Rebel News Podcast — Ezra Levant | "Carney just signed a trade deal with China: What did he actually get?"

Date: January 17, 2026
Host: Ezra Levant (with guest Amy Hamm)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ezra Levant critically analyzes the recent trade deal negotiated by Mark Carney between Canada and China. Levant contends that the deal is lopsided in China's favor, notably allowing a large influx of low-cost Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) into the Canadian market while offering only modest relief for Canadian agricultural producers. The episode features audio quotes from Carney and Doug Ford and is followed by an in-depth interview with Amy Hamm—nurse, writer, and free speech advocate—discussing declining trust in Canadian institutions and ongoing culture war legal battles. The episode closes with real-time reaction to the Federal Court of Appeal's decision affirming the lower court ruling against the Trudeau government's invocation of the Emergencies Act in 2022.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. The Canada–China Trade Deal: "Undoing Regress, Not Progress"

[00:00–09:15]

What Did Carney Achieve?

• Agricultural Tariffs:
  • The deal secures removal/reduction of some Chinese tariffs on Canadian agricultural products, especially benefiting Saskatchewan’s canola producers.
  • Levant characterizes this as a return to the pre-tariff status quo, not a real gain:

    “So not actually progress, but just undoing some regress.” — Ezra Levant [01:47]

• Chinese Vehicles Dumped into Canada:
  • Canada will allow up to 49,000 Chinese-made electric vehicles into the market at the low "most favored nation" tariff rate (6.1%).
  • Levant accuses Carney of enabling market “dumping”—undercutting domestic auto producers.

Carney's Language and Prior Positions

• Mark Carney promoted the Chinese EVs as “the most affordable and energy efficient and innovative vehicles in the world.” [03:14]
• Formerly, Carney had described China as Canada’s top security threat [05:26], but now publicly welcomes a “China-led New World Order”:

  “I believe the progress that we have made in the partnership sets us up well for the New World Order.” — Mark Carney [08:48]

• Levant sees this as a total 180° foreign policy shift with no public debate or mandate.

Domestic Backlash

• Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s reaction:

  “Absolutely not. Didn’t have any consultation, didn’t consult with any of the automakers. This is going to be terrible for all the people of Ontario, especially the auto manufacturers, the supply chain...” — Doug Ford [04:17]

Strategic and Security Concerns

• Levant warns that allowing Chinese vehicles—“spy mobiles”—into Canada poses privacy and security risks, comparing Chinese EV telemetry to data collection by Chinese drone manufacturer DJI.
• He raises concerns about Canada’s future eligibility for intelligence partnerships (Five Eyes) given its warming China ties.

U.S. Response

• Levant suggests Donald Trump is currently uninformed about deal details but predicts that if/when he learns, he’ll use Canada’s embrace of Chinese autos to justify relocating American auto manufacturing and hardening U.S. security measures.

2. Interview: Amy Hamm on Institutional Trust and "Woke Capture"

[18:33–37:09]

The Erosion of Trust in Canadian Institutions

• Hamm, a BC nurse persecuted for gender-critical views, argues that institutions (colleges, courts, media) have been captured by progressive ideologues:

  “We have just such rot in all of our institutions in Canada. What I wrote about is the fact that we’ve sort of just handed over power to these WOKE progressive zealots.” — Amy Hamm [18:33]

• Levant references the Edelman Trust Barometer, highlighting record low public trust:
  • Parliament: 28%
  • Media: 36%
  • Schools: 45%
  • Courts: 48%
  • Police: 63%
    [22:11]
• Both discuss the shift of arts and gender studies graduates into gatekeeper roles in public institutions.

Media and Misinformation

• Levant critiques both mainstream and populist "charlatans," expressing skepticism of all power centers:

  “I’m a distruster, but I’m not going to go with charlatans like them.” — Ezra Levant [24:18]

• Hamm contends that public trust in independent media is rising relative to legacy outlets.

COVID's Impact on Trust

• Both note the catastrophic effect of COVID-19 officialdom on public faith in doctors and public health authorities.

  “They massacred their reputation. ... I can’t believe how badly they detonated the belief in one’s doctor.” — Ezra Levant [25:03]

Institutional Rot & Pushback

• Hamm calls for concrete public action to counter institutional abuses:

  “Like that’s what I mean is you really... We have to start taking action in a serious way to change our culture.” — Amy Hamm [29:50]

Amy Hamm’s Legal Battles

• Hamm details her ongoing appeals and lawsuits after being found guilty of professional misconduct for expressing gender-critical views—highlighting financial, legal, and union stonewalling.

  “Essentially, I have four lawsuits going on, all as a result of just going on record and saying men aren’t women and women deserve their privacy, their dignity, their safety in their own spaces.” — Amy Hamm [32:15]

• Discussion of possible support from Elon Musk’s X (Twitter) Anti-Retaliation Project.

3. Federal Court of Appeal Decision: Emergencies Act Ruled Unconstitutional

[37:11–47:20]

Real-Time Reaction

• The Federal Court of Appeal upholds the lower court’s ruling: Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act (2022) was unlawful and unconstitutional.

  “The lower court ruling is affirmed... the appeal of the Attorney General... should be dismissed.” — John Carpe (Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms) [41:10]

• All three judges ruled unanimously.
• Carpe emphasizes this as a vital precedent limiting government emergency powers and protecting civil rights:

  “If the court today had allowed the federal government’s appeal, it would just be giving a green light to tyranny.” — John Carpe [43:04]

• Positive legal impacts anticipated for ongoing lawsuits over the freezing of protesters’ bank accounts.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Trade:

  “All Canada got from China... was China agreeing to stop hurting Saskatchewan. I’m not sure if that counts as a great deal.” — Ezra Levant [01:30]

• On New World Order:

  “I believe the progress that we have made in the partnership sets us up well for the New World Order.” — Mark Carney [08:48]

• On National Security:

  “We are now orbiting China, not America.” — Ezra Levant [09:15]

• On Institutional Trust:

  “We have just such rot in all of our institutions in Canada.” — Amy Hamm [18:33] “But I think what happened during COVID, so much of the public lost trust, especially in public health officials that sold us lies.” — Amy Hamm [26:21]

• On the Emergencies Act Ruling:

  “It was completely illegal and unconstitutional. A very exciting outcome.” — Ezra Levant [37:11]
  “This was a really important accountability check that a court said... you abused, you didn’t comply with the legislation...” — John Carpe [42:23]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] — Ezra’s introduction, trade deal summary
• [03:14] — Mark Carney: "China's strengths ... in electric vehicles are formidable."
• [04:17] — Doug Ford blasts the deal’s lack of consultation
• [05:26] — Archive: Carney names China as top security threat
• [08:48] — Mark Carney on “New World Order”
• [18:33] — Amy Hamm interview begins: trust and woke capture
• [22:11] — Edelman Trust Barometer statistics
• [29:50] — Hamm: Call for action against institutional abuses
• [32:15] — Hamm on multiple lawsuits over gender-critical speech
• [37:11] — Federal Court of Appeal decision break-in
• [41:10] — John Carpe reads ruling conclusion
• [43:04] — Carpe on importance of court decision
• [47:20] — Ongoing implications for lawsuits re: bank account seizures

Episode Tone & Style

• Levant: Engaged, indignant, combative. Mixes commentary, analysis, and activism, blending humor with pointed criticism ("all hat and no cattle," "terrible negotiator").
• Amy Hamm: Candid, resolute, thoughtful about both her personal experience and the broader institutional climate.
• Guests (Ford, Carney, Carpe): Soundbites, formal statements, or spontaneous reaction; all providing substance for Levant’s analysis.

Summary

This episode is a forceful critique of Canada’s new trade relationship with China under Mark Carney, which Ezra Levant argues undermines national interests and security while enabling Chinese industry. The episode also highlights the widespread decline in Canadians' trust in institutions, explored in conversation with Amy Hamm, whose legal tribulations exemplify the problem. The episode concludes with real-time coverage and elation over an appellate court's affirmation that the Emergencies Act was illegally invoked—bolstering the cause of government accountability and civil rights in Canada.