We were already planning to do a live video chat featuring a few of us Canadian Substack types, but events led us to move faster than planned. So at noon Eastern on Monday I hosted Justin Ling from Bugeyed and Shameless and Jen Gerson from The Line.
The topic: Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from cabinet; what the hell the Liberal Party can expect next, and what it should do; and the importance for Mark Carney of using his words to demonstrate a willingness to influence events, rather than merely benefiting from them.
I had other quite prominent figures from Canadian punditry standing by to join the conversation, but these chats are capped at three participants and I decided to end the conversation at a reasonable length, so we’ll just have to do it again sometime with a rotating cast.
Thanks to the 2,300 people who joined us live, and I hope the rest of you enjoy this video archive.
I can’t help but reminisce that my Canadian Politics Prof Wally Fox-Decent would have referred to this (in cerebral poli sci terms) as a ‘doozy’. Thanks for jumping on it so fast.
Thanks for doing this so quickly and for posting the video so that all subscribers can watch it. These are certainly interesting times!
I imagine that Trudeau pictured this playing out a bit differently on Friday.
Please do more of this Paul. Gosh darn that was an hilarious ending!!!
Good for her! Taking back control of the narrative and not letting JT throw another cabinet member under the bus. I’d vote for her!!
Randy, our first indigenous finance minister?
This is a great event! Will the Liberal party exist after the next election?
Can't wait to listen to commentary from three of the best columnists/podcasters
So, Freeland did a super job in negotiating with Trump who’s next to handle this guy?
Yes, Marc Carney needs to make his position clear now.
It seems to me that Paul's First Rule of Canadian Politics is in peril, but the day is not done.
Well, see, I'd say that naming Dominic LeBlanc and proceeding as if it's business as usual proves the First Law, once again!
Good discussion, thanks for putting it out. Not having had time to watch it, I listened to the podcast version this morning. Still surprised that the PM remains in hiding - not a good look.
Assuming LeBlanc was not part of the planned shuffle, who was expected to take charge of Finance? If Carney was indeed the intended, it seems reckless (incompetent?) in the extreme to alienate and fire a minister without another lined up and in agreement.
PMO texts yesterday would make for some fascinating holiday reading!
The Globe has that Dominic LeBlanc is the new finance minister.
As for Trudeau, some wag just posted a Downfall meme about Trudeau on another platform. Didn't have time to make the video but I think we're at that stage, and I say this as a card-carrying Liberal (or they sent me a card, anyway).
Why though, would she say that she is planning to fight the next election? At least Sean Fraser will be out of government as he states will not run.
Wow, quite the news today. Maybe this is what was needed to push Justin out. No way he can continue now a few days from Parliament Xmas recess with all this disarray. A sad time for Canada and with the Trump presidency coming, who's to say that he will not go for the kill and take advantage of our weakness.
OMG! I don't think I have ever seen a political bus so neatly reversed. Those tire tracks are wide and deep. The last part about Freeland's designated replacement was priceless.
I appreciated the "inside Ottawa" commentary; it fills in some holes for us outlanders. It seems clear to me that she is clearing the decks for a big fight.
I was dying at the end. Ling briefly loses it at the ridiculous cliff comment and then recovers his serious journalist face for about a minute, until everyone loses their shit at the absurdity of Randy being next in line at finance.
But then you stop and realize that the hilarious absurdity is our actual government.
That ending was glorious. It’s disheartening that life has become much stranger than fiction.
Loved the hysterical laughter. It prevents crying. What an unholy mess just as the country confronts a psychopathic idiot.
The Randy Boissonault moment was worthy of screenshotting.
Did JT want to make room for Carney?
No issues with video or audio quality for me.
(I mean, it’s not an action film with super heroes…. )
The video is much better as it goes on, this is much better than anything else that I’ve watched today!
My video was terrible, and it was totally my fault — I forgot to turn on my wifi!
Substack is a mediocre platform…you can’t get a full screen,the visual is terrible as is the sound…did you get this Rube Goldberg format from the liberal govt?
What were the really good live chats about the Freeland resignation that you saw today on other platforms?
Does the CBC count? I was glued to it all day. (If I may be gauche and stick my oar in here). On YouTube. Thank you, YouTube.
Great stuff — amazing what happens when an highly focused political bomb goes off. ☄️ 💥 🔥 ☃️
Given our need to negotiate with Trump& given that this gov’t just imploded, I’m having a hard time listening to the background laughter. So I stopped listening. This country is in deep shit.
Good for you, grrrrr
Thank you. I didn't listen to it , either, because it's two of my least favourite commentators. Partly for that reason.
Sadly, sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh at the absurdity. Even when the country is in deep shit :-)
Will this be turned into a podcast episode?
I missed the live video, regardless, thanks for putting it together!