EP25: The Cornish Consensus (ft. Joe Roberts of the Democratic Socialists of Canada)

As the G7 Summit wraps up in the United Kingdom, the blueprint for a kinder, gentler, more generous  capitalism is being floated. It’s being called the Cornwall Consensus. Meanwhile, in Canada, a democratic socialist organisation has popped up during the pandemic and is attracting a lot of attention. This week, we plumb the depths of the Cornish new world order, go back to the future with a look at the end of the end of history, and sort out the state of Canada’s political left.

• Our guest (@9:34), Joe Roberts is a founding member of the Democratic Socialists of Canada and co-host of New Left Radio. He takes us through the informal agreements coming out of the G7 and how they may shape capitalism for years to come; he also breaks down leftism in Canada and the rise of the DSC as he questions whether the liberal consensus is as strong as many think it is.

——————-FURTHER READING AND LISTENING——————-

• Visit the homepage of the Democratic Socialists of Canada and have a look at what they stand for as well as their primer on what democratic socialism is.
•  Listen to the New Left Radio podcast — including the latest episode, a deep dive into inflation and reconciliation. 
• Check out the Centre for Canadian Progress, a socialist policy centre.
• Read Roberts’ take on the G7 tax deal — a deal “that pretends to be good for Canadians” — in the Toronto Star. 
• Take a look at a short history of the Washington Consensus and then read the Cornwall Consensus document from the latest G7 meeting.

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—————————-CREDITS—————————-

Darts and Letters is hosted and edited by Gordon Katic. Our lead producer is Jay Cockburn. Our managing producer is Marc Apollonio. Our research assistants this week are Addye Susnick and David Moscrop. Our marketing assistant is Ian Snowden. Our theme song was created by Mike Barber. Our graphic design was created by Dakota Koop.

This episode received support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research, which provided us a research grant to look at the concept of “public intellectualism.” Professor Allen Sens at the University of British Columbia is the lead academic advisor.

Darts and Letters is produced in Toronto, which is on the traditional land of Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples. It is also produced in Vancouver, BC, which is on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.