Episodes

  • It's our 300th Episode and it's all about Canada-US relations "on ice"

    It's our 300th Episode and it's all about Canada-US relations "on ice"
    Feb 21 2025
    We wrap the final full week on the campaign with former Toronto Mayor John Tory, former Ontario Education Minister Gerard Kennedy, the Queen of Corp Comms Lindsay Broadhead and our resident/founding pollster are around the table for out 300th episode of On the Ledge!

    What does a hockey game have to do with the campaign on a day when Doug Ford's in Washington and the opposition parties release their costed platforms?
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    47 mins
  • Doug Ford kicks off the final week of the campaign with another trip to DC

    Doug Ford kicks off the final week of the campaign with another trip to DC
    Feb 20 2025
    In this episode of On the Ledge - your DAILY Ontario election podcast, we're joined by Public Affairs Consultant Bob Richardson, CH Television commentator Keith Leslie, Counsel Public Affairs Partner Tim Hudak, former Toronto Mayor John Tory and our founding pollster John Wright.

    With less than a week of campaigning to go, the question is which opposition party will emerge as the Official Opposition.

    Two weeks ago, there was some question whether the Liberals would gain official party status. Modelling suggested they wouldn't get more the 12 seats necessary.

    A week ago, BOTH the Liberals and NDP were under water, suggesting Doug Ford's PCs could win a majority with none of the opposition parties having official status.

    This week, it appears the Liberals are on the upswing and the New Democrats are struggling.

    The outcome will depend on who gets the vote out. And that may be a challenge considering the winter conditions and an election day forecast calling for more snow.
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    44 mins
  • Does a PC surge in Toronto mean bad news for the NDP?

    Does a PC surge in Toronto mean bad news for the NDP?
    Feb 19 2025
    In this episode of On the Ledge - your DAILY Ontario election podcast, we're joined by Monique Smith (Global Public Affairs), Lindsay Broadhead (Broadhead Communications) and Amanda Galbraith (Oyster Group).

    Question: How does a campaign keep volunteers and workers enthusiastic when it appears the Tories are going to run away with the election and there is still more than a week before election day?

    There are a number of polls suggesting the Liberals are improving at the expense of the NDP.
    Question: How much trouble are the Stiles' New Democrats facing in Toronto and Hamilton
    Question: Could the Liberals win official party status, maybe even Official Opposition but lose their leader? (The PCs are leading in every region of the province - particularly in the 905).

    And Doug Ford's media avoidance may be good political strategy but it's nonetheless disrespectful of local voters.
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    43 mins
  • The Liberals are now campaigning for NDP votes

    The Liberals are now campaigning for NDP votes
    Feb 18 2025
    Only 9 more sleeps before Election Day in Ontario. In this episode of On the Ledge - your DAILY Ontario election campaign podcast, we're joined by Laura Babcock at Powergroup Communications, Public Affairs Consultant Bob Richardson, Former Deputy Mayor of Toronto Ana Bailao and Toronto Sun Columnist Brian Lilley.

    The crew says early assessments of the leaders' performances in the debate has shifted somewhat. The nearly immediate reviews post debate suggested Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie performed poorly. But most of the more memorable "morning after" clips from the debate tend to feature Crombie.

    So, maybe she did better than we thought! The biggest play on the campaign was Crombie's appeal to NDP voters to cast ballots for Liberals to stop Doug Ford's romp to a third majority government.
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    51 mins
  • Did the Leaders' debate performances chance anything in the Ontario election campaign

    Did the Leaders' debate performances chance anything in the Ontario election campaign
    Feb 18 2025
    The second half our of On the Ledge DOUBLE HEADER included Deb Hutton from Newstalk 1010, Lindsay Broadhead - a member of our Now and Next C.A.S.T. (Comms and Strategy Team), Tim Hudak, Counsel Public Affairs, Keith Leslie, CH TV commentator and our resident pollster John Wright.

    Key takeaways:



    • Doug Ford did what he had to do. He stayed out of trouble and won by "not losing"
    • Bonnie Crombie came out hot...too hot?
    • Marit Stiles and Mike Schreiner scored policy points but was it enough to move the needle?
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    45 mins
  • It's a DOUBLE-HEADER for the On the Ledge crew. Up first - the PRE-DEBATE show!

    It's a DOUBLE-HEADER for the On the Ledge crew. Up first - the PRE-DEBATE show!
    Feb 17 2025
    It's the first show on a DOUBLE HEADER day for On the Ledge!

    Tim Hudak, from Counsel Public Affairs, Monique Smith at Global Public Affairs and Keith Leslie, Queen's Park Commentator at CH Television join DT to set the table for the Leaders' Debate set to go later this evening.
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    26 mins
  • Canada could have been better prepared for this trade war if we'd learn the lessons of COVID

    Canada could have been better prepared for this trade war if we'd learn the lessons of COVID
    Feb 14 2025
    In this episode of On the Ledge - your DAILY Ontario politics podcast, we're joined by Daily Bread Food Bank CEO Neil Hetherington, Sheila Regehr from the Basic Income Network and pollster, John Wright.

    It's clear the trade war with the US is going to have a serious effect on Canada's economy. That's going to mean lost businesses, lost jobs, lost productivity. But the costs go beyond employment numbers. It's likely we'll see another sharp increase in the number of working poor and more Canadians sliding into poverty. Would we have been better prepared for that pressure if governments had paid better attention to the lessons of the global pandemic? We said we'd "build back better". We didn't. Now what?

    But we first, we chat with TIm Hudak, Partner at Counsel Public Affairs. He was in Washington DC when Canada's first ministers were in the US capital.
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    1 hr
  • Who's got the advantage in the race for second place in the Ontario election?

    Who's got the advantage in the race for second place in the Ontario election?
    Feb 13 2025
    In this episode of On the Ledge - your Daily Ontario politics podcast:

    The Grits appear to be making some gains at the expense of the New Democrats. But it's not just based on the polling.

    We're joined by John Tory, Amanda Galbraith, Keith Leslie and our resident pollster John Wright to take the pulse on the pulse of the campaign.

    There is some thought that the federal Liberal leadership campaign is providing some lift for Bonnie Crombie's campaign - particularly in urban centres.

    And how many 50 year old cultural references can come out of one week on the campaign trail?
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    51 mins