The Ben Mulroney Show - The political plays of the week!

Episode Date: October 29, 2025

Guest: Regan Watts, Founder Fratton Park Inc., former Senior aide to minister of finance Jim Flaherty  Guest: Andy Gibbons, Principal at Walgate advisory .  Former vp WestJet If you enjoyed the podcast, tell a friend! For more of the Ben Mulroney Show, subscribe to the podcast! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/bms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also, on youtube -- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BenMulroneyShow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Ben on Twitter/X at https://x.com/BenMulroney Insta: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ Enjoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Welcome back to the Ben Mulroney show. It is Wednesday, which means it's time for this week in politics. Our midweek panel, we're joined by two great friends of the show. Regan Watson, Andy Gibbons, boys, welcome. All right, we got to talk about the prime minister and federal ethics laws and the fact that we, the MPs, backed by a conservative initiated motion. called for Prime Minister Mark Carney's chief of staff, as well as the privy council clerk and senior officials from Brookfield to come to committee to discuss potentially expanding the conflict of interest rules.

Now, guys, my issue with Mark Carney, as it related to this one thing, was the laws that we have in place were never intended for someone who was not serving in office yet. And because he wasn't, then even though he technically followed the letter of the law, he didn't have to disclose anything until after he became a sitting member of parliament and ultimately our prime minister. And to me, that flew in the face of the spirit of the law, which was to allow voters to determine on their own whether they had enough information about that person. And so that was my issue. and this seems to me the natural conclusion to satisfying that issue. As somebody who, and this is, by the way, this is not a judgment call on the prime minister himself as a person, anything to do with that. This to me seems like a loophole that was exploited by the liberals early on, but I'd love to get your take on it, Regan Watts.

So, Ben, I will take issue with the fact that this is even coming up at committee. you know of all the things that are facing Canadians affordability being top of mind crime trade others and jobs the fact that a committee of parliament is hauling before its committee the chief of staff to the prime minister the clerk of the privy council and executives from Brookfield just tells me that this is a politicized issue and it always has been by the way that that is distracting from the more important issues of the day that is not to say that the loophole that you mentioned shouldn't be closed I actually think it should be closed. Parliamentarians should just table a bill in the House and adopt it

unanimously and then we can move on with this. There's not one single person that I know, that you know, or that Andy knows or that any of your listeners know, apart from maybe the hardcore people who comment on YouTube and on Twitter and on TikTok about these videos, nobody in the real world is talking about this issue. So I look at what the opposition is doing and it's more distraction, more noise, it's not picking up a single vote. It wasn't an issue during the campaign. And guess what, Ben, I will take issue with the one thing you said, which is voters had an opportunity to look at what Mr. Carney's potential conflicts might be. It's not the actual list, but a potential list. And the smell was bad enough that voters got a chance to look at it.

And they decided they didn't care. So guess what, kids, it's time to move on. Yeah, look, I wasn't saying voters took an issue. I said, I personally took an issue. Andy, you're shaking your head a little bit. I mean, I will say that I find it rich that we lived in a world where Jugmeet Singh ran afoul of the ethics laws for receiving, what, a $1,400 rock. chair that run afoul of the rules. And yet something like this doesn't rise to the level of us taking at least as

seriously as the rocking chair. But I'll give a mic to you, Andy. I don't know what Regan's talking about. The whole point is that the information wasn't in the public domain in a fast enough time, Ben, which is what you're mentioning. So I actually think this is a very good play by the conservatives because this may not pay off today, but it may be a clip and save issue where some of the information that they're going to get a committee can be used at a later date. And also, it's a legitimate thing.

They are the official opposition. The prime minister should be held to account. No one like him has ever been prime minister. Now, there's a flip side to this, which is, it may remind Canadians that he is a man of accomplishment and wealth and prestige. And there's a lot of things that people like about that. But at the same time, it's a legitimate process question. It's a legitimate ethics question. And I don't, it's a bit of a muckrake. I admit it. It's a bit of a muckrake. today but this hasn't been fully aired out and if you remember during the campaign and when he first became prime minister you know he had three passports mark carne has three passports no one has asked him one question about the state of those passports he said he was going to give them up

and if you remember ben andrew sheer was hounded hounded over the fact that he had an american passport that never got scrutiny and also the brookfield assets never got scrutiny so i think it's legitimate um and and i think they should proceed i do and i think it's a good police move as well. So I think it's a I think it's appropriate and proper. Well, regardless of whether we think it's proper or useful or getting any votes, it's going to be really, it's going to be click bait and clip bait on social media. I know I'll be watching every single one of those clips. It could be a nothing burger. It might be not. It might be a nothing burger. And look, yeah. Yeah. Listen, uh, we'll, we'll have to wait and see on that. One thing we don't

have to wear, or at least David Eby doesn't have to wait and see on is, is his assessment of the liberal changes to bail reform. He says it doesn't go far enough. Interesting to hear that from an NDP leader. We'll start with you this time, Andy. What does it say when an NDP leader in Out West takes issue and says this doesn't go far enough to solve our issues on crime? Well, it says a lot about the changing political dynamic in British Columbia and what Premier Eby has to account for. But also, you know, we've talked about this on the show before.

Who's managing the domestic front for liberals on issues like crime and these other files? I just do not understand why they have not passed a piece of legislation that has the support of the premiers that have been begging for this for a decade, begging for it. The opposition has a bill on it. These cases in Colonna around Bailey McCourt being beaten in broad daylight hours after her husband was released, this is no-brainer political. it's no brain or morally. I don't understand why the liberals stall and are unsure and can't shake the shackles off the through a decade of crime policy.

I just actually do not understand. This should not be headlines for them. Forget the personal obvious stuff here, but I don't get it, Ben. I haven't gotten it since the current government was elected. It's a unanimous issue across Canada. And I don't get it. They need to move on this.

So Regan, I think we all, agreed last week and the week before that like this is a step in the right direction and if there is one thing i have learned about our prime minister is he is a man of method and he is a and he is measured and so this could be part of his mo that rather than do it all at once he'd rather do it right to take that first step correctly and then move on to the next and move on to the next and perhaps the next step we see is an overhaul of the youth criminal justice act but but he's not somebody who is going to do it all on day one and he's going to make sure this ducks in a row so i'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on that. However, I will say, look, we saw the potential of

what a bill could look like in the Conservatives bill that they put forth that got voted down. That to me was the home run swing. And this one feels like a single or possibly a double. And why they wouldn't go a little farther in their first kick at the can wasn't beneficial to them politically, as we just said, there are votes there in criminal justice in bail reform. in crime and safety like they're the votes are there if they want to go get them but they're choosing not to well ben i think so i agree with much of what you just said and i agree with much of what andy said um i think the name the mp's name who tabled the bill that you reference is a gentleman by the name of frank caputo uh and most of your listeners will have never heard

of him and and that's pretty normal for a member of parliament but uh his bill just for everybody's benefit may propose this to make intimate partner violence when murders involved a first degree murder there's nobody in the country with a reasonable moral fiber who can disagree with that I think the political challenge here and this is to step back for a second you know mark carney prime minister carney followed the long national nightmare known as Justin Trudeau Sean Fraser who is the justice minister is one of the most useless people in Ottawa and has been for some time and he is the Justice Minister. And so it should surprise nobody

that a Justice Minister who can barely walk and chew gum at the same time but has a heck of a PR machine in the Ottawa Press Gallery tabled a bill that was not sufficient. I do note his comments in the Globe of Mail I think was today we talked about how they are

in discussions with BC and the family because the criminal courts are involved we have to be, you know, Justice Minister should be thoughtful in how he or she. Regan let's stick a pin in that. We'll be back with your thoughts on that as well as the midweek political play

of the week. Don't go anywhere. Welcome back to the Ben Mulrudey show and welcome back to Regan and Andy. Thanks so much. Regan, if you want to finish up your thoughts on bail reform, the floor is yours. I just think Sean Fraser is useless. I know we should be surprised that the bill didn't go as far as the family would want. I think they'll eventually get there.

The prime minister is in the process of dismantling the Trudeau legacy on environment, on the economy and crime and criminal justice will be part of that, and I look forward to the change. All right, let's move on to something that is becoming quite a bit of a tradition around here, the midweek political play of the week. It's time for the political play of the week. Andy Givens you up first. Oh, mine is Prince Harry, Ben.

Prince Harry? How so? This guy wanted to be Governor General of Canada. What? This guy, wait. Yeah, that was a room. That was alleged. Oh, right. Okay.

One of time, right? Yeah. They were considering it, or the government was considering it. This man took refuge in Canada with his wife when he had difficulties. He, his, he met his wife in Canada, and they dated in Canada and fell in love in Canada, in Toronto. And he is in Dodgers Stadium wearing an L.A. Dodgers ball cap. and I just think it's so ridiculous because I think Canada might be one of the places on Earth where there is still residual like for him at Megan Markle.

So I just think it's a total misplay. I don't know if you've seen the photos yet, Ben. I have not. I only heard this morning that they were at the game. Yeah, he's there with an L.A. Dodgers hat. His dad is King of Canada. And so I just was a really surprise given. given...

So, Andy, are you saying it was a missed opportunity? Well, don't wear... I mean, the choice is J's or nothing, I think. I see. If you're Prince Harry and his PR team.

But Toronto is legitimately a special place for them. This is where they met and fell in love and all of that stuff. What are you doing in L.A. Dodgers had when your dad is the king of Canada. This is the moment of Canadian pride.

Well, you know, but listen, if we're going to ask that question, you've got to broaden it out and say, what do you do and living in California? when your dad's the king of Canada. So if we're going to go down that rabbit hole, we're never coming out. And something tells me that as a Brit,

you either like, if you're a Brit and you like cricket, then there's no way you like baseball. So I don't even know if he understands baseball because as much as he understands baseball, that's how much I understand cricket. At least that's my supposition. Regan, you're up.

Well, I actually have three. Three? Can one have three? I do. But they'll be quick. A long national nightmare known as Justin Trudeau for the first time in 11 years has finally garnered a headline that men over 40 can support. And that is his dating of Katie Perry. Yeah.

So he's finally on the right side of an issue with men. That's my first one. My second one, the country of Argentina. You know, it is home to diminutive heroes, Maradonna, Messi. And my political play of the week is going to Javier Jardo Milley, who in his midterm elections, that little street urchin, that beautiful. street urchin economist from Buenos Aires has come out and strengthened his grip on that country, driving a mandate to create greater reform pro-market policies that is liberating that country. And the markets have reacted very well. You know, it's one thing to have right-wing

policies, but to be able to bring a country like Argentina along and to strengthen his grip in his midterms elections, I think is just a huge play. And when you say strengthened, I mean, the numbers are absurd, the gains that he made. It's a, I understand. very much so yeah it's unheard of that so and you know he is he is that he is a force of nature and his roots are in calabria his his family are from uh calabria in italy and it shouldn't surprise anybody that he is using the calabrian strength to drive through reform in that country and then my last uh my last political play of the week is for mulrooney and that is your brother mark ben tonight who is being honored by the friends of simon wiesenthal for his support

and advocacy and allyship for the jewish community and some think your brother mark would be a great prime minister i happen to be one of them But I do think that is a political play worth noting. We will all be there in attendance tonight. And I'm sure they're, they, I'm sure that when they looked at the schedule, he said, thank, thank God. Wait, is there a game tonight? There is a game tonight. There is a game tonight, Benedict. So what are we going to do? I'm going to have my phone out on the table. I don't care.

I don't care. I don't care. Sorry, not sorry. But very proud of my brother, indeed. He's got a lot of a lot of space in his heart and his ability to do all the work that he, does on behalf of not just his job and his family of which he has many kids and a wonderful wife, but all the extra stuff he does for all the other organizations

across this city and indeed the country. Ben, I said, you know, potentially the prime minister, I did not say mayor of Toronto and I think Ben, with the polling this week and Olivia Chow and John Torrey being vulnerable, there's a path for you to come in and fix this city. It's time, Ben. Mulruni4.0.ca.

I'd encourage your listeners and viewers to go and sign up. You know, here's the guy who's going to fix the potholes, fix the bike lanes, and get this city moving again. So I just want you to imagine a scenario, if you will. I'm a Mulroney as mayor of Toronto, a Moorunee as Premier of Ontario, and a Mulrooney at 24 Sussex. That's, if that's not a sign of the apocalypse for a certain type of person, I don't know what it is. But I will say, Ben, the first time the Jay's won a World Series, we had a Mulrooney at 24 Sussex Drive. and if we need a Maruni at 24 to win a championship, I think it's okay.

All right. Well, we're just going to move on from that one. But listen, if my brother ran need to have my vote, that's for sure. Okay, let's move on to what do you make of the fact that in Alberta, as they're gearing up for potentially a grassroots referendum on separation, the other side of that equation, the pro-Canada side, came prepared, came correct, with just about twice as many signatures as they were required to have to say, no, no, we want this province to now and forever be part of Canada.

Andy, we'll start with you because you're there. Yeah, I think this one surprised me, actually, because the gentleman who pioneered is a man named Thomas Lukashak, and I think he's kind of a fool, to be honest, but he did an amazing job on this. Why do you say he's a fool? Because he's just been a hater of Premier Kennedy. a hater of premier smith you know he just just has no i just find he has no grace and charity

for them and the and the work that they've done and he's supposed to be a conservative so i just think he transitioned into a crank and a bit of a cartoon to be honest um but i think on this one this this one tells me that he's on to something um you know he's finally the blind acorn the blind squirrel is found an acorn and i'm worried about prima smith on this one because when you're she has to manage these separatists and she has to manage that issue that she has that she has that no one else in canada has of quebec but ben what i'm worried about is if you're premier smith you have to be able to stand up every day and defend canada unequivocally full stop if not you give oxygen to he'd nighi who's been at a zero since he became ndp leader you give oxygen to

thomas lucas shack and i'm just i'm just worried about that because the nuance of We need to respect democracy and, like, that's all important. But it limits her ability to defend this great country every day, which, by the way, she's working so hard. Yeah, Andy, and we'll bring, we'll bring, we'll bring, uh, Regan into this. I don't understand how it would limit her ability to defend the country when she's essentially been given a contract that says she's got as this many people in her province who are willing to put their name down and say, I stand for Canada. Wouldn't that make her job easier, Regan? Well, I think the, so I agree with Andy, Lukashik is a clown and should be ignored. But, but the outcome of his petition or whatever it was just underlies the fact that Premier Smith in her handling of the separatism discussion is doing so wisely.

You know, Ben, your father had to handle very similar issues in his caucus. And, you know, you need to give people internal to the party, in this case the separatist movement, some air to grieve. because that just helps take some air out of the fall, part of the pun. But having two competing campaigns just cranks the natural gas and oil and gas on this one. And it's not responsible, but it shouldn't surprise anybody because Lukashik has been an irresponsible actor ever since he was turfed as deputy premier when he and that disaster, Alison Redford, left the Premier Sky Palace in Alberta. Well, if I have to find a silver lining here is I'm noticing in various levels of government

and various files across the country for different reasons. You've got people who otherwise used to sit on the sidelines while the loud, as you say, cranks on the extremes would take up the oxygen in the room and for sort of responsible people who just go about their lives, paying their taxes and trying to, you know, be good citizens to see them mobilizing and activating on issues that matter to them, says, gives me hope for the future. Gentlemen, thank you very much. Another great panel. Enjoy the rest of the week. We'll talk to you soon. All right. I run to the chaos, and Survivor is chaos.

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