Power & Politics

Four federal leaders face off in the second, and final, debate of the campaign. But after one leader was uninvited at the last minute, the commission responsible for the debates is a point of focus. We speak with the executive director of the Leaders' Debates Commission. Plus, the Power Panel dives into what's at stake for the parties in the debates. And English-language debate moderator Steve Paikin tells us what he's expecting and how he prepared.

Four federal leaders face off in the only French-language debate of the campaign, as the Montreal Canadiens face off for a spot in the NHL playoffs. Plus, the Green Party was ousted from the debate for failing to meet the participation requirements. The Power Panel dives into what's at stake for the parties. And U.S. Sen. Peter Welch joins us in Montreal to discuss tariff and 51st state threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The French-language federal debate is moving from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, to limit the overlap with a Montreal Canadiens game that could decide whether the team makes the NHL playoffs. The Power Panel discusses whether a debate about Canadians' future should have been moved for hockey, and analyzes the strategy behind the NDP and Bloc calling for the move. Plus, the White House says that U.S. President Donald Trump still wants Canada to become the 51st state. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is promising to use the notwithstanding clause to ensure multiple-murderers die in jail, which would make him the first prime minister to invoke the clause to override Charter rights. The Power Panel debates whether the proposal is tough on crime or legally and politically dangerous. Plus, Liberal Leader Mark Carney apologizes after Liberal operatives planted 'stop the steal' buttons at a conservative conference. 

Today we bring you a bonus episode from our friends at House Party, a pop-up election podcast answering one big, burning question every week. 

This week: The West wants out, Quebec wants in, and Canadian unity turned into a campaign issue this week after former Reform Party and opposition leader Preston Manning claimed increasing numbers of Westerners — particularly Albertans — may see secession as the only option if the Liberals win. Yet in Quebec, Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet took the opposite tack, downplaying separatist sentiment and arguing Canada needs to be united in its response to Donald Trump’s tariffs. 

So is separatism really a ballot box issue this time around? Catherine Cullen in Ottawa, Jason Markusoff in Calgary and Daniel Thibeault in Montreal try to unite their three solitudes with an answer. 

Find more episodes of House Party here: https://link.mgln.ai/hpxpowerandpolitics 

It's week 3 of our special Saturday podcast where our political insiders break down what the biggest federal election stories actually mean for the campaign.

This week, former Justin Trudeau adviser Laura D'Angelo, former Harper government staffer Michael Solberg and former Alberta NDP strategist Zain Velji talk about a battle between what the polls suggest, and what the pictures on the campaign trail show. While all major polls point to a Liberal lead, the Conservatives have been drawing huge crowds at rallies -- and leader Pierre Poilievre sparred with a journalist about that.

Meanwhile, Liberal leader Mark Carney held his own rally in the Conservative heartland of Alberta. And the NDP's Jagmeet Singh and the Green Party's Jonathan Pedneault admitted that their parties won't be forming government, but they do still have a pitch for your vote.

Plus: another round of under-the-radar election stories you won't hear on our TV program.

Canada-U.S. relations council member and former Quebec premier Jean Charest discusses where negotiations with the U.S. stand, after Prime Minister Mark Carney emerged from today's council meeting saying he'd leave instructions to help the 'next government' prepare for talks with the U.S. President Donald Trump in early May. Plus, Unifor president Lana Payne discusses how much U.S. tariffs and retaliatory tariffs factored into the halt in production at an Ontario GM plant that's laying off hundreds of workers. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal Leader Mark Carney have both descended on the province with the most seats, making duelling pitches for housing and crackdowns on crime. Liberal candidate Bill Blair defends his party's proposal for raising bail standards. Plus, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee, Jeanne Shaheen, discusses bipartisan efforts to assert lawmakers' control over tariffs, and why she believes tariffs are 'driving some of our longtime allies into China's arms.'

U.S. President Donald Trump announced 125 per cent tariffs on China and a sudden 90-day pause for new tariffs on other countries — with Canada unaffected. CBC's Katie Simpson and Peter Armstrong sort through the confusion after the U.S. treasury secretary erroneously said Canada would face broad 10 per cent tariffs, and the Power Panel grades Trump's trade and economic performance during this 'reciprocal tariff' saga. Plus, the co-leaders of the Green Party argue against a 'two-party binary choice' between the Liberals and Conservatives, and say that proposals for fossil fuel development with net-zero emissions progress are 'not possible.'

As Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accuses his Liberal opponent of being 'not a businessman' but 'a political grifter,' Angus Reid Institute president Shachi Kurl breaks down how Poilievre's own favourability polling could represent an obstacle for a comeback. Plus, economists Jimmy Jean and Jim Stanford discuss how U.S. tariffs, Canadian retaliation and global trade interruptions will impact the outlook for Canada's economy.