Hub Roundtable A historic election is on the horizon

Publisher Rudyard Griffiths and editor-at-large Sean Speer discuss the upcoming federal election campaign, including the fast-moving polls and the tense public mood. They also cover how The Hub will cover this consequential election and how it juxtaposes with the oversized role that the government itself will play in the campaign, including the debates.

The Roundtable features The Hub's publisher, Rudyard Griffiths and editor-at-large, Sean Speer. The Roundtable is produced and edited by The Hub’s content editor, Amal Attar-Guzman.

[sofiaogarcia]

*You work for 40yrs to have $1M in your retirement, meanwhile some people are putting just $5K into trading from just few months ago and now they are multimillionaires*

[normm]

Well, Frum nailed it - don’t build your ID on not being Trudeau….

[Ulvaeus]

In this election in particular, Canadians will be making a choice between the two leaders and who has the talent and skills to take on Trump. PP can be an effective attack dog, but he has yet to make a compelling case for why Canadians should vote FOR him, rather than just against the Liberals. He could still win, but PP has a very real ‘likability’ problem, which always counts for something in politics.

[CynicalOptimist]

Conservatives go on about the last 10 years of Trudeau disaster. The reality in that time he & Liberals won 3 elections, at best Trudeau wore out his welcome in the last two years. The conservatives polling high was not based on PP and/or policy, rather than extreme anti-Trudeau feeling.

When Trudeau exited, all that vote flooded back, reestablishing the 37-35% vote split in which either party can form government. The Liberal surge is based on the collapse of the NDP vote, pushing the Liberals from possible minority to majority territory.

[ZozoHk-rv]

Because at the end Canadians care about the country over party and feel they need strong, educated and intelligent mind to lead them trough out this “turning point” time.
I lost my mother country to extremist and conservative government, I can’t afford to lose it again the country I am calling it home now.

[teaeff]

There are lots of things I disliked about the Liberals under Trudeau. There are more things that I dislike about the Conservatives under Polievre. I’d like to see the Progressive part of the Conservatives take back the party from the far right angry haters. So tired of that shite, especially with the absolute clown show South of us. Disgusting.

[RichardWotherspoon-hf]

Yours & PP lack of ability to read the country’s mood when Trump threatened economic war on Canada was astounding. We have moved on from Trudeau & the carbon tax but you and the conservatives have/had not. It is too important a moment to dwell on the past. The Conservatives pivot/non pivot showed again a drastic failure to read the mood of the country. They continue to look back as do you. We are in a terrible state. Yes some of it is Trudeau’s fault but dwelling on that does not help. When we look at carney we don’t see Trudeau and when we look at PP we hear Trump ( America first/ Canada first, little Marco/ carbon tax carney).

What we want are solutions and a plan from someone we can trust.
The person or party to articulate that will win the election.

Currently you and PP continue to look back and ruminate over lost opportunities. We are scared and we don’t have time to look back. It is a waste of time and energy. Be positive and Look forward.

[ukulele]

If PP loses he will have himself to blame. You are right that people were ready for a change. I have voted Liberal or NDP in the past but was considering voting Conservative for the sake of change, but I won't vote for that arrogant pitbull PP. I want a Conservative leader who embodies Canadian values, not MAGA ones. I am glad Trudeau resigned and that I have another option. I will be voting for Carney.

[murraytown]

Let’s face it, it is likely PP’s to lose. But let’s also recall that PP’s favourability ratings were always underwater. The popularity of the CPC over the last couple of years was not because of PP, but despite PP. Historically, the LPC is Canada’s natural governing party, whether you like it or not. You think Carney is touchy? You have clearly not been paying attention to PP, the apple muncher. Four more years.

[jomeara]

What The Hub is missing is how much middle of the road voters dislike PP's nasty personality. When Trudeau was around people were prepared to tolerate PP because of a genuine and broad-based Time For A Change sentiment. But minus Trudeau plus Trump reminds people that a significant share of them don't really care for PP and are willing to consider the alternative. PP presents a target-rich environment for the LPC campaign.

[gerry]

The memory of PP treating Mr Charest with the same scorn as he treated Mr Trudeau was imprinted in my mind. The CPC's fate was cast the minute he replaced Mr O'Toole.

[melissagreye]

If Canada loses the auto sector or most of it, then maybe Chinese auto makers should be invited into Canada. At least we should have a conversation about it. Right now we have 100% tariffs on Chinese cars because that is what the US government wants which is why the government of China has placed tariffs on select Canadian products.

[neolithictransitrevolution]

Poilievre is at the disadvantage, he can't speak out to aggressively because some of his base is MAGA. On the otherhand, he has no legal role in negotiations, and would loose his moderates for speaking out against Carney's 1 week of doing a very competent job.

I actually think it would be at the conservative advantage to wait for an election so Carney can make a mistake, but they don't really have a say, and I do think Mr Poilievre is a patriot, and understands we fundamentally need a democratically elected government to move forward with the US.

[tinas]

Trump and Carney entering the chat after Trudeau left is why the Conservatives polling numbers have gone down. Poilievre is NOT a good leader. He is like Trump. He is aggressive but with no substance (he just kept saying Axe the tax and Canada is broken) and he is also not seen as a good leader that can unite the country (even Doug Ford and him do not get along well). Poilievre talks and acts like a MAGA supporter and so the nickname Maple MAGA is fair. Regarding Danielle Smith, note that her letter of “demands” is extreme and is offensive to other provinces like BC, Quebec, and Ontario. Her “demands” seem to suggest that we should do without the constitution and Alberta can just do whatever it wants and build pipelines across the country without other provinces and Indigenous groups consultation and consent. That is not how it works. Even IF Poilievre wins, do you think Poilievre should follow what Danielle Smith wants him to do? This is the problem with the current Conservative Party. Leaders like Poilievre and Smith seek to divide the country. They are arrogant and incapable of working with other provinces. The mood right now is that other provinces are more open to pipelines. So instead of Smith sending “threats, ” could she try to be more open to negotiating with other provinces and Indigenous groups? There are also many Albertans who do not support her strategy. Prime Minister Mark Carney is the right candidate at this time. In my opinion, it has less to do with the fact that he is a Liberal. IF the Conservatives have a different candidate that could compete at the same level as Carney (like someone who has the same vibe as Prime Minister Harper) then maybe there is a chance for the Conservatives. Poilievre is a populist who knows nothing about economics.

[neolithictransitrevolution]

I think its perfectly fine for a party to be in power for decades, although I don't know how Trudeau did it. But Carney seems a lot better.

However, that feeling if discontent being spoken of does have to be addressed, Carney will have to build some pipelines.

[MikeSmith-voyt]

Interesting this election isn’t labeled The battle of Alberta.
U.S. and China aren’t dopes. Canola tariff to counter ev tariff is a real shot.
Lifting oil and gas tariffs would be a real strike as well.
Interesting times indeed.

[madeleineleblancreiser]

Many Conservatives do not like Pierre Poilièvre but preferred him over Justin Trudeau. And Mark Carney is a Blue Liberal.

[jruss]

“Can they meet the moment, and as of right now, it’s not self evident that they can.” Yup, I think that perfectly encapsulates it. I was always uneasy with Poilievre’s lack of accomplishments outside of politics, and I think this is where that weakness is really showing through. Carney is basically Poilievre’s foil in that way. Whether you like it or not, or think that a “globalist banker” should lead Canada, any honest person would undoubtedly agree that he is unbelievably accomplished, and almost certainly the most accomplished politician of the modern Canadian era. Will he be the right man for the job? Who knows. But Carney has a heck of a resume to beat.

[JéssicaAlVES-if]

This period of instability will cost America its future.

[Boberosa]

Does one divisive, tyrannical premier divide a country. As an Albertan, I think not.