Gristle and Bone: The Canadian Politics Podcast

Recorded on August 5th, 2025, this episode of Gristle & Bone dives into the thickening fog of US-Canada trade tensions. With new tariffs slamming key Canadian exports —from steel to softwood—co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill unpack what’s really going on behind the headlines. Canada Tariffed: Crisis or Compliance Game? After the August 1st deadline passed with no new deal, the Trump a...

Carney Cuts, the Longest Ballot & What's Left of the Canadian Left Recorded on July 17th, 2025, this episode of Gristle & Bone unpacks some of the latest developments in Canadian politics. READ " Opposition to AI is a key path to renewal for the NDP " https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/opposition-to-ai-is-a-key-path-to-renewal-for-the-ndp Co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill...

Recorded on July 3rd, 2025, this episode of Gristle & Bone unpacks a politically seismic week in Canadian politics—one that saw Prime Minister Mark Carney withdraw the long-planned Digital Services Tax (DST) after a single post from Donald Trump on Truth Social. Co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill analyze the fallout, the deeper questions about Canadian sovereignty, and the echoes of hi...

In this episode of Gristle & Bone , recorded on June 28, 2025, co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill track Canada’s shifting political landscape—where diplomacy looks presidential, Parliament is streamlined like a boardroom, and Alberta once again plays the wildcard. As Carney leans into hyper-efficient governance, Kirsten Hillman takes the diplomatic wheel, and Smith positions Alberta as...

In Episode 4 of Gristle & Bone Season 2, recorded June 17, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill unpack a week of major developments in Canadian politics—from the global stage at the G7 to cabinet politics in Ottawa, seismic shifts in Quebec, and a reckoning within the Conservative movement. From the return of major constitutional questions to the rise of technocratic governance, Gristle &am...

In this high-stakes episode of Gristle & Bone , recorded as Canada grapples with foreign pressure and domestic upheaval, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill tackle three explosive developments: secret diplomacy with the U.S., the introduction of the Strong Borders Act, and the crisis—and opportunity—facing the NDP. First, they dissect the revelation that Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S....

In this second episode of Gristle & Bone Season 2, recorded on May 28, 2025, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill examine two powerful symbols that define the early days of Mark Carney’s government: the rejection of the Reform Act by the Liberal caucus, and King Charles III’s unprecedented delivery of the Speech from the Throne . The episode opens with the Liberals’ decision not to adopt th...

Welcome to Season 2 of Gristle & Bone , recorded on May 20, 2025, in downtown Montreal. In this episode, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill dive straight into the defining issue of this new Parliament: housing —and what they see as a major political and moral misstep by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s freshly appointed government. They unpack the controversial appointment of Gregor Robertson...

In this new chapter of Gristle & Bone , we slow things down—but go deeper. Now that Canada’s 45th general election is behind us, the podcast evolves into a space for thoughtful, biweekly analysis of Canadian politics—federal, provincial, municipal, and beyond. Still academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill return with sharper focus and broade...

In this post-election edition of Gristle & Bone , recorded on May 7th in downtown Montreal, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill unpack the first major developments following Canada's 45th federal election—and what they mean for the country’s future at home and abroad. With Prime Minister Mark Carney preparing to govern with a minority , the episode explores key milestones: A Speech fro...

In Episode 10 of Gristle & Bone , Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill break down the results of the 45th Canadian federal election, which returned the Liberal Party under Mark Carney to power with a minority government—the party’s fourth consecutive term since 2015. The episode covers: Pierre Poilievre’s paradox: A strong national showing (144 seats, 41.3%) but a lost seat of his own in Carlton....

In this special Election Day edition of Gristle & Bone , recorded on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Christopher Bourne offers a quick, sharp snapshot of where things stand as Canadians head to the polls. With the campaign winding down quietly, the polls have settled: The Liberals have dipped slightly, The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have gained modest ground, The NDP remains steady. The hosts pr...

In this packed post-debate edition of Gristle & Bone , recorded on April 22 and released April 23, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill analyze the latest developments in Canada’s federal election campaign as it enters its final stretch. The episode breaks down: The Liberal platform , released quietly over the long weekend, and whether its Trudeau-era tone undermines Mark Carney’s technocra...

In this special emergency bulletin of Gristle & Bone , recorded on April 18th, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill break down a dramatic week of Canadian politics following the French and English leaders' debates in Montreal. They first tackle the chaos surrounding the debate commission’s mismanagement , from rescheduling for a Habs game to accrediting disruptive far-right media, befor...

In Episode 6 of Gristle & Bone , recorded on April 14th, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill break down the election landscape just days before the leaders’ debates. With the campaign entering its final stretch, the hosts explore the deepening presidential dynamic that has left the NDP and Bloc Québécois struggling to break through the dominant Carney vs. Poilievre narrative. They examine...

With just three weeks to go until election day, Gristle and Bone returns with a deep dive into the shifting terrain of the 2025 Canadian federal campaign. Recorded on April 7th, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill explore the tensions between stagecraft and strategy in a moment of global economic instability. Pierre Poilievre's massive rallies show strong base energy—but are they expanding...

In Episode 4 of Gristle and Bone , recorded on March 31st, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill dig into a week of high-stakes missteps, internal dissent, and shifting political ground in the ongoing federal election campaign. Starting with the Conservative Party , the hosts explore the public criticisms of Pierre Poilievre’s campaign—most notably from Doug Ford’s campaign manager, Kory Teneyck...

In this episode of Gristle and Bone , recorded in Montreal on March 24, 2025, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill dive into the unfolding federal election campaign and explore a central theme shaping the race: the growing “presidentialization” of Canadian politics . The hosts examine the shifting polls, the fading Conservative lead, and the resurgence of the Liberals despite Carney's inexp...

In this episode of Gristle and Bone , hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill analyze the latest shakeup in Canadian politics: Mark Carney has officially taken office as Prime Minister and unveiled his leaner, so-called “wartime cabinet” , signaling a shift in governance strategy as Canada braces for economic tensions with the U.S. The hosts break down the key cabinet appointments , including: 1:1...

In this debut episode of Gristle & Bone , hosts Christopher Bourne , Political Science Faculty at Dawson College, and Dónal Gill , Political Science professor at Concordia University, set the stage for their new podcast. They introduce their approach—providing historical and theoretical context to Canadian politics without partisan spin—and explain the name behind the podcast, drawn from a Joh...