Show Notes
Canada just recorded a quarter of negative growth and sits on the edge of a potential recession. U.S. tariffs continue to hit the economy hard. Meanwhile, the country is plowing ahead with plans to build mega projects and diversify trade. We are, to put it mildly, at a pretty consequential fork in the road. Host Amanda Lang talks to one of Canada's top economists, Frances Donald, about the challenges ahead and the surprising case for optimism. As chief economist at RBC, Canada's biggest bank, Donald’s insights and pronouncements on both the Canadian and the U.S. economies are vital. And in this climate of unprecedented uncertainty, needed more than ever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from WONK
It would not be an understatement to say that the Canada-U.S. relationship is undergoing a challenging time. The U.S. president describes Canada as a terrible trade partner and the 51st state. Both countries have applied tariffs and counter tariffs on goods that not long ago crossed the border tariff-free. On this episode, host Michael Serapio talks to Candace Laing, the President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, about the impact of the relationship breakdown on jobs, investments and businesses in this country.
The largest survey on Canadian views on foreign policy in over 50 years suggests that Canadians are united on a whole host of issues, from trade diversification to global health. It also shows a surprising confidence that democracy in Canada is working well, despite the challenges and unity questions facing the country. Host Michael Serapio talks to Anne McLellan, a former deputy prime minister in Paul Martin's government and Lisa Raitt, a former minister in the government at Stephen Harper, who were involved in the report, called Foreign Policy by Canadians 2026.
When it comes to Canada's auto industry, the U.S. President is very clear: Donald Trump does not see the need for it and he is doing everything he can to force car makers to bring their operations to America. The rupture would undermine an industrial relationship that goes back decades, and lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs. Host Michael Serapio talks to Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, about the state of the highly integrated industry and what Donald Trump gets wrong about it.
Canada’s Arctic is getting a level of attention it hasn't seen in decades. The federal government is promising to put some $35 billion towards asserting Canada's Arctic sovereignty, creating economic opportunities and, it is hoped, long-term prosperity for Northern communities. But how will these investments do that? When will we see shovels in the ground? Host Michael Serapio is joined by the Premier of the Northwest Territories, RJ Simpson to talk about Arctic resources, building roads and why Canada needs to up its Arctic defence.
Canada's push to diversify its economy has taken some big steps: An international investment summit in Toronto; a trip by PM Mark Carney to the European Parliament to explore becoming an associate member of the EU; and a meeting in Saint-Pierre with French President Emmanuel Macron. What do these developments tell us about Canada's efforts? How interested is the world in what Canada has to offer? And what will it take to turn that interest into growth? Host Michael Serapio is joined by Gitane De Silva, Executive Director of the Peter Lougheed School of Politics & Democracy at the University of Alberta and Brett House, an economist and professor at Columbia Business School.