The MAXED OUT Podcast - comes to you courtesy of Canada’s National Observer.
In an era where all debate seems to be increasingly polarized, one man tries to have a reasonable conversation. Sometimes it works.
Maxed Out is hosted by Canada’s National Observer’s lead columnist Max Fawcett. If you read his columns or follow him on Twitter, you’ll know Max has a take-no-prisoner approach when it comes to errors, lies and disinformation. But like so many people, Max is frustrated by the relentless partisanship and refusal to discuss things in good faith. In other words, he is maxed out. You probably are, too.
In this podcast, Max invites a new guest each week to debate — even contradict — him. This isn’t about picking fights. It’s about escaping our silos and re-learning the art of disagreeing, without being disagreeable. Maybe we’ll all find some new common ground we didn’t know was there.
This bimonthly podcast is part of Podcast Tuesdays at Canada’s National Observer.
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Episode 1 - Mobilizing for War
Should we treat the climate emergency like a war? Seth Klein thinks so. In his book A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency he lays out a comparison between the Second World War and the Climate Crisis. He argues that we can't win the war unless we work together like we did in the war against the Nazis. Max Fawcett challenges that idea.
Episode 2 - Polarized Politics
A discussion with former Alberta Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Donna Kennedy Glans on politics, oil and gas (of course!) and Danielle Smith's brand of populism.
Episode 3 - Greedflation and Justinflation
Greedflation, justinflation, even shrinkflation are the newest terms to describe what we have all been going through financially for the past two years. And on top of this we have rising interest rates. Is there anything that can be done to ease the pressure?
Episode 4 - Maxed Out Introduces "The Salmon People"
As we unwind into the holidays, we'd like to bring your attention to another Canada’s National Observer creation: This true crime climate podcast is called The Salmon People. The investigation by Sandra Bartlett takes us off the coast of British Columbia, where wild salmon started dying by the millions. We follow an unlikely detective - a whale biologist - Alexandra Morton - who battles against government, industry and multinational corporations to save Canada’s wild salmon population. You can binge the entire series on your favourite podcast streaming platform.
Episode 5 - The Observer
Canada's National Observer's publisher, Linda Solomon Wood, chats with Max about journalism, how the publication came to be and who really funds his columns.
Episode 6 - The Urban-Rural Divide
The carbon tax is misunderstood and controversial. The federal government's price on polluting is one of its strategies to fight the climate crisis. But is it working? And is it fair? Max Fawcett talks to a Saskatchewan farmer who feels rural Canada and, in particular, agriculture, is being hit too hard by the tax.
Episode 7 - The Unjust Transition
Alberta has been unhappy with Ottawa for a long time. There is a feeling they pay into Canada but don't get enough in return. Some are saying Canada is broken and Alberta should leave the federation. On today's episode, Max chats with Derek Fildebrandt, a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the head of the right-leaning publication Western Standard New Media Corp, to find out if the real solution is disconnection.
Episode 8 - The Carbon Capture Conundrum
Many think carbon capture is the wrong way to address the climate crisis in Canada. Max chats with Julia Levin from Environmental Defence about cleantech by fossil fuel companies and whether taxpayers dollars should be funding it.
Episode 9 - The Firewall Frenemy
Ken Boessenkool has been a Conservative strategist for more than 20 years. He's worked with Canadian politicians like Stephen Harper, Ralph Klein, Christy Clark and Stockwell Day. Buckle in to find out what he thinks about the policies of the new kids on the block like Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Episode 10 - The LNG Debate
The fossil fuel industry considers Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a tool for emissions reduction. It is used to replace coal as a power source in many countries. Canada sees exporting LNG as a contribution to meeting our climate commitments... but Max Fawcett isn't so sure. That's why he's talking it through with historian and CEO of Resource Works, Stewart Muir.
Episode 11 - The Rachel Notley Interview
Max Fawcett asks Rachel Notley if the NDP have the policies to win the next Alberta election. The former premier of Alberta gets into the energy transition, health care and door-knocking. Oh, and she also talks about political interference in the judicial system.
Episode 12 - The Politics of Pandemics
Janet Bufton is an education consultant and the co-founder of the Institute for Liberal Studies. She believes in libertarianism — a philosophy that argues for minimal government involvement in people's lives. However, she's thankful for the federal government's intervention during the pandemic. Max Fawcett thinks most libertarians behaved badly during the pandemic by making it about their civil liberties rather than coming together to fight the common enemy — COVID-19.
Episode 13- Nuclear Revolution
Can nuclear be part of the fight against carbon emissions? In some places, nuclear is back in vogue. Max Fawcett talks with British environmentalist Zion Lights, who thinks it is essential for nuclear to be part of the solution because renewables aren't yet at the scale needed to solve the problem. And she's not alone.
Episode 14 - Bitcoin or Bust
Is Bitcoin a legitimate alternative currency? Is it the currency of the disenchanted? Or the hedge against a rocky future? Max Fawcett talks with Bitcoin enthusiast Adam O'Brien about that as well as government overreach, the Ottawa occupation and the seizing of bank accounts.
Episode 15 - Egos & Apologies in Alberta Elections
Jeromy Farkas might be called a cautionary tale of politics and political friends. Max talks to the former city councillor and Calgary 2021 mayoral election runner-up about his take on the recent provincial election, his political career and losses and getting ghosted.