Humans of the House

Latest Episodes:

The "Reluctant" Politician: Bonus Episode Oct 08, 2024

In this special bonus episode, we celebrate and reflect upon the tenth anniversary of the bestseller book, Tragedy in the Commons, written by Samara Centre for Democracy co-founders, Alison Loat and Michael MacMillan. Samara Centre CEO Sabreena Delhon hosts this conversation to ask, what has changed? What has stayed the same? Where are the fault lines in Canadian democracy?

THIS EPISODE FEATURES:

Alison Loat

The Samara Centre for Democracy, Co-founder

Tragedy in the Commons, Co-author

Michael MacMillan

The Samara Centre for Democracy, Co-founder

Tragedy in the Commons, Co-author

Andrew Coyne

Columnist

The Globe and Mail

Zain Velji

Samara Centre for Democracy, Board Member

Official Website https://www.samaracentre.ca

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Samara Centre on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheSamaraCentre

Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.

This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy’s MP Exit Interview Project. Listen to all 6 episodes: https://www.samaracentre.ca/podcasts/humans-of-the-house-podcast

This series is produced by Media Girlfriends (https://www.mediagirlfriends.com) for the Samara Centre for Democracy.

Visit our website (https://www.samaracentre.ca/) to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation.

Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.

The Samara Centre for Democracy and SSENC/RESCC have partnered on curriculum-connected teaching resources based on Humans of the House. Click here to access free accessible teaching resources for your classroom!

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

Was It Worth It? Apr 25, 2023

We’ve come to the final chapter of an MP’s civic journey. What is it like to leave office? Whether they resigned, decided not to run again, or lost an election, former MPs tell us their stories of leaving parliament. Just like any ending, it brings lots of mixed emotions.

After hearing all the ups and downs of their lives as MPs, one question remains: was it worth it?

THIS EPISODE FEATURES:

Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)

Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh, (2015-2019)

James Cumming, Conservative, (2019-2021)

Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)

Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.

Hon. Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings-Hants, (1997-2003); Liberal, Kings-Hants, (2003-2019)

Hon. Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, (2008-2021)

Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)

Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, 2015-2019; Independent, Whitby, (2019)

RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:

View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-6/

WHO on the importance of mental health at work:

Mental health at work

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.

This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy’s MP Exit Interview Project.

This series is produced by Media Girlfriends (https://www.mediagirlfriends.com/) for The Samara Centre for Democracy.

Visit our website to learn more about how The Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation.

Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.

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

I’m Going to Say the F Word Apr 18, 2023

We elect our representatives hoping they’ll make meaningful change while in office. We lose trust when we see their election promises broken. But we don’t often get to see the process of making change from their point of view. What does it take for MPs to make a difference?

THIS EPISODE FEATURES:

Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.

Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)

Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)

Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)

Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, 2015-2019; Independent, Whitby, (2019)

Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Episode page: https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-5/

On the Indian Act

Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), Government of Canada.

On Celina Caesar Chavannes leaving the Liberal Party:

Celina Caesar-Chavannes quits Liberal caucus, will sit as independent MP

On mandatory minimums:

Bill C-5: Mandatory Minimum Penalties to be repealed

Why the Liberals took the long road to sentencing reform

On the SNC-Lavalin affair:

Charges against SNC-Lavalin explained — and how the PMO allegedly got involved

On the 2018 budget, Black youth, and mental health:

Budget 2018 and 2019 Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives

On Bill C-262 and the Senate halting UNDRIP:

The Senate Halts Recognition of Indigenous Rights on National Indigenous Peoples Day

Share your thoughts on this episode on social media @thesamaracentre #humansofthehouse

This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy’s MP Exit Interview Project.

This episode features audio clips from ABC News, Global News, CNN, Bloomberg, The Ottawa Citizen, and PBS NewsHour.

Produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy

Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation.

Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.

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

Unwritten Rules Apr 11, 2023

Who is an MP’s real boss? Their party leader? Canadians? Themselves? MPs have to strike a balance between serving their riding’s needs, their party’s interests, and their own goals that brought them to Ottawa in the first place. But what happens when these priorities clash? This episode, we explore partisan politics and party power. Former MPs tell their stories of learning unwritten rules, striking out on their own, compromise, and unlikely friendship.

Plus, what’s the best place in parliament for making unlikely friends?

This episode features:

Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)

Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)

Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)

Hon. Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, (2008-2021)

Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)

Hon. Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings-Hants (1997-2003); Liberal, Kings-Hants (2003-2019)

Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh, (2015-2019)

Resources for this episode:

View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-4/

On dissenting votes: