Canadian TV host George Stroumboulopoulos condemns Canada's political system, House of Commons: 'I despise what they did to this country'
Canadian radio and TV host George Stroumboulopoulos is reflecting on politics and the recent federal election, explaining why he's unhappy with Canada's system at the moment. The former MuchMusic video jockey opened up to Arlene Dickinson in a recent interview on her new podcast, "Arlene Is Alone: The Single Life."
In a second part of the interview published on Wednesday, Stroumboulopoulos explained — after the Dragons' Den star shared she endorsed Prime Minister Mark Carney — that he never publicly endorses any candidates. Still, he always commits to voting nowadays and even "overdosed on political content" this election.
"I sometimes vote and I [will] hate myself for my vote, because sometimes I make a strategic vote and I hate that. ... Sometimes I'll throw the future, I'll take the risk because I'm just going to vote the way I want to vote," he added.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Arlene Dickinson (@arlenedickinson)
Recalling his days at MuchMusic, the "Strombo" Apple Music Radio host indicated "I struggle with the voting thing." Back then, he was once handed a pin that read "Much Votes" and was told to wear it on air. At the time, he recalled telling his co-worker that "voting doesn't matter," adding that "if it really mattered, they wouldn't let you do it." Now, he said he's learned voting does matter, but he isn't happy with the way the system works in Canada.
"I despise what they did to this country, what the House of Commons has done to this country," he said. "I despise that the focus has been taken off of getting people out of poverty, protecting workers, giving people the freedom to express themselves."
He eventually stated how he doesn't trust big companies to "put people's best interests at heart," explaining he believes the political parties in Canada have deep relationships with corporations.
"When we complain about this country, there are two parties responsible for it. And their relationships with corporations, and how corporate money and lobby groups have destroyed the actual version of democracy — I'm not even sure if we ever had it," he shared.
Regarding endorsing politicians, he said it's something he can't do because his values don't align with what the parties have done — especially with how, he noted he believes, political parties hate poor people. Moreover, he said can't get behind the government sending money, weapons or helping arm the "destruction of another group of people" in the world. "To give them my endorsement? I wouldn't do that because it doesn't jive with my values."
"I love Canada and I love Toronto. I don't love it for what it is, I love it for the promise it ought to be. This country gave my family so much when I immigrated here, so much," he added. "But that doesn't mean that it can't be better and it can't grow. ... Until we get money out of politics and get rid of religion out of politics, we will be this mess."
He clarified that he doesn't necessarily think endorsing politicians is a bad idea. In fact, he urged that getting people involved in various ways is the only way to make the system better.
"Just where my values are at the moment, found it very difficult to endorse. If somebody stepped up and said my number one job is to get people out of poverty and I'm going to make sure that is our primary goal ... I would say, 'You know what? I'll work with you then.' I don't support politicians but I support their work."
He shared he's had family and friends experiencing homelessness who have unfortunately died while being unhoused. He explained mental health played a role, as well as addiction to substances like drugs and alcohol. "It was also the '70s and the '80s — it was a pretty bleak time. They didn't have the tools and the language that we have now, obviously."
Poverty is his top issue, he said, because most people in that situation aren't there due to their own doing. "It's not just empathy for the people we're trying to protect. The hard part is having empathy for the villains."
Stroumboulopoulos clarified he understands he isn't an easy person to get along with: "I'm a hard guy to be around because I'm very confident and I'm very self-assured." But it's important to him to find common ground with someone who may disagree with his views.
That might come in the form of connecting over "problematic" music or "very aggressive" sports like hockey or football. Even if someone is on the other side of a political issue than him, he noted he can find a "little bit of ground" with them through a common interest.
"I'm always trying to get to the heart of the matter to see if we can find a place to be that we can agree on," he noted. "Because otherwise, I'm going to be alone all the time, and I don't think it's good for me to be alone all the time."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Rick Mercer's long finished ‘Talking to Americans,' but he's got new ways to address neighbourly tension
TORONTO - Rick Mercer picks up the bottle of sparkling water he just ordered, puts on his glasses and inspects the label. 'Where's that from? We're not having that in the shot if it's American. Jeez,' he says, glancing at the video camera with an impish smile. It's a product of Italy, but he moves it out of the shot anyway. 'Are we rolling?' We are. On this Tuesday afternoon in late spring, Mercer sits in a booth by the window at a Toronto restaurant. The sparkling water, his now-discarded reading glasses and some notes he doesn't reference are the only things in front of him as he promotes his new comedy tour, 'Stand-Up for Canada,' which gets underway in September. The show's message, he says, meets the moment: one in which U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed punishing tariffs on Canada and threatened this country's sovereignty. 'That has permeated almost every aspect of our lives, but it actually hasn't impacted my act at all. I'm doing the same act,' he says. 'I decided a long time ago that everything I do was going to be celebrating the country.' Mercer believes people are looking for that now more than ever, given the animosity that's developed between Canada and the United States: a relationship that is in some ways foundational to our national self-image. 'If you want to have that conversation about what it means to someone to be Canadian, you've really got to dig because the first thing that nine out of 10 Canadians will do is they'll start talking about how we're different than Americans, which is no way to define yourself,' he says. 'What's happening in the country now — people are standing in the middle of drugstores Googling what's a Canadian toothpaste, and they're reading labels in the ways that they've never read before, and their making choices about whether they'll eat a kiwi fruit — that's new. But I think it's always been there: Canadians, we're a proud country, there's no doubt about it.' Playing off of this cross-border kinship is part of how Mercer became a household name north of the 49th parallel. His wildly popular segment 'Talking to Americans' took off on CBC's 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes' and spawned an hour-long comedy special in April 2001. More than two million viewers tuned into the special to watch Mercer ask Americans leading questions about Canada based on ludicrous stereotypes. Would they consider a visit to our national igloo? What do they think of Canada's national dish, the beaver ball? 'It really was one joke over and over again, but it was a joke that Canadians really enjoyed,' he says. The execution of that joke relied on two things, Mercer says: Americans' ignorance about Canada and their goodwill towards Canadians. 'I was aware that by and large Americans knew nothing about Canada. But they did know we were the neighbours, and they wanted to be only generous and kind to the neighbours,' he says. 'That has clearly changed somewhat. People are very suspicious of Canada. I think Americans are more suspicious of everyone, both inside their country, their neighbours, and then outside their country as well.' That Americans are looking more closely at Canada is one of many reasons the bit wouldn't work today, Mercer says. The list also includes the general mistrust in mainstream media and the likelihood that once-unsuspecting Americans might recognize him from online clips. For his purposes, that's OK. It seems like it's time to look inward rather than measuring ourselves against others, he says: 'In order for Canada to be good, Denmark doesn't have to be bad.' The temptation to focus on the giant underneath us is ever-present, but Mercer is practised at resisting it. He left 'Talking to Americans' behind when he launched his flagship TV show, 'Rick Mercer Report,' in 2004. Over the course of 15 seasons, he travelled across the country, poking fun at politicians along the way. 'When I was doing 'Mercer Report,' one of the big learning curves that writers who worked on the show had to deal with was that in our universe that we created, America didn't exist. Like, it really didn't. We were just like, 'we don't talk about that.'' Americans got enough attention elsewhere, he says, so if the show talked about entertainment, it wouldn't be American entertainment. If it talked politics, it wouldn't be American politics. Whether his September tour will take the same tack remains to be seen. It's early yet, he says, but he doesn't foresee dunking on the United States overmuch. Tickets go on sale later this week, but he isn't due to hit the road until Sept. 11, performing 22 shows in 38 days alongside comedians Sophie Buddle, Mayce Galoni and Julie Kim. This is Mercer's third standup tour. He's leaned into live performance since leaving TV behind in 2018. Last year, he toured in conversation with musician Jann Arden. He also wrote two memoirs, 'Talking to Canadians,' about everything leading up to 'Rick Mercer Report,' and 'The Road Years' about the time he spent on the show. 'If you're in my business, if you're creating TV shows, if you're doing one-man shows — which I used to do in my early 20s — if you're writing books, if you're writing scripts, it really helps if you love your subject matter. And my subject matter has always been my country,' he says. 'And I'm not saying it's perfect, not by a long shot. It's just, that's someone else's lane. Right now it's all about celebrating.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'90s Pop Icon, 56, Stuns Fans With Shocking Appearance
'90s Pop Icon, 56, Stuns Fans With Shocking Appearance originally appeared on Parade. Sarah McLachlan, 56, has clearly found the fountain of youth. The '90s pop icon and Lilith Fair regular shared a social media video over the weekend that had fans doing a double take at the Canadian songstress's ageless Fumbling Towards Ecstasy singer posted a video in which she answers random questions to help fans get to know her better. Wearing an adorable white jumpsuit, her hair swept up in a messy bun, and sporting little to no makeup, McLachlan put her natural beauty on full display. She effortlessly shared her answers, even revealing a personal pre-show ritual. 'Melissa and I, um… we smack each other really hard on the bum — just wakes us up!' McLachlan revealed, before laughing and admitting she may have overshared. Fans were quick to notice her toned arms, with one commenting, 'Those arms — whoa 🤯 ❤️,' and another adding, 'You are so cool and timeless. Also, your arms!!! They are so strong. 💪🏻💪🏻❤️❤️❤️'McLachlan shares two daughters with her ex-husband, Ashwin Sood. She recently celebrated 30 years since the release of Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 '90s Pop Icon, 56, Stuns Fans With Shocking Appearance first appeared on Parade on Jun 1, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Canada proposes sweeping immigration and security bill
The Canadian government has proposed a bill to restrict some asylum claims and give authorities more power to halt the processing of immigration applications. Canada's immigration minister Lena Diab said the Strong Borders Act is meant to curb organised crime and the flow of illegal drugs and weapons, while boosting the "integrity" of the country's immigration system. It includes provisions that would give police more power to monitor Canada's shared border with the US. It could also bar those who have been in Canada for more than year from filing a claim for asylum. But critics said the bill, which seeks to expand authorities' ability to open and inspect mail, would breach civil liberties. The proposed legislation comes amid increasing pressure on Canada, which has historically been open to newcomers, to restrict immigration as the country deals with strained public services and a housing crisis. The previous government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau relied on ambitious immigration targets to fuel economic growth, and oversaw a sharp increase in people entering Canada as temporary workers and students. At the same time, Canada saw a spike in asylum claims, with applicants waiting up to two years for their case to be heard due to the backlog. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who won April's federal election, has promised to address Canada's "unsustainable" immigration levels. Under current law, refugees can claim asylum in Canada either when they arrive at a port of entry, like an airport, or when they are already in Canada, with no restrictions on how long they can be in the country before claiming asylum. The new rules would bar asylum claims from those who have been in Canada for over a year, potentially making them subject to deportation. They would also require people entering Canada from the US under the Safe Third Country Agreement - a long-standing deal requiring migrants to seek asylum in the first "safe" country they reach, whether it is the US or Canada - to file a claim in Canada within 14 days for it to be considered. Those who fail to adhere to those deadlines would still be able to undergo a risk assessment that would determine whether their safety is at risk if they are sent away. The law also gives the government power to outright suspend processing new applications "for matters of public health and national security." The wide-ranging 127-page measure would also expand the government's power to open mail to advance a criminal investigation. And it would introduce restrictions on cash transactions above C$10,000 ($7,300; £5,400) and cash deposits by one individual into another's account. Jenny Kwan, a member of parliament from the left-leaning New Democratic Party, said the bill "should be alarming to many Canadians". A big chunk of the new legislation deals with curbing the flow of fentanyl and illegal weapons across the US-Canada border - an issue that US President Donald Trump has used as justification for his tariffs on Canada. Gary Anandasangaree, Canada's public safety minister, said he would brief US border tsar Tom Homan on the new legislation. He acknowledged that the law would address issues that have been "irritants for the US", and that it would likely play into trade negotiations between Canada and the US. But he added "it's not exclusively about the United States", and is also about securing Canada's borders. Some advocacy groups have criticised the new rules. The Migrant Rights Network called the proposed measures "immoral", and said they "drastically restrict refugee protections and allow for mass deportations". Fleeing US deportations, it took this family three tries to enter Canada How Canada soured on immigration Trudeau announces sharp cuts to Canada's immigration targets
