PrimeTime Politics with Michael Serapio

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt speaks about plans made at today's First Ministers meeting, and reveals that New England governors are aware how hurtful the proposed Trump tariffs could be to the United States. Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, discusses the Trump tarrif threats and says the U.S. president-elect is trolling Canada and using the leverage he has available. Former NAFTA advisory council member Hassan Yussuff says the premiers and the prime minister need to be in sync when facing threats from the U.S. president-elect.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith attends the U.S. Western Governors meeting to find common ground on border security and the threatened Trump tariffs. Retail Council of Canada's Matt Poirier calls on the federal government to step in and end the four-week old Canada Post strike. Canadian Union of Postal Worker's negotiator Jim Gallant says its members do not want to be on the picket line, but their demands for wage increases are not being met by Canada Post. The Chief Economist at the Conference Board of Canada, Pedro Antunes, says there is no reason for the Bank of Canada to keep restrictive interest rates. The Bank will release its interest rate decision on December 11.

Jon Allen, former Canadian ambassador to Israel, looks at Syria's political future and how Canada should respond to the rebel regime that forced Bashir al-Assad to flee to Russia. David Coletto, founder of Abacus Data, finds the Conservatives would come out 23 points ahead of the Liberals if an election were held today. Andriy Shevchenko, former Ukrainian ambassador to Canada, shares his expectations for how the Trump administration will deal with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The journalists panel, Bob Fife (Globe and Mail), Tonda MacCharles (Toronto Star) and Joël-Denis Bellavance (LaPresse) talk about Ottawa's new Arctic foreign policy. Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn and Imam Mohammad Tawhidi speak about Jewish-Muslim relations and the Abraham Accords in a panel discussion. Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai discusses Arctic security.

Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos goes in-depth into the government’s new regulations to ban assault style weapons. The Assembly of First Nations passes a resolution demanding a national inquiry into systemic racism in policing after recent police killings of Indigenous individuals. The AFN's national chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak explains. Political observers Susan Smith (Liberal), Josie Sabatino (Conservative) and George Soule (New Democrat) look at the latest Conservative confidence motion and the upcoming vote on Monday.

Mark Gerretsen (Government Deputy House leader), Andrew Scheer (Conservative House leader) and Peter Julian (NDP House leader) discuss the Conservative Party leader's demand for the release of the federal fall economic statement. Arif Virani (Justice minister) splits the online harms bill in two, and blames the ongoing filibuster in the House for delays. Steven Guilbeault (Environment minister) talks about Canada's support for the US $300 billion finance goal set at the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP29).

Elizabeth May, Green Party leader, wants federal leaders to work together to face the incoming U.S. administration. Kirsten Hillman, Canada's Ambassador to the U.S., says it is the relationship between the prime minister and president-elect that led to the meet-up at Mar-A-Lago last Friday, as she looks ahead to the second Trump presidency. Don Drummond, former TD Bank Chief Economist, explains why the government should focus on productivity growth instead of temporary affordability measures.

Globe and Mail reporter Steven Chase speaks about the Friday night dinner between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Security expert Michael Kempa speaks about the Canada-U.S. border and possible measures to secure it. Auditor General Karen Hogan discusses her latest reports.

The journalists panel, Bob Fife (Globe and Mail), Tonda MacCharles (Toronto Star) and Joël-Denis Bellavance (LaPresse) talk about the response from Canadian leaders following Donald Trump's tariff threat. Michael sits down with Canada's Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan to talk about Canada's defence priorities, the Arctic and military spending at the Halifax International Security Forum. Holocaust survivor Manfred Lindenbaum speaks about xenophobia and the vilification of migrants in a panel discussion at the Halifax International Security Forum.

Former Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., David MacNaughton, wants the government to have one minister as point person to deal with the Trump administration. Political observers Stevie O'Brien (Liberal), Jordan Paquet (Conservative) and Kennedy Stewart (NDP) look at tariffs, and at the implications of the passage of the GST relief bill.