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Uncommons
We need serious and experienced leadership to defend Canada against US threats, and to deliver a strong economic plan to supercharge home construction, develop clean energy, unlock internal trade, and more.
We need to protect our progress. And to build on it.
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Nate’s earned a reputation as a principled voice in the House of Commons, with a track record of voting more independently, and working across party lines to get things done.
He focuses on substantive debate, goes beyond talking points, welcomes experts and different perspectives to his Uncommons podcast, where he provides long-form explanations of his voting and parliamentary work.
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Nate worked to drive down the costs of home building, advocated for doubling community and non-market housing, and supported efforts to address homelessness and help the most vulnerable.
In a short time as Minister, he secured many long-term deals to strengthen and expand public transit and to get both housing and enabling infrastructure built.
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Nate led efforts to enhance the Canada Workers Benefit. As a former co-chair of the all-party anti-poverty caucus, he also worked across party lines to help realize the Canada Disability Benefit.
When big grocer CEOs all cancelled ‘hero pay’ bonuses at the same time in the pandemic, Nate held them accountable and worked to make wage-fixing illegal. He’s also been vocal about the need to address wealth inequality.
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Nate’s legislation to treat substance use as a health issue was adopted by the government and passed by Parliament. He also worked to secure federal funding for evidence-based addiction treatment.
He worked closely with a local childhood cancer survivor to deliver $30 million in federal support for pediatric cancer research and treatment. And he’s been part of successful efforts to advance sensible gun control.
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Nate introduced net zero legislation and played an active role in efforts to improve the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act.
He has consistently used his position to support stronger and more ambitious climate action and nature protection, and to defend the idea that polluters should pay.
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Nate’s been a leading advocate for consumer protections online through stronger privacy laws, especially for our kids. He introduced privacy legislation and led Canadian and international efforts to hold social media platforms accountable.
He worked at the industry committee to advocate for more competition, taking telecom companies to task in particular. And he led efforts at the privacy committee to hold Pornhub accountable for failing to protect young women on its platform.
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Nate’s represented Canada on the world stage and defended human rights at the UN. He’s called for action to protect Rohingya refugees, support Palestinian human rights, hold China accountable for its treatment of the Uyghurs, and address forced labour in supply chains.
He also supported death with dignity laws, defended LGBTQ+ rights, supported refugee resettlement, worked to fix over-reaching anti-terror legislation, shut down hate speech, and criticized Quebec’s Bill 21.
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Nate worked to reform Indigenous child welfare, supported government efforts to end long-term boil water advisories, and helped to build a partnership between the Liberal 416 caucus and TASSC, a coalition of Toronto’s Indigenous service organizations.
As a result of his advocacy, the government delivered $2 million to provide TASSC a permanent home.
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Nate’s been at the forefront of improving animal protections in Canada. His advocacy led to government action to ban the shark fin trade, address animal fighting and abuse, and phase out toxicity testing on animals.
He also helped found the Liberal Animal Welfare caucus, seconded legislation to ban the captivity of whales and dolphins, and was the House sponsor for the Jane Goodall Act.
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Nate has delivered for our city and community. He finalized a deal to help the TTC acquire new subway cars, delivered federal support to unlock Toronto’s waterfront, and worked with the Mayor’s office to create Toronto Builds, federal low-cost financing of $2.55 billion to get new rentals and affordable housing built.
He’s always been there for constituents. Nate stood with our community in the wake of the Danforth shooting, he and his team helped local vaccine clinics succeed in the pandemic, and he has advocated for countless constituents on specific case files or by raising their voice and concerns in Parliament.
Nate Erskine-Smith
In the face of opposition from legal scholars, animal rights advocates, and associations of journalists, Ontario has now passed unconstitutional ag-gag laws, an attempt to silence whistleblowers who expose animal cruelty. Nate speaks with Animal Justice lawyer Camille Labchuk and University of Alberta law professor Peter Sankoff about efforts in Ontario and across our country…
The pandemic and economic fall-out have taken a toll on our society in a number of different ways, including a serious impact on our mental health. Before his appointment, Senator Stan Kutcher was an expert in the area, having served as the department head of psychiatry at Dalhousie University and as the director of the WHO…
The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) has provided critical income support to millions of Canadians, but it’s set to expire for many at the end of June. Should we extend the CERB? Improve it? Expand it? Nate is joined by Jennifer Robson, Carleton Professor and expert in social policy, to discuss the future of CERB.
Justice David Stratas sits on the Federal Court of Appeal, he’s been prolific in writing judgments, and he’s been vocal about the role judges should play. He was also a mentor to Nate and as a professor at Queen’s University he taught Nate constitutional law. In this episode, the two have a conversation about the…
Cities are in dire financial straits and need federal support. Nate is joined by Toronto Mayor John Tory to discuss the city’s financial needs in this crisis, how Toronto can better address racism in the wake of the tragic death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, as well as important issues of affordable housing and public health.
Protests against police violence and discrimination have taken place across the US and in Canada, and we need to do more to recognize and address racism. Nate speaks with Professor Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, a criminologist at U of T, Director of Research at Cannabis Amnesty, and expert in race, crime, and criminal justice.
Former Senators Art Eggleton (Liberal) and Hugh Segal (Conservative) have been champions of a basic income in Canada. In part 2, Nate is joined by Hugh to discuss one Tory’s lonely battle to end poverty in Canada. Hugh is a former Senator, and served as Chief of Staff to both Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and…
Former Senators Art Eggleton (Liberal) and Hugh Segal (Conservative) have been champions of a basic income in Canada. In part 1, Nate is joined by Art to discuss his passion for social justice and ending poverty through a basic income. Art has a long history of public service, as a former Senator, Minister, MP, and…
A recent military report has highlighted the deplorable state of private nursing homes in Ontario, a scandal that experts and families have drawn attention to for years. It is hard to understand, impossible to accept, and Pat Armstrong has solutions. She’s a distinguished research professor and sociologist at York University, a Fellow of the Royal…
Maria Ressa is a highly-regarded journalist and author in the Philippines. As an outspoken critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte she was arrested on multiple occasions for critical reporting on the government. Maria is one of the journalists included in the Time’s Person of the Year 2018, and in 2019, she received a Tribute honour…