Optimism Gap with Jon Allen
The Red Passport
Canadians are unusually anxious about the world, polling suggests, but relatively confident about Canada. Jeremy Kinsman and Peter Donolo welcome back former Canadian ambassador Jon Allen for a wide-ranging discussion on the Middle East, Cuba, U.S. power and Canada’s place in a more volatile international order. Meanwhile, to help with the Quebec government's efforts in trade, co-host Louise Blais has stepped away, for now, from her regular role on The Red Passport after being named the province's Special Envoy for the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico...
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When Diplomacy Disappears
The Red Passport
What do countries lose when they no longer have diplomats on the ground? Louise, Jeremy and Peter examine how the absence of embassies and diplomatic relations can distort judgment, weaken consular protection and leave governments relying on weaker intelligence, intermediaries and guesswork. Using the long American absence from Iran and Canada’s own experience closing missions abroad, they ask what is really lost when states withdraw their diplomatic presence, and whether a country that wants to matter in the world can afford to keep hollowing out its foreign service.
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Is Cuba Next? with Mark Entwistle
The Red Passport
What could Trump’s latest threats toward Cuba mean for a country already in deep economic and humanitarian crisis? Peter and Jeremy welcome former Canadian ambassador to Cuba Mark Entwistle to unpack the pressure now bearing down on the island: the long aftermath of COVID, the collapse of tourism and tightening US sanctions. Is Washington pursuing regime change, a transactional economic opening or some mix of the two? And if Cuba becomes another testing ground for the Donroe Doctrine, should Canada defend international law, sovereignty and its own long relationship with the Cuban people?
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New World Disorder from Tehran to Caracas with Ben Rowswell
The Red Passport
What will the American and Israeli strikes on Iran unleash? Peter and Jeremy welcome former diplomat and past Canadian International Council president Ben Rowswell to help unpack the cascading consequences of Donald Trump's latest military endeavour, and how it contrasts with his recent operation in Venezuela. Meanwhile, did Carney’s initial support for the attack on Iran to destroy its nuclear weapons potentially contradict his messaging at Davos that middle powers should band together to resist superpower unilateralism?
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The Quiet Power of UNICEF with Sevaun Palvetzian
The Red Passport
The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund is often in the background of global crises, but what does it deliver for children on the frontlines of war, displacement, and climate shocks? And where can't UNICEF go? Louise and Jeremy speak with Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO of UNICEF Canada, about the organization’s work in 190+ countries, from emergency response in Ukraine and Gaza to long-term investments in health, education, water, and child protection.
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In Munich, Did Rubio Reframe or Rephrase?
The Red Passport
Did Marco Rubio present a gentler view of transatlantic relations than JD Vance did a year ago, or the same vision, in more diplomatic language? Louise, Peter and Jeremy also unpack another busy couple of weeks for Mark Carney who is countering Davos critics with plans for an alliance to preserve rules-based open markets.
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Davos Ripples or Aftershocks?
The Red Passport
Did the Prime Minister's Davos speech really shift Canada's place in the world, or just poke the bear? Jeremy, Louise and Peter unpack the Trump Administration's backlash, Mexico's alternate strategy and what a post‑USMCA Plan B could look like for Canada.
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Carney's China Breakthrough and Trump's Greenland Grab
The Red Passport
What are the implications of Mark Carney's surprising success in China? Will it make Canada more independent and resilient? Will it provoke the wrath of the Don? Peter, Louise and Jeremy also discuss Trump's Greenland obsession and whether there is light at the end of the tunnel in Iran.
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Trump's Venezuela Raid: What Does It Mean for Canada and the World?
The Red Passport
A special edition of Red Passport on Donald Trump's surprise raid on Venezuela. Louise, Jeremy and Peter discuss what the implications are for international law and global stability. They examine the why, the how and what might be next.
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Bob Rae on Leaving a Fractured UN
The Red Passport
Bob Rae talks about his five years as Canada's Ambassador at the United Nations. And with Louise, Jeremy and Peter, he looks forward to the global challenges - and opportunities - of 2026, and how Canada and its allies can step up to reverse the damage caused by the Trump Administration, Russia and China.
info_outlineLouise, Jeremy and Peter discuss the challenges - and opportunities - facing Canada's next ambassador in Washington. The coming year will be make-it-or-break-it for CUSMA. Can a new ambassador make the difference? And given the dark, threatening tone of the recently-released US National Security Strategy, should we really get our hopes up?