Political Traction

On this special year end edition of Political Traction host Amanda Galbraith sits down with colleagues Michael Cooke, Danielle Parr and Mike Van Soelen to discuss the highs, the lows, the wins, and the losses of 2021.

In the wake of news from Barbados and a ceremony with Prince Charles, Rihanna and a newly minted President, all eyes are on the royal family and its reign over the shrinking commonwealth. This week, host Amanda Galbraith debates Canada’s relationship with the monarchy with outspoken Canadian Republican, popular YouTuber and columnist for the Washington Post, J.J. McCullough.

This week, host Amanda Galbraith reunites with our Scrum panel – former heads of newsrooms and Navigator colleagues – Caroline Harvey and Michael Cooke. The trio discusses everything from the 2021 Speech from the Throne to the recent flooding in BC and all things Justin Bieber. 

This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Jen Gerson, resident Albertian, political commentator and co-founder of the online newsletter, The Line, to unpack a tumultuous week in Alberta and federal politics.

This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Navigator colleagues Philippe Gervais and André Pratte to unpack the French language failures of some of Canada’s most important CEOs. The trio unpacks the heated debate and what it might mean for the future of Bill 96.

This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with the Toronto Star’s Queen’s Park Bureau Chief, Robert Benzie, to unpack the 2021 Ontario Fall Economic Statement and what’s going on behind the scenes as Queen’s Park gets back to business in an almost post-COVID world. The pair weigh in on the government’s promise to fix longstanding issues in Ontario’s health and long-term care sectors, a new multi-million-dollar staycation tourism fund, why raise the minimum wage to $15, and much more.

This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Alex Ballingall, a Reporter from the Toronto Star’s Ottawa Bureau, to unpack the momentous week that was in Canadian politics with a significant cabinet reshuffling. With only 8 ministers staying in their portfolios among 38 appointments, it’s time for several ministers to hit the books as school is back in session.

This week, host Amanda Galbraith sits down with Sharan Kaur, the Former Deputy Chief of Staff to Finance Minister Bill Morneau and current Director of Strategic Initiatives and Public Affairs at Clearco. The pair discuss the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and detail the trials and tribulations behind the scenes in planning one of the world’s biggest conferences.

This week, host Amanda Galbraith is joined by Navigator colleagues Clare Michaels, Cathy Moar and Matthew Barnes to discuss what is going on with the federal party leaders, the most under-reported election story from the campaign trail, and which federal party leaders are likely to last until the next election cycle.

The Toronto Star’s Ottawa columnist Althia Raj joined Navigator’s live videocast as seasoned experts from across the country looked beyond the vote to explore what motivated Canadians to vote the way they did and exactly what this government will mean for you.