With Hunter KniftonWe revisit the 2025 Canadian federal election—not with hot takes, but with hard data.Our guest is Hunter Knifton, the analyst behind the Charting Canada Substack, who’s challenging two of the most commonly accepted narratives about the election.In this episode:🗳 The myth of the “NDP-to-Conservative switcher”: why it’s not supported by the numbers📉 Why the collapse of the PPC—not a working-class revolt—may explain Conservative gains in key ridings👥 Who actually switched votes—and where? A closer look at new voters, older swing voters, and Carney Conservatives🔄 Why the left didn’t just coalesce around the Liberals—and why the right’s coalition might be more stable than it looksPlus:🧭 Hunter breaks down his five-part typology of Carney’s voter base—from downtown professionals to rural commuters🧱 What the suburban and rural wins say about the Liberals’ long-term potential🔍 Are the Conservatives targeting the wrong voters with their union strategy?And don’t miss:🔮 Could Carney’s voter coalition outlast the crisis that built it?🧠 What Pierre Poilievre’s team might need to rethink before the next election📊 A sneak peek at Hunter’s next analysis: are we entering a permanent two-party system—or was 2025 a one-off?🔊 Listen now if you want a clearer picture of what actually happened in the last election—and why most of us probably got it wrong.
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Mark Carney’s First Six Months—Crisis Manager or Political Novice?
With Bridget Howe and Sarina RehalIt’s been six months since Mark Carney smashed through the wall of Canadian politics and declared, “This is a crisis.”He’s been elected. He’s governing. And he’s moving fast.But how far can a technocrat push before political gravity kicks in?To take stock of Carney’s first chapter as Prime Minister, we’re joined by Bridget Howe and Sarina Rehal—two Liberal insiders with deep experience in government, campaigns, and caucus dynamics. They give us an unvarnished read on the Carney style, the risks ahead, and what might break first.In this episode:🧭 How Carney governs—and why it’s a sharp break from Trudeau⏱ The pace of change: real momentum or just top-down theatrics?🧠 Why he’s (so far) been a political novice in name only🤝 Caucus management, cabinet churn, and how long his honeymoon can actually lastPlus:🇺🇸 Can Carney hold the coalition together once Trump fatigue sets in?💸 From scrapping the carbon tax to cutting the digital services tax—how is Carney going to pay for this?🧯 Is he raising expectations faster than government can meet them?And don’t miss:📉 Why Liberals aren’t missing Pierre Poilievre—or Justin Trudeau⚔️ Can Carney avoid a BC-style fracture over major projects and pipelines?💬 Why Bridget and Sarina disagree on who the Liberals really want to lead the ConservativesAlso in this episode:📊 What Carney needs to deliver by fall to prove this isn’t just business as usual🔮 Is he in it for the long haul—or just the crisis?
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Sam Coates: Starmer’s Tightrope—Trump, Welfare, and the Trouble Inside Labour
With Sam Coates, Deputy Political Editor, Sky NewsThis week, we’re joined by Sam Coates, co-host of Politics at Sam and Anne and one of the UK’s sharpest political analysts, to make sense of a government struggling to hold the line—on foreign policy, economic discipline, and party unity.In this episode:🇮🇷 Why the UK backed the ends but not the means of Trump’s strike on Iran⚖️ How Starmer’s deference to legal advice is reshaping UK foreign policy—and what it reveals about his break from Blairism🇺🇸 What it means when the UK is the only country warned in advance of a US strike📉 And why the transatlantic relationship may be less stable than it seemsThen we go domestic:💷 Labour’s looming rebellion on welfare reform: • Over 100 Labour MPs openly defying the PM • A government with a 165-seat majority on the verge of losing a key vote • And no clear plan for what comes next🧨 Starmer’s political gamble: alienating his base to keep markets calm—and failing to please either🗳 Could this trigger a leadership challenge? And don’t miss:📈 Reform UK’s surge: is Prime Minister Farage still far-fetched—or suddenly plausible?🗺 The open question: what is the relationship between Reform and the Conservatives heading into 2028?Also on the radar:⚖️ Assisted dying and abortion: the social policies no one campaigned on—but that may define this Parliament
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Israel, Iran, and the moral clarity we need with Shuvaloy Majumdar
With Shuvaloy Majumdar, MP for Calgary HeritageThis week, Israel launched one of the most significant military operations of our time—decimating Iranian nuclear infrastructure, IRGC command, and ballistic capabilities. The West? Mostly quiet.We go deep with Shuvaloy Majumdar, MP, former advisor at Foreign Affairs, and one of the sharpest, clearest voices on Middle East geopolitics today.In this episode:🔥 What Operation Rising Lion tells us about the new era of warfare🧠 Why Iran isn’t just a regional threat—but a global one🇮🇱 Why we should be thanking Israel🛰 How Israel’s campaign could reshape the Middle East—and what it means for Iranian dissidents🛑 And why “de-escalation” may be the most dangerous word in Western diplomacy right nowPlus:🌍 Canada, the UK, and France: how the West is failing to lead🎯 Why China and Russia are (for now) staying quiet💡 The power vacuum inside Iran—and the once-in-a-generation opportunity it presentsAnd don’t miss:🇨🇦 Our domestic lens: • How Iran’s reach extends into Canada’s real estate and political networks • Why we should prepare for increased domestic extremism • And why the response from Canada’s government has been morally bankruptAlso in this episode:📉 UK economy contracts 0.3%—we talk tax, talent, and the politics of non-doms🚨 G7 trade wins: UK car tariffs down, UK-Canada security pact brewing, and a possible Carney–Trump deal in 30 days🎖 Canada’s $9B defence announcement: long overdue, or spending set to burn?🇺🇸 Trump’s departure from the G7 and ominous remarks on Iran: “It’s much bigger than a ceasefire…”🔊 Listen now for the clearest, most sobering breakdown of the Israel–Iran conflict—and why it’s a hinge moment for the future of the West.
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Can You Spend $9 Billion on Defence Without Lighting It on Fire?
This week, we crack open a UK import—Hawkstone Lager from Jeremy Clarkson’s farm—and break down Canada’s biggest defence spending announcement in decades.PM Mark Carney has committed to meeting NATO’s 2% target this year, nearly a decade ahead of Trudeau’s original pledge. That’s over $9 billion in new spending—including raises for CAF members, $2B in military aid to Ukraine, and major procurement commitments. But can it all be spent wisely?In this episode:🇨🇦 Why this announcement matters—and why it hits close to home for Joseph💸 The risks of rushing defence procurement (and why it’s rarely done well)🇬🇧 What the UK’s new Strategic Defence Review signals for joint defence priorities🤝 Why now might be the right time for a Canada–UK security compactPlus:🧨 Labour’s massive U-turn on winter fuel benefits: smart politics or panic move?🎯 Is there still room in politics for a sensible, fiscally responsible conservative party?🇺🇸 Trump sends the Marines to California—why it may be a turning point. Or not.📉 Canada’s jobless rate rises—are we seeing the limits of the Carney honeymoon?And don’t miss:🍺 Beer of the week: Hawkstone Lager • Andrew tastes a biscuit-forward Italian Pilsner with a crisp finish • Joseph declares it “a Helles lager met an Italian Pilsner and the two had a baby”
Join Craft Politics, where politics meets business over a pint. Hosted by a former politician and a seasoned political staffer, this podcast translates world events into actionable insights for business leaders. With populism on the rise, understanding this intersection is more crucial than ever. Why beer? Because the best political discussions happen with a pint in hand. Joseph Lavoie and Andrew Percy bring decades of experience in politics and business, offering concise, targeted insights to help you navigate the political landscape. Cheers to making politics work for your business!
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