It wasn’t entirely clear how the budget was going to get passed, but it did indeed get passed on Monday night thanks to the abstentions of a few Conservative and NDP MPs. So, that means Canadians won’t be called to the polls over the holidays. But the clock on this minority parliament continues to count down. How long can it really last?

This week on The Numbers, we discuss what happened with the budget vote on Monday and what it tells us about the timing of the next federal election. We also chat about some new polling numbers, including both at the federal level and provincially out of New Brunswick and Quebec, as well as about an upcoming byelection in Prince Edward Island.

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Questions continue to surround the future of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre following the turmoil of budget week. Not only did the Conservatives lose Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont to the Liberals, they also lost Edmonton MP Matt Jeneroux, who announced his upcoming resignation. It’s been widely reported that Jeneroux was contemplating a floor-crossing of his own, but instead he has opted to resign his seat in the coming months.

While it’s possible the caucus departures could halt with d’Entremont and Jeneroux, rumours are swirling that upwards of a dozen Conservative MPs are unhappy with Poilievre’s leadership and how events have unfolded over the last few weeks. Can Poilievre weather this storm?

This week on The Numbers, we discuss the latest developments and what the poll numbers say about the state of the Conservative Party and its leader. We also take a look at how Canadians are reacting to last week’s budget. Was it ho-hum, or a turning point? Plus, Québec Solidaire chooses a new co-leader that will have it doubling-down on independence and we have some new polling numbers out of Ontario.

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Mark Carney’s Liberal government tabled what it called its ‘generational’ budget on Tuesday, promising a mix of spending and cuts and booking a big budget deficit. So far, the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois look set to vote it down. The New Democrats are on the fence.

But the drama of budget day was punctuated by the defection of Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont from the Conservatives to the Liberals. He might not be the only one to cross the floor as rumours fly. What does it mean for the fate of the government, Pierre Poilievre’s leadership and the potential for a snap election?

We had good reason to delay this week’s episode of The Numbers until after the budget so we could break down all the latest drama — because there’s quite a bit of it! We also discuss the state of the NDP leadership race and some new provincial polling out of Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, as well as the results of the mayoral elections in Quebec and the territorial vote in Yukon.

CORRECTION: In Philippe’s Number of the Week, he said 85% when he meant 75%.

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There’s one week to go before Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government tables the budget. We still don’t know if it will pass a vote in the House of Commons. Failing to do so would mean another election. Should Pierre Poilievre welcome a second campaign in 2025, or should he and his Conservatives prefer to put that contest off to another day? And what about the Bloc Québécois and the New Democrats?

This week on The Numbers, we rate how much each party should want to head back to the polls this fall. We also take a look at a new poll that suggests the B.C. Conservatives are doing far better among voters than is their leader, John Rustad, plus we chat about the end of the fixed election date law in Ontario. Finally, Philippe has a Quiz to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Quebec referendum.

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Nobody within Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative caucus has publicly broken ranks with the leader, but calls for a change at the top of the party were given voice last week by Dimitri Soudas, a top aide to former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper. Is it a sign that Poilievre’s leadership of the party is more fragile than was previously thought, or are Soudas’s criticisms those of a former Conservative who no longer represents today’s version of the party? And what do the numbers say about the strength of Poilievre’s leadership?

This week on The Numbers, we discuss where things stand for Poilievre and the Conservatives. We also take a look at some more polling numbers on the Canada-U.S. relationship (and the Carney-Trump relationship). Plus, we have provincial polls out of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, as well as some mayoral results in Calgary and Edmonton. How did the polls do in these two big cities?

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The polls continue to show a narrow, but diminishing, advantage for Mark Carney’s Liberals. But the polls also show that Canadians hold some complicated, and at terms contradictory, views when it comes to the United States and the prime minister’s relationship with Donald Trump. It’s a delicate balancing act for Carney — one that could easily go badly for the Liberals if they risked (or were forced into) an election in the fall.

The week on The Numbers, we talk about the federal polling landscape and what it shows about Canadians’ views on our relations with the United States. We also take one last look at the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election, as well as what the polls are showing ahead of next week’s mayoral elections in Calgary and Edmonton. Then, we close with a Quiz.

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For most of the four years between 2019 and 2023, the Liberals and Conservatives were deadlocked in the polls with each party hovering a little over 30%, give or take a few points. Then the bottom fell out for Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. But are we entering into another phase of a deadlocked, polarized electorate — this time with Mark Carney’s Liberals and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives both stuck around 40%?

This week on The Numbers, we discuss what could be the new normal. Plus, the NDP gets an interesting new entrant into its leadership race and the government announces a change to the budgeting schedule that could have some repercussions for the electoral calendar. In New Brunswick, the PCs hold one of their seats in a provincial byelection, while in Newfoundland and Labrador we’re only one week out election day. Where do things stand there? We also discuss some new polling numbers from Quebec and British Columbia, where David Eby seems to be benefiting from a divided (and infighting) opposition.

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Mark Carney seems to be more popular than his Liberals, while Pierre Poilievre seems to be less popular than his Conservatives. Are these numbers sustainable for either party leader — and what would it mean if these numbers held going into an election campaign? Plus, what to make of the NDP’s better polls as the party’s leadership campaign takes off?

This week on The Numbers, we discuss the latest in federal polling trends. We also chat about the ongoing (but still unpolled) campaign in Newfoundland and Labrador, some surprising polling numbers out of Alberta and some less surprising numbers out of municipal races in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Quebec City (a well as in Ontario). Then, Philippe is back with a new edition of The Quiz.

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It’s been a tough time for party leaders. After Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie resigned following her 57% leadership review score, Marit Stiles of the Ontario NDP managed only a little better with 68%. Over in British Columbia, John Rustad of the Conservatives scored 70%. While Crombie couldn’t hold on, Stiles and Rustad plan to stick around. But what number is good enough to stay on as leader — and what number should Pierre Poilievre aim for in his upcoming leadership review to keep his job safe?

This week on The Numbers, we chat about these leadership review results and what they mean. We also discuss new federal polling numbers and the opening moves of the NDP leadership race for contenders Avi Lewis and Heather McPherson. Plus, we break down some new provincial survey results out of Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Then, Philippe boosts the difficulty level in this week’s edition of The Quiz.

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The MPs are back in Ottawa and already the big question on Parliament Hill is whether or not the government will survive the budget vote later this fall. Just a few seats short of a majority, Mark Carney’s Liberals still require the support (or abstention) of at least one other party in the House of Commons. Do any of those parties have an incentive to go back to the polls sooner rather than later?

This week on The Numbers, we break down the current state of the polls and what they say about the stability of this Parliament. We also discuss the newly-launched Newfoundland and Labrador election campaign, Bonnie Crombie’s resignation as leader of the Ontario Liberals and some provincial polling numbers from coast to coast.

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