Host: Dave Trafford
Guests: Kathleen Wynne (former Ontario Premier), Tim Hudak (Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC Leader), Keith Leslie (Political Analyst, CHCH), John Wright (CEO, Canada Pulse Insights)

In this week’s episode, Dave Trafford and the On The Ledge panel unpack the political and policy fallout from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget—and the Ford government’s deepening Skills Development Fund scandal.

Kathleen Wynne argues that Carney’s budget, while understated, delivers transformative long-term investments in infrastructure and economic development.

Tim Hudak says the budget “shows trees, but no forest,” lacking a unifying vision for the post-tariff economy.

Keith Leslie calls it a gamble on private-sector confidence, while John Wright warns the government’s narrative is missing “a political bone” to connect with struggling Canadians.

Then, the panel reacts to The Trillium’s explosive reporting on the Skills Development Fund—a $10-million grant linked to a venue now licensed as a strip club.

Journalist guests Jessica Smith Cross and Charlie Pinkerton explain how their investigative work exposed a pattern of questionable grants and Tory-connected recipients. The group debates Minister David Piccini’s future, Premier Ford’s handling of the controversy, and the broader question of accountability and cronyism at Queen’s Park.

From the budget’s muted ambitions to a political scandal with burlesque undertones, this episode captures an Ontario government under siege—caught between defending its process and salvaging its credibility.

Chapters & Timecodes
00:00 – Introduction & Panel Welcome
02:00 – Reactions to the Carney Budget
14:00 – Ottawa vs. Queen’s Park: Competing Narratives
33:00 – The Floor Crossing Fallout
43:00 – The Skills Development Fund Scandal: The Trillium’s Reporting
1:08:00 – Political Consequences & Closing Thoughts

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