Happy Tuesday. It's time for another episode of On The Line. And this is another two-guest episode, too. There's that much to talk about!
Our first guest, making a return appearance on On The Line, is P.J. Fournier, creator of 338Canada.com and 338Canada.ca. (The man has so much to offer he needs two websites!) Since we last spoke in February, Canada's federal polling environment has radically changed. He walks us through the numbers, and what this means for the Conservatives, the Liberals and the NDP. With an election call expected imminently, we wanted to put down a marker. Let's see what happens next.
This episode of On The Line is brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canadian forestry supports 200,000 workers, generates $87 billion in annual revenue, and provides the products we need to build homes and drive economic growth. While trade barriers from the United States threaten jobs and investment, Canada’s own approval processes and regulations are blocking critical projects that increase our self reliance. The Canadian government has a clear opportunity to stand up for Canadian forestry at a time of growing global uncertainty. We need real action that puts Canadians first — supporting employees and their families, securing stability for our businesses, and protecting the long-term potential of our sector and its people. To learn more, visit ForestryForTheFuture.ca.
Up next, long-time journalist and author Stephen Maher joins us. Stephen wrote the book — literally — on Justin Trudeau, and joins Matt to talk about the Trudeau legacy. The world went weird on Trudeau's watch, and Canada ... didn't respond? Why not? What were the problems inside that government? Was it organizational? Personal? Political? How did the man who swept into office in 2015 as a leading example of global progressivism leave as a deeply unpopular, polarizing figure that even his own party seemed happy to see the back of?
This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. For centuries, as winter faded, Métis families would move through the sugar bush, tapping towering maples. They'd collect the sap and boil it into syrup, trading it at British and French trading posts, where sugar was as prized as pelts. The syrup sweetened tea in Montréal, flavoured bread in York, and fuelled voyageurs paddling west to the prairies. Through resilience and skill, the Métis built an entire industry that sustained the fur trade, connected communities, and created a legacy that endures to this day. To learn more, go to OntarioMetisFacts.com.
A lot of what Maher has to say about Trudeau to Matt is critical, but the two men also try and sketch out what they think a best-case scenario for Trudeau's legacy might look like. All politicians get more popular as time goes on and anger and memories fade. In 50 years, when some university professor sits down to write a book about long-ago prime minister Justin Trudeau, what will the first chapter be?
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On The Line will be distributed through the same channels as The Line Podcast, which will continue to release episodes on Friday. To never miss an episode of either of our offerings, you should obviously sign up here at ReadtheLine.ca, but you can also follow us at the most popular podcast viewing/listening destinations.
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