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/07/27

We're off this week for Summer holidays - so please enjoy a rerelease of one of our favourite episodes! - An interview with the one, the only, the dynamo Leader of the Green Party of Canada - Elizabeth May.May dishes the dirt on Poilievre still not getting his security clearance and tells us what Trump can do with his 51st State talk.The video version of this podcast is only available to paid subscribers. The audio version is free here and on podcast platforms. We love all subscribers

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62:26

Teen Voters, RoboTaxis & Landlord Nightmares: Welcome...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/07/20

This week on Podcast Is Broken, Steve’s off-grid, probably dodging wildfires and responsibilities, so Brittlestar and Lisa are joined by the one and only Amber Mac—tech expert, podcast host, and now… game show contestant? Together, they tackle three confusingly mashed-up headlines in the “Make It Make Sense” game, covering everything from interstellar comets and robo-taxis to a landlord's worst nightmare in PEI.They debate whether 16-year-olds should vote (spoiler: probably), if robot cars will

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42:28

Robot Hitler, Cat Suits, and the Cosmic Owl: Make It...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/07/13

This week on Podcast Is Broken, things start weird and spiral from there. We talk cat-print suits, heatstroke-induced hallucinations, and how Belize has (somehow?) made us the #2 podcast in the nation. Steve and Lisa go head-to-head in Make It Make Sense, decoding Frankenstein headlines like “Orcas Threaten Rogers Stadium During Chocolate Recall as AI Chatbot Praises Hitler” — yes, that’s real. Plus: duct tape armour, haunted stadiums, Guelph’s empty hotels, mini-fridge warfare, and the ethics of

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45:35

Make It Make Sense: Our New Game About the News (Yes,...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/07/06

This week, we debut our new game Make It Make Sense—where real Canadian news headlines get mashed into chaotic word salads and Lisa and Steve try to untangle what actually happened. A goat causes highway mayhem, processed meats get cancelled, and the Pope revives an old vacation spot. Also: AI scams, boa constrictors, dishwasher disasters, and why nobody in the UK seems to own a dryer. It’s part quiz show, part news roundup, part fever dream.Who won the game? Who lost faith in humanity? And what

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10:18

The Ford Family Fury: Netflix Doc Revives Toronto's...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/07/05

Rob Ford is back in the spotlight nearly a decade after his death, and Doug isn't happy about it. Netflix’s new documentary Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem dives deep into the chaos that defined his wild ride as Toronto’s mayor.Farah Nasser swings by to talk about what the documentary gets right (and what it doesn’t), and shares a shocking moment when she came face to face with the Ford brothers at the height of Rob's powers.

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13:46

The Middle East Maelstrom: Trump Tries for...

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/07/03

After days of escalating strikes, including reports of U.S. hits on Iranian nuclear sites, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce a 'phased ceasefire' between Iran and Israel. Also, he cussed them out on TV. oh good.Farah Nasser joins to unpack the chaos, the diplomacy, and why Truth Social may be more influential than the U.N. right now.

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18:31

Nenshi's New Seat: Alberta NDP Leader Wins By-Election

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/07/01

Naheed Nenshi is in the house. The former Calgary mayor just steamrolled a by-election in Edmonton Strathcona. It’s a major flex for the NDP and sets the stage for a showdown with Premier Danielle Smith when the legislature fires back up this fall.Special guest Farah Nasser drops in to talk about what Nenshi’s win means for Alberta politics, and shares some of her behind-the-scenes experiences with Danielle Smith.

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30:55

Canada's New NATO Pledge: Billions for Defence!

Politics Is Broken ·

2025/06/29

Special guest Farah Nasser joins this week to discuss Canada’s massive leap in NATO defence spending, Trump’s abrupt trade freeze with Canada over the digital services tax, and how Truth Social may be more powerful than the U.N. Farah shares her unforgettable personal encounter with Trump, and Steve talks about material conditions, classic.

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65 results

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