PrimeTime Politics with Michael Serapio
Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)
PrimeTime Politics is a comprehensive round-up of the day in Canadian politics, from breaking stories to developments on longstanding issues. Key moments, feature interviews, panels, in-depth analysis and more. It’s the day in half an hour.
Michael Serapio is a renowned television anchor and reporter, whose broadcasting career has spanned more than two decades of covering some of the most challenging news stories in real time. In addition to being the face of CPAC's live programming, he hosts the channel's nightly political round-up, PrimeTime Politics, and is the first Filipino-Canadian male to anchor a national newscast in Canada. In 2023, Michael was recognized with a Canadian Screen Award for his work anchoring a breaking news special on the Ottawa occupation in February 2022.
Prior to joining CPAC in 2022, Michael spent 12 years as a host and anchor with CBC News Network. Before that, he was a reporter with CTV British Columbia and CityNews Toronto.
Michael Serapio is a renowned television anchor and reporter, whose broadcasting career has spanned more than two decades of covering some of the most challenging news stories in real time. In addition to being the face of CPAC's live programming, he hosts the channel's nightly political round-up, PrimeTime Politics, and is the first Filipino-Canadian male to anchor a national newscast in Canada. In 2023, Michael was recognized with a Canadian Screen Award for his work anchoring a breaking news special on the Ottawa occupation in February 2022.
Prior to joining CPAC in 2022, Michael spent 12 years as a host and anchor with CBC News Network. Before that, he was a reporter with CTV British Columbia and CityNews Toronto.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 18, 2022 • 29min
Emergencies Act, Food Prices – October 17, 2022
The inquiry into the federal emergency has started its full week of public testimony. Michael Serapio speaks with former Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau and lawyer Paul Champ, who is representing Ottawa residents at the Public Order Emergency Commission.
NDP MP Alistair MacGregor discusses his motion calling on the government to address high food prices, which received unanimous support today in the House of Commons.
Oct 8, 2022 • 29min
Iran, Student Work Visas, Danielle Smith's Win - October 7, 2022
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser joins Martin Stringer on the latest measures against Iran -- plus Canada's labour shortage and the plan to let international post-secondary students work more hours during the school year.
Lori Williams, a Mount Royal University professor and political scientist, analyzes Danielle Smith's United Conservative leadership win and what to expect from the new Alberta premier.
Journalists Tonda MacCharles (Toronto Star) and Mia Rabson (The Canadian Press) offer their thoughts on this week's top political stories.
And Ted Mallett of the Conference Board of Canada reviews the state of the labour market and September's job data.
Oct 7, 2022 • 29min
Alberta Conservatives, Inuit Suicide Prevention, Iran - October 6, 2022
Political commentator Graham Thomson analyzes the United Conservative leadership race and tonight’s result as party members choose a new leader – and premier of Alberta – to succeed Jason Kenney.
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), joins Michael Serapio after the federal government committed new funding for the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy
Farhad Rezaei, a visiting political science professor at York University, discusses the protests against the Iranian regime after the death of Mahsa Amini – and the call for Canada to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity.
Oct 6, 2022 • 28min
Ukraine, Hockey Quebec, Disaster Response, Housing - October 5, 2022
Michael Serapio speaks with Larisa Galadza, Canada's ambassador to Ukraine, about the latest developments in Russia's invasion -- including the so-called annexation of Ukrainian territory -- as Ukrainian forces continues to drive back the Russian military.
CPAC's Andrew Thomson has political reaction to the latest Hockey Canada development -- Hockey Quebec's decision to cut ties and withhold funds from the national organization.
Richard Fadden, a former deputy minister of defence and senior national security official, outlines his concern with the domestic deployment of Canadian Forces personnel as a natural disaster response.
Amanda Arella, YWCA Canada's director of public policy, explains the attempt to raise awareness for housing affordability issues specific to women and gender-diverse individuals.
Oct 5, 2022 • 29min
Hockey Canada, Fiona Recovery, Quebec Election - October 4, 2022
Theresa Bailey, founder of the Canadian Hockey Moms website, joins Michael Serapio to react to the latest Hockey Canada revelations and today's committee testimony by the organization's interim chair.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), discusses the $300-million federal fund for Hurricane Fiona recovery.
Polling analyst Eric Grenier looks at yesterday's Quebec election result: the CAQ victory and where the other parties go from here.
Jerry DeMarco, the federal environment commissioner, answers questions on his office's latest reports on species at risk.
Sep 30, 2022 • 28min
The State of Reconciliation - September 29, 2022
Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, Métis National Council president Cassidy Caron, and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller joins Michael Serapio ahead of the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine acting mayor Gaétan Richard tells Michael Serapio about the PM’s visit to Quebec and what must come next in the storm recovery.
Sep 29, 2022 • 29min
Fiona, Reconciliation, Voting Age - September 28, 2022
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey joins Michael Serapio from Port aux Basques, where he discusses provincial support for storm victims and the emotion of meeting residents and inspecting damage to homes. We also hear from Amanda McDougall, the mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality, from Glace Bay, N.S.
Senator Michèle Audette, a former president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada and MMIWG Inquiry commissioner, joins Michael ahead of the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
NDP MP Taylor Bachrach reacts to the vote on his private member’s bill to lower the federal voting age to 16.
Sep 28, 2022 • 29min
Storm Response, Carbon Tax, Affordable Housing - September 27, 2022
Michael Serapio has the latest political response to Atlantic Canada's storm damage with Liberal MP Sean Casey and Nova Scotia minister John Lohr, responsible for the province's emergency management.
MPs debate today's Conservative motion on federal carbon pricing: Rachel Bendayan (Liberal). Michael Barrett (Conservative), and Peter Julian (NDP).
Ray Sullivan, interim executive director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, discusses the housing affordability debate and lobbying efforts on Parliament Hill to counter Canada’s housing crisis, especially for lower-income Canadians.
Sep 27, 2022 • 30min
Fiona Recovery, COVID-19 Measures - September 26, 2022
As the recovery from Hurricane Fiona continues in Atlantic Canada, Michael Serapio welcomes MPs Kody Blois, Stephen Ellis, and Richard Cannings along with Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutching to discuss what comes next.
The federal government has confirmed an end to mandatory COVID-19 border and travel measures later this week. We have reaction from virologist Earl Brown and Mayor Jim Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.).
Sep 24, 2022 • 27min
New Ambassador to China, COVID Border Measures - September 23, 2022
Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, joins Martin Stringer to analyze the appointment of Jennifer May to that vital post in Beijing.
Dr. Zain Chagla (McMaster University) discusses a new medical assessment arguing Canada's border measures were of little use in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Journalists Tonda MacCharles (Toronto Star) and Mia Rabson (The Canadian Press) review the first week of the fall sitting and other political headlines.
