Building Left

Join Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins as they interview the NDP's leadership candidates. Our latest guest: Tony McQuail!

Tony McQuail is a farmer, educator and lifelong advocate for a fairer and more sustainable Canada. For more than 50 years, he has been a leader in sustainable agriculture and rural development. 

Tony’s vision for Canada goes beyond sustainability to true regeneration. His Green Progressive Movement calls for uniti...

Hosts Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick break down the NDP's leadership debate last week in Montreal, where a bilingual format exposed uneven French skills among the candidates. Despite policy discussion feeling thin, the event provided a strong snapshot into candidates' personalities and priorities.

Join us as we highlight standout moments from Avi, Tanille, Tony, Rob and Heather, and touch on recurring themes throughout the evening...

Join Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins as they interview the NDP's leadership candidates. Our latest guest: Tanille Johnston!

Tanille Johnston is a proud Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ woman from the We Wai Kai First Nation. A dedicated social worker, mother, and bold new voice for the future of the NDP, Tanille currently serves as Director of Community Programs with the First Nations Health Authority and as a City Councillor in Campbell River, BC.

On ...

Join Building Left to break down Mark Carney's first federal budget. The document lays out deep program cuts, 40,000 public sector job losses, and a large spike in defence spending, alongside some encouraging moves on housing investment, apprenticeship support and automatic tax filing for a mixed bag of austerity and "generational investments."

We're unraveling budget week's political fallout — a high-profile floor crossing, Conser...

Back in April, Jäger Rosenberg made headlines as the youngest person running in the Canadian federal election. He was the NDP candidate in the BC riding of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country. Last year he also ran as a nominee for the BC NDP candidacy in the provincial riding of Powell River–Sunshine Coast. He’s currently a member of the executive for the BC Young New Democrats and a member of the BC NDP Provincial Co...

Join Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins as they interview the NDP's leadership candidates. First up: Avi Lewis!  Avi Lewis is a veteran journalist, educator, and activist with 35 years of movement-building experience, combining grassroots organizing with the ability to reach millions. On Building Left, Avi discusses his long history with the NDP and proposes policies like a public option for groceries, the need for a uniquely Canad...

Veteran NDP MP (1997-2015) and activist Libby Davies discusses the importance of democracy within the party as the NDP navigates its leadership race. Along the way, she highlights routes for grassroots engagement, recalls Jack Layton’s authentic leadership, and discusses the value of unity as we work to solve the urgent issues facing us all. 

Join Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick for a conversation with a political legend who has ma...

Hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins break down the opening weeks of the federal NDP leadership race, newly declared candidate Avi Lewis, controversial hopefuls, and the divergent directions contenders are staking out.

Join us as we review the party's latest actions in support of labour rights—putting forward a private member’s bill to remove Section 107 from the Canada Labour Code—along with questions about maintaining unity on t...

Hosts Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick are joined by Christian Audette to explore the growing shift of working-class voters from the NDP to the Conservatives.

Christian is a local organiser and small business owner in the Niagara region of Ontario. After working on both federal and provincial campaigns, he has on-the-ground insights to share about voters' economic anxiety, provincial vs. federal dynamics, and practical steps the NDP...

As the NDP leadership race warms up, Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins  explore the rules and dynamics shaping the contest and assess the early contenders.

Yves Engler, an outspoken activist, raises questions about barriers to entry and accuses the party of favouritism, particularly toward Heather McPherson (MP, Edmonton-Strathcona), known as a more moderate voice.

From the cost of entry, to signature requirements and upcoming debate...

Welcome back to Building Left, the podcast where hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins dive into the evolving landscape of social democracy and progressive politics in Canada.

In this episode, the hosts are joined by Dr. Jared Wesley, a political scientist from the University of Alberta. Dr. Wesley dives into how individual Albertans make sense of their political identity, challenging the stereotypical conservative image of the pro...

As centre-right pundits greatly exaggerate the imminent demise of the NDP, one grassroots organization is proposing bold renewal of the party from the ground up.

In this episode, Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins are joined by Ji Won Jung from Reclaim Canada's NDP. Learn more about the movement and what you can do to get involved and help rebuild the NDP.

Following Building Left's first guest interview, you'll get the rundown on the ...

In this episode, Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins dive into the latest developments surrounding Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act (also An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act), which has sparked significant debate across Canada's political and social landscape. 

Bill C-5, under the justification of removing barriers to development, allows for the sidestepping of crucial envi...

Welcome back to "Building Left," the podcast where we explore the evolving role of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and leftist politics in Canada. In this episode, hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins delve into what has been a revealing parliamentary session for the NDP, exploring their robust opposition to a conservative-leaning agenda since the session began on May 27th.

With King Charles' historic speech from the throne setting...

Welcome to Building Left, the podcast exploring the future of the NDP and the broader landscape of social democracy in Canada. Join hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins as they dive into the NDP's legacy and its relevance today—all from a rural and Western perspective. Tune in for a frank discussion about why a social democratic party matters in Canada, why proportional representation is needed now more than ever, and what the NDP...