The CGAI Podcast Network
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute
The CGAI Podcast Network is created and produced by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Join us each week to explore the energy, defense, and international affairs stories that matter to Canadians. Listen now to CGAI podcasts “The Global Exchange”, “Defence Deconstructed”, and “Energy Security Cubed”, and partner podcasts “Battle Rhythm" and “Conseils de sécurité”. Visit www.cgai.ca for more, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) is a charitable, independent, non-partisan, research institute based in Ottawa, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta.
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) is a charitable, independent, non-partisan, research institute based in Ottawa, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 10, 2026 • 37min
Trump, Iran, and the Most Volatile Day in the History of Oil Prices
On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, we feature an "as it happens" conversation between Joe and Rory Johnston as oil prices react to the possible end of American strikes on Iran.
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Guest Bio:
- Rory Johnston is a CGAI Fellow and Founder of Commodity Context
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Host Bio:
- Joe Calnan is VP Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Reading recommendations:
- "1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation", by Andrew Ross Sorkin: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/665634/1929-by-andrew-ross-sorkin/9780593296967
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Interview recording Date: March 9, 2026
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Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary.
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Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

Mar 9, 2026 • 41min
Beyond CUSMA
On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Francisco Suarez Davila to discuss the current status of Canada-Mexico relations, where we are at with CUSMA and multilateralism in the new world.
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Participants' bios:
Francisco Suarez Davila is the former Mexican Ambassador to Canada
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Host bio:
Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Reading Recommendations:
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: March 09, 2026
Release date:
March 09, 2026

Mar 6, 2026 • 31min
Unpacking the Canadian Joint Forces Command
In this Triple Helix episode of Defence Deconstructed, we sit down with LGen Darcy Molstad and CWO Donovan Crawford of the newly created Canadian Joint Forces Command. We talk about the role of the CJFC in the CAF, it's areas of focus and the goals of the organization in bringing together a new culture with a number of different subcultures from long standing parts of the Canadian Armed Forces.
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Guest bios:
- Lieutenant-General Darcy Molstad is the Commander of the Canadian Joint Forces Command
- Chief Warrant Officer Donovan Crawford is the Canadian Joint Forces Command Sergeant-Major
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Host bio:
David Perry, President & CEO, Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Recommended Readings:
- "Unit X" by Raj M. Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff
- "The triangle of Power" by Alexander Stubb
- "New Cold Wars" by David Sanger
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Defence Deconstructed was brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding.
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
Release date:
06 March 2026

Mar 4, 2026 • 35min
The Strait of Hormuz
On this special episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Kelly Ogle and Joe Calnan discuss the situation in Iran and the Persian Gulf, their oil price predictions for March, and the Alberta Provincial budget.
You can find Kelly's op-ed here: https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-how-to-attract-energy-investment-in-a-rapidly-changing-world
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Donate to CGAI here: buy.stripe.com/28o29deEmeCH1ck8ww
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- Kelly Ogle is a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
- Joe Calnan is VP, Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary.
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Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

Mar 2, 2026 • 34min
Disaster Response Systems for Canada
On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Eva Cohen to discuss disaster response capacity in Canada, looking at Germany's Federal Agency for Technical Relief's model for a structured, volunteer-driven, and federally coordinated disaster response system.
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Participants' bios:
Eva Cohen is the Founder & President of Civil Protection Youth Canada (CPYC)
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Host bio:
Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Reading Recommendations:
- "A New Disaster Relief Approach for Canada: Citizen-Based Civil Protection" by Eva Cohen and Bettina Koschade
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: January 21, 2026
Release date:
March 02, 2026

Feb 27, 2026 • 45min
Operationalizing the Defence Industrial Strategy: Can Canada Deliver?
In this special Triple Helix episode of Defence Deconstructed, we’re featuring a special joint episode with the Conference of Defence associations, featuring a conversation between Dr. David Perry and CDA Institute Executive Director, Dr Gaëlle Rivard Piché, and host, David Borys. We look at the Defence Industrial Strategy and how it will impact defence procurement, industry and influence national security.
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Participants' bios:
Dr Gaëlle Rivard Piché is the Executive Director at the CDA Institute & Conference of Defence Associations
Dr. David Perry is the President and CEO at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Host bio:
David Borys is a Research Fellow at the CDA Institute
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: February 24, 2026
Release date:
February 27, 2026

Feb 25, 2026 • 34min
Labour Force Considerations for Building Major Projects
On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Joe talks with Chris Worswick about the labor force requirements for building major projects and how we should think about immigration.
For the intro, Joe covers the current situation for American military action in Iran.
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Guest Bio:
- Christopher Worswick is a Professor in the Department of Economics at Carleton University. He is also a Research Fellow in the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM) at University College London.
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Host Bio:
- Joe Calnan is VP Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Reading recommendation:
- "Borderline Chaos: How Canada Got Immigration Right, and Then Wrong", by Tony Keller: https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/borderline-chaos/
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Interview recording Date: February 20, 2026
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Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary.
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Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

Feb 23, 2026 • 31min
Inside the Future Borders Coalition
On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Dr. Laura Dawson to discuss the operations of the Future Borders Coalition and CUSMA negotiations.
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Participants' bios:
Dr. Laura Dawson is the Executive Director of the Future Borders Coalition.
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Host bio:
Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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Reading Recommendations:
- "The Winter Witch: A Novel" by Jennifer Chevalier
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
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Recording Date: January 30, 2026
Release date:
February 23, 2026

Feb 20, 2026 • 28min
Breaking Down the Defence Investment Agency
In this Triple Helix episode of Defence Deconstructed, we sit down with Dr. Olena Kryzhanivska to discuss her latest paper, “Lessons and Warnings for Canada's Defence Investment Agency”. We discuss the announcement of the Defence Investment Agency (DIA) and outlining what it would do, focus on centralizing procurement to align with partners like the U.K., France and Australia, and provide some recommendations to guide Canada on the implementation and operational success of the DIA.
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Guest bios:
Dr. Olena Kryzhanivska is a COVE Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, where she focuses on defence innovations in Canada.
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Host bio:
David Perry, President & CEO, Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Recommended Readings:
- "De Gruyter Handbook of Drone Warfare" edited by James Patton Rogers
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Defence Deconstructed was brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding.
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Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll
Release date:
20 February 2026

Feb 18, 2026 • 57min
How to Think about Minerals and Defence Industrial Resilience ft. Jahara Matisek
On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Joe talks with Jahara Matisek about defence industrial supply chains, critical mineral vulnerabilities, prioritizing ecosystems, and the Canadian defence industrial strategy.
For the intro, Joe covers nuclear supply chains, plans for an enormous natural gas power plant, and an update on Venezuela.
You can find Jahara's books here:
https://www.rienner.com/title/Old_and_New_Battlespaces_Society_Military_Power_and_War
https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/Military-Strategy-Joint-Operations-and-Airpower
You can find Jahara's articles discussed in the podcast here:
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/how-to-supercharge-the-us-militarys-arsenal
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/techland/why-the-us-military-could-lose-the-contest-for-materials-crucial-to-ai
https://mwi.westpoint.edu/logistics-left-of-boom-understanding-adversary-threats-to-the-defense-industrial-base-ahead-of-conflict/
https://warontherocks.com/2025/08/these-materials-could-cripple-americas-defense-industrial-base/
https://mwi.westpoint.edu/minerals-magnets-and-military-capability-chinas-rare-earth-weaponization-should-be-a-wake-up-call/
https://www.fpri.org/article/2026/02/the-us-is-not-built-for-war-or-peace-americas-industrial-resilience-gap/
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Guest Bio:
- Jahara Matisek is an active-duty US Air Force officer whose work focuses on the policy implications of national security spending, with an emphasis on critical infrastructure resilience
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Host Bio:
- Joe Calnan is VP Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute
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Reading recommendation:
- "How the World Really Works: A Scientist’s Guide to Our Past, Present and Future", by Vaclav Smil: https://www.amazon.ca/How-World-Really-Works-Scientists/dp/B001XIIE24
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Interview recording Date: February 17, 2026
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Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary.
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Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.


