Each week, the Maclean’s Ottawa bureau sits down with Cormac Mac Sweeney to discuss the headlines of the week. On this summer edition of the podcast: How do we get more women to join the military? The Canadian Armed Forces have pledged that, by 2026, one-quarter of its members will be women. Achieving that target won’t be easy. To talk about it. we’re joined by Lt.-Gen. Chris Whitecross, currently the most senior woman in the military.

Can we battle Islamophobia with a Canadian flag? That’s the hope of one Muslim group that wants to raise a flag pole outside of every mosque in Canada. We speak with a Toronto businessman who’s trying to put this plan into action.

Canada turns 150 years old in 2017, but the Parliamentary Press Gallery already hit that milestone this year. To mark the moment, the gallery released a book to look at the role of reporters on the Hill through our country’s history. We hear from Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove, one of the authors of the book.

You can learn a lot about someone in just one minute, which is why Maclean’s put MPs through our 60-second challenge. Hear them respond to a series of rapid-fire questions.

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The full episode

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Part 1. How to recruit women into the military

How do we get more women to join the military? The Canadian Armed Forces have pledged that, by 2026, one-quarter of its members will be women. Achieving that target won’t be easy. To talk about it. we’re joined by Lt.-Gen. Chris Whitecross, currently the most senior woman in the military.

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Part 2. How to fight Islamophobia with the Canadian flag

Can we battle Islamophobia with a Canadian flag? That’s the hope of one Muslim group that wants to raise a flag pole outside of every mosque in Canada. We speak with a Toronto businessman who’s trying to put this plan into action.

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Part 3. How to celebrate 150 years of journalism

Canada turns 150 years old in 2017, but the Parliamentary Press Gallery already hit that milestone this year. To mark the moment, the gallery released a book to look at the role of reporters on the Hill through our country’s history. We hear from Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove, one of the authors of the book.

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Part 4. How to answer questions in rapid fire

You can learn a lot about someone in just one minute, which is why Maclean’s put MPs through our 60-second challenge. Hear them respond to a series of rapid-fire questions.

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