Canada's fears, what Trump gets right, and how we can fix ourselves

In this episode of On The Line, host Matt Gurney is joined by Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Global Public Affairs. Darrell and Matt have both just returned from the Halifax International Security Forum, where Darrell presented a major new global survey to policymakers, military leaders, and security experts from around the world. Matt and Darrell walk through the findings and what they reveal about how people are thinking about security in 2025.

The survey spans tens of thousands of respondents across dozens of countries, capturing public attitudes on personal safety, geopolitical risk, great-power tensions, cyber threats, and the fragility of the international order. Darrell explains which fears are rising, which regions are most anxious, and why public confidence in institutions continues to erode. He and Matt also discuss where the public is ahead of political leaders, where it may be misinformed, and what this means for democracies trying to navigate an increasingly unstable world.

The conversation turns to why global anxiety is becoming a kind of background condition, what the survey suggests about Canada’s place in the world, and how governments should respond when citizens see danger everywhere but trust almost no one to handle it. They also talk about the challenge Donald Trump poses to Canada — especially because he's asked some fair questions for which we don't have good answers.

Oh, and also — if you enjoy this, you'll enjoy Darrell's new book. Check it out!

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