How are Canada and the United States handling political changes? Scott Reid and Alex Panetta weigh in.

In this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast, host Michael Sangster is joined by Scott Reid, a former communications director for Prime Minister Paul Martin, and Alex Panetta, a CBC correspondent in Washington. In their conversation, they dive into: 

* What are the political and economic challenges facing Canada,  

* How has the position of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau been weakened  

* How the dynamics will change with the U.S. under Trump's tariffs 

* How to best deal with and overcome internal leadership struggles.  

01:51 Grey Cup Memories and Political Anecdotes 

03:28 Chrystia Freeland's Resignation and Political Fallout 

07:04 US-Canada Relations and Trump's Influence 

16:33 Speculations on Trudeau's Political Future 

22:13 Unconventional Leadership Selection 

23:15 Potential Candidates for Leadership 

23:54 The Desire for Leadership 

24:43 Personal Skills and Career Reflections 

30:18 Mentorship and Influences 

37:27 Predictions for the Future 

Scott Reid is one of Canada’s most sought- after corporate communications and issues management professionals and a founder of the firm Feschuk.Reid. A former senior advisor to Prime Minister Paul Martin, he has counselled countless CEOs, senior executives and political leaders. Scott currently serves as an on-air analyst for CTV News, Newstalk 1010AM and the Bellmedia network and was previously a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen. In 2022, Scott was named one of Canada’s 50 most influential Canadians by Maclean’s Magazine for his work on the popular Curse of Politics podcast. He is a Fellow at the Clayton Riddell School of Political Management at Carleton University and is an Adjunct Professor at Queen’s University’s School of Policy Studies where he teaches a course on government & public communications as part of the Masters of Public Administration program. Scott holds a B.A. (Honours) from Queens University and is the father of four sons. 

Alexander Panetta is a Washington-based correspondent for CBC News who has covered American politics and Canada-U.S. issues since 2013. He previously worked in Ottawa, Quebec City and internationally, reporting on politics, conflict, disaster and the Montreal Expos. 

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