We may be on the cusp of a deal between Iran and the U.S., as both sides appear to be losing interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed. But is this merely a ceasefire extension, with Iran’s nuclear program deferred to future negotiations?

If Iran ultimately gives up its enriched uranium, it will be seen as a win for Trump — but at a steep cost: Iran will have demonstrated that control over the Strait of Hormuz can effectively deter the world’s superpower. Rudyard argues that maintaining great-power status requires sacrifice to restore deterrence, something the current U.S. administration seems unwilling to do. Can America remain a great power without paying that price?

In the second half of the show, Rudyard and Janice discuss the Pope’s encyclical letter released this week — with one of Anthropic’s co-founders in attendance — in which he warned about AI’s threat to humanity. The Pope emphasized the dignity of work and cautioned that using AI to eliminate human labor is deeply misguided and anti-human. Are governments around the world prepared for the disruption that’s coming?

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special podcast episode, we are sharing the opening statements from the Munk Debate on Foreign Wars, which took place this past Wednesday May 20th in front of a packed crowd at Toronto's Meridian Hall.

Against the backdrop of America's war with Iran — and after nearly three decades of disastrous Middle East interventions — the debate asked whether the U.S. should continue intervening abroad, and what that means for the future of global order.

The resolution was: Be it resolved, don't go hunting monsters. 

Arguing against the motion was Mike Pompeo, 70th U.S. Secretary of State, former Director of the CIA, and four-term U.S. Congressman. He was joined by Victoria Nuland, whose 35-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service includes roles as Acting Deputy Secretary of State, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, and U.S. Ambassador to NATO. Arguing in favour of the motion were two former Munk Debaters and the world's leading proponents of U.S. foreign policy restraint: John Mearsheimer, the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and Stephen Walt, Professor of International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School.

Find out how to watch the full debate at www.munkdebates.com

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rudyard and Janice open the show with news of the Spring 2026 Munk mainstage debate: Be it resolved, don't go hunting monsters. A timely debate on competing interventionist and restraint-based approaches to foreign policy now contending for dominance in the halls of power. Rudyard and Janice move on to the Iran war and the shaky ceasefire that Trump has extended despite Iran's attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. With the Strait now closed, this has become an economic war and an endurance test: which country can withstand the pain longer? This is the single largest energy shock the modern world has ever seen that will bring about significant inflation. How will inflation further radicalize populist movements and destabilize governments around the globe? In the back half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to upcoming trade talks between Canada and the US. PM Carney is warning Canadians that there is a bumpy road ahead and concessions will need to be made that will likely yield a scaled down agreement with a narrower scope. Rudyard suggests that despite Trump's animosity towards our country, Canadians would be wise to accept that our economic interest lies in a better trade relationship with the U.S. over diversification overseas. Carney should consider delaying any concessions until the midterms and restart negotiations in November with a politically weakened president.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice open today's show with the fast developing and worrying situation between India and Pakistan. What started in the long disputed territory of Kashmir has expanded into strikes along the border shared by these two nuclear powers. As Janice argues, when the global policeman (the U.S.) retires from the job local leaders take advantage of the vacuum in leadership. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to this week's meeting between Mark Carney and Donald Trump. Both had mixed feelings about the meeting: while it was friendly and relaxed in nature, and we are in a better place than we were when Trudeau was negotiating with Trump, there were no concrete outcomes from this meeting that benefit Canadians. Ultimately, many of our most important sectors are facing a massive slowdown because the Trump administration is not interested in the core products like cars and steel that were once central to the Canada-US relationship.

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice open today's show with their key takeaway from the Canadian election: Mark Carney's functional minority was delivered to him by the Boomers who want to protect their assets and wealth accumulation, often at the expense of the younger generation who are faced with poor job prospects and an inflated housing market. Governments need to address these conflicting demographic interests and provide a pathway to financial security for our young people. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to the ongoing nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran. The new agreement being discussed is very similar to Obama's JCPOA, a deal that Trump backed out of in his first term in office.  Why does Trump want to pursue a deal with Iran at the expense of the security of their close ally Israel? How are the Saudis influencing Trump's foreign policy in the Middle East? And will Israel be forced to go against Trump and strike Iran's nuclear facilities on their own?

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Coyne is a Globe and Mail Columnist and one of Canada's most trusted commentators. On this Munk Dialogue Andrew and host Rudyard Griffiths unpack Canada's election results and where the parties and provinces go from here: now that they have sidelined the People's Party, can the Conservatives appeal to the centre? Will there be a surge in separatist sentiment in Alberta and Saskatchewan? And after the resounding defeat of the NDP, will Canada become a two-party system? Rudyard and Andrew also try to make sense of why young people skewed Conservative while Boomers supported the Liberals. How should we understand this demographic reversal of traditional voting habits?

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice open the show with the Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal put forward by the Trump administration that would recognize Crimea as a Russian territory, deny NATO membership to Ukraine, and give Moscow control of 20 percent of Ukrainian territory in the Donbas region. This is a huge capitulation to Russia that doesn't provide any security guarantees to Ukraine. So why is Putin dragging his feet in accepting these generous terms?

In the second part of the show Rudyard and Janice reflect on the Canadian election campaign which will come to a close on Monday as voters head to the polls. Because so much focus has been paid to the Canada-US relationship, so many other important issues relating to the economy, productivity, immigration and housing have been ignored. Have we overreacted to the Trump threat while failing to address the very real challenges at home?

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Coyne is a Globe and Mail Columnist and one of Canada's most trusted commentators. He joins host Rudyard Griffiths to discuss how the Conservative Party's anti-Trudeau messaging undermined their ability to provide Canadians with an appealing platform in an election that doesn't include the former PM. Mark Carney, meanwhile, is acting like a grownup in charge when a crisis hits, even though his big spending promises suggest he's not the blue liberal many centre-right Canadians had hoped. Rudyard and Andrew also talk about Trump's threats to fire US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, and why the independent authority of central banks is so integral to the functioning of democracies.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice open the show with last night's Canadian English language leaders' debate. Rudyard thinks that Pierre Poilievre looked prime ministerial for the first time in this campaign, while Mark Carney showed a calmness and dexterity for someone with limited political experience. Bottom line: it was a good night for both leaders but it won't move the needle much. Furthermore, it's past time to rethink how the leaders' debate commission conducts election debates which fail to test leaders to the benefit of undecided voters. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice talk about Trump's very combative and controversial week: defying the courts and America's commitment to due process for illegal immigrants, a fight with Harvard University which could have broad implications on universities across the US, and his public condemnation of Jerome Powell, the chair of the US federal reserve, because he doesn't like the bank's restrictive rates and the inflationary threat they represent. Trump's willingness to engage in public battles and ignore basic laws signal an unconstrained chaos with no end in sight.

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Coyne is a Globe and Mail Columnist and one of Canada's most trusted commentators. He joins us for a far reaching conversation about how the Liberal Party went from having no hope in this election to being the frontrunner, and how the widespread anti-elite sentiment in Canada has been affected by erratic policies south of the border. Andrew and Rudyard then turn their attention to the man pushing these disastrous policies: Donald Trump. Are we witnessing a decline in mental health and increase in erratic behaviour due to his advanced age?

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice open the show talking about the escalating trade war between the US and China. The pace and magnitude of this growing dispute is destabilizing the global economy and forcing both countries down a dangerous path. Instead of talking to China about trade, Trump should be talking to Xi about growing domestic consumption in China so that their exports don't destroy foreign industries. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice predict how this trade dispute will play out: which leader will blink first? Is there another leader - an ally of both countries - who can step in to resolve this? and how will China react to the strangling of their economy? On this point they both agree: we are in a dangerous and unstable period in history, and Donald Trump is the most erratic decision maker that has ever been in charge of a nuclear power.

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice open the show with Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements and specifically China's response: a punishing 34% countervailing tax on all imports from the US. Is this the start of a more dangerous moment between these two adversaries? President Trump is about to find out how vulnerable the US is to China, and how easy it is to start an economic war but how hard it is to end it. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn their attention to Canada, which was conspicuously absent from Trump's Wednesday tariff announcement. What can we expect when CUSMA - our free trade agreement with the US - gets renegotiated after the election?

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode we are joined by Stephen Wertheim, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University, to discuss the likelihood of US military strikes on Iran, America's Greenland annexation plans, and Chinese military drills off the coast of Taiwan. 

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The historic Israel-Lebanon ceasefire announced this week is the result of a direct conversation between the President of Lebanon and the Prime Minister of Israel. And yet, this deal was brokered by the U.S. against the wishes of Bibi Netanyahu as it has impeded Israel's ability to push Hezbollah back from its border. Coupled with the halting of the Iran war - and being excluded from that negotiating table - the events of the past few weeks have resulted in a political and strategic defeat for Israel. What effect will this have on Netanyahu's standing ahead of the next election in Israel? And are these unfavourable outcomes the result of growing daylight between Washington and Jerusalem? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to Canadian domestic politics and the Liberals securing a majority rule via floor crossings and by-elections. Why are we seeing an unprecedented exodus of MPs to the Liberals? Is there something more going on behind the scenes? And how will this growing collapse of party loyalty and the bonds of party affiliation weaken our democracy?

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice open the show with Trump's announcement of auto tariffs which, coupled with the tariffs on steel and aluminum, could cripple the Canadian car sector. Instead of doubling down on a dying industry which is bound to the US, why not invest in an industry like mining that we export to the rest of the world? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn their attention to Israel, where a budget victory for Bibi has bought him 18 months until the next election. Can he free himself from the right wing ideologues in his coalition? Or will this new sense of security galvanize him to continue prosecuting the war in Gaza?

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are airing a special edition of the Munk Debates Podcast—a rebroadcast of a classic debate that launched our series on the world stage. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and the late Christopher Hitchens - an avowed atheist - debating the motion Be it resolved, religion is a force for good in the world.

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

With a Canadian election just around the corner, Rudyard and Janice agree that the most important question on the ballot is who is the best candidate to see Canada through this unprecedented period of economic warfare with the Trump administration. Rudyard thinks the outcome of this election could reveal cracks in the Canadian electorate that threaten the unity of this country. A win for Mark Carney could re-ignite Alberta's sovereign ambitions and ruin the Conservative Party. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice discuss Trump's interview this week with Laura Ingraham where he presents a deranged understanding of America and its relationship with Canada. Are we in a King George situation with a leader that has no inhibition, no guardrails, and no grand strategy? 

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode we're joined by Bernie Sanders's former presidential campaign manager Jeff Weaver and Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel to debate the biggest news stories of the week.

The host of this episode is Ricki Gurwitz

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice begin today's show trying to make sense of Trump's tariff policy. Rudyard argues that Trump is not concerned with stock market losses if it means keeping promises to his voter base and reworking the American economy so it benefits blue collar workers, but tariffs are not going to bring their jobs back and will end up making everyone poorer.

On the second half of the show Ruydyard and Janice turn to Canadian politics and the election of Mark Carney as Liberal Party leader, thus becoming Prime Minister of Canada. As much as we criticize politics in the US, here we have a PM who does not have a parliamentary seat, was not elected by the Canadian public, and is now representing Canada on the world stage. Meanwhile Canada's premiers are stepping in to negotiate trade deals with Washington while Ottawa takes a backseat. What is happening here?

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Trump's trade policies and US protectionism bring economic gains to the middle and working class?

On this episode we hear from two people with vastly different perspectives:  President Biden's former economic advisor Jared Bernstein, and American Compass Executive Director Oren Cass, whose thinking on these issues have influenced a number of younger Republican politicians such as Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley and most importantly, Vice President J.D. Vance.

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice start today's show discussing a New York Times article which details a phone conversation between Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump, during which it is seriously suggested by the Americans that the two countries revise the boundary that separates them. Trump wants access to our resources, including water and critical minerals. Let's call this what it is: an old fashioned imperialist attempt by a superior power to exploit and extract resources from a weaker country. Coupled with the constant threat of tariffs, Trump's long term plan is to weaken us and then annex us. Janice and Rudyard agree: we are at economic war and this is a defining moment for our country. It's time to reorganize, embrace our national pride, and not let this crisis go to waste.

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Janice and Rudyard react to the shocking Oval Office press conference between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump. Was Zelensky's decision to respond in kind to Trump's aggression a smart move? Zelensky showed great courage, but did he make gains for his country? 

In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to Canada which is facing another tariff threat from the US, a liberal leadership race coming to a close, and a possible election call in the coming days. How has Donald Trump's erratic and aggressive behaviour influenced polls in Canada and who voters see as the best candidate to manage this turbulent period?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harvard Kennedy School's Stephen Walt and the McCain Institute's Executive Director Evelyn Farkas join us to debate and discuss what a good peace deal for Ukraine would look like, Russia's imperialist ambitions, and how Trump's reverence towards strongmen like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are remaking the world order and challenging America's longstanding alliances. 

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start the show by talking about Donald Trump's personal attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Are business opportunities in Russia causing the US to abandon its allies and European partners? The long term consequence of this - depriving the US of any legitimacy among Democratic states - is catastrophic. Rudyard and Janice then turn to Taiwan and the South China Sea where Xi Jinping is taking advantage of USAID's closure to leverage Chinese money and gain influence abroad. In the absence of American power and pressure, can the Chinese leader get the territory he has long sought without military force?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to recent floor crossings and last night's by-election, the Liberal Party now has a majority government and a 15 point favourability lead that has unnerved and divided the Conservatives. Should MPs be able to cross the floor at their will? Andrew argues that public officials crossing over from the opposition to the governing body should seek permission from their constituents. What is the fate and future of the NDP and Conservatives in this new political environment? Meanwhile the Liberals now have time to rebuild the party and Mark Carney, with the confidence of the country, has the latitude to decide what direction he wants to go in. Will the PM use this new majority and political capital to finally address Canada's major crises - productivity, overregulation, lack of competition - that past leaders chose to ignore?

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special edition of the Munk Debates podcast, we are bringing you the best moments from the Munk Debate on media bias, which took place in the fall of 2020 in front of a crowd of 3,000 people at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall.

This is a debate that went viral on social media - it spoke to a vast number of people whose growing distrust in legacy media was finally being addressed. Recent polls show that one third of Americans have low confidence in the mainstream media, while another third distrust it altogether. Canadian polls show similar numbers.

How did we get to this point? Listen to this debate to find out.

Arguing in favour of the resolution, Be it Resolved, don't trust mainstream media, was the associate editor of The Spectator magazine, Fox News contributor, and bestselling author Douglas Murray. He was joined on stage by Substack publishing sensation, former Rolling Stone contributing editor, and investigative journalist, Matt Taibbi

Arguing against the resolution was the internationally acclaimed author, podcaster and veteran New Yorker staff writer, Malcolm Gladwell. His debate partner was Michelle Goldberg, New York Times columnist and MSNBC contributor.

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start the show by reacting to the big news announced by Trump's defense secretary this week: Russia gets to keep the Donbas border region, no pathway to membership, and no security guarantee from the US. While Putin's aggression is being rewarded, it's fair to say that we are witnessing the end of the liberal international order and the return of 19th century imperialism: the mighty do what they want, the weak do what they must. What lessons will China and Russia take away from America's abandonment of Ukraine? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to Canadian politics and how Trump's volatile first few weeks in office have influenced voters north of the border - specifically who Canadians view as the best leader to respond to threats from the US. Can Pollievre's disruptive agenda get support in this new political reality? Or is Mark Carney's calm, steady approach what Canadians are looking for?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle and Vox senior correspondent Zack Beachamp unpack President Trump's plans for Gaza, closing USAID, and what we can expect from a constitutional showdown between this administration and the courts.

The host of this Munk Dialogue is Rudyard Griffiths

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Executive Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start the show talking about President Trump reversing course on tariffs at the last minute. While some say this was all a negotiating tactic by creating confusion to get concessions from Canada and Mexico, others are more concerned that this is all a pretense to Trump 2.0's territorial ambitions.  Moreover, the damage done to the Canada-US bilateral relationship will have huge long term consequences. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn their attention to Trump's shocking plan for Gaza, reimagined as the Riviera on the Mediterranean as the Palestinians are relocated against their will. This plan, so utterly lacking in credibility, is an affront to Trump's entire voting base which wants to retreat from the world, not spend money on developing it. Even so, when a President says something, no matter how outrageous, there are consequences.

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liberal democracy has long been credited with the West's economic development, social tolerance, personal freedoms, and the rule of law.

And yet, in recent years, it's been blamed for everything from growing inequality, environmental degradation, political polarization, and cultural fragmentation. 

Its critics argue that liberalism's failure to meet the moment has fueled trust societies and given rise to populist movements in the US, England, France, Germany, and even Canada. Is it time for a new, animating ideology?

On this special edition of the Munk Debates podcast, we seek to answer this question featuring the best moments from the Munk Debate on the Crisis of Liberalism, which took place in the fall of 2023 in front of a sold out crowd of 3,000 people at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall.

The debate resolution was: Be it resolved, liberalism gets the big questions right

Arguing for the motion was the controversial former British M.P. and cabinet minister, Jacob Rees-Mogg. He was joined by the American writer and columnist who has shaped a generation's thinking on the important issues of our time: George F. Will.

Opposing the motion was U.K. journalist, self-avowed communist and popular leftist thinker, Ash Sarkar. Her debating partner was the disruptive and thought-provoking American social conservative, Sohrab Ahmari, author of the bestseller Tyranny Inc.: How Private Power Crushed American Liberty.

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The following is a special episode of Friday Focus featuring Janice and Rudyard in conversation with The Hub's editor-at-large Sean Speer. They discuss the impact of U.S. tariffs on Canada, the Canadian response to date and what could happen next. To access all of The Hub's latest analysis and insights on Trump's tariff on Canada and our response visit www.thehub.ca.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice dedicate the entire Friday Focus episode to Trump's announcement of high tariffs on Canadian goods, which are set to come into effect this Saturday February 1st. How will excluding oil and gas from these taxes fracture Canada's national unity and resolve in responding to this crisis? Should we match Trump's aggressiveness with retaliatory measures of our own, or strike a more conciliatory tone? And finally, Rudyard and Janice voice their frustration at the Liberal government's proposed stimulus package to soften this blow: haven't we learned from disastrous COVID spending that throwing money at problems will just create more problems? It's time to start thinking up creative and dynamic ways to strengthen our economy and navigate the country through this crisis without writing a blank check.  

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the first episode of our new series on politics and culture, Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle and Vox senior correspondent Zack Beachamp debate Elon Musk's embrace of far-right political parties, Trump's totalitarian impulses, and the end to DEI in government agencies.

The host of this Munk Dialogue is Rudyard Griffiths

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Executive Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start the show with the big international news of the week: A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that will suspend fighting and see the release of 33 Israeli hostages. Why now? and can it last? Rudyard and Janice then turn to the devastating LA fires and the astronomical cost of rebuilding without adequate insurance coverage. In Washington, Pete Hegseth breezed through US senate hearings to run the US Department of Defense. How does a man with no experience and a checkered past assume one of the most important and senior roles in government? Rudyard and Janice wrap up the show by anticipating what is to come on Monday when Trump takes office. Will his executive orders include a significant hike on tariffs for Canadian goods being exported into the US?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're a new parent, you've probably heard the term 'gentle parenting'. It's the latest trend that has taken hold among millennials who reject the authoritative principles under which they themselves were raised. This new, softer approach discourages consequences and punishments for bad behaviour in favour of positive reinforcement and a focus on the feelings and emotions which are driving bad behaviour. Proponents of gentle parenting argue that this approach is the most effective way to raise kids: emotionally-focused parenting raises calmer, happier children with increased self-esteem, emotional regulation, more empathy, and stronger parent-child relationships. Furthermore, research shows that kids who are frequently punished don't end up being better behaved. Gentle parenting's critics argue that this approach relies on emotion as a substitute for authority and does not prepare kids for the real world where actions have consequences. Too much emotional self-awareness in childhood has resulted in high rates of anxiety and depression in young adults who cannot put aside emotions in order to carry out basic daily tasks. 

Arguing in favour of the resolution is Sarah Ockwell Smith. Sarah is a well known parenting expert and popular childcare author, who is widely recognized as being the founder of the gentle parenting movement.

Arguing against the resolution is Anna Lussenburg, a professional child care and family intervention specialist.

The host of this Munk Debates podcast episode is Ricki Gurwitz.

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janice and Rudyard believe this war was a strategic defeat for the U.S. with Iran now in control of a chokepoint through which 25% of the world's energy flows. Is this the end of freedom of navigation in international waters? Iran is proposing a toll for passing through the Strait of Hormuz using cryptocurrency which could erode an important U.S. strategic chokepoint: the dollar's role as the world's reserve currency. Meanwhile America's major allies - NATO members, Asian countries and the Gulf States - have lost confidence in America's ability to protect them. How will China take advantage of America's strategic blunder? Can J.D. Vance use this conflict to advance his own political ambitions? And will the U.S. make serious concessions to Iran about tolls, sanctions, and enriched uranium? This week, geopolitics shifted beneath our feet—and it may mark the start of America's decline.

Thank you to this week's new curators Stephanie G and Suzanne L for making the full edition of this Friday Focus available to all paying and non-paying subscribers.

To beome a Munk Donor, Supporter, or Curator go to https://munkdebates.com/membership/

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start the show with the big international news of the week: A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that will suspend fighting and see the release of 33 Israeli hostages. Why now? and can it last? Rudyard and Janice then turn to the devastating LA fires and the astronomical cost of rebuilding without adequate insurance coverage. In Washington, Pete Hegseth breezed through US senate hearings to run the US Department of Defense. How does a man with no experience and a checkered past assume one of the most important and senior roles in government? Rudyard and Janice wrap up the show by anticipating what is to come on Monday when Trump takes office. Will his executive orders include a significant hike on tariffs for Canadian goods being exported into the US?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice dissect Donald Trump's comments about territorial expansion in Greenland, the Panama Canal, and even Canada. Is this part of an America First agenda? And how should Canada respond to an incoming U.S. President that does not take well to smaller countries standing up for themselves?  In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to the big news out of Ottawa this week: Justin Trudeau is stepping down as Prime Minister in March and proroguing Parliament until the party chooses a new leader. Who gets to vote in this contest? And why is Justin Trudeau sticking around during this process instead of stepping aside for an interim leader who is better equipped to take on the incoming Trump administration?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special edition of the Munk Debates podcast, host Rudyard Griffiths and managing director Ricki Gurwitz take listeners behind the scenes of our Munk Debate on anti-Zionism and explain the reasons behind cancellation of the autumn debate with RFK Jr. They also give a sneak peak into what to expect in 2025 with a revamped podcast and some exciting plans for our in person debates.

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths 

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice talk about what to expect in Ottawa in January: Trudeau's support in caucus has collapsed, MPs are speaking out, and Justin Trudeau could be stepping down as early as next week. Will the Liberals opt to prorogue Parliament for a leadership race? And how will a new party leader fare against Pierre Pollievre in a general election? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice reflect on the recent lone wolf terrorist attacks at a German Christmas Market and on the streets of New Orleans. Why is it so hard to protect innocent people against these assaults?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice discuss the latest political developments in Canada and look ahead to the big trends will dominate the headlines in 2025.

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Together, we shall write an American story of hope, not fear” Joe Biden proclaimed as he took his oath of office in January 2021. His supporters argue that what the President was able to accomplish in four years is nothing short of remarkable. They point to his success at passing the largest infrastructure program since the 1950's, expanding health care, enacting gun control legislation, and expanding NATO as incredible accomplishments that have cemented his legacy as a transformative president along the likes of FDR and Lyndon Johnson. To his detractors, Joe Biden will be remembered as an ineffective leader who presided over an era of hyperinflation, global instability, and mistrust in institutions. The effects of excessive federal spending, a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and an unprotected southern border will be felt for generations. And capping off his disastrous tenure with an unconditional pardon for his son severed the last threads of trust in government and added fuel to the growing fire of populist resentment.

Arguing in favour of the resolution is Timothy Noah, staff writer at The New Republic

Arguing against the resolution is Gil Troy, presidential historian and Distinguished Scholar of North American History at McGill University

You can vote on who you think won this debate. Go to our website www.munkdebates.com to become a free member and cast your vote.

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths 

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice open the show with the surprising events out of Ottawa this week: finance minister Chrystia Freeland resigning in a blistering rebuke of the Prime Minister just hours before she was due to present the fall economic statement. What is next for the embattled Justin Trudeau? And what happens if the country is forced to wait through months of a liberal leadership race without a functioning government to face the existential challenges from the incoming Trump administration? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice talk about Trump's joke that Canada should become America's 51st state. Should Canadians take Trump's joke as a serious threat? Is this the beginning of a sinister plan to bring Canada into the US?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump's plan to impose high tariffs on all goods coming into the US, including a 25% tax on items imported from Mexico and Canada, has leaders on both sides of the border on edge as they try to make sense of how these tariffs could impact their businesses and their economy.

Stephen Moore is one of President Trump's economic advisors and is rumoured to have a future role in his administration. He gives us a glimpse into what we can expect from Trump's tariff agenda, the future of free trade in North America, and how he is advising the President to grow the economy in his second term.

The host of this Munk Dialogue is Rudyard Griffiths

Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Executive Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates' weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice begin today's show reflecting on Justin Trudeau's relationship with the Trump administration. Why would he make public statements that provoke ire from our southern neighbours? And how should Trudeau respond to Trump's plan to impose tariffs on Canadians goods? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice talk about the grim financial outlook for Canada. With a ballooning debt how is the government going to be able to provide important services to Canadians? And how will government spending and employment growth coming primarily from the public sector handicap Canada's efforts to grow the economy? Some strong fiscal medicine might be what is required to remind us that we need to change course or risk a financial crisis.

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bashar al-Assad has fled to Russia. Rebel leaders have taken over Damascus. And hundreds of thousands of refugees from the country's long civil war are making their way back home. 

And while many in Syria and around the world are rejoicing at the downfall of Assad and his brutal regime, there are growing concerns that the country could go the way of Libya, Yemen, and Iraq, where insurgent groups and sectarian strife have wreaked havoc on the civilian population and created failed states, which in the case of Syria, could threaten to further destabilize an already volatile Middle East.

And beyond Syria, how does Assad's regime collapse affect broader conflicts and regional powers like Iran, Israel, Russia, the U.S. and Turkey?

To make sense of this moment, and the seismic changes taking place, we are joined by Michael Weiss. Michael is an investigative journalist who focuses on international affairs,  specifically the wars in Syria and Ukraine. His understanding of this region and its players gives him a unique insight into this rapidly evolving situation.

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Can the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran hold? In the span of twenty-four hours Trump went from threatening to end their civilization to considering a joint venture to toll the Strait of Hormuz. America's inability to open the strait without a ceasefire is a confession of weakness, one that China will take advantage of. This war is a strategic defeat for the U.S., and Andrew believes we may look back at this affair as the beginning of the end for Pax Americana. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Andrew turn to domestic Canadian politics where longtime conservative MP Marilyn Gladu crossed the floor to the Liberals, bringing Mark Carney one seat closer to a majority government. Gladu is widely considered one of the most right-leaning of conservative MPs. How wide can this Liberal tent stretch before it collapses? And should voters have a say in whether their MPs leave the parties under which they were elected?

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to full episodes of Munk Dialogues with Andrew Coyne. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Democracies are in trouble from South Korea to France to the U.S., where voters have lost trust in political elites, especially in France where the blowback to Macron's brand of politics has made room for the ascendency of the far-right under Marine Le Pen. Rudyard and Janice then turn their focus to the U.S. where President Biden has conferred an unconditional pardon on his son Hunter Biden, with speculation that he might pardon any politician or civil servant who could face prosecution from a vengeful Trump administration. This controversial move would be unwise, Rudyard argues, setting a dangerous precedent and confirming voters' suspicions that elites are not subject to the same consequences as everyone else. In the final moments of the show Ruydyard and Janice turn to Syria, where rebels have renewed their offensive against the Assad regime and taken over key battleground areas. Could this successful push have anything to do with Iran's weakening in the region, as a result of Israel's military successes against its proxies? 

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced that six Indian diplomats were being expelled from Canada due to an alleged campaign to threaten and kill Sikhs on Canadian soil. India responded by sending home six high level Canadian diplomats and issuing a tensely worded statement, accusing Trudeau of initiating and escalating this diplomatic dispute.

Relations between the two countries are - needless to say - at their lowest point in recent memory.

Dr. Raja Mohan, our guest on this Munk Dialogue, is widely recognized as India's foremost foreign policy expert. He is an Adviser to the Council for Strategic and Defense Research in New Delhi and was the founding director of Carnegie India. He speaks to us about the state of India-Canada relations, how to repair this diplomatic spat, and the unique and interesting role India is playing on the world stage as it finds its footing among fellow great powers, most importantly the United States and China.

The host of this Munk Dialogue is Rudyard Griffiths

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Members receive access to the livestream of our upcoming in person debates, ticketing privileges, and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents).

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Executive Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

This week’s show take up the Trump tariffs on Canada. What are his motivations for threatening a 25% tariff on Canadian imports into the U.S.? How will American conservative politics and a G.O.P. that  has shifted even further towards a MAGA “America First” agenda likely to impact trade negotiations? What could be some of the economic motivations of a second Trump presidency bent on trillions of tax cuts while U.S. debts and deficits have exploded in recent years? Are Canadian policy makers attune to these new political and economic dynamics or are we at risk of running a stale dated play book on trade and tariffs ill suited to the reality of the moment? In the program’s closing moments Janice and Rudyard take up the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel. How has the region been transformed by more than a year of war? Is a ceasefire in Gaza more or less likely in the weeks and months to come?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.