Is there one coherent story to tell about this fall's provincial elections in both BC and Quebec and the Alberta referendum? Political scientist Ian Brodie, the first chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper, interprets the 2026 provincial elections against the history of separatist movements in Canada. He argues that Canada is a contingent country—its existence can't be taken for granted and depends on Canadians continuing to choose it. Further, it's dangerous to ask politics to answer questions of national identity or social cohesion, because every political debate carries with it the powers of the state, which are compulsory. In part two, hosts Ray Pennings and Andreae Sennyah take up voting as a matter of both rights and duties. Drawing on Catholic social teaching, Gaudium et spes, Augustine, and Dutch prime minister Abraham Kuyper, they agree that political authority is legitimate and that the purpose of government is justice. Ray explains why he ranks character, competence, and conviction in that order, while Andreae comments on rebuilding trust in government through the virtue of humility. They also weigh the decline of charitable giving and volunteerism, the family as an illiberal but public institution, and why joining a symphony orchestra is as much a political act toward the common good as joining a political party. Notes 00:00 Ian Brodie, first chief of staff to Prime Minister Harper, 2006–2008 02:00 Election month in Canada: BC and Quebec elections; Alberta referendum 03:00 Rhetorical assaults on Canadian sovereignty; inflation after COVID 07:00 Low voter turnout; "political actors don't own the time of citizens" 11:00 Quebec's identity in its past; Alberta's future-looking culture 12:00 The Calgary Stampede; a hockey league for the newest arrivals 16:00 Canada's history with separatist movements; Quebec Conference, 1864 17:00 Nova Scotia elected a separatist government; Premier William Annand 19:00 "Canada is a contingent country"; Supreme Court's secession reference 23:00 Quebec: "masters in our own house"; Alberta needs export capacity 28:00 "Asking politics to carry a burden it is incapable of carrying" 29:00 Brodie: "It's dangerous to ask politics to answer these questions" 32:00 Cause for hope: letters of reference, admission letter season 33:00 Part two: blame for low voter turnout, political leaders or voters 36:00 Gaudium et spes (1965): "the right and also the duty to use their free vote" 41:00 Civil society institutions are anemic; charitable giving is going down 46:00 Brodie's lecture "Rebuilding Trust in Government": cultivating humility 52:00 Voting for character, competence, and conviction, in that order 56:00 "The purpose of government is justice," not winning an argument 1:01:00 A symphony orchestra as a political act; Ray as umpire-in-chief Links At the Centre of Government by Ian Brodie: https://www.mqup.ca/at-the-centre-of-government-products-9780773552906.php The Thursday Question by Ian Brodie: https://thethursdayquestion.substack.com Gaudium et spes ("Joy and Hope"), Pope Paul VI, December 7, 1965: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html "Rebuilding Trust in Government," by Ian Brodie, Cardus Exchange, Ottawa, April 10, 2025: https://www.cardus.ca/research/rebuilding-trust-in-government Ian Brodie is a professor in the department of political science at the University of Calgary and a fellow at the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies. He was chief of staff to the prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2008. Hosted by Ray Pennings and Andreae Sennyah. Ray Pennings is a co-founder and the executive vice president of Cardus. Andreae Sennyah is the director of policy and stakeholder relations at Cardus. Produced by Evan Rosa and Dayna Hillier. Technical production by Allie Crummy, artwork by Domenic Sallese, and marketing by Brendan Steven. Proverbs & Policy is part of the Comment Podcast Network: https://comment.org/podcasts Cardus is a non-partisan think tank dedicated to clarifying and strengthening, through research and dialogue, how society's institutions can work together for the common good. To learn more about us, visit https://www.cardus.ca. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and leave us a review. It helps other listeners find the show. You can also sign up for Cardus Insights, a weekly newsletter by Ray Pennings for anyone looking for thoughtful, measured, and principled perspectives on faithful public life. Subscribe for free at https://www.cardus.ca/insights.
