Playbook Canada

Election vibes are back on Parliament Hill as Prime Minister Mark Carney rides a post-Davos bump and Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre prepares for a critical leadership review. Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon joins Playbook Canada to discuss playing nice in the House, election speculation and floor crossers.   Nick Taylor-Vaisey is POLITICO’s Ottawa bureau chief and co-author of...

At Davos, Mark Carney laid out Canada’s place in a volatile world. Playbook Canada examines the political moment at home and what comes next as MPs head back to the Hill. Then, forecaster Philippe J. Fournier, founder of 338Canada, joins the show to give his predictions, including whether there will be an election in 2026.  Nick Taylor-Vaisey is POLITICO’s Ottawa bureau chief and co-author of POLI...

As Mark Carney heads to China and Donald Trump talks tough about Greenland, Canada’s place in a shifting world order feels constantly fragile. Veteran columnist Paul Wells and POLITICO’s China and Indo-Pacific affairs correspondent Phelim Kine join Playbook Canada to unpack what’s at stake — and how closely Washington and Beijing are watching.  Nick Taylor-Vaisey is POLITICO’s Ottawa bureau chief...

Another floor-crosser brings Mark Carney within one vote of a majority, leaving Pierre Poilievre scrambling for a defense as questions mount about his grip on the Conservative caucus. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith joins the Playbook Canada podcast to talk pipelines “north, south, east and west” and her relationship with Carney and the broader Conservative moment. Plus, Mickey shares details from...

Parliament may be heading into winter break, but a wave of ambassadorial openings in Washington, London and Brussels could upend the fragile political math for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s minority government. Nick and Mickey also track Steven Guilbeault’s decision to break with Liberal policy — while sticking around as a Liberal MP; the Conservatives’ recent momentum; and interview U.S. Ambassado...

Mark Carney battles pipeline fallout and adds a new and potentially disruptive face to his Cabinet: Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller. Then, Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson joins the Playbook Canada podcast. Nick Taylor-Vaisey is POLITICO’s Ottawa bureau chief and co-author of POLITICO’s Canada Playbook newsletter  Mickey Djuric is a reporter and co-author of POLITICO’s...

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have come up with an energy deal that could reshape the relationship between Alberta and Ottawa. Playbook’s Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Mickey Djuric break down what’s really driving their tentative alliance — and whether it marks the dawn of a new era in Canadian politics.  Meanwhile, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre has brought i...

As Mark Carney takes his tenth trip to enlist “reliable partners” in the trade war and to ease Canada’s reliance on the United States, Donald Trump is feeling the burn from political setbacks across the border. POLITICO’s Mickey Djuric and guest co-host Jack Blanchard, from Playbook Washington, D.C., break down how Carney’s personal rapport with Trump may be a big advantage when tariffs are back o...

Prime Minister Mark Carney enters a make-or-break confidence vote on Monday still short of support, all while projecting confidence and bypassing the U.N. COP climate summit. On this episode of the Playbook Canada podcast, co-hosts Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Mickey Djuric dive into the budget math in the House, Carney’s climate calculations and Privy Council Clerk Michael Sabia’s pending shake-up of d...

Ottawa is abuzz after Conservative MP Chris d'Entremont crossed the floor Tuesday — and suddenly an outright majority for Prime Minister Mark Carney looks within reach. On this week's show, hosts Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Mickey Djuric break down the latest from Ottawa and beyond, including Carney’s efforts to recruit more floor-crossers; the next chapter in British Columbia’s ostrich saga; and a ver...

On the world premiere Playbook Canada podcast, hosts Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Mickey Djuric take you inside the budget brinkmanship, leadership jitters and diplomatic dust-ups driving this week in Canada — plus 200 seconds with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.  Nick Taylor-Vaisey is POLITICO’s Ottawa bureau chief and co-author of POLITICO’s Canada Playbook newsletter  Mickey Djuric is a reporte...

POLITICO’s Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Mickey Djuric bring to life the stories that are driving the news in Ottawa and beyond  — drawing on their deep reporting from Parliament Hill and across the provinces. New episodes every Thursday, starting October 30.   Nick Taylor-Vaisey is POLITICO’s Ottawa bureau chief and co-author of POLITICO’s Canada Playbook newsletter  Mickey Djuric is a reporter and co-a...