Political Traction: Recent Episodes
Political Traction
Political Traction takes you behind the scenes for an insider’s look at what’s really going on when it comes to the country’s biggest political stories. Each Friday, host Adam Owen sits down with an insider – from politicians to journalists, diplomats to political strategists – to guide listeners through the backroom machinations shaping the news cycle. Political Traction is powered by Navigator, Canada’s leading high-stakes public affairs firm.
Faced with volatile economic circumstances, the federal government presented its 2023 budget, which Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Freeland argue will help Canada and Canadians respond to global trends like friendshoring and the shift to green energy. Billed as a plan to build a stronger, more sustainable and more secure economy, Budget 2023 includes substantial tax credits for clean tech, new taxes on stock buybacks, and modest efforts to address affordability. Adam is joined by Alex Ballingall, a reporter for the Toronto Star’s Parliament Hill Bureau, and Navigator’s own Daniele Medlej, a Liberal strategist and former communications director, to dive into what implications this budget holds for Canadians.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy presented his third provincial budget – signalling a shift in focus from COVID-19 to weathering the coming economic headwinds. On this week’s episode of Political Traction, Adam is joined by Laura Stone, Queen’s Park reporter for the Globe and Mail, Colin D’Mello, Queen’s Park Bureau Chief for Global News and President of the Queen’s Park Press Gallery and Navigator’s very own Brayden Akers, to unpack Budget 2023.
Last month, the federal government banned TikTok from being installed on all government-issued devices, citing security concerns related to the app’s ownership by a company with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This week, Adam Owen is joined by Chris Nardi, parliamentary reporter for the National Post, to discuss the government’s decision and its framing within the larger issue of CCP’s interference in Canada’s internal affairs.
Following more than a decade in some of the highest-ranking positions in the previous Ontario government, Charles Sousa has returned to public service as a Member of Parliament in Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. This week, Adam Owen is joined by Charles to explore his decision to come out of political retirement, and the role he sees himself playing at Parliament Hill.
With Chinese weather balloons, an American news anchor threatening war against Canada, and public broadcasters getting political, silly season has officially begun. This week, Adam is joined by Tasha Kheiriddin, a principal in Navigator’s Toronto office, and Catherine Moar, an associate principal in Navigator’s Calgary office, to discuss these recent issues and the impact they’ve had on the current political landscape.
Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premiers from across Canada unveiled the federal government’s plan for healthcare funding over the next 10 years. Despite high expectations, some experts consider the plan to have fallen short and believe that much more funding and innovation is needed to repair the strained system. This week, Adam is joined by University Health Network’s President and CEO, Kevin Smith, to discuss the challenges facing the healthcare system and if Ottawa’s offer is sufficient to address its systemic issues.
Following two historic electoral losses, the Ontario Liberal Party is facing an existential crisis as it prepares to pick its next leader. Some veteran members and former cabinet ministers made headlines recently by releasing a letter asking Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner to ditch his party and run for OLP leadership. First, Adam is joined by Kate Graham, a former Ontario Liberal leadership candidate and candidate in London North Centre, who signed the letter. Then, he catches up with Sharan Kaur, a Liberal strategist and political analyst who has vocally criticized the campaign, to discuss both sides of the issue, and the future of the party.
We have seen successive governments purposefully cater policy to the oldest among us, and ask the younger generations to pick up the tab. What kind of impact will this have on the opportunities and optimism our youth have for their futures? This week, Adam is joined by Sean Speer, who has sat on Canada’s leading think tanks, acted as a leading policy analyst to Stephen Harper, and currently teaches at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, to discuss whether this imbalance will create a divide amongst Canadians, or if it’s a necessary part of growing up in an aging society.
Rising incidents of crime are causing anxiety amongst Canadians. With all parties pointing fingers, the Trudeau Liberals have been silent on the issue. What will it take to finally see decisive action? This week, Adam is joined by Tristin Hopper, a columnist for the National Post, to discuss the alarming rise in crime, and what it means for Canadians’ trust (or lack thereof) in the country’s legal system.
In our final episode of 2022, host Adam Owen is joined by Navigator colleagues Michael Cooke, Rosa Ellithorpe and Tasha Kheiriddin. The panel unpacks this year’s top events and highlights what 2023 may bring from foreign affairs and healthcare to grocery prices and the possibility of a federal election.
Toronto, among many cities across Canada, is facing a generational housing crisis. With soaring costs, those looking to buy in the city are being shut out of the market and renters are faced with limited options for an affordable place to call home. This week, Adam sits down with Brad Bradford, Toronto City Councillor and Chair of the City’s Planning and Housing Committee to talk about the “Housing Action Plan” that City Council recently adopted, and to discuss whether it has what it takes to overcome the city’s biggest challenge.
Parents are feeling left behind as children’s hospitals fill up and local medicine shelves remain empty. This week, Adam is joined by Melanie Paradis, the president of Texture Communications and a veteran political communicator, and Jen Gerson, a freelance writer and co-founder of “The Line”, a Canadian commentary website, to discuss the political implications of government delay and mismanagement as flu, RSV, and COVID season continues to disproportionately affect children and debilitate households.
This week, host Adam Owen is joined by a panel of Navigator’s public affairs experts – principals Tasha Kheiriddin, Colin MacDonald and Danielle Parr – to unpack two issues causing major controversy around the globe: Elon Musk’s shaky takeover of Twitter and the excitement, problems and perils of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Tension between Canada and China is on the rise, with the two countries’ dissension taking centre stage at this year’s recent G20 summit. On this episode of Political Traction, Adam is joined by Vina Nadjibulla, Adjunct Professor at UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs to contemplate what Canada’s new approach in the Indo-Pacific might look like and what steps should be taken to solve Canada’s Xi problem.
Seeking to short circuit negotiations with CUPE, the Ontario Government invoked the notwithstanding clause to declare strike action illegal and impose a new contract, but big labour fought back, and Premier Ford backed down. This week, host Adam Owen speaks with The Globe and Mail’s future of work reporter Vanmala Subramaniam to break down what this means for labour, unions and collective bargaining.
From grocery stores to gas stations, prices are up and the cost of living is top of mind for Canadians with the highest inflation in 40 years. This week, Adam is joined by Brett House, former Deputy Chief Economist at Scotiabank, and André Turcotte, a principal at Discover, Navigator’s public opinion research firm, to unpack the Fall Economic Statement and discuss how the federal government is addressing affordability.
In a speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland set out her views on “friend-shoring” and how liberal democracies should address the issue of trade in a global economy.
This week, Adam is joined by Heather Scoffield, Ottawa Bureau Chief and Economics Columnist for the Toronto Star to unpack what the Freeland doctrine means for the Liberal Party and all Canadians amidst rising economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
Reporting on the front lines (w/ Adam Zivo)
This week, Adam is joined by Adam Zivo, a political columnist with The National Post. Joining the episode from Kyiv, Adam provides a firsthand glimpse of current events and political dynamics in Ukraine. The duo discuss what more Canada can be doing to help Ukraine, and how information operations and communications are influencing the war.
In a special edition of the podcast, host Adam Owen is joined by Jason Hatcher, Managing Principal of Navigator’s western operations and host of the Western Edge, a Navigator Podcast. Adam and Jason discuss new polling conducted by Navigator’s in-house research division, Discover, on the mindset of Albertans and what they want from their government. The duo conclude the episode with an introduction to the panel discussion Navigator hosted on October 18 with experts on politics and policy in western Canada.
If you’d like to see highlights of the research firsthand, visit the Navigator website.
This week, Amanda introduces the new host of Political Traction, Adam Owen, as Amanda signs off for her maternity leave. The duo reflects on Poilievre’s first month as CPC leader and the changing political dynamics in Alberta and Quebec.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Navigator Associate Principal and Liberal strategist Jeff Costen and NDP strategist Kim Wright on what’s next for the Ontario Liberal and NDP parties after a disappointing performance in the Provincial Election. With both of their leaders resigned, and in the case of the Liberals, official party status still out of reach, how will the parties rebuild?
On June 3, Ontarians will cast their vote in the provincial election. While all polls point to another four years of Doug Ford, the real debate taking place is about who will take second. This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by colleagues Mike Van Soelen, Colin MacDonald and André Turcotte to unpack the race so far, and share their predictions for the final outcome.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Canadian Senator and member of the World Refugee and Migration Council Ratna Omidva on the growing refugee crisis facing Afghanistan and Ukraine. The two unpack the current debate around resettlement, and share important ways we can help support those in need. If you like this episode, check out Moving the Needle on Wicked Problems: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/podcast/
This week, host Amanda Galbraith reunites with our Scrum panel – former heads of newsrooms and Navigator colleagues – Caroline Harvey, Michael Cooke and André Pratte. The panel unpacks the growing divide in the Conservative Party leadership race, NYT’s retreat from Twitter and the way media cover global conflicts.
This week host Amanda Galbraith speaks with former Navigator colleague and NDP strategist Sally Housser and Navigator Principal and Liberal commentator Colin MacDonald about the supply and confidence agreement and what it means for the next three years of government. The three also catch up on the UCP leadership race currently underway in Alberta.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Ukrainian-Canadian Laryssa Waler about the conflict with Russia, and how it's resonating with the Ukrainian community here in Canada. The two discuss the history of the Russian relationship, and point to specific ways to help support Ukraine during this difficult time.
This week host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Jon Shell, the Managing Director of Social Capital Partners. SCP is making waves in Canada’s existing financial system by pushing employee ownership and wealth equality models similar to those seen in the US and the UK.
This week, guest host Mike Van Soelen sits down with colleagues Clare Michaels and Brayden Akers to unpack the Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership race.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with former political staffer and current Member of Parliament for Thornhill, Melissa Lantsman. The pair discuss a day in the life on the floor of the House of Commons, the pressures of managing a social media presence, and the surprises she might face in her new role.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by our Scrum panel - former heads of newsrooms and Navigator colleagues – Caroline Harvey, André Pratte and Michael Cooke. The group discusses everything from the Olympics, Quebec’s controversial vax tax, the ‘modernization’ of CBC and Premier Doug Ford.
On this special year end edition of Political Traction host Amanda Galbraith sits down with colleagues Michael Cooke, Danielle Parr and Mike Van Soelen to discuss the highs, the lows, the wins, and the losses of 2021.
In the wake of news from Barbados and a ceremony with Prince Charles, Rihanna and a newly minted President, all eyes are on the royal family and its reign over the shrinking commonwealth. This week, host Amanda Galbraith debates Canada’s relationship with the monarchy with outspoken Canadian Republican, popular YouTuber and columnist for the Washington Post, J.J. McCullough.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith reunites with our Scrum panel – former heads of newsrooms and Navigator colleagues - Caroline Harvey and Michael Cooke. The trio discusses everything from the 2021 Speech from the Throne to the recent flooding in BC and all things Justin Bieber.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Jen Gerson, resident Albertian, political commentator and co-founder of the online newsletter, The Line, to unpack a tumultuous week in Alberta and federal politics.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator colleagues Philippe Gervais and André Pratte to unpack the French language failures of some of Canada’s most important CEOs. The trio unpacks the heated debate and what it might mean for the future of Bill 96.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with the Toronto Star's Queen's Park Bureau Chief, Robert Benzie, to unpack the 2021 Ontario Fall Economic Statement and what's going on behind the scenes as Queen's Park gets back to business in an almost post-COVID world. The pair weigh in on the government's promise to fix longstanding issues in Ontario's health and long-term care sectors, a new multi-million-dollar staycation tourism fund, why raise the minimum wage to $15, and much more.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Alex Ballingall, a Reporter from the Toronto Star’s Ottawa Bureau, to unpack the momentous week that was in Canadian politics with a significant cabinet reshuffling. With only 8 ministers staying in their portfolios among 38 appointments, it’s time for several ministers to hit the books as school is back in session.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Sharan Kaur, the Former Deputy Chief of Staff to Finance Minister Bill Morneau and current Director of Strategic Initiatives and Public Affairs at Clearco. The pair discuss the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and detail the trials and tribulations behind the scenes in planning one of the world’s biggest conferences.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by Navigator colleagues Clare Michaels, Cathy Moar and Matthew Barnes to discuss what is going on with the federal party leaders, the most under-reported election story from the campaign trail, and which federal party leaders are likely to last until the next election cycle.
The Toronto Star’s Ottawa columnist Althia Raj joined Navigator’s live videocast as seasoned experts from across the country looked beyond the vote to explore what motivated Canadians to vote the way they did and exactly what this government will mean for you.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with political advisor and commentator Jenni Byrne to discuss the rise in popularity of the Peoples Party of Canada, the English leader's debate and much more.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Toronto Star Columnist Susan Delacourt to discuss what goes down behind the scenes on a Liberal Party campaign tour bus during the 2021 Election campaign.
This week host Amanda Galbraith sits down with political insider and campaign strategist Bob Richardson to discuss reports of the Liberal’s slipping polls and how the campaign may (or may not) need to shift in the next few weeks.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by Globe and Mail reporter and friend of the podcast Marieke Walsh, who joins us from Winnipeg, where she is on tour with the Liberal campaign. The two talk about the highs and lows of tour, and share potential names for the campaign bus.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is back with a special Season 8 premiere with Navigator colleagues and political insiders Philippe Gervais, Clare Michaels and Matthew Barnes to get the inside scoop on what you need to know leading into the federal election.
This week, host Jason Hatcher sits down with the President & CEO of MEG Energy – Derek Evans to chat about the Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero initiative which was launched by five energy companies representing 90 per cent of oil sands operations. They have a plan to work collectively to tackle climate change and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. They then go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss everything from power breakfasts to live theatre.
This week, host Jason Hatcher sits down with two guests – Scott Nye & Nick Facey from Digital Alberta to chat about the tech sector and why Alberta could be the go-to province for start-ups and big companies alike. Three of them go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss everything from gaming to beer to hockey.
This week, Jason Hatcher sits down with Deborah Yedlin, CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and Chancellor of the University of Calgary, to discuss the state of the economy in Alberta and some initiatives that are leading the West out of the pandemic. The pair go head to head in our rapid-fire round to discuss everything from triathlons to their favourite pandemic purchases.
This week host Jason Hatcher sits down with Dr. Terry Rock from Platform Calgary to discuss the future of innovation and the tech sector, followed by our rapid fire round debating the best in beer and music. And as a special treat, to kick of the Calgary Stampede we will end the show with a hit from Calgarian Cole Bradley, making it big in Nashville.
This week host Jason Hatcher sits down with Mikaela McQuade from the Eurasia Group in Washington D.C. to discuss Canada/US relations and the future of energy. Then stay tuned as the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to debate the great outdoors.
This week, host Jason Hatcher sits down with former Calgary Stampeder Jon Cornish to discuss his work on diversity and inclusion in the locker-room and beyond, and establishing the Calgary Black Chambers. Then the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to debate among other things - Kansas City BBQ vs AB Beef.
This week, Political Traction says farewell to its seventh season.
Joining host Amanda Galbraith for a special finale episode with a live virtual audience, Navigator Senior Advisor, Michael Cooke, discusses his former life as an Editor and tackles a year in review: through the biggest winners, the biggest self-owns, best headlines, and election predictions.
Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Western Edge, a new miniseries brought to you by Navigator’s western office. This week, host Jason Hatcher is joined by Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi to discuss a Calgary people may not yet know - a city with diverse people and dynamic economy. As the Mayor prepares to depart his office after 11 years, he joins us to dispel those preconceived notions of Cowtown. Then the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round on some of Calgary’s hidden gems and the significance of the famous purple tie!
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with colleagues Danielle Parr and Mike Van Soelen to discuss Naomi Osaka’s face off against the media, leading to her resignation from the French Open. Is it the beginning of a brand new era for athletes? Then, the three go head to head in our rapid fire round on Trudeau’s response to Indigenous Issues, Air Canada, and Ontario’s reopening plans.
This week, former COO of Canada’s Olympic Bid and Board member of Canada Soccer, Bob Richardson, joins host Amanda Galbraith to discuss the 2021 Olympic games and the hurdles the organizers have faced in preparation. In our rapid-fire round, the pair go head-to-head to discuss going to the moon, Ontario’s re-opening plan, and the Leafs vs. Habs game.
This week, the Scrum is back in action and joins host Amanda Galbraith to discuss Canada's top stories and give their takes as the former heads of newsrooms. The group covers everything from the separation of Bill and Melinda Gates to Quebec's Bill 96, to the tensions in the Middle East and the Pentagon's secret information on UFOs.
This week, Navigator Principal Tasha Kheiriddin and Managing Principal Anne Kilpatrick join host Amanda Galbraith to discuss the launch of Discover, Navigator's research offering. The trio dives deep into Disover's latest research findings on pandemic trust progression scores. Then, the group goes head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss the ending of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ontario's pause on first doses of AstraZeneca, and their post-covid travel plans.
This week, Navigator Managing Principal Philippe Gervais and CJAD 800’s Elias Makos join host Amanda Galbraith to discuss all things Quebec: from nursing home hires to Bill 21. The trio goes head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Trump’s new social media service and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) disastrous press outing.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, Michael Geist, to discuss Bill C-10. The federal government is facing immense backlash to this bill, which aims to amend the Broadcasting Act to regulate user-generated content uploaded to social media platforms, the same way it currently controls TV and radio content.
The two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress, Vaccine Hunters Canada (@VaxHuntersCan), and Netflix Canada’s decision to move their headquarters to Toronto.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by Managing Principal of Navigator’s Ottawa office, Graham Fox, and Globe and Mail Political Reporter, Marieke Walsh, to discuss the 2021 federal budget. The trio goes head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Doug Ford’s emotional press conference, international flight restrictions, and the first thing they would do if COVID were to disappear suddenly.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by The Scrum panelists and Navigator colleagues Caroline Harvey, Michael Cooke and André Pratte to discuss issues with vaccine shopping, upcoming predictions for the 2021 federal budget, and the late Duke of Edinburgh’s legacy.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by Laura Stone, a reporter for the Globe and Mail, to discuss the COVID-19 third wave and how medical advisors have stepped up and into the spotlight during this time. The pair go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Prince Philip's passing, Jill Biden’s tights, and Clubhouse.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator Senior Consultants Shakir Chambers and Matthew Barnes to look back a the Conservative policy convention, and look ahead to the upcoming Liberal convention. Then the three go head-to-head in our rapid fire round on Cinnamon Toast Shrimp, vaccines and favourite patios in Ottawa and Toronto.
In this month’s Scrum edition, Navigator colleagues Caroline Harvey, Michael Cooke and André Pratte join host Amanda Galbraith to discuss the Sarah Everard case and if this will further push #MeToo conversations, the CPC convention, and the death of shame in politics in the case of Andrew Cuomo.
In the wake of a historic interview with Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey, audiences are often left to make their own assumptions about what really happens in preparation for a tell-all broadcast.
To dissect this incredible story that has dominated news cycles for days, we are joined by Navigator colleagues Danielle Parr and Andrea Ernesaks to unpack everything that goes on behind-the-scenes to prepare for such an interview.
The trio goes head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss the one-year anniversary of lockdown, the complications of International Women's Day and the ever-changing debate among generations around the perfect pair of jeans.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with the Honourable Margaret McCain for a discussion on early childhood education and its ability to break barriers for Canadian women, while improving educational outcomes for children across the country. Fitting for International Women's Day, the pair explore a policy proposal that all Canadians can get behind.
This week host Amanda Galbraith speaks to Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation expert panel member David Simmonds to discuss the purpose of Black History Month, investigate how the movement for racial justice has developed over the last year and explore what it’s like to be a Black corporate professional. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round on the Golden Globes, free Britney movement, quarantine hotels and more.
On this month’s Scrum, Caroline Harvey, André Pratte and Michael Cooke sit down with host Amanda Galbraith to debate the recent announcement on gun control, Canada’s ongoing relationship with China, Mark Carney’s new Twitter profile and so much more.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Karen Restoule, a former Director of the Justice Sector of the Chiefs of Ontario and co-founder of Bold Realities, along with Karen Mackenzie, President of MacKintosh Canada, PeopleBest Canada and an Expert Panelist at the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation. The trio discusses the rapidly growing Indigenous economic sector, land acknowledgements, the United Nations, and the Mi'kmaq fishery dispute in Nova Scotia.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Globe and Mail reporter Robyn Doolittle to discuss the blockbuster, two-and-a-half year investigation into the power gap that still exists between men and women in our workplaces and within Canada’s public institutions. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid fire round on blank front pages, Olympic controversy and their shared distaste for Tom Brady.
This week, guest host Jason Hatcher sits down with fellow Navigator Managing Principal Mike Van Soelen to discuss the departure of Julie Payette and what it means for the Liberal government. Then the two go head to head in our rapid-fire round to discuss GameStop, Superbowl predictions and their favourite winter sports.
This week on Political Traction, we launch our new monthly segment The Scrum. Every month, host Amanda Galbraith breaks down the biggest headlines in the country with Navigator colleagues and former heads of newsrooms, Caroline Harvey, André Pratte and Michael Cooke. This week they unpack everything from the vaccine rollout to the US presidential inauguration.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Globe and Mail reporter and a friend of the podcast, Marieke Walsh to discuss the politics behind Canada’s vaccine rollout. Then, the two go head to head in our rapid fire round on Inauguration, Sex and the City reboot and the recent social media bans.
This week on a very special year-end edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with a team of former journalists who have run national newsrooms and know what it’s like to break, shape or kill a story. Caroline Harvey, former Executive Producer of CBC’s The National; André Pratt, former Editor in Chief of La Presse; and Michael Cooke, former Editor in Chief of the Toronto Star unpack the year that was. The panel looks at the best of, the worst of, and the political plays that shaped 2020.
This week, host Amanda Galbraith speaks to Canadian writer and founder of The Line, Jen Gerson. The two unpack today’s media climate, the biggest issues facing Canadian writers and the motivation for breaking away from the norm to start The Line. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid fire round on the vaccine, lockdown and Jen’s… interesting… holiday recipe.
This week host Amanda Galbraith links up with Jason Hatcher to discuss the political environment in Alberta and what it means for its COVID response. Plus, a special announcement from our Calgary office. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Trump’s pardons, the fate of Stampede 2021 and Jason’s favourite winter activity.
This week host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Dan Kelly, CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to unpack the impact of lockdown measures for small businesses across Canada. Then the two go head-to-head in our rapid fire round to discuss the potential demolition of the Rogers Centre, Black Friday and daylight savings time.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Globe and Mail Reporter Laura Stone to discuss the politics of lockdowns, including the challenges the Ford government is facing as they announce new measures. As COVID-19 case counts reach new heights, governments are forced to bring new rules and restrictions. The two go head to head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Rudy Giuliani, their favourite holiday movie, and the recent developments surrounding a potential COVID-19 vaccine.
With all eyes on our neighbours to the south, host Amanda Galbraith sits down Sean Speer to unpack the important lessons learned from this very significant election. Sean is an expert in political strategy in his role as a fellow-in-residence at the Public Policy Forum, and has recently published an op-ed in the National Post about the larger political implications of the election. Then the two face-off in our rapid fire round to discuss their election predictions, Ontario’s COVID approach, and the start of the holiday season.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator’s Executive Chairman Jaime Watt to discuss the U.S. Election and how a group of disaffected Republicans have created one of the most creative and influential PACs: The Lincoln Project. Jaime and Amanda review just two of the organization’s many ads - GOP Cribs and Rats to unpack how they are working to defeat Donald Trump on November 3. Then, the two go head to head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Trudeau’s recent COVID remarks and the trend of majority elections across Canada.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Matt Triemstra, the Vice President and General Manager of Navigator’s Ottawa office, Ensight. The two discuss the week that was in our nation’s capital, and break down exactly what happened with the various motions and votes that took place. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Halloween, Borat, The Pope and Alberta’s new COVID test.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with fellow Navigator colleague Alex Shiff, a Senior Consultant in our Vancouver office and political commentator, to discuss all things surrounding the BC election. Alex breaks down what exactly happened with "Zoom Gate" and the implications that 700,000 mail-in ballots will have for the timing of the BC election results. The two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss Amy Coney Barrett, Amazon Prime Day, Lebron James and the championship win, and Twitter's "Room Rater."
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Bob Hallett, a Newfoundland-based political commentator, business owner, and advisor to the Schroeder Policy Group -- you might also know him from his band, Great Big Sea or his involvement in the hit musicals “Come From Away” and “No Change in the Weather”. Bob tells us that, while the rest of Canada is concerned with COVID-19, Newfoundland is facing its own unique set of challenges despite being virus-free. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss the vice-presidential debate, Thanksgiving, and the best place to grab a fresh Guinness.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with the Vice President of the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation and fellow Navigator Principal Tasha Kheiriddin. With the recent launch of the CCPC, Amanda and Tasha take a deep dive into why companies need to pay attention to the changing political and social landscape, and what it means for the future of business in Canada. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid-fire round to discuss the presidential debate, the future of Thanksgiving, the Conservative Party logo and Trump’s taxes.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with her friend and fellow Navigator Principal Colin MacDonald. The two unpack this week’s Throne speech and share their thoughts on what we can expect in the months to follow. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid fire round to discuss Schitts Creek, Ellen, RBG and COVID testing.
This week on Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with leadership strategist and former speechwriter Siri Agrell. Next week, in the 150th Speech from the Throne, the Trudeau government is expected to lay out its plan for national COVID recovery and an ambitious new policy agenda. Amanda and Siri go behind the scenes to look at what it takes to write such a major speech. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid fire round to discuss Mulan, the wildfires and the coming second wave.
On the Season 7 Premiere of Political Traction host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Marieke Walsh, a reporter with the Globe and Mail and a good friend of the podcast. The two unpack the summer that was: how a global pandemic, changes in senior federal cabinet members and an unlikely relationship has shaped a political landscape that looks much different than it did 12 months ago. Then, the two go head-to-head in our rapid fire round to discuss three very important topics: politics, wine and sports.
This week, on Political Traction’s season finale, host Amanda and Navigator’s Managing Principal and friend of the podcast Mike Van Soelen unpack the tumultuous year 2020 has been so far, and make predictions for what the rest of the year will bring. From Brexit and railway blockades, to the coronavirus and killer hornets, this year has been a nonstop sprint. The two will also discuss the political leaders who have risen to the occasion, and those who have fallen short.
This week on the “Blackout” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Andria Barrett, President of the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, and what can be done to support the black business community. You can learn more about the CBCC by visiting www.blackchamber.ca
This week on the "Save our Cities" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Toronto Beaches-East York City Councillor Brad Bradford to unpack the role of municipal planners when pandemics hit, and discuss what cities can do to prepare for unprecedented changes to urban life, including physical distancing circles and bike lanes.
This week on the "We're Just Not That Into You" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Queen's University Professor Jonathan Rose to discuss the trials and tribulations of our former politicians in their political afterlives. Then, the two go head to head in our rapid fire round on Biden's running mate, Netflix watch lists and the best place to grab a drink in Kingston.
This week on the “Stocked and Loaded” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with her good friend and political reporter Marieke Walsh to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic stockpile, or lack thereof. Then, the two will offer their thoughts on the May long weekend, Premier Ford’s cherry cheesecake and Canada’s Drag Race.
This week on the "Race for Second Place" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with her good friend and fellow Conservative strategist Jenni Byrne to unpack the federal Conservative leadership race and where it could go from here in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, the two will offer their thoughts on Tik Tok, Premier Ford's tripi to the cottage and Trudeau's flow.
This week, on the "Please Unmute Yourself" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith speaks to federal Member of Parliament Nathaniel Erskine-Smith in his Beaches-East York office to unpack the first ever virtual Parliament sitting. MP Erskine-Smith, one of the more tech-savvy members, will talk about life as a politician during the pandemic and offer insights into how government by video-conference differs from regular legislative proceedings on Parliament Hill.
This week on the "Pandemic Gets Political" edition of Political Traction, I'm joined by a panel of my colleagues from coast to coast to discuss the unique challenges provinces are grappling with amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Navigator's Managing Principals Jason Hatcher and Philippe Gervais as well as our Special Advisor Brian Gallant help unpack the strengths and shortcomings of Canada's first ministers when put to the ultimate test of leading their province into better days ahead.
This week on the “Food for Thought” edition of Political Traction, Lori Nikkel, CEO of Canada’s largest food rescue organization Second Harvest, unpacks what she and her team are doing to help feed Canadians through this pandemic. Second Harvest was established on a simple notion- don’t waste food- and in these tough times, it’s more important than ever to connect surplus food with those who need it most.
This week on the “Family Matters” edition of Political Traction, Amanda reaches someone she has known her whole life, Tim Galbraith. Tim is working with a company that is innovating their business to do their part in the fight against COVID-19. As difficult news about the pandemic fills our screens, it is important to highlight the stories of Canadians coming together to help each other. Plus, the two discuss Easter, the Master’s Tournament and of course, share some embarrassing stories from Amanda’s past.
This week on the “In the Trenches” edition of Political Traction, Amanda reaches this week’s insider, Dr. Najma Ahmed, a renowned Canadian surgeon, and the Interim Chief of Surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto to discuss how Canada’s health care system is coping with COVID-19 and what we can expect to see in the coming weeks. As the co-founder of Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns Dr. Ahmed also shares insight on how gun violence continues to be a significant issue in Canada. Plus, Dr. Ahmed’s thoughts on historic health cards, medical TV shows and tips on how she stays alert when she is needed most.
This week on the “Biden our Time” edition of Political Traction, Amanda reaches this week’s insider, Nelson Cunningham, in Washington D.C. A political strategist and advisor, who formerly worked for vice-president Joe Biden and served on the Obama-Biden transition team, Nelson will unpack the United States’ response to the coronavirus and highlight its impact on the race for the White House. Plus, thoughts on the best Joe Biden memories and the sports we miss most.
This week, on the Pandemic edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith speaks to Navigator’s Executive Chairman Jaime Watt from the comfort of their homes to unpack how COVID-19 has changed life as we know it. Navigator is in the business of crisis management, and in critical times like these, Jaime provides his insights about what good leadership looks like and what companies can do to confront sweeping social changes. Plus, thoughts on the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 aid package and the best self-isolation Netflix shows to binge.
This week on our International Women’s Day edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sat down with Ontario's Minister of Children and Women's Issues Jill Dunlop to shed light on human trafficking- an important issue that negatively impacts women across the province. Minister Dunlop, who is leading the charge on this serious file at Queen’s Park, talked about what she’s learned from her conversations with victims, survivors and front-line workers and how this has impacted the government’s policy direction on human trafficking.
This week, on the “Hard News” edition of Political Traction, our host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator principal Caroline Harvey. As the former executive producer of CBC’s The National, Caroline knows the ins and outs of covering some of the most difficult stories imaginable, from war zones to pandemics. She takes Amanda behind the scenes of the newsroom. Plus: A new guilty pleasure on Netflix, and the virtues of talking without seeing.
This week, on the “Blockade” edition of Political Traction, our host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Karen Restoule, the co-founder of Bold Realities and a member of the Dokis First Nation. The two discuss the ongoing protests over a proposed pipeline in the Wet’suwet’en territory, the history of Indigenous entrepreneurship, and the challenges of talking frankly about these issues. Plus: Jojo Rabbit, and the drama of the Democratic debate.
This week on the "Life of Brian" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with former New Brunswick Premier and Navigator's newest colleague Brian Gallant. The two will unpack his impressive career in politics, which include balancing the budget and improving education, and discuss what he's been up to since leaving office in 2018. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on Pete Buttigieg, tennis and seafood.
This week on the “Litmus Test” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Conaptus Principal Jamie Ellerton to unpack the LGBTQ voice in Conservative politics, and what it means in the upcoming leadership race. Then, the two will go head-to-head with off-the-cuff thoughts on the Iowa caucuses, trans-mountain decision and the State of the Union speech.
This week on the "Outbreak" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Tony Clement, former provincial and federal health minister and the current co-host of the podcast "And Another Thing." The two will unpack what it's like to be in the decision-making seat when health crises occur, and Tony will share his insights from his time in provincial politics during the 2003 SARS outbreak. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on the Superbowl, the CPC leadership, Muskoka and our favorite Kobe moments.
This week on "The One that Got Away" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by her colleague and fellow Navigator Principal Philippe Gervais to unpack Jean Charest's short lived bid for Conservative Party Leader, and what it means that Quebec currently has no horse in the race. Then, the two will go head-to-head with off-the-cuff thoughts on the impeachment hearings, the Wuhan virus and leadership candidate Richard Décarie.
This week on the “Queen and Country” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Maclean’s royal specialist and veteran royal watcher Patricia Treble to unpack the recent announcement that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have decided to step back from their senior royal duties. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with thoughts on the rubber duck’s return to Toronto, Netflix’s The Crown and the 2022 Invictus Games.
This week, on the “Three I’s” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith reached CTV’s Washington bureau chief Richard Madan in D.C. With Iran, impeachment and Iowa dominating the early news cycles of 2020, the two had no shortage of topics for discussion. Then, they went head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on Mexit, predictions on Iowa and Prime Minister Trudeau’s beard.
This week on the fourth part of our “OLP MVP” series, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Ontario Liberal Party leadership contender and former provincial candidate Kate Graham to discuss her vision for the party’s rebuild and her hopes of seeing politics done differently in the province. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on New Years resolutions, favorite podcasts and the upcoming federal Conservative leadership race.
This week, on the “Scheer Madness” edition of Political Traction, our host Amanda Galbraith discusses Andrew Scheer’s sudden resignation with Marieke Walsh, a reporter with the Globe and Mail’s Ottawa bureau. The two discuss what led to Scheer’s sudden change of heart, go behind the scenes in the lead-up to the sudden announcement, and the wide-open race for leader.
This week on the “Breaking and Wexiting” edition of Political Traction, Amanda is joined by Jason Hatcher, managing principal of Navigator’s Calgary office. They discuss Wexit, and the emotional drivers behind it, plus Prince Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview and pitting the east coast against the west.
This week, on the “Feel the Byrne” edition, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by Jenni Byrne, conservative political strategist once dubbed “ the most powerful woman in Ottawa.” The two discuss Jenni’s political career in both Ottawa and Toronto, the strategies deployed by the federal parties in the most recent election and the behind-the-scenes when leaders are on the chopping block during a leadership review. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with thoughts on Leafs vs. Habs and the U.S. Democratic leadership race.
This week, on the “Cabinet of Curiosities” edition, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with long-time friend, colleague and Managing Principal at Navigator Mike Van Soelen to unpack the anatomy of a cabinet shuffle; from the run-of-show on the day ministers are sworn in, to what happens to the political staffers who get caught in the cross-fire. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with thoughts on former Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, favourite luncheon clubs and upcoming vacations.
This week on the "Let 'Em Howl” edition, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with seasoned Liberal political operative Patricia Sorbara to unpack some of the key takeaways and themes from her new memoir Let ‘Em Howl: Lessons from a Life in Backroom Politics, and discuss political strategy, ground game versus air war and what it’s like to be a woman the decision making table. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with thoughts on Don Cherry, the Ontario Liberal leadership vote, biggest political inspirations and impeachment.
This week on the “Ford 3.0” edition, host Amanda Galbraith speaks with Global News’ Queen’s Park Bureau Chief Travis Dhanraj to discuss the various iterations of Premier Doug Ford and the softer tone the government has adopted this session. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with thoughts on Christmas music in November, streaming wars and Andrew Scheer’s future.
This week on the “Who’s Afraid of the Bloc Quebecois?” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator Principal Philippe Gervais in Montreal to unpack the rise of the Bloc. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on Halloween, impeachment and the future of the European Union.
This week on the “Minority Report” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator’s Executive Chairman Jaime Watt to unpack Canada’s federal election results, which handed Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberals a comfortable minority government. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on Mad Max, Wexit, the Raptor’s season opener and Premier Doug Ford’s absence from the federal election campaign.
This week on the “Get Out The Vote” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with seasoned campaign organizer Nicole DeKort to take a deep dive into a campaign’s ground game and what our leaders are doing ahead of election day. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on the Obama endorsement, Ontario Line, cannabis anniversary and some favourite Fall flavours.
This week on the season premier and "The Great Debate" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with political strategist Deb Hutton to unpack debate prep and discuss the do's and dont's when the stakes are high. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round, with off-the-cuff thoughts on Ellen DeGeneres and President Bush’s friendship, the new Joker movie and and our favorite Thanksgiving foods.
We’re back! Political Traction's sixth season is returning next Friday, October 11, just in time to unpack the final stretch of the federal election. Be sure to join us for an exciting season full of insights and analysis from leading political voices.
This week on the “OLP MVP Part 3” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Alvin Tedjo, a former provincial candidate, Queen’s Park staffer and a contendor for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership. Although he’s never served as an elected official, he has some impressive policy ideas which we will unpack together. This is the final episode in a series of one-on-one interviews with candidates vying for party leadership.
This week on the “OLP MVP Part 2” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Steven Del Duca, former provincial cabinet minister and MPP for Vaughan, to talk about his brief taste of civilian life and why he’s willing to give it up for a shot at the Ontario Liberal Party leadership. This is the second in a special series of one-on-one interviews with candidates vying for party leadership.
This week, on the “OLP MVP” edition of Political Traction, former provincial cabinet minister and MPP for Don Valley East, Michael Coteau, tells our host Amanda Galbraith about his working-class roots, how his upbringing helped shape his values-driven campaign for leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party -- plus his strong opinions about the Lion King. This is a first in a special series of one-on-one interviews with candidates for party leadership.
This week on the “From Politics to Property” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Tim Hudak, former leader of the Ontario PC Party and long-time MPP, and current CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association. The two will discuss the highs and lows of political life, his seamless transition into the private sector and his success at building the association’s profile in time for a federal election that will see housing affordability at the forefront of public discourse. Then, the two will go head-to-head in our rapid fire round.
On this week’s “Everyday I’m Shufflin’” edition of Political Traction, we unpack this week’s surprising Cabinet shuffle at Queen’s Park which follows a series of polls that have demonstrated low public support for the Ford government and its handling of key files. It’s a very special week for the podcast because in the spirit of the Cabinet shuffle, Political Traction is undertaking a shuffle of its own.
On this week’s “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” edition of Political Traction, Amanda sits down with Rod Phillips, Ontario’s Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks and the Member of Provincial Parliament for Ajax, to discuss the politics of the environment, including Ontario’s environment plan and this week’s federal announcement on single-use plastic. Then, the two will go head to head in this week’s rapid fire round with off the cuff thoughts on topics gaining traction.
This week on the “Ford More Years?” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with the political power panel, including Navigator’s Shakir Chambers and Brayden Akers, and iPolitics’ Queen’s Park reporter Marieke Walsh, to discuss the Ontario PC Party’s first year in power. The group will unpack the highs and lows of the last 365 days, and make their predictions for what’s to come in the months and years ahead. Then, the panel will go head-to-head in our Queen’s Park-themed rapid fire round.
On this week’s “Mad Men” edition of Political Traction, Amanda sits down with Dennis Matthews, an advertising and communications expert, who served as the former national marketing lead for the Conservative Party of Canada and most recently worked in the Ontario PC war room as a senior advertising adviser. The two will discuss the use of digital and social media advertising, Bill C-76 and the implications the new legislation will have ahead of the federal election. Then, the two will go head to head in this week’s rapid fire round with off the cuff thoughts on topics gaining traction.
On this week’s “Loose Lips Sink Ships" edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Queen's Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star Robert Benzie to talk about the anatomy of a news leak, the role journalists play as "watchdogs" on the government and what defines journalism in today's changing media landscape. Then, the two will go head to head in this week’s rapid fire round, with off the cuff thoughts on topics gaining traction.
On this week’s “Offside” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Bob Richardson, public affairs advisor and king of sports to talk about the intersection of politics and sports, and the role Bob played in the 2015 Pan Am Games and Toronto’s third Olympic bid. Then, the two will go head to head in this week’s sports-themed rapid fire round, with off the cuff thoughts on topics gaining traction.
On this week’s “Baby Oh Baby” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with the Canada’s British High Commissioner Susan le Jeune d'Allegeershecque to talk about a day in the life, baby Archie, Brexit and the what it’s like to be a woman in the diplomatic war. Then, the two will go head to head in this week’s British-themed rapid fire round, with off the cuff thoughts on topics gaining traction.
On this week’s “Blue Tsunami” edition of Political Traction, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator’s Executive Chairman Jaime Watt to discuss a trend they’ve noticed here in Canada- five consecutive victories for provincial Conservative parties- and what this string of wins means for the Canadian political landscape. Then, we will feature a special segment in which Navigator’s Managing Principal Jason Hatcher and former Quebec Premier Jean Charest talk Alberta, pipelines, the blue wave, and what this all means ahead of the federal election
This week on the “What’s Up with the Green Party?” edition of Political Traction, Amanda sits down with Ontario Green Party leader, and MPP for Guelph, Mike Schreiner to unpack the Green Party’s surge in Prince Edward Island, his own success here in Ontario, and a growing green movement ahead of the federal election. Then, the two will go head into our revamped rapid fire round, with off the cuff thoughts on topics gaining traction
This week on “The Big Blue Wave” edition of Political Traction, Amanda sits down with Jason Hatcher, Managing Principal in Navigator’s Calgary office, to debrief on one of the most divisive provincial election’s in recent memory, which resulted in the United Conservative Party winning a resounding majority, unseating Rachel Notley’s New Democratic government after only one mandate. Then, the two will unpack Premier-elect Jason Kenney’s commitment on the campaign trail to enact “turn off the taps” legislation at his first Cabinet meeting, and discuss Navigator’s post-election field research in Alberta and what these results mean for the province in the months and years ahead.
This week on “The Goldilocks Approach” edition of Political Traction, Amanda sits down political journalist Cynthia Mulligan from CityNews to discuss their day at the Budget lockup and share their insights on what Budget 2019 signals for Ontarians. Then, we will hear Cynthia’s take on the politics surrounding the provincial carbon tax, and talk about the PC’s decision to scrap the City of Toronto’s gas tax revenue hike.
This week, on the "Gone Girl" edition of Political Traction: the tale of #LavScam, told from two different perspectives. Our host Amanda Galbraith is joined by John Delacourt, Vice-President of Ensight, Navigator’s sister firm, and an accomplished author and political suspense novelist. Then, we will hear John's take on the reintroduction of religious symbols legislation in Quebec, and the scoop on Butterfly, his new political thriller novel.
This week on Political Traction, our host Amanda Galbraith hands it over to Randy Dawson in Navigator’s Calgary office, where he’s joined by a panel of politicos including Jen Gerson, Chimai Nkemdirim and David Taras. Together they set the stage for Alberta’s upcoming election on April 16. Then, Navigator’s executive chairman Jaime Watt joins us for our Rapid Fire segment to discuss his take on Alberta, the SNC tug-of-war and a look ahead to the fall’s federal election.
Budget season has sprung— or is it still the long winter of #LavScam discontent? The Liberals present a final goodie-basket budget that sets up the next election, and try to turn the page on SNC-Lavalin. This week on Political Traction, Marieke Walsh, friend of the podcast and iPolitics reporter, joins us to look at the bottom line after a busy week in Ottawa.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’ve put together a very special episode of Political Traction to celebrate the women who are at the top of their game, both at Navigator, and in provincial politics. In this three part episode, you’ll get to hear from host and PC insider Amanda Galbraith, Liberal politico Andrea Ernesaks and NDP strategist Sally Housser. This week’s guests include Ontario’s current Attorney General Caroline Mulroney, former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Deputy Leader of the provincial NDP Sara Singh. They discuss experiences in politics, challenges they have and continue to face, and tactics they use to be trailblazers in the political arena.
This week on Political Traction, Amanda sits down with Sally Housser, an active NDP member and Associate Principal at Navigator, to discuss Jagmeet Singh’s victory in the Burnaby South by-election and what this means for the federal NDP ahead is the federal election. Then, Sally will give her insights into the People’s Party of Canada’s results in this week’s three by-elections and share her predictions ahead of the Alberta election.
This week on Political Traction, Amanda sits down with Vic Gupta, former Principal Secretary to Mayor Tory, to discuss what the role entails and what it’s really like being in the hot seat. Then, they will discuss the updates in the SNC case and the newly announced Netflix production hub in Toronto.
On this week’s episode, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Scott Reid, former Director of Communications for PM Paul Martin, to discuss the SNC-Lavalin political scandal, the future of Ontario Place, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister’s ongoing holiday and BC’s Speech from the Throne.
On the first episode of the new season, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with John Baird, her old boss and Canada’s former Foreign Affairs Minister, to discuss the rocky relationship between Canada and China, leaks at Queen’s Park and the balance of power south of the border in Venezuela
This week on the season finale of Political Traction, Amanda is joined by Steven Del Duca, a former Cabinet Minister and the MPP for Vaughan. He will speak to us about the Liberal Party’s loss in the last election, and its plans moving forward as the party begins rebuilding from the ground up. Then, in our final episode, we will highlight some of the biggest stories of the year that shaped the news and will continue to gain traction in 2019, by looking back at the legalization of cannabis, the death of NAFTA and the new USMCA deal we have in its stead, and the big blue political wave we’ve seen across Canada.
This week on the “Remembering 41” edition of Political Traction, Amanda is joined by Philippe Gervais, one of Navigator’s Principals in Montreal. He will speak to us about his professional experience with both Bush campaigns as a former advance staffer, right before he heads to D.C. for the state funeral for Bush 41. Then, we will look at the topics gaining traction this week, including Alberta Premier Notley’s announcement to cut oil production, and the First Ministers meeting taking place this Friday in Montreal.
This week, on the “No Quiet on the Western Front” edition of Political Traction, Amanda is joined by Alex Shiff, a senior consultant with Navigator’s Vancouver office. He explains the scandal that threatens to topple the delicate balance of power struck by the NDP and the Greens, and the referendum that could finally usher in proportional representation in British Columbia. Then, we look at the topics gaining traction this week, including the unlikely alliance between Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as they join forces to save jobs in Oshawa, and face off over Francophone affairs.
Welcome to Political Traction. This week, we are joined by our insider Jeff Ballingall, the founder of Ontario Proud. He will unpack how he has used digital platforms to his advantage, and discuss what he has planned for the upcoming 2019 federal election. Then, we will take a spin through the news and unpack the outcome of the Calgary plebiscite and highlight our anticipations for the Fall Economic Statement.
On this week's episode, we are joined by Navigator's Executive Chairman Jaime Watt to discuss what works and what doesn't in U.S. political campaign ads ahead of the national midterm elections on November 6. We will then dive into the news and unpack the public sentiments surrounding this week's debate between Steve Bannon and David Frum, as well as former Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson's unexplainable expenses.
“Paul Gosar Is Not Working For You” - www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZuayQFD51w "The Voice" - www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQIRa6unjhQ “Deployed" - www.youtube.com/watch?v=obHlECvtrEs “Is Ted Cruz ‘Tough as Texas’?" - www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRYYqEgT9…tu.be&app=desktop
On this week’s episode, we will be speaking to Hamish Marshall, campaign manager for the federal Conservatives, and the former manager of strategic planning to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Then, we will take a spin through the news and unpack Ontario’s newly announced labour bill, the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, and the new federal carbon tax plan.
This week, we are joined by our insider Will Stewart, a pioneer in the cannabis industry, to unpack how the cannabis space has influenced various sectors, and what we should expect now that legalization is upon us. Then, we will hear from our very own principals David Phillips and Danielle Parr on whether cannabis has been a policy win for the federal government, as well as how the very same government has handled its international relations with Saudi Arabia following the disappearance of a prominent journalist.
Welcome to Political Traction. This week, we are joined by our insider Jennifer Pagliaro, City Hall Bureau for The Toronto Star. She will unpack the upcoming municipal election and explain what it’s like to cover City Hall. We are also joined by Navigator’s Ryan Guptill and Mike VanSoelen to discuss the madness of municipal politics in our country ahead of E-Day, and look at the role cities will play ahead of cannabis legalization.
Welcome back to Political Traction. This week, we speak to our insider Richard Madan, Washington Bureau Correspondent for CTV News, on what’s been happening behind closed doors in D.C. We are also joined by Navigator’s Deirdre McMurdy and Philippe Gervais, who hails from our Montreal office and arrived straight from the polling booth, to discuss the results of the provincial election in Quebec as well as the NAFTA- or should we say USMCA…
Welcome to the first episode of the fourth season. This week, we speak to our insider Marieke Walsh from iPolitics on what it’s like to report at Queen’s Park. We’re also joined by Navigator’s Ryan Guptill and Colin MacDonald to discuss Jagmeet Singh’s troubles as federal NDP leader, Governor General Julie Payette one year in, and the exciting results of the New Brunswick provincial election.
Join us every Thursday as we continue to unpack what’s making headlines.
Welcome to Political Traction, the podcast that takes a closer look at the political issues of the week to see how well they are resonating with the public. In this season's brand new segment, we will be sitting down with political figures, industry professionals and strategists to find out more about who they are, but more importantly, why you should care. Join us every Thursday, beginning September 27, with our host Amanda Galbraith to unpack what’s making headlines.
On this episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator Consultants Jeff Costen and Kanivanan Chinniah to discuss the ongoing NAFTA negotiations, Trump's continued criticism of Trudeau, and the shut down of a Twitter account parodying Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator's Anne Kilpatrick, Amanda Galbraith, and Ryan Guptill to discuss the victory of the Ontario PC Party and Doug Ford's transition to power.
In the first half of the episode, Anne and David speak about Navigator's What Just Happened? research results. In the second half, Amanda and Ryan break down what to expect from the Ford government as it takes the reins of the province.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
This week on Political Traction, we have another episode in our Ontario election series.
In the wake of the Ontario provincial election and the transition from a Liberal government under Kathleen Wynne to a Progressive Conservative government under Doug Ford, Navigator conducted a province-wide research project.
We did this to find out why Ontarians voted the way they did.
We presented the research results as part of a Live stream – What Just Happened?
This episode is a conversation with event panelists:
Jean Charest, Partner at McCarthy Tetrault, and former Premier of Quebec; Jan De Silva, President of the Toronto Region Board of Trade; and, Shelly Jamieson, former Head of the Ontario public service.
You can watch our full recorded live stream online at our website: www.navltd.com
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this week’s episode of Political Traction, Navigator Executive Chairman, Jaime Watt, presents the results of our province-wide post-election survey.
After the votes were tallied and the next premier was decided, Navigator conducted focus groups across Ontario to understand why Ontarians voted the way they did.
The results of this research are presented as part of a live stream. You can view the entire presentation including discussions with panelists at Navigator's website www.navltd.com
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator Principal Lisa Pearson to talk about Navigator's post-election research study. In the latter half of the show he's joined by Navigator Principals Mike Van Soelen and Amanda Galbraith to discuss the federal government's purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and Trump's imposition of steel and aluminium tariffs on Canada and other countries.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
This week, Political Traction brings you another special episode in our Ontario election series. On this episode, David sits down with two of Navigator's Principals — Lanny Cardow and Anne Kilpatrick, head of Navigator's research practice — to discuss polling methodology, how to avoid polling errors, and what polls mean to political campaigns.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
This week on Political Traction, David is joined by Navigator Associate Principal and veteran of New Democratic politics, Sally Housser, to discuss the Ontario election and the recent surge in support the NDP have experienced.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator's Director of Media Relations, Darryl Konynenbelt, and Toronto Star Queen's Park Bureau Chief, Robert Benzie to talk about reporting on the campaign trail, how social media effects journalism and politics, and the Ontario provincial election.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
As the campaign officially begins, Political Traction is producing a series of special episodes to take a deeper dive into the race. On this week's episode, we're looking at the first two leaders debates, the start of the campaign, and how each party should handle themselves and their opponents going forward.
This week, David sits down with some of Navigator's political veterans: Principals, Amanda Galbraith and Mike Van Soelen, and Senior Consultant Colin MacDonald.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode, David sits down with Navigator Consultant, Clare Schulte-Albert, and Associate Consultant, Kanivanan Chinniah, to discuss Doug Ford's election campaign, his greatest political threats, and the upcoming Ontario election.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator Senior Consultants Morgan McLellan and Colin MacDonald to discuss the recent van attacks in Toronto, the Liberal convention in Halifax, and Kanye West's tweets about his love for President Donald Trump.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David is joined by Navigator Consultant, Jeff Costen, and Associate Consultant, Kanivanan Chinniah, to discuss the recent events around Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline, the controversy around Trudeau's recent statements on the oil sands made during his trip to France, and Kathleen Wynne's criticism of Doug Ford's campaign rhetoric.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this week's episode, David sits down with Navigator Senior Consultants, Colin MacDonald and Morgan McLellan to discuss the recent gas attacks in East Ghouta, Syria and Prime Minister Trudeau's response.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this special episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator's Clare Schulte-Albert to talk about the launch of our new podcast Banking on Blockchain. Banking on Blockchain examines the blockchain revolution and how blockchain and cryptocurrency are disrupting sectors throughout the economy. The season premiers Monday, April 9, 2018.
You can access the podcast on all our channels including iTunes, Soundcloud, and GooglePlay or by visiting www.navltd.com
On this week's episode of Political Traction David Woolley is joined by Navigator consultant Jeff Costen and associate consultant Kanivanan Chinniah to discuss the Atwal affair and the recent marathon voting session the Conservatives forced on parliament hill. In the second half of the episode, Navigator's David Millian is joined by KPMG's Silva Kuftedjian to break down the Quebec budget and what the government's spending priorities mean for the year ahead.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David is joined by Navigator Principal Lanny Cardow and Senior Consultant Colin MacDonald to talk about the recent selection of Doug Ford as PC Party leader, Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne's Speech from the Throne, and recent polling showing the federal Conservatives outperforming Justin Trudeau's Liberals.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
The House is away this week, so for this episode of Political Traction we're looking at the launch of Legalized Season 2. Navigator produces Legalized, which is a look at Canada's legal cannabis industry. On this episode, you'll hear a clip from the show about the issues currently facing legislators and law enforcement when it comes to enforcing cannabis-impaired driving laws.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this special episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator principal Randi Rahamim and consultant Jeff Costen to discuss political leadership, Trudeau's recent falling poll numbers, and the Ontario PC leadership race.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator's Colin MacDonald and Kanivanan Chinniah to discuss Budget 2018 and Prime Minister Trudeau's recent trip to India.
Views Expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this special episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Kevin Frank, the artistic director of the Second City Training Centre Toronto, as well as former Harper PMO staffers, Lanny Cardow and Joseph Lavoie, to discuss the interplay between comedy and politics and how satire effects the political landscape.
On this special episode of Political Traction, David Woolley sits down with Navigator's David Millian to discuss the launch of Navigator's new French-language podcast, Le Brief.
On this special episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator's Amanda Galbraith, Colin MacDonald, and Heather Watt to discuss the Ontario PC leadership race.
On this episode of Political Traction, David sits down with Navigator's Randi Rahamim and Jonathan Lowenstein to discuss the recent allegations against Minister of Disabilities and Sport Kent Hehr, and Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier, as well as President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S. Embassy in Israel will be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David is joined by Navigator's Darryl Konynenbelt, Director of Media Relations, and Senior Consultant, Morgan McLellan, to discuss the recent revelations that 60 ISIS members have returned to Canada and the announced plans by the government to rehabilitate, prosecute, and reintegrate them.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of the podcast, David Woolley sits down with Navigator's Clare Schulte-Albert and Kanivanan Chinniah to discuss Prime Minister Trudeau's visit to South East Asia for the APEC summit, TPP negotiations, ASEAN and the South East Asia Summit.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David is joined by Randi Rahamim and Clare Schulte-Albert to talk about new federal poll results and Justin Trudeau's political way forward.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
This week on Political Traction, Navigator's Morgan McLellan and Kanivanan Chinniah sit down with David Woolley to talk about the ongoing investigation into Trump's presidential campaign by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the political road forward for the President.
Disclaimer: Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
This week on Political Traction, Navigator's Travis Kann and Colin MacDonald sit down with David Woolley to talk about the recent byelections in Alberta and Quebec and the release of the Census's demographic data.
Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Navigator or its affiliates.
On this episode of Political Traction, David talks with Navigator consultants Travis Kann and Clare Schulte-Albert about the ongoing criticism of finance minister Bill Morneau over his personal finances.
On this episode of Political Traction, Navigator Senior Consultants Travis Kann and Colin MacDonald join David to discuss Ontario MPP Jagmeet Singh's recent election as leader of the federal New Democratic Party and what his selection means for Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer.
On this episode of Political Traction, David interviews Navigator's Patricia Favre and Colin MacDonald about the ongoing war of words between Trump and Kim Jong-Un, Trudeau's small business tax changes, and NAFTA negotiations.
This week on the podcast, David is joined by two of Navigator's consultants, Morgan McLellan and Clare Schulte-Albert, to discuss Trump and Trudeau's recent speeches to the UN General Assembly, Liberal reforms to Canada's small business tax code, and Ontario's recreational marijuana regulatory plan.
Political Traction returns this week with a panel discussion on the top political events of the summer. Navigator's Will Stewart, Amanda Galbraith, and Jason Hatcher join David to talk about what they think most altered the political landscape and what we should look out for in the months ahead.
This week, Navigator Managing Principal, Jason Hatcher, talks to us about former-BC Premier Christy Clark's resignation and what her exit from public life means for the BC Liberals, the province, and the West.
"What I anticipate we will be told at the end of the summer: there will be a narrative in the media that Andrew Scheer didn’t grab enough headlines, that he’s not introducing himself sufficiently to voters, that he’s an unknown quantity. And that’s not what Andrew Scheer should be doing at this time.” – Travis Kann
This week, Navigator’s Colin MacDonald, Travis Kann, and Lanny Cardow discuss Andrew Scheer’s selection as Conservative Party leader, James Comey’s testimony on Donald Trump and Russia, and the NDP-Green Party governing accord in British Columbia.
"There’s nothing to say that either the Liberals, NDP or the Greens will have anybody within their caucuses who is willing to stand for speaker.” – Colin MacDonald
This week, Navigator’s Colin MacDonald discusses the recent developments in the governing accord between British Columbia’s NDP and Green Party.
"I’m not sure it was ever going to impact Trump’s favourability. It isn’t new news that Trump has an irregular relationship with Russia and Putin.” – Travis Kann
This week, Navigator’s Travis Kann discusses former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony and Canada-US relations.
"Campaigns matter and they matter a lot… The NDP were in the lead and it was a lead they held for most of the election until the last couple of days, if not a week.” – Travis Kann
This week, Navigator Senior Consultant, Travis Kann, discusses the results of the provincial election in British Columbia and Premier Christy Clark’s newfound minority government.
"She’s been a strong female who’s been out there and representing the Conservative party in a way that, as a female Conservative, I like to see. It’s more approachable, more friendly.” – Amanda Galbraith
This week, Navigator Principal, Amanda Galbraith, discusses Rona Ambrose’s announcement that she will be leaving her position as interim leader of the Conservative Party and retiring from politics.
"I think the important point is that we need to show contrast. A Conservative Party that’s Liberal-light is not going to fly and it’s not going to work.” – Amanda Galbraith
This week, Navigator’s Travis Kann, Colin MacDonald, and Amanda Galbraith review the political events of the past month and have a spirited discussion about the upcoming Conservative Party leadership race.
"I think the hyperbole... the attack on his character, the attack on his service... is wildly out of touch with what has occurred.” – Erin O'Toole
This week, Navigator Senior Consultant, Colin MacDonald, discusses the controversy surrounding Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan's comments that he was "the architect" of Operation Medusa.
"I know I can bring our conservative message to a broader audience of Canadians by portraying our policies in a more positive light and making sure that everything we say resonates with Canadians and convinces them it's conservative solutions that lift people out of poverty and improve life for all Canadians.” – Andrew Scheer
This week, as part of our Conservative Party leadership race series, Navigator's David Woolley interviews leadership candidate Andrew Scheer.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
"How do we win? We keep our focus on the economy and the things people know we're good at but earn that trust back. And I'm the leader that can earn the trust back.” – Erin O'Toole
This week, as part of our Conservative Party leadership race series, Navigator's David Woolley interviews leadership candidate Erin O'Toole.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
"I'm proposing that we renew our fiscal conservatism but that we also come forward with better and credible market-based solutions to reduce emissions... and I'm proposing that we be a lot more open and democratic as a party.” – Michael Chong
This week, as part of our Conservative Party leadership race series, Navigator's David Woolley interviews leadership candidate Michael Chong.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
"If you believe in yourself, if you believe in individual freedom and personal responsibility, if you want to have a principled politician... and if you want a smaller government, I'm your guy.” – Maxime Bernier
This week, as part of our Conservative Party leadership race series, Navigator's David Woolley interviews leadership candidate Maxime Bernier.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
"The challenge for Trudeau is the President he supports today isn't necessarily going to behave like the President tomorrow.” – Travis Kann
This week, Navigator Senior Consultant, Travis Kann, discusses President Trump's recent airstrikes on Syria and the response by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"Mulroney acting as an intermediary...will keep the temperature down.” – Joseph Lavoie
This week, Joseph Lavoie, Navigator Principal and former spokesperson for Brian Mulroney, discusses the former Prime Minister's new role as advisor to Justin Trudeau on NAFTA.
"It was hardly shocking, but it was certainly significant.' — Jason Hatcher This week, we're joined by special guest Jason Hatcher. Jason is a Managing Principal at Navigator, leading our Western Canada operations from Calgary. He joins the podcast to discuss Jason Kenney's plan to unite the right as the new leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta.
"I think it's remarkably consistent that he's saying the same thing five years later in an inauguration address.' — Lanny Cardow We're back from break week and we're joined by Lanny Cardow. Lanny talks about the Conservative Political Action Conference and Trump's commitment to his campaign promises.
"You don't get to be the governing party if you decide you want to burn the house down with our neighbour and the biggest economy going' — Colin MacDonald Travis Kann, Lanny Cardow and Colin MacDonald talk Trump, Trudeau, M-103, and leadership race math in our end-of-the-month panel discussion.
"We appear to be at a moment in time where the value of a globalized economy is all coming into question.' — Colin MacDonald Allie and Colin talk about upcoming NAFTA negotiations and whether or not the speculation that Trudeau might not be up to the task is fair.
Trudeau is doing his own balancing act and he’s walking a tightrope across the Grand Canyon.” – Travis Kann
The House has returned and so have we!
We’re returning to our weekly schedule, but with a slightly different format. From the survey we had on our site over the break, we learned two things from you: you would like some more of our team’s perspectives and that you like our special episodes.
So, to the first point — we’re going to bring you a more focused, shorter, weekly show. For the first three weeks of the month, we’ll have one person from the firm’s take on the top issue of the week. For the last week of the month, we’ll bring these people back for our panel discussion and talk about what had traction over the course of the month. This allows us to not only track which issues really resonated, but also hold ourselves accountable to what we said would happen.
This week, we’re talking about, what else, Trump and his Executive Order banning travelers from Muslim-majority countries. Travis Kann speaks to Trudeau’s reaction and what we should look for in the coming weeks.
It's not a sector that's going to be focused on grinding up raw cannabis flour and rolling it into papers and smoking it. I think those days are gone.' —Will Stewart Allie, Colin and David talk about the climate change plan and recommendations from the Marijuana Task Force. Special guest Will Stewart also weighs in on legalization in Canada.
I will resist the temptation to buy into the opposition narrative that this is somehow buying access. —Colin MacDonald Allie, Colin and David talk about Trudeau's statement on Castro, the Liberal 'cash-for-access' scandal, and the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline.
It made me feel like a terrible person. —Jocelyn McLean We record from the road this week and talk about the mydemocracy.ca survey with special guests Anne Kilpatrick, Joseph Lavoie, and Jocelyn McLean.
This offers an interesting place for Trudeau and Trump to align, especially because Trump has long been a supporter of an end to the drug wars. —David Woolley Allie, Colin and David talk about the Special Committee on Electoral Reform, Trudeau's comments on negotiating NAFTA with Trump, and the opioid crisis in Canada.
When you have Michael Chong, Maxime Bernier and Kellie Leitch as your top three candidates, you actually have fundamentally different ways of viewing conservatism. —David Woolley After our week off, we return with our regular panel. Allie, Colin and David talk about public-private partnerships, the carbon tax, and the Conservative Party's leadership race.
When Obama was elected the first time around there was a sense of history being made, and I feel like that isn't quite here this time around —Travis Kann Allie and David are joined by Travis Kann to talk about the fall economic update, CETA (again), the Liberal government's pay-to-play scandal, and of course, the American election.
Maybe one of the barriers to entry a new EU is that national governments have to have the authority to speak on behalf of their country —Colin MacDonald This week Allie, Colin and David talk about CETA, Canada's refugee policy, and Trudeau getting heckled at a youth labour forum.
We haven't had a party like the Bloc Quebecois that was expressly talking about provincial rights in parliament for the last six or seven years. —David Woolley Colin MacDonald and David Woolley join Allie to talk about health care transfers, carbon tax, and the presidential debate.
To the victor go the spoils, and we often just don't take the time to analyze what went wrong — or what went right — with losing campaigns. — Joseph Lavoie Parliament is on break, so this week Allie and Joseph are talking about their favourite podcasts and why they love them so much.
If you were to ask me who won the debate on the levy or tax on carbon, I would say both the Conservatives and Liberals won. They achieved what they need to achieve on these issues. —Travis Kann On deck this week: The Liberal government's carbon pricing scheme, the new BC LNG project, and provincial health care transfers.
'I'd say [Trump] is very similar to Trudeau in that they focus on things that are cultural. He's running a cultural campaign.' — David Woolley This week we're talking about Canada-China relations, moving expenses (again), and — of course — the US presidential debate.
With President Obama exiting stage right and Donald Trump ascending to the top job, Justin Trudeau will be the symbol of progressive leadership in North America. — Colin MacDonald The House is back and so are we! Welcome to season two of Political Traction. For our first week, it's a good news/bad news situation for the Liberal government.
'Making America great again' is a politically correct statement. Hillary Clinton can make that statement. Every party in effect, promises it in a way. — Professor Nelson Wiseman He says outrageous things. He lies. But somehow, he still has a lot of supporters. We explore what's going on with Trump and how we can explain voter behavior.
The whole Mulcair thing went out with a whimper. Even just the fact that he remained as interim leader…it was such an odd climax to their post-election angst. – Colin MacDonald We have come to the end! This episode marks the end of our first official season. The House have risen, and after this week, so shall we – or, at least, so shall our regular format. For our season finale, Allie, David and Colin go over the top issues since March and weigh in on whether they were (in our opinion) undervalued, accurately valued, or overvalued in terms of their traction numbers with Ottawa and the Canadian public. We talk about the Conservative convention, the NDP convention and Leap Manifesto, Orlando, and the national deficit. And even though they didn’t make our top five, we also go over democratic reform, the First Nation’s suicide crisis, and doctor-assisted dying legislation.
So please join us in our (short-term) nostalgia for the issues from way back in long-forgotten March and our expert opinions on why we think some things were worth more attention than others.
And also, we would like to say a big thank you for staying with us this season! We won’t be gone for the summer, but we won’t be doing our weekly format. We will be producing special episodes until the House returns in the Fall, so stay tuned for updates on scheduling. In the meantime, check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and this week’s Huffington Post blogpsot…and enjoy our special end of season discussion.
It feels like a different country today. – Ashley Prime This morning, Canada awoke to shocking news as the United Kingdom voted to exit the European Union, roiling the world in political and economic turmoil. By now, you know the numbers: the leave vote won 51.9 per cent of the popular vote, for which 72.2 per cent of voters turned out. Put differently, yesterday evening, 37 per cent of Brits singlehandedly altered the course of European history for decades to come. Further complicating the picture was the fact that both Scotland and Northern Ireland voted resoundingly to remain in the EU, throwing the unity of the UK into question. Perhaps more troubling, according to Google: “What is the EU?” is currently the second most searched related query since the announcement. Many within and outside the United Kingdom are asking themselves if voters were prepared for repercussions of this divisive outcome. Regardless of one’s position on the matter, we can all agree that Brexit will have long-lasting effects on both Canadian business and global affairs moving forward. We have produced a special version of our Political Traction Podcast, examining the results of the referendum and its repercussions in the United Kingdom, by interviewing our London Managing Director Ashley Prime, who provides on-the-ground perspective and insight. If you have any questions on the implications of Brexit and its implications for your organization, please reach out to Navigator’s Brexit-response team here.
There is a segment of the population that is tied to a notion, somewhat romantic I think, of Canada being this great peace-keeping country, this great honest broker. — Colin MacDonald It's been a sad week. The Orlando shooting dominated discussions in Ottawa and on our Canadian panel. From broadcast news to Twitter, everyone was focused on the tragic massacre and its aftermath. Part of this aftermath has involved discussions on gun control policies, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's responses, the upcoming election, and Canada's relationship with the US.
There is a segment of the population that is tied to a notion, somewhat romantic I think, of Canada being this great peace-keeping country, this great honest broker. — Colin MacDonald This week we're talking about electoral reform (again), doctor-assisted dying legislation (again) andﾅfighter jets! Also, we have special guest Travis Kann filling while David is away on vacation.
As a Conservative, I am concerned that we're trying to out-Justin-Trudeau, Justin Trudeau: trying to be younger, hipper, than Justin Trudeau. — Will Stewart Allie and David talk about the issues of the week and Allie follows up with Will Stewart on the Conservative and Liberal conventions and talk about which party got traction.
Now that Stephen Harper is going to transition into the private sector, I think his main selling point is that he was a successful leader for a decade of a G7 country. And that's no small feat. — Will Stewart Parliament was on break this week, but lots still happened. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Japan for the G7 Summit — where he managed to fit in some anniversary time with his wife — and both the Conservatives and the Liberals held their conventions over the weekend. On top of that, there was media speculation that former Prime Minister Stephen Harper plans to resign his seat in the House of Commons.
Now the rhetoric seems partisan, seems self-motivated, seems over the top, and therefore, I don't believe will gain traction with the average person. — Randi Rahamim 'Twas the elbow felt around the nation. On Wednesday, May 18, 2016 there was an event of epic proportions in the House of Commonsﾅkind of. Elbows were misdirected. Words were thrown. Insults abounded. And we are all left to consider the aftermath. In this week's episode, Allie and David discuss the incident in the House of Commons that resulted from rising tensions over Motion 6 and what is being considered the government's attempts to curtail debate. Allie also talks with Randi Rahamim on the event and the NDP and Conservative parties' response.
They don't see themselves in Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and that's, I suppose, fine — that's their prerogative. But I think a lot of this is just really contrived. -Colin MacDonald Lately the government has been getting some heat for how it is spending taxpayer money — specifically with the size of the delegation Justin Trudeau took to the state dinner in Washington. Is the Liberal government spending money inappropriately? This week, Allie talks with regular Colin MacDonald about this issue and about our Canadian 'First Lady.' Sophie Gr'goire-Trudeau requested extra assistance to help with her engagements as the Prime Minister's spouse, which has resulted in some outrage, and Allie and Colin talk about why that is.
It's easy to have sympathy and be captured by the moment, but really the challenges are in the long-term, and in many ways the worst is yet to come, outside the actual danger. This week, our thoughts are with all those affected by the wildfires in Fort McMurray. For the most part, Ottawa and Canada were talking about different things this week, but both conversations were dominated by discussions of the emergency situation in Alberta. Allie talks with Jason Hatcher about the government's response to the crisis in Fort McMurray and how Canadians are reacting. Jason is a Managing Principal at Navigator and leads our Western Canadian operations in Calgary. He has also led a number of projects, including Alberta First Responders' Communications System
I don't know that we can go backwards anymore, for any politician in any country. This is the world now. It is social media. Even Hillary Clinton is trying. He's just not ready. He's got great hair. He's the Internet's boyfriend. This week we have a very special episode. We're talking about the celebrity status of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with some very special guests. To get some perspective on the intersection of celebrity and political culture, Allie talks with CTV's THE SOCIAL Co-host and ETALK Senior Correspondent Lainey Lui, and Ryerson University's Greg Elmer. Greg is a professor of Communications and Culture and Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson, and during the 2008 Canadian federal election he worked with CBC News to cover online campaigning. His research focuses on media and the role of new media in politics. Image credited to Renegade98
He might have just become the most popular man in the senate they should take 10% of what they were going to spend on legal bills and buy Senator Duffy a car or something. We're not big on scandals in Canadian politics. Compared to our neighbours south of the border, ours are few and far between. The biggest in recent memory, is Senator Mike Duffy. In 2014, he was charged with 31 criminal offenses, including fraud, breach of trust and bribery. And this week, he was acquitted of all 31 charges. This scandal, and the subsequent acquittal, have once again spurred conversations on Senate reform.
Really what the leadership vote demonstrates is an unwillingness to move back to third-party status. Ottawa is still abuzz with the results of the NDP Convention and the NDP is now looking for a new leader, and so, this week it a number of our issues blended together. As sometimes happens with politic, and any major issues really, it can be difficult to distinguish where one ends and another begins. So our top issue for the week is really an amalgamation of a few topics: the NDP convention, Rachel Notley's response to the Leap Manifesto, and pipelines.
Really what the leadership vote demonstrates is an unwillingness to move back to third-party status. For our special update on the NDP leadership vote, Allie gets Sally Housser's perspective on what it means for the NDP moving forward now that Tom Mulcair is no longer leader of the party.
It's more a difference in interpretation of how they're presenting the numbers than any sort of error or lack of thought of what's gone into the budget.
Big news from last night! Tom Mulcair is officially out as the leader of the NDP. In order to give due attention to this change, we will be providing a special update on the NDP leadership vote later tonight, rather than covering it in this episode.
We're in a dangerous kind of precarious sense of federalism right now, not just over the EIﾅwe're already getting a bit close to the old sense of western alienation. This week on Political Traction we're taking a look at regional issues and how they affect communications plans. Certain areas impacted by the downturn in oil prices are excluded from the recent benefits made to Employment Insurance in the federal budget, and it's creating an East vs. West mentality against Ottawa.
It's the first time we've really seen the media be critical of this government. There's always dissenting paragraphs in articles, but now we're seeing headlines and full articles about broken promises.
It's federal budget week! Ottawa was abuzz with the release of the Trudeau government's first budget, so this episode of Political Traction focuses exclusively on items from the federal budget.
This week we have a special episode of Political Traction. Parliament is on a break week, so we are going beyond Parliament Hill and taking you to Lebanon.
This week, we're talking about garbage — literal garbage, and literally mountains of it. For months now, garbage has been piling up in Lebanon. The rivers in the country are lined by actual walls of garbage that are four, five, six feet tall. There is so much garbage that this is beyond just a waste collection problem, or a municipal problem, or a political problem. There is so much garbage that is is now also an environmental and public health problem.
It really is a celebrity-comes-to-town type of coverage [ﾅ] everybody knows who Justin Trudeau is, and Sophie as well. Welcome to episode 5, 'Mr. Trudeau Goes to Washington!' This week was a big week for Canadian politics on the global stage. Prime Minister Trudeau visited Washington, and he is the first Prime Minister to be invited for a White House state dinner in 19 years.
Whether you agree with the policies of Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal party or not, it's very obvious they ran on a very different type of platform than what's generating the [American] headlines.
Welcome to episode four! Last week was our 'Welcome to Ottawa' episode, and this week, we're taking you out of Ottawa. This is our 'Get out of Ottawa' episode. We're not focusing specifically on Ottawa this week because it's an interesting week for Canadian politics for a few reasons. First off, this is an interesting week for Canadian politics because it's an interesting week for American politics. March 1 was Super Tuesday, which was all about Donald Trump, and which caused a number of US citizens to google 'how to move to Canada'.
Every week, we assess how much traction political leaders, pundits, and media get with the people they're trying to reach: every day Canadians. We look at the top political issues in Ottawa and assess how much they resonated with Canadians.
If you've just discovered us, this is technically our third episode. We have an introductory episode, where Allie talks about how this podcast got started and speaks to Navigator Chairman, Jaime Watt, about the how the idea of Political Traction came about. We also have our second episode, where go over our methodology in detail and explain just how we measure the top issues every week.
In this episode, Allie and David walk us through how Political Traction determines the top issues for the show every week.
Allie also interviews Navigator's research lead, Chris Kelly, to discuss the methodology and how it compares to traditional research methods.
To determine the top political issues that political leaders, pundits, and media are discussing in Ottawa every week, we track Question Period, political broadcasting, and political columnists.
Every week, we look at the top political issues being discussed in Ottawa and asses how much they resonated with Canadians across the country.
If the name 'Political Traction' sounds familiar to you, it's because it's not entirely new. Political Traction is brought to you by Navigator, so you might already know that the original Political Traction was a popular segment that Navigator's Chairman, Jaime Watt, hosted on one of Canada's most-watched political shows. It ran for four seasons and now, we're expanding on the original concept and bringing you this podcast.