Building Left

Join Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick as they speak with Ben Simoni, Executive Director of the BC Youth Climate Corps. Ben unpacks the rapid growth of this youth-led, community-based climate program across British Columbia.
The episode explores the unique model of the Climate Corps: paying youth a living-wage for cohort-based positions working on local climate resiliency projects. These projects range from wildfire mitigation, ecosystem restoration, and water monitoring, to Indigenous-led cultural reclamation projects, all while helping Corps members gain skills, certifications, civic leadership experience and so much more.
Tune-in for great lessons about building enduring partnerships and breaking through the political gridlock that so often stymies meaningful climate action. 
Background/Further information:
https://www.youthclimatecorps.com/
 

Join hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins as they sit down with former Vancouver city councillor, professor and strategist Andrea Reimer to unpack "power literacy." What is power? How does it work? And why do activists, politicians and progressive movements need to learn how to use it?
The conversation covers concrete organizing tools like power mapping, the social dynamics that shape political choices, and how local governments can push provincial and federal change forward.
Follow Andrea:
Andrea's PowerU reels on Instagram: @citizenandrea
Andrea Reimer (@andreareimer.bsky.social) — Bluesky
Website: https://www.citizenandrea.ca/
Background/Further reading:
The LOEB Fellowship | Andrea Reimer
https://pressprogress.ca/why-powerful-people-do-stupid-things/
https://pressprogress.ca/why-powerful-people-refuse-to-take-action-on-urgent-issues/
https://pressprogress.ca/why-canadian-politics-does-a-such-a-bad-job-at-reflecting-working-class-values/
https://pressprogress.ca/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-revealed-canada-most-powerful-people-have-less-power-than-they-think/
https://pressprogress.ca/how-to-push-canadian-politicians-for-real-change-beyond-symbolic-gestures/
https://pressprogress.ca/heres-how-canadians-can-keep-big-money-out-of-politics/
 

In this episode of Building Left, our guest, PhD candidate Dawn Moffat McMaster, discusses her research on the nonprofit sector as a pathway into electoral politics, why women—though making up the majority of nonprofit workers—remain underrepresented in legislatures, and how parties and local recruitment shape who runs for office.
Join us for a conversation about nonprofits' role in policy and community life, the challenge of assessing electability in a celebrity-driven era, and why community work and local credibility often matters more to voters than a flashy resume.
Background/Further information:
Mark Carney on Climate Change

Join Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick as they interview Luke Savage. Luke is a writer whose work has appeared in the Toronto Star, the New Statesman, Jacobin and more. He is also the coauthor of Ed Broadbent’s 2023 book Seeking Social Democracy.
Join us for Luke's commentary on the rising popularity of explicitly socialist movements around the world, the failures of Carney's centrism in Canada, and strategies for building broad, bold, progressive political coalitions. 
Find Luke on social media:
Substack: Luke Savage | Substack
BlueSky: @lukewsavage.bsky.social — Bluesky
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LukeSavage
Background and further reading:
How Carney is betraying a vision of a fair and strong Canada: Toronto Star
Something's got to give - Luke Savage
Mark Carney's "sovereign wealth fund" is a mirage: Luke Savage
Reclaiming Socialism in Canada’s NDP Leadership Race: Jacobin
 

Hosts Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins speak with Guerric Haché, an Electoral District Association (EDA) member in Vancouver Centre, about rebuilding and energizing NDP EDAs.
Guerric is a designer and programmer with 13 years' experience in the video game industry, alongside being as an independent writer and artist, and a prolific nature photographer. Originally from Gatineau, Québec, they've made their home in Vancouver for well over a decade, where they are a member of the EDA for Canada's New Democratic Party in the riding of Vancouver Centre, and a member of COPE, Vancouver's municipal coalition of progressive electors.
Tune-in to hear about practical organizing ideas like member socials, building digital community spaces, and strengthening ties with labour unions and other activist communities. You'll also hear about the rich potential of EDAs to shape party policy, support volunteers, and connect across ridings, without shying away from common structural challenges like generational divides and inexperience with governance practices. 
Join Building Left to learn more about concrete ways to connect with your EDA and revitalize the grassroots of democratic socialism in your community. 
Connect with Guerric on BlueSky Social: Quillipede (@quillipede.bsky.social) — Bluesky
Background/Further reading and listening:
Mark Carney runs roughshod over the environment
Carney government’s changes to pesticide rules will put safety at risk
Carney government plan targets protections for at-risk whales
Mark Carney has forgotten who helped get him elected
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney is not the climate guy you thought | Seth Klein | The Guardian
By hosting a global weapons bank, Carney is setting up Canada for war profiteering ⋆ The Breach
Carney government eying curbs on right to strike: Unions
ANALYSIS: The anatomy of a stunner in Scarborough Southwest | TVO Today
 
 
 
 

In this episode of Building Left, hosts Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick speak with Trevor McAleese, a Kelowna-based video game developer and former federal NDP candidate who is now running for city council. Trevor discusses why municipal politics matter, and explains how he proposes to tackle issues such as affordable housing, short-term rental challenges, childcare, climate change and wildfire preparedness.
The conversation explores campaign organizing differences between federal and municipal races, conservative slate strategies in B.C., and practical solutions like inclusionary zoning, municipally-run childcare, and support for the arts and tech sectors. Trevor shares advice for progressives considering municipal runs and emphasizes the importance of community-focused representation.
More info/background:
Trevor McAleese for Kelowna City Council
Only in Nelson | The feature-length documentary movie
Peggy Nash's Women Winning Office – Between the Lines

In this episode, hosts Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick speak with El Foulkes, an organizer, union activist and artist who sits on the NDP federal council as a table officer from Quebec.
El explains how the council and executive operate between conventions, shares their experience on transparency, consultation and decision‑making, and discusses internal organizing to strengthen democratic processes across the party. Join us for a conversation about what structural changes are needed within the party and how a model of continuous, grassroots organizing can lead to a more accountable, movement‑focused NDP.
Folllowing that, Kallee and Jaime briefly dig into recent political developments—Avi Lewis’s early moves as NDP leader, federal by-election results and what it means that the Liberal government now holds a majority of seats in the House of Commons.
Background/More information:
NDP Executive & Council (list not updated at time of publication)
Toronto Star: Carney government plans to water down fundraiser rules
Information on Stephen Lewis Memorial
RSVP to attend Stephen Lewis Memorial (livestream)

Jaime Frederick puts co-host Kallee Lins in the hot seat for a report from the NDP convention in Winnipeg. Join Building Left for a deep dive into Avi Lewis's first-ballot victory, executive council elections, and what the recently passed resolutions reveal about the future direction and unity of the party.

Just days before the federal NDP chooses its new leader in Winnipeg, hosts Kallee Lins and Jaime Frederick break down the race to Convention: a mutual endorsement proposition between candidates, strategic ranked-ballot math, attacks over the decade-old Leap Manifesto, and the fallout from Nunavut MP Lori Idlout crossing the floor to the Liberals. Join us as we weigh in on what these flashpoints mean for the party’s direction and electability.
We also debate whether or not the NDP leader needs a seat in the House of Commons, and look ahead to Convention resolutions, by-election math, and rebuilding efforts across the country.
Background reading/viewing:
NDP leadership hopeful rebuffed opponent’s offer of support
Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein read Mean Tweets: https://youtu.be/REdG3VL9Yfo?si=l_XYDDYFGqpeayFn
NDP's Davies says Idlout's decision to join Liberals overrides 'sacred trust' of ballot box | CBC News
 

Join Jaime Frederick and Kallee Lins for the latest spotlight on NDP leadership hopefuls. Jump in and get to know Heather McPherson!
Heather McPherson, the NDP MP for Edmonton Strathcona and the only sitting MP running for leader, shares the tactics that have led her team in Alberta to repeated electoral successes. 
On Building Left, Heather discusses the need for balancing a just transition for oil and gas workers with climate action, immigration politics in Alberta and across the country, and restoring Canada to its ethically-grounded place on the world stage.