Navigating Political Change: A Critique of Leadership and Promises

In the latest episode of The Line Podcast, recorded on April 25, 2025, Matt and Jen take stock of the final days of the election campaign — and of Canada’s increasingly bizarre political mood.

Matt kicks things off by previewing his upcoming final column before election day. He spoils it a little, of course. His basic argument? The Liberal pitch to voters rests on one of two assumptions: either Mark Carney is a once-in-a-generation political superweapon, or Justin Trudeau was uniquely, almost historically bad. Matt doesn’t buy the latter. And even if you accept it, he asks, what does it say about a party that enabled Trudeau for so long? The case for Carney, in the end, is also the case against Carney’s party.

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Then Jen takes the mic to preview her own final column — and she isn’t pulling any punches. She lays into the Conservatives for blowing what could have been an easy win, letting grievances and resentments cloud their judgment. They also debate the state of the polls, where their interpretations diverge, and dig into the deeper generational divides shaping this election. Jen uses some, uh, vivid imagery to make her point. Matt is not impressed.

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Finally, your hosts bat cleanup on a few lingering election issues, before zooming out to the broader picture: how American political chaos has warped our own national discourse. But there’s a twist — Jen and Matt consider the possibility that American institutions might actually be starting to reassert themselves. And if so, why Canada’s best protection against the worst of Trump might, weirdly, be Trump himself.

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All that, and more, in the latest episode of The Line Podcast. Like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca, or find us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode.