In this episode of On The Line, Matt Gurney speaks with Mark Hertling, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, former commander of U.S. Army Europe, and a longtime commentator on military affairs and leadership.

The conversation begins with an unusual connection. Hertling had referenced one of Matt’s columns in a recent speech, which a Line reader flagged and sent along. That led to an invitation — and a wide-ranging discussion about the United States’ role in the world, the strain on Western alliances, and what comes next.

Hertling is, at heart, an optimist. He believes American leadership in the Western alliance can recover, even after years of damage, but cautions that rebuilding trust with allies will take time — likely a generation. Matt is a bit less optimistic, but confesses he believes that America, a country he loves, will at least try. The two discuss what went wrong, what can realistically be repaired, and why the long-term trajectory may still bend back toward stability.

The conversation also turns personal. Hertling speaks about his latest book, If I Don't Return, which reflects on the life lessons he wanted to leave behind for his sons in case he didn’t return from war. It’s an emotional segment that resonated deeply with Matt, who has been thinking a great deal about what parents leave behind for their children in recent months.

It’s a thoughtful, and at times moving, conversation about leadership, legacy, and whether the West can find its footing again.

To order a copy of the general's book, click here.

And to see more from Matt and The Line, go to ReadTheLine.ca.

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In this episode of The Line Podcast, recorded a day early on April 2nd, 2026 ahead of the Easter long weekend, Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson open by saluting the departure of Artemis II on its journey to the Moon. Jen finds herself unexpectedly emotional about it, and the hosts spend some time reflecting on why moments like this matter — and why it’s still important to hold on to a sense of hope. It really is the best side of America (with a little bit of Canada!) on display. And then there is the other side of America! They check in on the state of the war in the Persian Gulf, as well as a recent speech by Donald Trump that neither host found particularly reassuring. The overall trajectory worries them, though Matt does offer some grounded analysis. Put simply, he’s not expecting Canada to be leading any clearance mission through the Strait of Hormuz.

From there, Jen provides an update from Alberta, where recent developments have left her feeling vindicated, albeit in a grim way. They discuss at some length why Jen struggles to convince people of things that are quite obvious; Matt pivots from political analysis to therapy and encourages her to be more comfortable accepting that you can't always argue people into seeing things your way.

The conversation then shifts to federal politics, with Matt arguing that Mark Carney needs to tighten up his government’s communications before he starts squandering some of the advantages he still enjoys early in his mandate. All that and more in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all our Line family!

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Today on On The Line with your host Jen Gerson, we talk about the rise of Alberta separatism with former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney.

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The former Conservative Party cabinet minister has become an unwitting spokesperson for conservative federalists in the province as the petition to generate enough names to force a separation referendum continues across Alberta. We talk about the deep roots of populism in Alberta, including the merger between the Wildrose and the old Progressive Conservative Party. Gerson asks the former premier some tough questions about how we got here. Why have generations of Alberta's leaders tried to tap the populist well? And will this vote be the time they tapped the anger of western alienation too deep.

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