Gristle and Bone: The Canadian Politics Podcast

Gristle and Bone
  • 5.0 (1)
  • POLITICS

Gristle & Bone is a political analysis podcast that cuts through the noise to examine Canadian politics with professionnal acuracy and just enough witty repartee to keep you locked in. Hosted by Christopher Bourne, Political Science Faculty at Dawson College, and Dónal Gill, Political Science professor at Concordia University. Get your non-partisan insights into major political events, with a focus on context, strategy, and power dynamics.

  1. Tariffs, Trump, and Trade Trouble: Canada Under Pressure

    08/06/2025

    Tariffs, Trump, and Trade Trouble: Canada Under Pressure

    Recorded on August 5th, 2025, this episode of Gristle & Bone dives into the thickening fog of US-Canada trade tensions. With new tariffs slamming key Canadian exports—from steel to softwood—co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill unpack what’s really going on behind the headlines. Canada Tariffed: Crisis or Compliance Game?After the August 1st deadline passed with no new deal, the Trump administration imposed 35% tariffs on several Canadian exports, and an eye-popping 50% on copper. But what looks like a full-blown economic attack is more nuanced. As Donald and Christopher explain, CUSMA compliance—while paperwork-heavy—could blunt the worst of the impact. With some 90% of goods expected to comply, the effective tariff rate may be closer to 5%. Painful? Yes. Apocalyptic? Maybe not. This episode offers a primer on the tangled threads of modern protectionism—from obscure trade clauses to philosophical crusades. In the age of Trump 2.0, it’s not just about tariffs. It’s about what kind of country Canada wants to be, and how much it’s willing to risk to stay that way. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne and Dónal GillProduction: João Roque and Gaëlle Poirier-MorinAudio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    1h 5m
  2. Carney Cuts, the Longest Ballot & What's Left of the Canadian Left

    07/18/2025

    Carney Cuts, the Longest Ballot & What's Left of the Canadian Left

    Carney Cuts, the Longest Ballot & What's Left of the Canadian Left Recorded on July 17th, 2025, this episode of Gristle & Bone unpacks some of the latest developments in Canadian politics. READ "Opposition to AI is a key path to renewal for the NDP" https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/opposition-to-ai-is-a-key-path-to-renewal-for-the-ndp Co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill analyze 3 major topics: 1. Prime Minister Mark Carney is seeking serious cutbacks in both major sectors of the government AND Crown corps. Trump, tariffs, and the ongoing global economic chaos feature heavily in the picture too, of course.What do we think? 2. Pierre Poilievre will run to regain a seat in the Commons in a byelection in the AB riding of Battle River Crowfoot on August 18th? What is the state of conservatism and the right in the Canada as we take stock nearly three months post election? The Longest Ballot Committee is trying to get 200 people to run against at him - is this a legitimate way to call for electoral reform or a prank that shouldn’t be tolerated? 3. The rules and duration of the NDP leadership contest are out. What do the hosts think? Donal has an article out in Canadian Dimension arguing that opposition to AI is a smart move for the NDP as it seeks to rebuild. Fighting AI - is it too heavy a lift or will it generate a new populist vocation? Can the left in Canada renew around a left populism? Are there lessons in Zohran Mamdani’s big win in NYC? As always, Gristle & Bone brings you academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan analysis for uncertain times. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne and Dónal GillProduction: João Roque and Gaëlle Poirier-MorinAudio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    1h 22m
  3. A Bootlicker's Bargain? DST, Sovereignty, and the American Shadow

    07/04/2025

    A Bootlicker's Bargain? DST, Sovereignty, and the American Shadow

    Recorded on July 3rd, 2025, this episode of Gristle & Bone unpacks a politically seismic week in Canadian politics—one that saw Prime Minister Mark Carney withdraw the long-planned Digital Services Tax (DST) after a single post from Donald Trump on Truth Social. Co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill analyze the fallout, the deeper questions about Canadian sovereignty, and the echoes of history that refuse to fade. This episode takes listeners deep into the intersection of policy, identity, and power, asking:What does it mean to govern Canada when sovereignty is now shaped by algorithms, platforms, and presidential whims? As always, Gristle & Bone brings you academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan analysis for uncertain times. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne and Dónal GillProduction: João Roque and Gaëlle Poirier-Morin Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    1h 10m
  4. Presidents, Premiers & Power Plays: Canada’s New Political Tempo

    06/26/2025

    Presidents, Premiers & Power Plays: Canada’s New Political Tempo

    In this episode of Gristle & Bone, recorded on June 28, 2025, co-hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill track Canada’s shifting political landscape—where diplomacy looks presidential, Parliament is streamlined like a boardroom, and Alberta once again plays the wildcard. As Carney leans into hyper-efficient governance, Kirsten Hillman takes the diplomatic wheel, and Smith positions Alberta as a potential disruptor, Gristle & Bone asks: Are Canada’s institutions keeping up—or being bulldozed in the name of speed? As always, we bring academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan analysis to the issues shaping Canada’s political future. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne and Dónal GillProduction: João Roque and Gaëlle Poirier-Morin Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    53 min
  5. Carney's G7 Pivot, Quebec's new Liberal Chief & the CPC’s Identity Crisis

    06/18/2025

    Carney's G7 Pivot, Quebec's new Liberal Chief & the CPC’s Identity Crisis

    In Episode 4 of Gristle & Bone Season 2, recorded June 17, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill unpack a week of major developments in Canadian politics—from the global stage at the G7 to cabinet politics in Ottawa, seismic shifts in Quebec, and a reckoning within the Conservative movement. From the return of major constitutional questions to the rise of technocratic governance, Gristle & Bone continues to ask: What kind of Canada are we building—and who’s building it? As always, we bring academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan analysis for our politically engaged listeners. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne and Dónal GillProduction: João Roque and Gaëlle Poirier-Morin Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    1h 2m
  6. Borders, Backchannels, and the Battle for the NDP

    06/09/2025

    Borders, Backchannels, and the Battle for the NDP

    In this high-stakes episode of Gristle & Bone, recorded as Canada grapples with foreign pressure and domestic upheaval, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill tackle three explosive developments: secret diplomacy with the U.S., the introduction of the Strong Borders Act, and the crisis—and opportunity—facing the NDP. First, they dissect the revelation that Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump have been texting and calling directly, bypassing public diplomacy and official channels. What does this secret backchannel mean for Canada’s sovereignty, accountability, and negotiating position—especially with Trump doubling steel and aluminum tariffs? And with the G7 Summit looming in Alberta, what kind of “macro agreement” is Carney hoping for? From backroom diplomacy to frontline political renewal, Episode 3 examines how Canadian democracy is being reshaped by external forces, and whether any party has the courage to push back. Gristle & Bone continues with academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan political analysis for a critical political moment. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne and Dónal GillProduction: João Roque and Gaëlle Poirier-Morin Audio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    1h 5m
  7. The Throne, the Reform Act, and the Ghost of Trudeau

    05/29/2025

    The Throne, the Reform Act, and the Ghost of Trudeau

    In this second episode of Gristle & Bone Season 2, recorded on May 28, 2025, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill examine two powerful symbols that define the early days of Mark Carney’s government: the rejection of the Reform Act by the Liberal caucus, and King Charles III’s unprecedented delivery of the Speech from the Throne. The episode opens with the Liberals’ decision not to adopt the Reform Act, a move the hosts describe as a missed opportunity—and a warning sign. They unpack the origins and goals of the Act, introduced a decade ago by Conservative MP Michael Chong, and explain how it could have restored basic democratic accountability within caucuses by allowing MPs to challenge party leaders. The decision to forgo it, they argue, reveals a continued “savior complex” in the Liberal Party—first with Trudeau, now with Carney—leaving MPs with little structural power and Canadians with even less representative democracy. Also in this episode: Carney’s centrist (or conservative?) legislative agenda: interprovincial trade, resource projects, crime, and nation-building Why his promise to “move fast” on big projects while respecting environmental and Indigenous obligations might be rhetorically convenient but practically impossible The growing gap between Carney’s campaign tone and his governing posture, especially regarding the U.S. The Trudeau legacy: Did he time his exit to help Carney? And… what about those boots? From symbolic shifts to real power dynamics, this episode explores what happens when a new era begins with the same old structures—and what Canadians should expect next. 🎙️ Gristle & Bone remains your source for academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan political analysis. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne & Dónal GillProduction: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-MorinAudio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    51 min
  8. Housing, Carney, and the Middle Finger to a Generation

    05/21/2025

    Housing, Carney, and the Middle Finger to a Generation

    Welcome to Season 2 of Gristle & Bone, recorded on May 20, 2025, in downtown Montreal. In this episode, hosts Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill dive straight into the defining issue of this new Parliament: housing—and what they see as a major political and moral misstep by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s freshly appointed government. They unpack the controversial appointment of Gregor Robertson—former mayor of Vancouver—as Minister of Housing, replacing Nate Erskine-Smith. The hosts argue this signals a government more concerned with protecting home equity than solving affordability. They label it a "gigantic middle finger to younger generations," accusing Carney of choosing symbolism over substance. Canada’s new Parliament has begun—but is it already showing cracks? Tune in for our academically informed, opinionated, but nonpartisan take as Gristle & Bone enters a new political era. Credits for Gristle and Bone Hosts: Christopher Bourne & Dónal GillProduction: João Roque & Gaëlle Poirier-MorinAudio Editing: Gaëlle Poirier-Morin

    1h 14m
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About

Gristle & Bone is a political analysis podcast that cuts through the noise to examine Canadian politics with professionnal acuracy and just enough witty repartee to keep you locked in. Hosted by Christopher Bourne, Political Science Faculty at Dawson College, and Dónal Gill, Political Science professor at Concordia University. Get your non-partisan insights into major political events, with a focus on context, strategy, and power dynamics.

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