Power Shifts

Our cheeky half before we break for August It’s our final episode before a short summer break—and we’re closing it out with a cheeky half pint and a big-picture scan of the trade and political chaos unfolding across Canada, the US, and the UK. In this episode: 🇨🇦 Carney concedes “tariff-free” deal with Trump is unlikely  • What the PM’s first public walk-back says about expectations management  •...

With Hunter Knifton This week on  Craft Politics , we revisit the 2025 Canadian federal election—not with hot takes, but with hard data. Our guest is  Hunter Knifton , the analyst behind the  Charting Canada  Substack, who’s challenging two of the most commonly accepted narratives about the election. In this episode: 🗳 The myth of the “NDP-to-Conservative switcher”: why it’s not supported by the n...

With Bridget Howe and Sarina Rehal It’s been six months since Mark Carney smashed through the wall of Canadian politics and declared, “This is a crisis.” He’s been elected. He’s governing. And he’s moving fast. But how far can a technocrat push before political gravity kicks in? To take stock of Carney’s first chapter as Prime Minister, we’re joined by  Bridget Howe  and  Sarina Rehal —two Liberal...

With Sam Coates, Deputy Political Editor, Sky News This week, we’re joined by  Sam Coates , co-host of  Politics at Sam and Anne's  and one of the UK’s sharpest political analysts, to make sense of a government struggling to hold the line—on foreign policy, economic discipline, and party unity. In this episode: 🇮🇷 Why the UK backed the  ends  but not the  means  of Trump’s strike on Iran ⚖️ Ho...

With Shuvaloy Majumdar, MP for Calgary Heritage This week, Israel launched one of the most significant military operations of our time—decimating Iranian nuclear infrastructure, IRGC command, and ballistic capabilities. The West? Mostly quiet. We go deep with  Shuvaloy Majumdar , MP, former advisor at Foreign Affairs, and one of the sharpest, clearest voices on Middle East geopolitics today. In th...

This week, we crack open a UK import—Hawkstone Lager from Jeremy Clarkson’s farm—and break down Canada’s biggest defence spending announcement in decades. PM Mark Carney has committed to meeting NATO’s 2% target  this year , nearly a decade ahead of Trudeau’s original pledge. That’s over $9 billion in new spending—including raises for CAF members, $2B in military aid to Ukraine, and major procurem...

With Chris Spoke, developer and host of the Hogtown podcast Every party says they want to fix the housing crisis. But on the ground, very little changes. Why? This week on  Craft Politics , we go deep with  Chris Spoke —Toronto-based developer, housing policy advocate, and host of the  ⁠Hogtown ⁠ podcast. Chris isn’t just talking about the housing crisis. He’s trying to build through it. In this e...

With Karen Stintz, former Toronto city councillor and 2025 federal candidate What happens when Conservatives run a strong urban campaign, knock on thousands of doors, and still fall short by 1.4%? This week on  Craft Politics , we sit down with  Karen Stintz , a political veteran who nearly flipped  Eglinton–Lawrence , one of the toughest ridings in the country for Conservatives to crack. She brin...

With Christine Quigley This week on  Craft Politics , we untangle the  landmark  UK–EU trade and defense deal that’s being hyped as the biggest reset since Brexit. But is it a meaningful shift—or just another half-step wrapped in headlines? To sort it all out, we’re joined by our colleague  Christine Quigley , a seasoned political strategist and proud Remainer, who brings sharp insight and sharper...

I share a recent talk I gave to the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Vancouver—just weeks after one of the most consequential federal elections in Canadian history. From a political landscape that’s been redrawn, to a new Prime Minister with global ambitions, I explore what this shift means for the business community—especially those operating between Canada and Europe. You’ll hear insights on: How...

With Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees Valley and Member of the House of Lords British politics just had its vibe checked—and the result? Reform UK is on the rise, the Tories are reeling, and Labour can’t seem to land a punch. So we called in one of the few Conservatives still winning elections to help us make sense of it all:  Ben Houchen , the three-time elected Mayor of Tees Valley and a straight-talk...

After losing a chunk of our life to technical issues trying to interview our Australian colleagues, we gave up and came at you with a cheeky half from a suspicious hotel room. We cover:1. Carney White House Visit2. UK/India Trade Deal3. UK Local ElectionsAnd on tap, we enjoy a Boréale IPA du Nord-Est with Krush Hops

In this deep-dive episode, we welcome  The Hub ’s Sean Speer for a sweeping post-election conversation that looks well beyond the seat count. Together, we unpack what the results signal about Canada’s shifting political map—and the governing challenges that come next. We cover: Why Canada may be settling into a  two-party system —and what that means for the NDP and voter coalitions The  trap of 42...

Andrew and Joseph unpack the early takeaways from Canada’s federal vote—before the full dust settles. With Dead Frog and Backcountry brews in hand, we reflect on what just happened, what didn’t happen, and what we got wrong. We tackle: Why the Liberals’ minority win is both change and more of the same How early voting and older demographics gave the Liberals their edge The collapse of the NDP and...

The 2025 federal election isn’t even over yet—and already, the next political era is taking shape. In today’s episode of Power Shifts, I share eight key observations about how this campaign has reshaped Canada’s political terrain. These aren’t predictions. They’re the deeper dynamics already at work—forces that will define the next four years, no matter who wins. We cover: • Why the 2025 campaign...

We sit down with veteran strategist Mike McDonald for a sharp, beer-fueled breakdown of the federal campaign—with a special focus on British Columbia. We start with a big-picture analysis of the national race: Is this election a true battle of leadership vibes? Has Mark Carney neutralized the ideological contrast with Poilievre by simply being  less  of a liability? And why does the rise in advanc...

I deconstruct attack ads from the Conservative and Liberal parties in Canada, analyzing their strategies, emotional triggers, and the effectiveness of their messaging.

We invite fan favourite Janice Stein back to the show with Farhaan Ladhani to talk about foreign interference in Canadian elections.  What is it, exactly? What implications does it have for voters? What impact does it have on the spread of polarized political views?  Andrew and Joseph also touch on global economic concerns and the rising sentiment of Western separatism in Canada. This week's b...

Former Cabinet Minister James Moore joins us to assess the state of the federal election, and the contrasting leadership styles of Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre. And what the NDP collapse means for the choice voters face in the April 28 election. Chapters 00:00 Beers, Banter, and Things to Watch 21:00 Interview with James Moore 27:01 The Current Political Landscape 30:03 The Two-Horse Race: Car...

Joseph Lavoie explores how Ford strategically navigated regulatory challenges by embracing stricter emissions standards ahead of federal requirements, showcasing the importance of regulatory foresight and compliance leadership in the automotive industry. The analysis highlights Ford's proactive approach, the political backlash faced, and the eventual shift in the industry's stance towards...

Election time! In this cheeky half we take stock of the Canadian federal campaign in its nascent stage with an eye to what it takes to change the frame, and if Canada's third party, the NDP, have any hope. Plus, we talk top secret chats on Signal and why the local election in the UK matter as a reflection of national sentiments.  Chapters 00:00 Beer Talk 01:57 Canadian Federal Election 04:48 Polli...

Is it only Wednesday? It has been a hell of a start to the week. Two big and credible polls have the Liberal Party of Canada, under Mark Carney, as the frontrunners to win the federal election. The pendulum appears to be shifting away from Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives. Of course, the only poll that matters is the one on election day, and as I share in this week’s episode of the show, thi...

We welcome our first Liberal on the show! Dan Arnold joins us to analyze the Liberal leadership race in Canada. We analyze the performances of key candidates, particularly Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland, and explore the impact of Donald Trump on the ballot question. We also geek out on the strategies employed by Carney's campaign, the public's perception of him, and the expectations sur...

Percy and Joseph get really ranty in this cheeky half episode as they dig into the current political climate, focusing on the implications of Trump's leadership on global affairs, the future of NATO, and the responses from various political leaders.  They reflect on the state of democracy and the challenges facing Western alliances, emphasizing the need for a reevaluation of diplomatic strategies...

I hope you enjoy this Craft Politics episode with former Chief Whip, Simon Hart on the publication of his diaries -- the first Chief Whip to do so in the UK