The Border
An investigation into the good, the bad and the ugly situations afflicting the Canada-US border.
Canada's Third Way
In a world of volatile wars, unstable governments, and trade disputes, can Canada carve out its own voice on the international stage, or will others make decisions for us
Media Wars
An inside look at how the media reports from war zones from reporters who have had first hand experience.
Health Care Crunch
What is going right and wrong with healthcare in Canada today?
Political Pack Journalism
With the rise of the Internet and 24-hour television news channels, is political media and investigative journalism getting better or worse?
Boots on the Ground
Do the Canadian Forces have enough people to do what the government is asking of it? 
The Ambassadors Pt.1
Seen through the eyes of senior Canadian and American diplomats, a special examination of how Canada both performs and disappoints on the world stage. 
The Ambassadors Pt.2
The examination continues in this special one-on-one interview with former US Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci. 
 Health Care: While We Wait
A documentary exposé that examines Canada’s increasingly strained health care system. 		Special 3 Hour Presentation: Afghanistan
The URC Investigates and ichannel examine Canada's role in Afghanistan with an encore presentation of 3 one-hour programs airing Dec. 3, 2007

Tilting West
What influences are making the West the economically fastest growing, and most politically vibrant part of the country?

Quebec Conundrum
Does Quebec still disproportionately influence everything from federal spending to defence policy?

The Almighty Prime
An examination of just how powerful the Prime Minister of Canada is in the parliamentary system and what it means for the country.
MPs: Benchwarmers or Players?
With increasing political party discipline and the Prime Minister’s heavy hand, how much power do elected Members of Parliament really have?
 Afghanistan: The Road Ahead
An investigation into how and why Afghanistan has become the epicentre of Canada’s military and foreign aid work.

Soldiers in Our Midst
An exploration of why Canadians generally view themselves as anti-military, and a look at the cultural differences between the UK, US, and Canada.
America: Friend, Foe or Guardian?
For better or worse, an examination of life next to the world's only superpower.		      

2006-2007 Season Series Synopsis & Topics


Episode 1
Weekend Warriors
With Canada’s military desperate for new recruits, can its part-time reserve force be part of the solution?
Panel:

  • L-Col Dwayne Hobbs, Commander of the Toronto Scottish Regiment
  • Blake Goldring, Honorary Col. of the Royal Regiment of Canada & Chairman & CEO of AGF Management Ltd.
  • L-Col John Selkirk, Ex Director Reserves 2000


Episode 2
Citizen. Soldier.  (Documentary Special)
An investigative documentary that explores the vital relationship between the viability of Canada’s armed forces, and the citizens who serve in its part-time reserve force.


Episode 3
America’s Partner or Pawn
Exploring the hazards and highlights of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
Panel:

  • Rudyard Griffiths, Founder & Executive Director of The Dominion Institute
  • Michael Alexander, Author “Competing Against America”
  • Roy Rempel, Author “Dreamland: How Canada’s Pretend Foreign Policy Has Undermined Sovereignty”


Episode 3
Big Money, Big Guns
With $17 billion in new purchases for the military just announced, will the
money be spent on the right equipment and at the best price?
Panel:

  • Alan Williams, Author “Reinventing Canadian Defence Procurement”
  • Col (Ret’d) Brian MacDonald, President of Strategic Insight Planning & Communications
  • Martin Shadwick, Defence Analyst for York Centre for International & Security Studies


Episode 5
Bang for the Buck   (Documentary Special)
An exclusive documentary that explores how the military spends its money and why the political system takes over a decade to actually get equipment purchased.


Episode 6
Canada’s Pretend Foreign Policy
Has Canada’s ‘values based’ foreign policy created a false global identity for Canadians?
Panel:

  • Roy Rempel, Author of “Dreamland: How Canada’s Pretend Foreign Policy Has Undermined Sovereignty”
  • Jennifer Walsh, Author of “At Home in the World: Canada’s Global Vision for the 21st Century”


Episode 7
Provincial Firewalls
The provinces versus the federal government: who should hold the power and deliver the services?
Panel:

  • Dr. Nelson Wiseman, Professor of Political Science, U. of T.
  • James Milway, Executive Director of the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity
  • Gerald Owen, Columnist for the National Post


Episode 8
Power Failure?
Is a crisis in Ontario’s electricity sector threatening the province’s historic title as Canada’s engine of economic growth?
Panel:

  • Andy Muller, President of the Society of Energy Professionals.
  • José Etcheverry, Policy Analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation
  • Adam White, President of the Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario


Episode 9
The Dark Side of Power (Part I) (Documentary Special)
An exclusive documentary that uncovers the reasons behind the multi-billion dollar crisis in Ontario’s electricity sector.


Episode 10
The Dark Side of Power (Part II) (Documentary Special)


Episode 11
In Business with Dictators
Why do Canadian governments and its industries keep doing business with countries that have appalling human rights records?
Panel:

  • Peter Foster, Columnist with the National Post and Author of “Family Spirits: The Bacardi Saga”
  • Richard Mann, Former Canadian Ambassador to Kuwait and Qatar; Kazakhstan; Kyrgystan; Tajikistan and Director-General of the Canada-Arab Business Council
  • Dr. Scott Eddie, Professor Emeritus of Economics, U. of T.


Episode 12
Quotas: Who Pays, Who Benefits?
An exploration of why the dairy and poultry industries are so heavily regulated, and what the effects have been for consumers at the grocery store.
Panel:

  • Dr. David Sparling, Executive Director of the Institute for Agri-foods Policy Innovation, University of Guelph
  • Terry Krokenstahl, Dairy farmer from Durham region
  • John Tippard, President of the Christian Farmers' Federation
  • David Lewington, Youth President of National Farmers' Union, also member of Ecological Farmers' Association


Episode 13
Alberta Rising
With its industries booming and its government’s debt paid off, just how powerful is Alberta?
Panel:

  • Ted Byfield, former Editor of Alberta Report, Columnist Sun chain
  • Todd Hirsch, Chief Economist for the Canada West Foundation. 
  • David Taylor –Calgary MLA & Deputy Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party
  • Joan Crockatt, former Managing Editor of the Calgary Herald and Chief of Editorial Policy for CanWest Newspapers.


Episode 14
The Afghan Vortex
An examination of the incredible influence Afghanistan has had on Canada’s military and foreign aid commitments since 9-11.
Panel:

  • Chief of the Land Staff, Lieutenant General Andrew Leslie
  • Dr. Joanna Santa Barbara, Peace Studies Program at McMaster University
  • Mr. Hugh Graham a journalist who as written extensively on Afghanistan.
  • Mr. Vincent Curtis, Esprit de Corps Magazine and Canadian Reserve Officer.


Episode 15
Why Canada Fights: Afghanistan  (Documentary Special)
A documentary special that traces the political rationale as to why Canada has been forced to focus its military and foreign policies on one country: Afghanistan.


Episode 16
How the West Has Won
As Western politicians have gained more clout in Ottawa, how has it changed the culture in the nation’s capital?
Panel:

  • Preston Manning, Manning Centre for Building Democracy
  • Joe Woodard, Editor in Chief - The Western Standard
  • Nigel Hannaford, Columnist - Calgary Herald


Episode 17
Sisters in Arms
The debate over women in the military.
Panel:

  • Major Linda Bossi, Head of "Human Factors Engineering" Research and Development, Department of National Defence.
  • Captain Sarah Heer, Combat Arms Officer in the Artillery – Tour: Afghanistan / 1999 Canadian Forces Athlete of the Year
  • Sergeant Dorothy Wojtarowicz, Holistic Nutritionist and Reservist Combat Engineer - Tours: Bosnia - 2003 / Afghanistan - 2005. 
  • Captain Cheryl Swarbrick, Public Affairs Officer for Land Forces Central


Episode 18
Monopoly Power
Tackling the debate over why provincial and federal governments still own,
operate, and regulate large sectors of the economy.
Panel:

  • David Menzies, Freelance Writer and Columnist
  • Sid Ryan, President of Canadian Union of Public Employee's (CUPE) in Ontario
  • Dr. Ying Kong, Prof. York University / Undergraduate Director for Economics.
  • Dr. Mihkel Tombak, University of Toronto Rotman School of Management.


Episode 19 
Canada’s Security Threats
With home-grown terrorism now a reality, where exactly is Canada at risk?
Panel: 

  • Alan Bell, a counter-terrorism expert and owner of Globe Risk Holdings.
  • Walter Perchal, Professor at York University and a specialist in the area of Emergency Management.
  • Pat Marten-Daniel, Chair of the School of Emergency Management at George Brown College.
  • Alicia Wanless, of the Walsingham Institute, and an expert on cyber-security and food supply threats.


Episode 20
The Trouble with Polls
Polls drive the political agenda in Ottawa. But what has this meant for democracy and debate?
Panel:

  • Michael Marzolini, Chairman of POLLARA Strategic Public Opinion & Market Research, one of Canada’s top polling firms. And a former pollster to the Prime Minister of Canada.
  • Adam Radwanski, Managing editor of Macleans.ca, and a former long-time national columnist with the National Post.


Episode 21
The Black Market
Uncovering the significance of the underground economy and tax cheating in Canada.
Panel:

  • David Perry, Canadian Tax Foundation
  • Alex Doulis, best-selling author of Take the Money and Run and My Blue Haven,
  • Paul Kemp, Producer documentary series "Days of Reckoning" which took a hard look at Tax Revolts and the Underground Economy.
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