Aspiration is meeting reality for Prime Minister Mark Carney, as the pressures of governing expose the risks of his sky-high campaign promises.

The most immediate example is his abrupt reversal on Canada’s digital services tax, scrapped just before it was set to take effect after Donald Trump threatened to walk away from trade talks. Critics say Carney waved a red flag at a bull; supporters frame it as a strategic concession to get negotiations back on track. But if no deal materializes by the self-imposed July 21 deadline, the political cost could be steep — especially for a leader who built his brand on going “elbows up” with the U.S.

This week on West of Centre, trade expert Carlo Dade argued Canada could “rag the puck” and let U.S. court challenges to Trump’s tariff powers play out. But The Logic’s Laura Osman noted Carney is under immense pressure to secure a near-term deal. That urgency matches his government’s fast-paced push for quick wins — including tax cuts, moves to reduce interprovincial trade barriers, and the passage of Bill C-5 to fast-track infrastructure approvals.

But passing legislation is the easy part. Another round of reality checks is looming — including whether provinces will actually trade more freely, and whether a long-sought pipeline to the West Coast might finally materialize. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith continues to apply pressure through a list of demands and her new Alberta Next panel. Political columnist Graham Thomson says she’s also fending off threats from separatists on the right and watching for signs of a centrist revival under the old Progressive Conservative brand.

Host: Rob Brown | Producer & editor: Falice Chin | Guests: Carlo Dade, Laura Osman, Graham Thomson