Best Eric Grenier Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 146: What's at stake in Newfoundland and Labrador's election 36:55

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3M ago36:55

36:55

John Hogan’s Liberals are looking for their fourth consecutive victory under a third different leader on October 14, when Newfoundlander and Labrador goes to the polls. Hoping to end the Liberals’ decade-long run in power are Tony Wakeham’s Progressive Conservatives and the New Democrats under Jim Dinn. What are the major issues in this provincial …

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Ep. 145: Behind the scenes on the last days of a campaign 41:45

8M ago41:45

41:45

The final days of a campaign can be hectic. The Conservatives had to pull together a couple of advertisements on short notice. Every party is sending their leader on a cross-country tour and volunteers on the ground are pulling out all the stops to ID their supporters in order to get them out to the polls on election day. There’s a lot going on in …

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Ep. #144: How elections are called 35:56

8M ago35:56

35:56

The tension rises and the drama builds. The results have been trickling in all night — first it was too early to call, then it was too close to call. But, finally, the networks are ready. The anchor cuts off whoever is speaking and says “we’re ready to make a projection.” There’s a brief pause as the graphics come on the screen and the music pipes …

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Ep. #143: Where the polls are before the debates and where they go next 42:51

9M ago42:51

42:51

We’re entering a critical phase of this election campaign as the leaders face-off in two debates and advance voting begins this weekend. The polls suggest the margin could be tightening somewhat between Mark Carney’s Liberals and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives. Could the debate shake things up? On this episode of The Writ Podcast, the Pollster Pa…

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Ep. 142: When to dump your candidate — and dump on your opponents 44:53

9M ago44:53

44:53

Parties proudly present their slate of candidates in every election shortly before dumping some of them. It’s an inevitable part of every campaign — rejecting candidates who don’t meet a party’s vetting standards and ejecting candidates when rival parties have dug up the dirt on them. So, what’s the process behind candidate vetting? And how do part…

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Ep. #141: Is it baked-in or could the polls change? 38:07

9M ago38:07

38:07

We’re deep into the second week of this election campaign and it appears to be Mark Carney’s to lose. But just how solid is the support for the Liberals, and what can Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives do to get back into the race? This week on The Writ Podcast, I’m joined ahead by the Pollster Panel to break it all down. Dan Arnold, chief stra…

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Ep. #140: Parties plan, the election gods laugh 35:37

9M ago35:37

35:37

Mark Carney kicked off Canada’s election campaign on Sunday and already parties are discovering that their best laid plans can go awry very quickly. So, what goes on behind the scenes when parties draw up their strategies for a campaign and what happens when they have to react to the unexpected? Throughout this election, I’ll be joined periodically…

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Ep. #139: The polls say it's a race 46:52

9M ago46:52

46:52

We’re apparently only days away from an election call and the polls suggest that Mark Carney’s Liberals have taken the pole position ahead of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives. So, what should we make of these emerging trends and how should they inform each party’s strategy heading into this campaign? Plus, just how will parties go about polling the…

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Ep. #138: Is the political landscape shifting? 47:46

11M ago47:46

47:46

Canada’s political environment appears to be in flux, as the threats of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump, the resignation of Justin Trudeau and the resulting Liberal leadership race have jostled what had been a steady trendline in the polls. What to make of the diverging numbers and how do parties have to adjust their strategy as everything…

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Ep. #137: Freeland is out. Is Trudeau next? 37:48

1y ago37:48

37:48

Chrystia Freeland’s resignation as finance minister on Monday has thrown Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government into chaos. What should we make of this unpredictable week in Canadian politics, and where do Trudeau and the Liberals go from here? There’s a lot to unpack, and this week I’m joined by the CBC’s Aaron Wherry and The Globe and Mail’s …

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The Numbers: Polls go from bad to sad for the Liberals 37:45

1y ago37:45

37:45

Four new polls put the Liberals and New Democrats within zero to two points of each other — and behind the Conservatives by margins of 19 to 23 points. We delve into the numbers and what they mean for each of the parties. Has Justin Trudeau’s promised GST holiday helped or hurt his chances? We also discuss provincial polls coming out of Ontario and…

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The Numbers: A shock poll and a PC wave 43:18

1y ago43:18

43:18

A new poll, employing a new methodology, has the Conservatives at their highest and the Liberals at their lowest levels of support in years — maybe even a decade. What to make of it? On this week’s episode of The Numbers, we also break down Tim Houston’s PC landslide in the Nova Scotia election and take a look at some recent polls out of Newfoundla…

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The Numbers: Liberals, NDP tied in new poll — again 43:33

1y ago43:33

43:33

A new poll by Abacus Data puts the Liberals and NDP neck-and-neck in national voting intentions, well behind the Conservatives. But this isn’t the first time it’s happened. Is it a blip or another worrying sign for Justin Trudeau? On this episode of The Numbers, we take a look at the federal polling landscape. We then discuss some new numbers out o…

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The Numbers: Yet another tough byelection test for Trudeau 51:51

1y ago51:51

51:51

The Liberals face a tough test — maybe their toughest test yet — in an upcoming byelection in the B.C. Lower Mainland. Will Justin Trudeau and the Liberals lose their third contest in a row? We also take a look at the latest federal polling numbers and what they mean for Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives and Jagmeet Singh’s NDP. Then, we discuss new…

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The Numbers: Did the U.S. polls miss the mark? 42:20

1y ago42:20

42:20

Pollsters under-estimated Donald Trump’s support in his first two presidential campaigns. Did they do it a third time this year? We take a look at how the polls performed south of the border — and what the results could mean for politics on this side of it. We also dissect some of the latest federal polling and fundraising numbers, plus we take a l…

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Ep. #136: Three elections, many lessons 39:03

1y ago39:03

39:03

Incumbents in all three provinces that voted in October took their licks, but David Eby in British Columbia and Scott Moe in Saskatchewan managed to secure re-election. That wasn’t the case for Blaine Higgs in New Brunswick, who lost not only the premier’s chair but his own seat. What happened in these three provincial campaigns — and what lessons …

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The Numbers: What just happened? 45:48

1y ago45:48

45:48

This week on The Numbers, we parse through the surprising results of the British Columbia and New Brunswick provincial elections. What’s next for the B.C. Conservatives, what do we make of the Liberals’ shellacking of the PCs out east and how did the polls do? We also discuss the mini-revolt within the Liberal caucus and what it means for the futur…

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The Numbers: Days of Decision in BC, NB — and for Justin Trudeau 54:53

1y ago54:53

54:53

Justin Trudeau faces a leadership challenge from within his own caucus — will it be the beginning of the end for him? Plus, there are just days to go in the election campaigns in British Columbia and New Brunswick. We break down the latest polls, plus some new numbers out of Saskatchewan, which is also hurtling toward its own decision day. We then …

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Ep. #135: B.C., New Brunswick and Saskatchewan election updates 45:29

1y ago45:29

45:29

There are less than two weeks to go in the B.C. and New Brunswick provincial elections, while Saskatchewan’s campaign officially got underway. We’ll know who has won these three contests by the end of the month, but for now all three might be too close to call. Back to provide some updates from the campaign trails on this episode of The Writ Podcas…

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The Numbers: Are the Liberals now in third place? 39:53

1y ago39:53

39:53

This week on The Numbers, we discuss a couple of new polls that put the Conservatives first, the NDP second and the Liberals in third. Is this the start of a new trend? We also chat about the state of the race in British Columbia, where the B.C. Conservatives have pushed ahead David Eby's NDP, and a new poll out of Quebec that shows continued troub…

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Ep. #134: B.C. and New Brunswick campaign update 30:56

1+ y ago30:56

30:56

The writs dropped last week in both British Columbia and New Brunswick as the dates for the next provincial elections were officially set for October 19 in B.C. and October 21 in New Brunswick. The polls suggest that both campaigns are too close to call, which means the next three weeks could prove decisive. To update us on the latest developments …

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The Numbers: After another defeat, where do the Liberals go from here? 56:51

1+ y ago56:51

56:51

This week on The Numbers, we parse through the results of Monday's byelections in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun and Elmwood–Transcona. Is it End Times for the Liberals? We also grade ourselves on our Byelection Draft and Over/Under choices. Plus, a confidence vote is on the docket next week. What do we make of the Bloc's early positioning — and what about P…

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Ep. #133: Byelections for now, a general election soon? 41:40

1+ y ago41:40

41:40

The fall political season could prove to be a tumultuous one, as the end of the deal between Justin Trudeau’s Liberals and Jagmeet Singh’s NDP opens up the possibility of a snap election and ensures that brinksmanship will be the order of the day, at least until that vote happens — something that Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives will try to force a…

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The Numbers: Jagmeet Singh rips up the deal — now what? 54:49

1+ y ago54:49

54:49

This week on The Numbers, we break down the implications of Jagmeet Singh's decision to end the supply and confidence agreement between the NDP and the Liberals. What does it mean for the upcoming byelections — and when will the general election be? We also discuss what new polls say about the impact of BCU's withdrawal from the upcoming B.C. elect…

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Ep. #132: B.C.'s election bombshell 26:31

1+ y ago26:31

26:31

With just a few weeks to go before the writ drop, the next election in British Columbia was thrown on its head Wednesday when Kevin Falcon announced he was withdrawing B.C. United from the race — and endorsing John Rustad’s B.C. Conservatives. What does this mean for the NDP and Premier David Eby’s chances of re-election, as well as for the future …

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The Numbers: Summer is ending, polling season begins 59:53

1+ y ago59:53

59:53

It's poll-a-palooza on The Numbers this week, as we tackle five federal polls, two B.C. polls and new numbers out of Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alberta. Also, there's a snap byelection call in Ontario that took us by surprise. We compare caucus sizes in response to a listener question, and then Philippe has a Quiz on historical premiers. To jo…

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Ep. #131: Look ahead to Saskatchewan 31:16

1+ y ago31:16

31:16

The closest thing to a dynasty in Canadian politics is in Saskatchewan, where the Saskatchewan Party has governed since 2007. First under Brad Wall and now under Scott Moe, the Sask. Party has dominated in election after election, relegating the New Democrats to the opposition. But polls suggest the race in Saskatchewan could be the closest in deca…

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The Numbers: Byelection Draft Day! 1:03:24

1+ y ago1:03:24

1:03:24

What are the most likely results of the Elmwood–Transcona and LaSalle–Émard–Verdun byelections? We rank the potential outcomes — with a draft! We also discuss the latest federal polling numbers and what they mean for all parties (especially the NDP), the prospect of Pablo Rodriguez as PLQ leader, and some new polling numbers out of Saskatchewan. In…

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Ep. #130: Look ahead to New Brunswick 31:02

1+ y ago31:02

31:02

Will Blaine Higgs and his Progressive Conservatives win a third consecutive election when New Brunswickers are called to the polls in October (or, perhaps, sooner), or will Susan Holt score a win for her Liberals in a national climate that is turning against her party’s brand? On this week’s episode of The Writ Podcast, I’m joined by Jacques Poitra…

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The Numbers: Trudeau's next byelection test 57:09

1+ y ago57:09

57:09

A byelection call looms in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun in a contest that could prove a stiff test for the Liberals, as the NDP and Bloc target what has been a safe Liberal seat in Montreal. Plus, another call could come in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood–Transcona, where the Conservatives will put the NDP on the defensive. (Note: the Liberals announced the…

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The Numbers: Don't you know who I am? 59:15

1+ y ago59:15

59:15

On this episode of The Numbers, we discuss a new poll that gauges just how recognizable Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre and other party leaders and top figures in the Liberal Party really are to Canadians. We also chat about the latest federal numbers, the ubiquitous Mark Carney rumours, the LaSalle–Émard–Verdun byelection and provincial polling o…

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The Numbers: Summer mailbag! 41:52

1+ y ago41:52

41:52

As we wait to return from our break, we're back this week with an extended mailbag episode to answer listener questions, including: * Is it better to have an election in the summer or the winter? * Are the Liberals still the "natural governing party"? * Which past party leader who lost an election might have had a better shot at a different time? *…

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Ep. #129: Trudeau's and Poilievre's summer plans 37:33

1+ y ago37:33

37:33

The Toronto–St. Paul’s byelection ensured that this political summer would be a hot one, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces serious dissent within his caucus for perhaps the first time since becoming leader in 2013. What does this summer have in store for him and his Liberals and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives? To break it all down, I’m joine…

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The Numbers: A turning point in Toronto–St. Paul's 52:09

1+ y ago52:09

52:09

On this week's episode of The Numbers, we discuss what happened in the Toronto–St. Paul's byelection and what it means for the future of Justin Trudeau and the Liberals. We also chat about Naheed Nenshi's landslide win in the Alberta NDP leadership race and provincial premiers' approval ratings. For the mailbag, we discuss whether Toronto–St. Paul’…

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Ep. #128: Poll deep dive with David Coletto, byelection edition 32:13

1+ y ago32:13

32:13

With the high-stakes byelection in Toronto–St. Paul’s on Monday, I invited David Coletto, chair and CEO of Abacus Data, to come back on the podcast to do another polling deep-dive — this time on on where things stand in Toronto and beyond. Armed with reams of polling data, we take a look at Battleground Toronto, as well as Justin Trudeau’s standing…

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The Numbers: Don't call it a comeback yet, Liberals 48:55

1+ y ago48:55

48:55

On this week's episode of The Numbers, we discuss a new poll that puts the gap between the Conservatives and the Liberals at the smallest its been in months. We also chat about some new polls out of Atlantic Canada, Ontario and Quebec, and an upcoming byelection option for Naheed Nenshi in Alberta. We answer a question on the Toronto–St. Paul's bye…

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Ep. #127: Wild times in B.C. politics 31:07

1+ y ago31:07

31:07

The last two weeks in B.C. politics have been frenetic ones. First, B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon revealed that the B.C. Conservatives had pulled out of negotiations meant to prevent a vote-split that could re-elect David Eby’s NDP government. Then, the Conservatives announced that one BCU MLA, and then a second, were crossing the floor to join J…

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The Numbers: Snap elections, byelections and Trudeau's leadership 55:14

1+ y ago55:14

55:14

This week, we break down the latest federal polls and discuss whether or not they show a tightening of the race. We then delve into the Baie Verte-Green Bay byelection in Newfoundland and Labrador and the speculation of a snap election call in Ontario, and how those might be tied to Justin Trudeau's leadership. Plus, we have new numbers out of B.C.…

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Ep. #126: Wab Kinew's first election test as premier 35:49

1+ y ago35:49

35:49

The polls suggest that Premier Wab Kinew is in the midst of a honeymoon after the Manitoba NDP’s victory last year, but that honeymoon will be put to the test on June 18 when voters go to the polls in the riding of Tuxedo, the seat of former premier Heather Stefanson and a riding that nearly joined most of the rest of the city in turning orange in …

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The Numbers: Strong, stable, national Conservative 20-point lead 1:01:08

1+ y ago1:01:08

1:01:08

This week, we discuss another poll that shows a 20-point lead for the Conservatives, as well as some new numbers on how various religious communities are voting. We then delve into some provincial polling out of British Columbia and Quebec, and check-in on the Alberta NDP leadership race. In the mailbag, we chat about merger talks in B.C. and we cl…

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Ep. #125: Doug Ford's staying power 35:38

1+ y ago35:38

35:38

Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives have been in power in Ontario for nearly six years, but the party’s polling remains robust and the PCs have just come off two byelection victories — including in a seat the Ontario Liberals were hoping to flip. What’s behind Ford’s enduring support, and what’s the state of Bonnie Crombie’s Liberals and the NDP …

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The Numbers: Conservatives put up some big numbers 57:38

1+ y ago57:38

57:38

On this episode of The Numbers, we discuss some BIG numbers that Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives are putting up in both national polls and first-quarter fundraising. What does this mean for Justin Trudeau? Plus, we chat about an odd poll out of British Columbia ahead of that province's fall election. In our mailbag, we answer a question on P…

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Ep. #124: Budget bumps and bluffs 41:00

1+ y ago41:00

41:00

More than a week after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland presented her federal budget, we still don’t officially know whether it will pass a vote in the House of Commons as the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh hasn’t committed to supporting it. What’s behind his party’s will-they-or-won’t-they dance? Considering where the polls stand today, Prime Minister Just…

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The Numbers: Could an election make sense for the NDP? 51:03

1+ y ago51:03

51:03

This week, we assess the pros and the cons of an election for the New Democrats as Jagmeet Singh mulls whether or not to support the Liberal budget. We also chat about an upset PC victory in a Newfoundland and Labrador byelection as well as another poll showing the B.C. Conservatives on the move. We answer listener questions, including whether ther…

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Ep. #123: Will the Liberals' budget roll-out strategy work? 40:53

1+ y ago40:53

40:53

The federal budget is only being presented next week, but already we know a lot of its highlights — thanks to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau laying it all out for us ahead of time. What’s behind this unusual strategy, and will the Liberals be able to use the budget to change the dial? Plus, what position does Trudeau’s jurisdictional fights with the…

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The Numbers: A new trend or another blip? 1:00:56

1+ y ago1:00:56

1:00:56

This week on The Numbers, we discuss the latest federal polls and whether or not the gap is narrowing between the Conservatives and the Liberals. We also delve into the question of whether Chinese interference in the 2021 election cost Erin O'Toole seats and his job. Plus, two byelections have been called in Ontario. What to make of the races in Mi…

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Ep. #122: Where the Alberta NDP leadership race stands 34:33

2y ago34:33

34:33

The Alberta New Democrats are looking for a new leader to replace Rachel Notley, and the campaign got a jolt this week when Rakhi Pancholi, one of the top contenders, withdrew from the running to throw her weight behind former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi. It raises many questions about the state of the race — including whether or not it’s already o…

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The Numbers: With Liberal friends like these... 1:00:36

2y ago1:00:36

1:00:36

This week, Philippe and I chat about some of the latest federal numbers and how a trio of provincial Liberal leaders have come out against the carbon tax, putting Justin Trudeau in a bind. We also discuss what the political future of Liberal MP Anthony Housefather could mean for his riding on the island of Montreal. Plus, we have provincial polling…

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Ep. #121: Polling deep dive with David Coletto 51:14

2y ago51:14

51:14

Last fall, I was joined by David Coletto, Chair and CEO of Abacus Data, to take a look at the new voter coalition that the Conservatives were building with a deep dive into his polling data. It was a really fascinating dissection of the polls, so I invited David back again on this week’s episode of The Writ Podcast for another deep dive — this time…

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The Numbers: Proving the polls right 50:27

2y ago50:27

50:27

If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, is the proof of the polls in Durham? We break down the results of this week's federal byelection as well as some new national polls. We then answer listener questions about the NDP's performance, the possibility of having an interim PM forced onto the hustings, and whether the Conservatives have the big…