In Episode 10 of Gristle & Bone, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill break down the results of the 45th Canadian federal election, which returned the Liberal Party under Mark Carney to power with a minority government—the party’s fourth consecutive term since 2015.

The episode covers:

• Pierre Poilievre’s paradox: A strong national showing (144 seats, 41.3%) but a lost seat of his own in Carlton. Internal tensions loom as he vows to stay on as leader.

• Jagmeet Singh’s collapse: Just 7 seats, no Ontario presence, and his own defeat. The NDP faces an identity crisis.

• Bloc Québécois positioning: With 22 seats, Blanchet holds ground and eyes leverage with the Liberals.

• Green Party stagnation: 1 seat for Elizabeth May, and little to celebrate.

With turnout steady at 68% and a third straight minority parliament, Gristle & Bone asks: What does this mean for Canada’s electoral system—and what happens next in a fractured political landscape?

A thoughtful, gritty, nonpartisan debrief from your favorite Canadian politics duo.

Credits for Gristle and Bone

• Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
• Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
• Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

In this special Election Day edition of Gristle & Bone, recorded on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Christopher Bourne offers a quick, sharp snapshot of where things stand as Canadians head to the polls.

With the campaign winding down quietly, the polls have settled:

• The Liberals have dipped slightly,

• The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have gained modest ground,

• • The NDP remains steady.

  
  

  The hosts promise a full post-election analysis later in the week, delivering their signature style: academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan.

  Stay tuned, stay sharp—and if you haven’t yet, go vote!

  
  

  Credits for Gristle and Bone

  • Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
  • Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
  • Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

In this packed post-debate edition of Gristle & Bone, recorded on April 22 and released April 23, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill analyze the latest developments in Canada’s federal election campaign as it enters its final stretch.

The episode breaks down:

• The Liberal platform, released quietly over the long weekend, and whether its Trudeau-era tone undermines Mark Carney’s technocratic image.

• The NDP’s slight recovery in B.C. and the Bloc’s potential revival in Quebec, which could block a Liberal majority.

• Polling caution, especially at the riding level, and how debates may be shifting momentum.

• Carney’s housing rhetoric, financialization, and the political paradox of equity-hoarding vs. affordability.

• Conservative messaging, including awkward ads and Pierre Poilievre’s absence from some of them, suggesting internal worries about his appeal.

As the U.S. looms large, both platforms seem cautious—but the stakes are high. With tensions escalating, Gristle & Bone keeps cutting through the spin.

Plus, the hosts thank listeners for their reviews and announce an upcoming U.S. radio appearance to explain Canada’s election south of the border.

Credits for Gristle and Bone

• Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
• Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
• Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

In this special emergency bulletin of Gristle & Bone, recorded on April 18th, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill break down a dramatic week of Canadian politics following the French and English leaders' debates in Montreal.

They first tackle the chaos surrounding the debate commission’s mismanagement, from rescheduling for a Habs game to accrediting disruptive far-right media, before turning to the real story: how the leaders performed.

• Pierre Poilievre delivered a disciplined, effective performance, keeping his base energized while reaching toward swing voters. Grade: A-

• Mark Carney stayed calm and competent, especially handling Trump-related questions, though he missed some opportunities. Grade: B+

• Jagmeet Singh brought passion and clear NDP values but possibly hurt strategic positioning with an overly aggressive style.

• • Yves-François Blanchet defended Quebec nationalism skillfully but showed signs of fatigue. Grade: B

  
  

  Stay tuned as Gristle & Bone continues tracking every twist of Election 2025!

  
  

  Credits for Gristle and Bone

  • Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
  • Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
  • Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

  
  

In Episode 6 of Gristle & Bone, recorded on April 14th, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill break down the election landscape just days before the leaders’ debates. With the campaign entering its final stretch, the hosts explore the deepening presidential dynamic that has left the NDP and Bloc Québécois struggling to break through the dominant Carney vs. Poilievre narrative.

They examine Jagmeet Singh’s late pivot, aiming for enough NDP MPs to influence a minority government, and debate whether the move came too late. With the NDP facing a potentially historic low, the importance of local campaigns in ridings like Rosemont and Berthier–Maskinongé takes center stage.

Turning to the Bloc, the hosts discuss Yves-François Blanchet’s attacks on Carney and analyze Carney’s solid French-language performance on Tout le monde en parle. Meanwhile, Poilievre's challenge remains threading the needle between softening his image and rallying his base—without overreaching during the debates.

Credits for Gristle and Bone

• Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
• Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
• Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

With just three weeks to go until election day, Gristle and Bone returns with a deep dive into the shifting terrain of the 2025 Canadian federal campaign. Recorded on April 7th, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill explore the tensions between stagecraft and strategy in a moment of global economic instability.

Pierre Poilievre's massive rallies show strong base energy—but are they expanding the Conservative vote or creating an echo chamber? The hosts question whether the campaign's messaging, still focused on affordability and "anti-woke" themes, is failing to adjust to the new reality shaped by Trump’s tariffs and rising economic anxiety.

Meanwhile, Mark Carney's campaign is improving, with more relaxed media interactions and a stronger emphasis on economic leadership. As global markets wobble, Carney’s technocratic calm could resonate—especially with voters unsettled by American volatility.

Credits for Gristle and Bone

• Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
• Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
• Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

In Episode 4 of Gristle and Bone, recorded on March 31st, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill dig into a week of high-stakes missteps, internal dissent, and shifting political ground in the ongoing federal election campaign.

Starting with the Conservative Party, the hosts explore the public criticisms of Pierre Poilievre’s campaign—most notably from Doug Ford’s campaign manager, Kory Teneycke

Turning to the Liberals, Mark Carney is facing a rocky stretch. His French-language challenges in Quebec, including major pronunciation blunders and historical mix-ups, have raised eyebrows—though polling suggests the Liberals remain dominant in the province, partly due to Poilievre’s unpopularity.

Meanwhile, the NDP under Jagmeet Singh appears to be fading, struggling to cut through the binary of Carney vs. Poilievre.

Finally, the episode highlights how Trump’s imposition of auto tariffs has reframed the entire campaign.

Credits for Gristle and Bone

• Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
• Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
• Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

In this episode of Gristle and Bone, recorded in Montreal on March 24, 2025, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill dive into the unfolding federal election campaign and explore a central theme shaping the race: the growing “presidentialization” of Canadian politics.

The hosts examine the shifting polls, the fading Conservative lead, and the resurgence of the Liberals despite Carney's inexperience as a campaigner. They discuss the risks of overexposing Carney, the strategy behind showcasing him in campaign materials (including nostalgic cameos with Mike Myers), and whether his performance under pressure—especially in French—will sustain Liberal momentum.

Turning to Poilievre, the episode explores whether his "Canada is broken" message still resonates in a moment of revived Canadian patriotism. The hosts discuss the tension between appeasing the Conservative base and appealing to moderate voters. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s pro-MAGA comments are also assessed as a potential liability for the Conservative leader.

Also in this episode:

• The NDP’s struggle for relevance in a leader-dominated campaign

• The Bloc Québécois’s positioning as potential power brokers in a minority government

  Carney’s first campaign speech and the “Ming vase” versus risk-taking strategies

• What all parties need to consider when campaigning in Quebec

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  Credits

  Credits for Gristle and Bone

  • Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
  • Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
  • Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

  
  

  
  

  
  

In this episode of Gristle and Bone, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill analyze the latest shakeup in Canadian politics: Mark Carney has officially taken office as Prime Minister and unveiled his leaner, so-called “wartime cabinet”, signaling a shift in governance strategy as Canada braces for economic tensions with the U.S.

The hosts break down the key cabinet appointments, including:

1:15 to 8:02 Discussing the underlying dynamics of Cabinet formation.

8:20 to 24:48 Dissecting Mark Carney’s catapulted ascend and focusing on Mélanie Joly’s position as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

25:03 to 41:10 What the new Cabinet portfolio tells us about Carney’s strategy towards election season.

41:21 to 56:57 Operating governance in between a trade war and an election: the Doug Ford Model.

57:17 to 1:07:10 How voting districts redrawings affect the Liberals VS Conservatives face off in the upcoming election.

1:07:19 to XX The different parties’ strategies at play. Will Daddy Banker convince key Canadians constituents he can protect our economy better than Popular Poilievre?

Credits for Gristle and Bone

• Hosts: Dónal Gill & Christopher Bourne
• Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
• Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

In this debut episode of Gristle & Bone, hosts Christopher Bourne, Political Science Faculty at Dawson College, and Dónal Gill, Political Science professor at Concordia University, set the stage for their new podcast. They introduce their approach—providing historical and theoretical context to Canadian politics without partisan spin—and explain the name behind the podcast, drawn from a John A. Macdonald quote about the evolution of Confederation’s Confederation. The hosts break down Canada’s shifting political landscape leading up to the 2025 federal election, covering key moments such as:

• The 2019 and 2021 elections that resulted in minority Liberal governments.
• The Liberals’ supply and confidence agreement with the NDP in 2022.
• Pierre Poilievre’s rise as Conservative leader and his populist shift.
• The decline of Justin Trudeau’s government, culminating in his resignation.
• Mark Carney’s overwhelming victory in the 2025 Liberal leadership race.
• Donald Trump’s return to power and aggressive stance on Canada reshapes Canadian politics.

Join us as we break down the key players, strategies, and surprises defining Canada’s political future. Gristle & Bone is here to cut through the noise and provide the in-depth analysis you won’t find in the headlines.

Credits for Gristle and Bone

• Hosts: Christopher Bourne & Dónal Gill
• Production: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-Morin
• Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin