Protests and demonstrations have erupted across Canada since the start of Israel-Hamas conflict in October, many of which have been peaceful. But officials have become concerned about a rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in light of recent escalations, including attacks on a Montreal synagogue and two Jewish schools, as well as a violent clash on Concordia University’s campus. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Government House Leader Karina Gould on what help the feds...

After the federal Liberals paused carbon pricing on home heating oil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says there will be no further carbon tax carve-outs despite blowback that the policy change only benefitted Atlantic Canada. The Opposition is now calling for that freeze to be extended to other forms of home heating. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault about the carbon tax change, his message to Albertans who deem the Atlantic Canada...

Israel has escalated its offensive in Gaza– expanding its ground operation, unleashing more airstrikes, and knocking out communications in the regions. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with retired Maj.-Gen. Denis Thompson, the former force commander of the peacekeeping Multinational Force and Observers, about the operational considerations for the Israeli ground offensive and the presence of the Canadian Special Operations Forces in Israel. Plus, Stephenson speaks with former...

U.S. President Joe Biden visits the Middle East to show support to Israel and de-escalate tensions in the region. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Frank Lowenstein, a former U.S. special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, on what the White House is doing to contain the conflict in Gaza from spreading, the situation in the West Bank, and what happens next. Plus, Stephenson speaks with former FBI negotiator Phil Andrew about the behind-the-scenes race to free...

A week after Hamas’ deadly attacks, Israel prepares its ground offensive. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Brig. Gen. (Res.) Amir Avivi, a former Israel Defense Forces’ deputy commander, on the IDF’s offensive in Gaza, rescuing hostages and the role of Iran in the conflict. Plus, Stephenson speaks with human rights lawyer Zaha Hassan, a former legal advisor to the Palestinian negotiation team during their U.N. membership bid, on the situation in Gaza.

A surprise attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel has left hundreds dead. Israel immediately launched air strikes into Gaza and has vowed to wipe out the militant group. With fears the conflict could spread 'The West Block' host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to Chuck Freilich, a former deputy national security advisor for Israel and a professor at Columbia University and Tel Aviv University. Plus, this Thanksgiving many Canadians are feeling the pinch when it comes to the high cost of...

Canada has been making global headlines with back-to-back international incidents. Parliament cheered for a man who fought for the Nazis while Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Ottawa and India-Canada relations are strained in light of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging New Delhi is linked to the murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with David Frum, staff writer at The Atlantic, and Justin Ling, freelance investigative journalist, about...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ignited a diplomatic firestorm with India when he announced that Canada had credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of Canadian citizen and Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has called Trudeau’s allegations “absurd” and accused Canada of being "a safe haven for terrorists". ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to Arif Lalani, former Canadian diplomat and a Distinguished Fellow with the...

In a candid conversation on the season premiere of ‘The West Block’ London’s mayor Josh Morgan tells host Mercedes Stephenson that all levels of government need to get around the same table and cooperate because “blaming one level of government or another does not get more units in the ground quicker.” Stephenson also speaks with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek who says the housing crisis is only getting worse as more people move to her city: “It's really sort of the perfect storm. We started to...

A Canadian intelligence agency is sounding the alarm that Russia may be stepping up its cyberattacks against Canada for supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion. A new threat assessment says Russia-aligned hackers’ next goal could be compromising Canada’s oil and gas sector. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson sat down for an exclusive interview with Sami Khoury, head of the CSE's Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, to discuss how cyber attacks affect Canadians. Plus, Stephenson speaks...

After nearly 11 years in federal politics, former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole gave his final speech to Parliament. 'The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson sat down with O’Toole to discuss political polarization, defence spending and the government’s handling of foreign interference. Plus, with the summer recess fast approaching, the Liberals are on the defensive after a number of political missteps. Stephenson sat down with The Globe and Mail Ottawa bureau chief Bob Fife and Stephanie...

Special rapporteur David Johnston resigned late last week from his role investigating foreign interference, citing a “partisan atmosphere” around his appointment. "The West Block" host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc about the government's next moves and whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will call a public inquiry. Plus, Canada is facing its worst wildfire season on record. So far this year, there have been almost 2,400 fires, and more than...

A Chinese warship came within 150 yards of colliding with American destroyer USS Chung-Hoon during a joint Canada-U.S. mission sailing through the Taiwan Strait. The close call was captured on video exclusively by Global News onboard HMCS Montreal. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to retired Vice Admiral Mark Norman, former commander of the Royal Canadian Navy about the incident and the implications. Plus, opposition leaders are calling for special rapporteur David Johnston to...

Rachel Notley ended decades of Conservative rule when she was elected Alberta premier in 2015. She lost the last election to Jason Kenney and the United Conservative Party. Now she’s locked in a tight battle with UCP Leader Danielle Smith. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson sits down with Notley in Calgary to talk about her campaign platform, including how she would work with the federal government if elected. Plus, UCP Leader Danielle Smith is no stranger to controversy, including...

Police chiefs across the country are sounding the alarm over a recent rise in violent crime. Ten police officers in Canada have been killed since September, and violent attacks on public transit have many Canadians concerned about safety in their communities. After pressure from the provinces and police, the federal government introduced changes to bail aimed at cracking down on repeat violent offenders. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to Justice Minister David Lametti about...

Amid pressing global security concerns, experts are sounding the alarm over how prepared Canada is to deal with modern-day threats. They say the federal government’s reactive response to recent foreign interference allegations points to the urgent need to update Canada’s national security strategy. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson sits down with Vincent Rigby, former national security advisor, and Ward Elcock, former CSIS director, to discuss whether it’s time to rethink our approach...

Another explosive revelation regarding China’s alleged interference in Canada erupted last week. Conservative MP Michael Chong was informed he and his family were allegedly targeted by a Chinese diplomat in Toronto, and he says the federal government failed to act. ‘The West Block’ guest host Eric Sorensen sits down with Michael Chong to discuss how this situation has affected him personally, and where the government should go from here. Plus, Sorensen speaks with Karim Khan, chief prosecutor...

A rise in violent crime, including attacks on public transit, has many Canadians concerned about safety in their communities. Pair that with debates over gun control, bail reform and worries about human trafficking, and there is a lot to talk about with Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. Following a recent pledge to do more to combat cross-border crime alongside the U.S. attorney general and secretary of homeland security, Mercedes Stephenson sits down with Mendicino to talk about what...

With more than 100,000 federal workers are on strike across the country, Canadians are facing major disruptions to accessing services on everything from tax returns to passports. ‘The West Block’ guest host Eric Sorensen speaks with Families, Children and Social Development Minister Karina Gould about the impact of the strike. Plus, new information from the Pentagon highly-classified intelligence leak is raising concerns about Canada’s military spending. The Washington Post reports that Prime...

Katie Telford, the prime minister’s chief of staff, faced a barrage of questions last week from opposition MPs on what she knew about Chinese interference in the last two federal elections. But what questions remain unanswered? ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Dick Fadden, former CSIS director and national security advisor to the prime minister, and James Moore, former Conservative cabinet minister. Plus, Stephenson speaks with Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO,...

Former U.S. president Donald Trump is facing 34 felony charges related to hush-money payments allegedly made during his 2016 election and allegations of falsifying business records. Regardless of how the case plays out, America is in uncharted political territory. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with Rick Wilson, co-founder of The Lincoln Project, and Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary, about what this means for the future of U.S. politics, and the Republican...

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's reputation and morale have seemingly taken hit after hit in recent years. The recent blistering report issued over the Mounties’ performance in the worst mass shooting in Canadian history, where a gunman executed 22 innocent people in Nova Scotia, hasn't helped. The report found the RCMP failed in almost every way. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson spoke with Mike Duheme, the interim RCMP commissioner, about what the force is doing to live up to its...

U.S. President Joe Biden wrapped up his visit to Ottawa with a strong pitch for creating even closer ties between Canada and the United States. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to David Cohen, U.S. Ambassador to Canada, to find out what that future looks like in real terms. As allegations of Chinese election interference continue to dominate headlines, many in the Chinese Canadian community say this has been a problem they have warned about for years. ‘The West Block’ host...

'The West Block' host Mercedes Stephenson speaks to Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, about the key priorities for the White House as US President Joe Biden begins his first official visit to Ottawa this week. As concern of a global banking crisis grows, Stephenson speaks to Kevin Page, President and CEO of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy and Lisa Raitt, Vice-Chair, Global Investment Banking, CIBC about the financial turmoil and the economic climate...

Opposition parties are urging the federal government to call a public inquiry into foreign interference in light of a series of reports about China meddling in Canada’s democracy. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he won’t commit to an inquiry until a special rapporteur evaluates the situation. With new interference allegations arising seemingly every week, ‘The West Block’ guest host Eric Sorensen sat down with Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino to discuss what the government’s path...