The Munk Debates Podcast

Latest Episodes:

A public display of friendship between China, Russia, and India is a searing indictment of Trump's foreign policy Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Andrew start the show talking about this week's China summit with 20 leaders of non-Western countries, including India, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Narendra Modi's public display of friendship with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin is a searing indictment of the Trump administration and his disastrous tariff policies. Andrew argues that while countries in the global south might not be our allies, they are still willing to work with us. If we lose India, many other countries of consequence will follow. Rudyard and Andrew then turn to Canada's defense priorities in this geopolitical turmoil. We are caught in between a dictatorship across the Arctic Ocean and an emerging dictatorship to the south. Do we need to start arming ourselves and seek out other allies to protect us from these threats? And will Trump become more dangerous abroad to distract from increasing opposition to him at home?

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.

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Friday Focus: Trump takes aim at the CDC and Putin is undeterred Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

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 the show with Trump's firing of CDC director Susan Monarez over disputes about vaccine policy, and the attempted dismissal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in his bid to take control of the central bank and lower interest rates. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin brazenly launched a major ballistic and drone attack in Kyiv killing almost two dozen people, only ten days after his summit in Anchorage with the US President. Is it time to call Trump's attempt at a deal a foreign policy failure? In the remaining moments of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to events in the Middle East where Israeli troops are entering Gaza City as the first phase of a planned occupation. Why are both sides so unwilling to accept a ceasefire deal? And why is Trump so focused on ending the war in Ukraine while ignoring the destruction 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.

Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: the US slides towards dictatorship and Carney clings to Canada's peacemaking past Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

In the past week alone there has been an FBI raid on John Bolton's home and a threat to investigate former New Jersey governor Chris Christie due to his criticism of Trump. Every day there are new indicators to suggest the US is rapidly descending into dictatorship, with the President using the power of his office for his own ends. How can Americans stop this momentum? Andrew and Rudyard then turn to Canada's ongoing trade war with the US. Mark Carney's repeated attempts at being a reasonable interlocutor engaging in good faith negotiations is met with provocation from the US President. Andrew suggests the PM try to manage chaos and stall for time instead of trying to reach a deal. This is a problem that shouldn't be solved; it should be managed. In the final moments of the show Andrew and Rudyard talk about Carney's visit to Ukraine and his offer to send Canadian troops as part of a future security guarantee. Is it time for Canada to accept its defense limitations and its inability to act as the peacemaker it has always aspired to be? Or should we welcome this offer as an opportunity to fulfill our long neglected NATO obligations?

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.

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Friday Focus: Trump is a foreign policy wrecking ball, and Carney goes from elbows up to elbows down Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Janice open today's Friday Focus with the fallout from last week's Trump-Putin meeting and Monday's Zelensky visit to Washington. Putin is walking back from almost every concession he offered last week, essentially demanding that Ukraine be demilitarized without a pathway to NATO membership. This is a non-starter for Ukraine. How did we go from the bromance of Alaska back to the stalemate of February 2022 in the span of a week? It is becoming increasingly obvious that President Trump is not able or willing to do the serious work required to get a deal in place. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to trade with the US. Why is Canada being singled out for particularly rough treatment? Carney is trying to reset negotiations by removing retaliatory tariffs because he knows that if CUSMA collapses, Canada will pay a heavy price. The PM pushed an elbows up narrative in order to win the election. He positioned himself as the defender of Canada against Trump's America. Is he able to back away from this narrative and do a deal that might make him look weak but protect Canada's economic interests?

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.

Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: a phony peace deal for Ukraine could put all of Europe at risk Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Andrew unpack the latest meeting between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders that seems to have yielded no real progress in resolving the war in Ukraine. Trump indicated a willingness to offer security guarantees, but if Ukraine isn't admitted into NATO, will an Article 5 type protection promise carry any weight? What did Trump promise Putin on Friday that scared European leaders to drop everything and fly in for this emergency meeting? And why can't everyone see that Trump - on every major point - is on the side of Russia? A phony peace agreement could put all of Europe at risk and influence China's calculation vis-a-vis Taiwan. And finally, why are world leaders - including Canada's Mark Carney - so willing to engage in false flattery of Trump at great cost to their own credibility?

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.

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Friday Focus: China's tax on Canadian canola and TIFF abandons the principles of free speech Aug 15, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Janice open today's show reacting to China's 75% tariff on Canada's canola seed, a retaliation against our government's decision to impose duties on Chinese electric vehicles. Is the Trump administration ultimately to blame for the retaliatory tariff climate we now find ourselves in? And as the weakest G7 country, why are we fighting two superpowers at the same time? Is it time to reset our relationship with China? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to the controversy from TIFF this week following the removal of a documentary about October 7th from the festival's lineup, which was ultimately reversed after a public outcry. Rudyard and Janice agree that the reasons cited by TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey for this decision lacked both merit and conviction. This was a blatant display of a Canadian institution embracing the abandonment of the best principles of free speech, and it is a sobering reminder that we must include diverse voices in our cultural spaces. Furthermore, TIFF is a publicly funded institution, and as stakeholders we should demand that its leadership be held accountable for this unfortunate episode.

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: Bibi's Gaza plan prioritizes his political survival over his country's interests and Putin dreams of a new Russian Empire Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Janice start the show talking about developments in the Middle East, where Netanyahu ordered his war cabinet to take over Gaza City temporarily and hand it over to Arab security forces. This would involve evacuation orders for residents of Gaza city, who have already been displaced multiple times over the course of this war. This is an unpopular plan, opposed by both governments abroad and the majority of Israeli citizens, including the chief of defense staff. How does the rescue and recovery of Israel's hostages factor into this plan? Rudyard and Janice agree that this is one of the most egregious examples of a politician putting his own political survival over the long term strategic interests of his country. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to the war in Ukraine and Trump's changing attitudes towards Russia. A Trump and Putin deal that excludes Zelensky would infuriate not only Ukraine but all of Europe. The West must understand that Russians have historically viewed the world through a different lens that does not align with Western liberal attitudes. Ultimately, Russia wants the West to recognize its sphere of influence in the region, a view Trump is sympathetic to. In the final moments of the show Rudyard and Janice reflect on the 80th anniversary of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima. The dropping of two Atomic bombs in Japan at the end of World War Two has left a moral stain on all those involved, and should remain a subject of deep reflection. How should this horrible chapter in our history inform our attitudes towards the major geopolitical conflicts unfolding today?

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.

Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: America's checks and balances are failing to restrain Donald Trump Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Andrew start the show trying to understand why Trump's radical steps on immigration, education, and foreign policy have been met with so little resistance. Where are the checks and balances? Trump doesn't live by the usual dictates that other presidents have. He's not bound by conscience, obedience to convention, or public opinion, and the final test will come when or if he defies a Supreme Court ruling. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Andrew turn to developments in the Middle East where it is becoming increasingly clear that the Netanyahu government does not have a real plan for the future of Gaza. While Israel is often held to an unreasonably high standard when it comes to defending itself, it likewise should not be held to an unreasonably low standard. Israel is using up any international goodwill that it has left, and it is not in their self interest to continue this war. Unfortunately, there is no good or easy option right now, only a range of bad ones. Which one will Israel choose?

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.

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Friday Focus: A late night tariff announcement and Canada's plan to recognize a Palestinian state Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Janice start today's show with Trump's late night tariff announcement which sets a 35% tariff on Canada, but only really affects 10% of goods that fall outside of CUSMA. The punishing tariffs on aluminum, steel, and the auto industry, however, remain. Why did Mark Carney not try to strike a deal before today's deadline? What will happen if CUSMA protections are removed in a future deal? And how should Canada prioritize its sovereignty and self-respect in negotiations that give us privileged access to the US market? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice talk about Canada's announcement that it will join France and the UK in recognizing Palestinian statehood at the UN in September. While it is understandable that western governments want to do something to stop the carnage in Gaza and bring an end to this war, this type of political statement emboldens Hamas and makes the conflict more intractable and less solvable. In the midst of this turmoil, however, came a surprising announcement from surrounding Arab countries: the governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and several others called on Hamas to disarm and end its rule over the war torn strip. Is this the start of the end for the terrorist group's reign 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.

Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: The EU-US trade deal should serve as a warning to Canada and why supply management hurts the poorest Canadians Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

Rudyard and Andrew start the show assessing Trump's new trade deal with the EU: no relief on tariffs, carve outs that favour the US, and uncertainty for Europe down the road. Why did European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agree to this deal? Why aren't all countries currently negotiating with the US working together to create a united front? And does the EU's deal provide a window into what Canada can expect from its own trade negotiations with the US? Trump is committed to tariffs and we need to accept this will be part of any future deal. And while we might not have yet seen the effects of tariffs on the price of consumer goods, we will soon as companies accept that this is a long term economic reality. Rudyard and Andrew then turn to supply management, a flawed policy issue that the Canadian government refuses to address. Why are we upholding a redistribution of wealth which benefits an affluent business community at the expense of the country's poor?
Click here to purchase Andrew's new bestselling book, The Crisis of Canadian Democracy.

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.