The House

Prime Minister Mark Carney's trade deal with China has sent a jolt through Canada and beyond. In exchange for allowing more Chinese-made electric vehicles to enter the Canadian market, Beijing has agreed to lower duties on some agricultural and seafood products.

Catherine Cullen first speaks with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew about what the deal means for his province; then former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole discusses the risks of a closer relationship with China; and Business Council of Canada CEO Goldy Hyder discusses the PM’s possible calculus behind the deal.

Plus, Carney is not the first prime minister to try to improve Canada’s relationship with China. From Trudeau Sr. to Trudeau Jr., Jia Wang of the University of Alberta’s China Institute and former ambassador Guy Saint-Jacques chart the highs and lows of bilateral relations and tensions; then Politico’s Phelim Kine breaks down the Trump administration’s reaction to Carney calling China a “more predictable partner” than the U.S.

Also: François Legault is stepping down as premier of Quebec mere months ahead of a provincial election that polls suggest could be won by the separatist Parti Québécois. Philip Authier of the Montreal Gazette and Daniel Thibeault, Ottawa bureau chief for Radio-Canada, discuss whether Legault's decision throws a wrench in the PQ's plans for a referendum.

This episode features the voices of:
Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba
Erin O'Toole, former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Goldy Hyder, CEO of the Business Council of Canada
Jia Wang, senior fellow at the China Institute at the University of Calgary
Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian ambassador to China
Phelim Kine, Washington-based China correspondent for POLITICO
Philip Authier, National Assembly reporter for the Montreal Gazette
Daniel Thibeault, parliamentary bureau chief for Radio-Canada and host of Les Coulisses du Pouvoir

We're less than two weeks into 2026, and Canada is starting the year staring down sudden new threats to its economy — and its security. After a surprise operation to establish a foothold in oil-rich Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump is now emphasizing his aspirations for Greenland.

Host Catherine Cullen speaks with two national security veterans — Jody Thomas, former national security adviser to the prime minister, and Retired Gen. Wayne Eyre, former chief of defence staff — about their concerns for Canada’s sovereignty and security in this new chapter of the Trump era.

Plus, The same day the U.S. launched its military operation in Venezuela, the wife of one of Trump's top advisers warned on social media that "the U.S. doesn't need anything from Canada. Free trade is over." How true is that, ahead of critical trade negotiations? House producer Jennifer Chevalier speaks to former officials and trade experts to understand the rocky road ahead.

Finally, why did it take Chrystia Freeland days to announce her resignation as an MP, after news broke she’d be advising the Ukrainian government? And does her exit from the Hill finally set the stage for a slew of anticipated byelections? Political insiders Marci Surkes and Kate Harrison weigh in on the state of play.

This episode features the voices of:
Jody Thomas, former national security adviser to Justin Trudeau
Retired general Wayne Eyre, formerly Canada's chief of the defence staff
Fen Osler Hampson, co-chair of Expert Group of Canada-U.S. Relations
Laura Dawson, executive director of the Future Borders Coalition
RJ Johnston, director of energy and natural resources policy at the University of Calgary
Kate Kalutkiewicz, former U.S. trade negotiator
Marci Surkes, former senior advisor to Justin Trudeau and chief strategy officer at Compass Rose
Kate Harrison, Conservative strategist and vice chair at Summa Strategies

This week, The House revisits an in-depth documentary from the summer, as NATO’s secretary general has warned Russia could launch an attack on the alliance within the next five years. Talk to NATO’s two newest members, Finland and Sweden, and they’ll tell you preparation involves a lot more than just boosting military spending.

As Canada seeks to strengthen ties with both countries, what can we learn from our newest NATO allies about preparing for the worst? Supported by the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship, CBC's Emma Godmere travelled to the two Nordic countries to visit bomb shelters, the Russian border and military training grounds north of the Arctic Circle to see and hear how Finns and Swedes are steeling themselves for whatever the future may bring.

This episode features the voices of:
Elina Valtonen, Finland’s minister of foreign affairs
Viktoria Hjort Malmer, defence policy director at Sweden’s Ministry of Defence
Janne Kuusela, director general, defence policy department at Finland’s Ministry of Defence
Antti Virta, deputy commander, Southeast Finland Border Guard District
Samuel Siljanen, head of operations, Southeast Finland Border Guard District
Lt.-Col. Mikael Dalin, Swedish Army
Lt.-Col. Jukka Vuorisalmi, Finnish Army
Nina Järvenkylä, Helsinki City Rescue Department
Harri Mikkola, programme director for Finnish foreign policy, northern European security and NATO at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Niklas Granholm, deputy director of studies, Swedish Defence Research Agency
Sara Myrdal, director of international affairs, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
and residents of Lappeenranta, Rovaniemi, and Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden

This week on The House: Three Parliament Hill watchers square off against each other to see who can remember the most from a very eventful and consequential year in Canadian politics.

After eight years in Washington, Canada's U.S. ambassador Kirsten Hillman is coming home. Over that time, she has seen Canada's relationship with the United States transform, for better and for worse. As she prepares to step down from her ambassadorship, she explains in an extended interview with host Catherine Cullen how she’s built critical connections in the U.S. capital — and whether she believes there’s a limit to what Trump can do.

Plus, author and former presidential speechwriter David Frum believes the American empire is in decline. He reflects on what Canadian democracy can learn from this moment and why he believes a stronger sense of national pride is critical for Canada’s future.

This episode features the voices of:
Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the United States
David Frum, staff writer with The Atlantic