The Line
Hosted by The Line
Two Canadian journalists offer no-nonsense analysis of the week's political news and interview key figures, beholden to no party line but their own.
A twice-weekly podcast from two veteran Canadian journalists that splits its time between two formats. Fridays feature a candid, often cynical, co-hosted discussion on the week's political events, while Tuesdays offer a more focused, single-host interview with a newsmaker or policy expert.
“The show's primary distinction is its explicit independence, funded by subscribers rather than government subsidies, which it wears as a badge of honor. The hosts' chemistry and shared journalistic cynicism create a tone that feels like an insider's debrief, focused on what they see as the real story behind the headlines.”
Who hosts this show
The Line is an independent, subscriber-funded Canadian political publication co-founded by journalists Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney. The podcast serves as the audio/video arm of their written work, delivering commentary for Canadians who want it straight. Every Friday, Gerson and Gurney break down the week in Canadian politics, and on Tuesdays, one of them sits down with a guest for a longer conversation.
Credentials & credits
- Jen Gerson: Co-founder of The Line, freelance journalist (Maclean's, CBC), past work for National Post, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star.
- Matt Gurney: Co-founder of The Line, past columnist and editor at the National Post, former host at AM 640 Toronto.
Other ventures
- The Line (readtheline.ca) - a Substack newsletter and commentary website.
- Jen Gerson: Contributor to Maclean's, The Walrus, and CBC.
- Jen Gerson: Formerly co-hosted 'Oppo' podcast.
- Matt Gurney: Columnist, National Post.
- Matt Gurney: Radio Host, SiriusXM Canada.
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01We're fixing the house! (Sort of.)Jun 27, 2026 · 6 min
- 02Carney does an easy thing — let's fix our most symbolic national embarrassmentJun 27, 2026 · 1h 12m
- 03How Twitter wrecked politics (and Britain)Jun 26, 2026 · 5 min
- 04Lower immigration and Canadian housingJun 25, 2026 · 6 min
- 05What Carney did in B.C.Jun 24, 2026 · 6 min
- 06Carney condo bailout? Not quiteJun 24, 2026 · 1h 18m
- 07America's shocking wealthJun 23, 2026 · 6 min
- 08Doug Ford could screw it up for CanadaJun 22, 2026 · 5 min
Notable episodes
- 01Carney does an easy thing — let's fix our most symbolic national embarrassment
A signature episode where the hosts express cathartic joy and deep cynicism over the decades-long political failure to renovate the Prime Minister's residence, a recurring topic for the show.
- 02How Twitter wrecked politics (and Britain)
An example of the show's analysis of how technology and media are changing the nature of governance and political discourse.
- 03Lower immigration and Canadian housing
A typical 'On The Line' interview episode, featuring an expert guest (Mike Moffatt) for a deep dive into a critical Canadian policy issue.
What you'll be asked on this show
In the Tuesday 'On The Line' interview format, the host (typically Matt Gurney) comes prepared with deep context, often referencing previous conversations with the guest. He frames questions with detailed background and uses personal analogies to make complex topics accessible. The style is less of a cross-examination and more of a guided conversation, building on the guest's points to steer toward new lines of inquiry.
The podcast has two distinct formats. The Friday episode is a free-wheeling, co-hosted conversation between Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney, analyzing the week's news. The Tuesday episode, branded 'On The Line,' is a single-host interview, often led by Gurney, focusing on a specific policy area or news event.
Questions The Line keeps coming back to
3 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when The Line reaches for it.
future
1- Q.01
“Big picture, how is Canada doing collectively on [a specific policy issue]?”
This opening question is used to get a high-level assessment from an expert guest at the start of an interview.
origin
1- Q.01
“Can you explain what [a specific topic, e.g., 24 Sussex] is and why it's important for our audience?”
The hosts ask this to provide essential background information on a complex or historical topic for listeners who may not be familiar with it.
process
1- Q.01
“Is the idea of [a specific policy solution] still a thing, or is anyone doing anything with it?”
This is a follow-up question to check on the progress or viability of a previously discussed policy idea.
Signature segments
- · Friday co-host political breakdown
- · Tuesday 'On The Line' expert interview
- · Promoting their subscriber-funded Substack
- · Cynical and irreverent tone
- · Focus on government 'getting things done' (or not)
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically experts, journalists, or politicians with direct knowledge of a specific Canadian policy issue. The show books people like housing analysts (Mike Moffatt) and political commentators (Andrew MacDougall) to provide deep, specialized analysis rather than broad punditry.
- Mike Moffatton Lower immigration and Canadian housing
- Andrew MacDougallon How Twitter wrecked politics (and Britain)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is primarily subscriber-funded but also features corporate sponsors like Cameco Corporation and BioCanRx. This suggests an audience of educated professionals, decision-makers, and those working in and around Canadian policy and industry.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of The Line podcast?
- The podcast is hosted by Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney, the co-founders of The Line, an independent Canadian political publication.
- What is the format of the podcast?
- There are two episodes per week. Fridays feature a co-hosted discussion between Gerson and Gurney on the week's news. Tuesdays feature a one-on-one interview with a guest expert or newsmaker.
- Is The Line podcast still running?
- Yes, new episodes are released on Tuesdays and Fridays.
- Where can I listen to the podcast and read their work?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. Their written work is at readtheline.ca, which is a Substack publication.
- How is The Line funded?
- The Line is primarily funded by paid subscribers to their publication. They explicitly state that they do not accept any government funding to maintain their independence.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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