THE WEST BLOCK Episode 18, Season 13

THE WEST BLOCK
Episode 18, Season 13
Sunday, January 14, 2024

Host: Eric Sorensen

Guests:
Frank Lowenstein, Former U.S. Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations

Health Panel:
Dr. Kathleen Ross, CMA President—Coquitlam, BC
Dr. Trevor Jain, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians—Charlottetown

Location:
Ottawa Studio

Eric Sorensen: Increasing tension in the Middle East after a U.S. led coalition strikes Houthi targets in Yemen.

I’m Eric Sorensen, sitting in for Mercedes Stephenson. Welcome to The West Block.

The strikes are intended to stop Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, but could they escalate a wider regional conflict? We speak to a former U.S. state department official about the risks as the White House grapples with the war between Israel and Hamas.

Plus, emergency departments are overwhelmed again this winter. With long wait times and not enough beds, a crisis is plaguing Canada’s health care system and it’s getting worse. We speak to two doctors with a roadmap for policy makers.

And, remembering former NDP Leader Ed Broadbent.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “His service to this country was always focused on strengthening communities, on bringing people together.”

Eric Sorensen: Fears of escalation in the Middle East are rising after strikes by the U.S. and U.K. on Houthi targets in Yemen. The strikes supported by U.S. allies, including Canada, are aimed at stopping Houthi attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea. It comes at a delicate time for the White House, as the U.S. secretary of state just wrapped up his latest visit to the region for talks on how to end the conflict and what happens to Gaza when it’s over.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State—Cairo, Thursday: “We also had conversations