CBC Radio’s The House: Capitol under siege

‘All hell broke loose’: Rep. Susan Wild on witnessing chaos at the Capitol

One photo captured during the attack on the U.S. Capitol this week shows Democratic Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania taking cover in the gallery overlooking the House of Representatives chamber. It’s an image you’ve seen everywhere: she’s lying on the floor, one hand over her heart, while the other is tightly gripped by a congressional colleague. Wild would be among the last of the lawmakers to be escorted from the chamber as rioters swept through the Capitol halls. Chris Hall spoke with Rep. Wild just 24 hours after the attack about living through the terrifying ordeal, returning to congressional business that same day and how “allies and adversaries” have viewed the U.S. this week.

The ‘New American Majority’ wins out in Georgia

Overshadowed by the events at the Capitol was the Democratic sweep of two Georgia Senate runoff races on Tuesday, which will give the party an effective majority in both houses of Congress and dramatically strengthen the ability of the incoming Biden administration to pass its agenda. Credited with the historic win are groups like the New Georgia Project, founded by Democratic leader Stacey Abrams to register and turn out new voters — particularly younger Americans, people of colour and women. Chris Hall speaks with Nsé Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project, about how the win came about and what’s next for activists like her.

A jurisdictional disconnect over Canada’s vaccine rollout

It was a week of jurisdictional finger-pointing for Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. The federal government expressed frustration over the slow pace of vaccine distribution in the provinces, while provincial officials claimed their capacity to administer doses outstripped their actual supply. Where is the disconnect between Ottawa and the provinces, and what does this mean for inoculation targets? The House speaks to retired general Rick Hillier, who is leading Ontario’s vaccination distribution task force, and New Brunswick Health Minister Dorothy Shephard.

The politics and prioritization of hockey in a pandemic

Despite rising COVID-19 caseloads in much of the country, the National Hockey League is set to restart its season next week with an all-Canadian division. Stephen Smith, author and writer on Canada’s obsession with hockey, sits down with Chris Hall to talk about the politics of prioritizing the professional sport. He also describes other periods of crisis the league faced during the Spanish Flu pandemic and the Second World War.