Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj Season 4 Episode 5 The Two Sides of Canada

In season 4 episode 5 of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, titled "The Two Sides of Canada," Minhaj explores the often-overlooked complexities of Canada's domestic and foreign policies. As a neighbor to the United States, Canada often gets overshadowed by its louder and more boisterous neighbor, but Minhaj shows that Canada has a lot of its own political and social issues to contend with.

The episode begins with Minhaj traveling to Edmonton, Alberta, to explore Canada's oil industry and its reliance on oil exports. Alberta is one of Canada's main oil producers, and as such, it has a lot of influence over the country's energy policies. However, the oil industry is also a major contributor to Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, and the government has struggled to balance its commitment to reducing emissions with its support of the oil industry. Minhaj speaks with activists and politicians on both sides of the issue, exploring the pros and cons of Canada's oil industry and the difficult choices that policymakers face.

From there, Minhaj pivots to a discussion of Canada's foreign policy, particularly its relationship with countries like China and Saudi Arabia. Canada has a reputation as a progressive, liberal country, but its foreign policy decisions don't always align with those values. For example, Canada has continued to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, despite the country's appalling human rights record. Minhaj speaks with activists and experts about why Canada is hesitant to take stronger action against countries like China and Saudi Arabia, and what the implications of those decisions are.

The episode also explores Canada's relationship with its Indigenous communities, who have historically been marginalized and oppressed by the Canadian government and wider society. Minhaj travels to the Northwest Territories to speak with Indigenous leaders about their experiences and their current struggles for self-determination and justice. He also discusses the impact of Canada's residential school system, which forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families and communities to assimilate them into white Canadian culture. This policy has had devastating long-term effects on Indigenous communities, and Minhaj explores the ongoing efforts to redress those harms and build a different future.

Throughout the episode, Minhaj injects his trademark wit and humor into the discussion, but he also approaches these complex issues with a sense of empathy and nuance. He doesn't shy away from the difficult questions or the uncomfortable truths about Canada's past and present, but he also shows the many ways that Canadian activists and community members are working to build a better future for all Canadians. Overall, "The Two Sides of Canada" is a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of a country that often goes overlooked, but that has plenty of its own political and social complexities to contend with.