The Ben Mulroney Show - Trump, Tariffs & A Terrible Anniversary

Episode Date: September 10, 2026

On today's episode of 'The Ben Mulroney Show,' Ben welcomes back his illustrious political panel.  Andy Gibbons, Principal at Walgate Advisory, unpacks the biggest headlines with rogue pundit, Regan Watts, Founder of Fratton Park Inc. After taking our lake, President Trump now takes aim at our manufacturing industry (yet again) by outright banning many Canadian products. Fortunately for Trump, the House of Commons is still in recess. Finally, we close the segment with a personal and emotional remembrance of where each speaker was on September 11, 2001, and why that day still matters. 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   Executive Producer:  Mike Drolet Reach out to Mike with story ideas or tips at [e-mail] Enjoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Andy Gibbons, principal at Wallgate Advice. former VP of WestJet and doppelganger of Kim Jong-un and Regan Watts, founder of Fratton Park and former senior aide to Jim Flaherty. Gentlemen, welcome. Hey, Ben, how are you? Bonjour, Montcham, migwitch. Guys, we got to talk about, well, we got to start with the trade war. And let's start on the southern border in Dallas, where Trumpapalooza is taking place. The first time in 40 years that a political party in the United States is having a national convention.

there is in a non-presidential year. Tonight's theme is affordability. And Donald Trump has as willingly and willfully made the lives of certain Americans less affordable with his tariffs, as well as with this raft of increasingly punitive attacks on Canada and our products going into the United States. I can't make heads or tails of this. Andy, maybe you can't. Well, I mean, politically, you have to give him credit sometimes because, you know, he is completely

unafraid of framing the choice, right? And he might say, yes, it's not great. But imagine if AOC and Bernie Sanders were responsible for affordability. And there might be a constituency that he can save. I mean, if he can save some furniture in the midterms and surprise some people, you know, like, don't count this guy out. This guy has game. political, boom. Yeah, I would never count the guy out. But when he said a couple of weeks ago,

pretend that I'm on the ballot as a way of helping his Republicans in the houses of Congress, Regan, he's sitting at under 40% approval rating well below, I think 36%. He's at 56, 57% disapproval rating. And that's not going to get any better if the targeted tariffs that Canada has applied. make things even less affordable for Americans. You give me your, you read the tea leaves for me. So a couple of things. First, I actually think the idea of a mid-cycle political convention is a good one. You know, and I think the president has that an unorthodox political actor.

And just because something hasn't been done before doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. So, you know, from a tactical standpoint, I actually think it makes a lot of sense, particularly through Republicans in the White House, Republicans, pardon me, and the White House, to try and reset the narrative, particularly now that kids are back to school and viewers and listeners in Canada may not realize, but American kids have been back to school for a couple of weeks now.

This is only the first week of school for kids in Ontario, and I think kids in Ottawa went back last week. So resetting the agenda after Labor Day and the political commentary is not a bad political move. However, you know, he is willingly chosen to fight this trade war with Canada. And I don't speak to too many Americans who think it makes sense for the United States to declare trade and economic war on Canada. They think it's silly. And so, you know, the Prime Minister, and I'm sure we'll talk about this in this country, has responded with tariffs. But the President is

heading into an election cycle that, and I'm with Andy, don't count him out, but he's not given himself the cards to play that I think he wanted. And, you know, if I'm judging the President's response over today and yesterday in the last sort of 10 days or so, I think he wanted a deal with Canada. I think he understood that there was political value and economic value for a deal with Canada, which is in part why he's so upset and has been lashing out at our Prime Minister

in the manner that he has. Well, I'm glad you brought up our Prime Minister because I think all of us are behind the government to do what they've got to do to get through this. And who knows this asymmetrical warfare, this David Goliath thing, the fact that our Prime Minister has been given a lot more leeway and a longer leash than Donald Trump has on this,

I think says a lot in terms of what we're prepared to do versus what he is, the pressure he's going to feel. But we are being expected to take a lot on faith with this government. What was in the deal that we walked away from as well as the cost of what Canadians are going to be asked to carry. And the fact that our House of Commons, we're now hearing, is not going to be, is not going to come back until the 21st of September, but the prime minister has time to go sit in on the European Union Parliament.

That's a tough pill to swallow for those of us who, you know, like democratic accountability. Regan will stick with you on this. Well, I said this on your show a couple of weeks ago, and I'll repeat it. I don't want to be European. I'm a proud Canadian. And I think any steps that bring us. quote, if I can quote Ferris Bueller, I'm not European. I don't plan on being European. So who gives a crap if they're socialists or not? They'd be fascist anarchist for all I care.

It still wouldn't change the fact that I don't want a car. I love the Venn diagram that is your journalism. You're bringing the past to the current and it's the future of Canadian media. So well done to you. Thank you. Benedict Munchum. I don't want to be European. I think the prime minister is getting a little ahead over his skis in terms of how far he's, it appears he's prepared to go to integrate Canada and Europe. I understand the need to diversify and separate trade markets, but I actually don't believe he's made the case publicly yet in Canada as to why it's a good thing. Now, your question started with is we don't know the details of the deal and the House should

be back. And I think there's actually some merit in that. The Prime Minister was economical with some of the details around the Gordy Howe Bridge. And I think, while he does deserve the benefit of the doubt, if there are details that can be shared, then by all means bring the House back. I'll just flip this over though, Ben. If we had a leader of the opposition who knew what he was doing, he would present a motion in public, table it on Twitter or wherever he wants to put it, saying the House should be back to debate this conservative motion. I understand the Conservative opposition's perspective in wanting to bring the

house back, but the Prime Minister's not going to acquiesce, then what the Conservatives should do if they were smart is table a motion so Canadians could say, oh, well, this is why the House needs to come back early. Unfortunately, they haven't done that, which is, you know, left them in a bit of a lurch. Andy, I'm going to give you the last few minutes here. Tell me what your thoughts are. Well, I think what's surprising me the most is the things we aren't hearing. We all know what's happening. There's the tit for tat. There's David Eby and his signs. There's the Lake Ontario stuff. But we're not seeing a lot of talk about the need to get back to the table, which is a very Canadian sentiment historically. Let's get back to the table. Let's talk. Let's work it out.

It's almost like people don't want to hear that right now. Everyone is mobilized. Everyone's up for it. I don't see many people second-guessing the Canadian strategy. Patriotic to not do it, right? And I also don't see any benefit of the doubt on the American version of events. Jameson Greer, very intelligent, educated, sensible guy. Canadians are discounting him 100%.

So it's what we're not seeing that's as interesting as what we are. scene and I just, this is going to take a while it feels like. But you know, I saw Andrew Shear on the CBC and he was speaking a lot of logic in my in my mind where he said, look, there's a few things that could be done here. Like there are 500 projects that are just currently sitting in bureaucratic no man's land that could be approved right now that could put tradespeople in this country to work, that could fire up the sales of aluminum within our own. borders. There are, and there's a, you know, and speaking of aluminum, there's an industrial

carbon tax that our prime minister with the same performative stroke of the pen flourish could make that go away the way he did Trudeau's consumer carbon tax. I mean, there are things that could be done that we have complete control over. And, and, and maybe it would require sitting in parliament. I don't know. Regan, I'll give you 30 seconds and then we'll pick it up on the other side of the break. I'll just add that I think we

as Canadians, the polling I've seen shows that something like 80% of Canadians are supportive of the government and the prime minister, which is, you know, these are historic numbers and the country is united in a way that I think in the long run will be healthy for Canada. I do remember though, Ben, when in

1992, when the Gulf War started, your father, brought Parliament back to debate a motion on Canadian participation in that war. And the motion passed unanimously. So there is lots of precedent for leaders to lead the country in times like this. And I don't think there's any political downside for the Prime Minister if he decided to recall the House. But I haven't seen the case made by the leader of the opposition or his team effectively either. All right. We're going to take a break.

But 25 years it's been since 9-11. We're going to find out where our guests were when they heard the awful news. And I will share my story as well. And we'll continue with some more stories around the political horn next. on the Ben Mulroney Show. It's the Ben Mulroney show featuring Regan and Kim Jong-un. Welcome back, guys.

I'll retire that joke, but give me a few days. Hey, I'm the inventor of that joke, so I get royalties every single time you say it, Ben. So by all means. By the way, Andy, where do we find you right now? Every time I see you're in a different hotel. In Calgary. I'm looking at the...

the implosion of the BC Conservatives. And I'm wondering, like, why is it the Conservatives can't have nice things? Regan, what's going on? Well, where do I begin? I mean, Carrie Lynn Finley, who was elected leader and appears to have taken an absolute blowtorch to the caucus and the party apparatus in the three months she's been leader. Coupled with Mr. Polyev and his comments earlier this summer about how she, she beat, quote, quote, the Eastern liberal lobbyists.

You know, every party needs Carrie Lynn Findlay. And every party, by the way, needs Pierre Paulyev. But parties don't win when either of those people are leaders. And so you're seeing somebody who clearly struggles in Ms. Findlay with political management, somebody who doesn't always get along well with others based on the reaction of her caucus. And BC is the left coast is always a bit of a wild one. And so you're seeing MLAs leave caucus without the, without fear of retribution. And you know, you have to tip your chapeau to the courage of members of that caucus.

You wonder if there's some of that courage in the federal caucus. But be it what it is, Ms. Finley is really struggling. And I don't see how this ends well for her, especially as it appears that Premier Evey is about to call an election or is considering calling an election. Andy, so I play catch up with BC politics quite a bit because, stuff changes so quickly. And I was listening to a podcast over the weekend. And somebody was pointing out that one of the changes, someone asked them, you know,

what are some of the issues that have caused some of these problems? And one of them, apparently, was she hired in her communications department, someone formerly of Juno News, and I got a lot of respect for Juno News. But his take for her office was, we are going to bypass traditional media. They never give us a fair shake. And so instead, we are going to focus exclusively on new media and podcasters and influencers.

And I could have some of that wrong, but I'm giving you sort of the generalities of it. And that reminds me of exactly one of the problems that the conservatives had federally in the last election, which was, all right, you're not going to talk to the CBC. Well, CBC talks to boomers. And they're the ones that tilted the election red. So, I mean, if you're going to, if you're going to make the mistakes of the past, of the recent past, then part of me thinks you're going to get what's coming to you. Well, it's unbelievable to me. Like, when you think back to Stephen Harper just for one second, he was able to bypass some of the traditional media because he was the government. Because Canadians had elected him and he had faith, had faith in his ability and he had that standing.

Carrilyn Finley has zero standing. So also, Ben, think back to Pierre Polyev speech at the Calgary Stampede in the summer, where he introduced her and then said, you know, I'm glad she won. She beat back those Eastern lobbyists. And that speech, I remember when he said that, it's had such a long tale. Because every event that's happened since then, as you point out, either verifies for people who don't want Polyev part de, right? and they just don't want to be a part of it.

And I don't understand. Like people, you're a political leader. Your job is to bring people together after you win. I don't, this is not difficult. And the BC Conservative Party should be at 50% in the polls. I know. Right now. It's unbelievable.

It's unbelievable. I mean, the, the ineptitude of the EB NDP is, it's legend. you know it's but that's my point ben which is political parties should should have kerry lind finlies and pierre polyevs in their caucus they just shouldn't make them leaders because to andy's point you need to under as a political you need to bring people together and a government like ebs just like we had a government in ottawa uh like the liberals long in the tooth out of ideas and has done some crazy wacky stuff they should be and in bc voters it appears based on polling uh prior to her as it was the case uh

prior to Mark Carney Party. Canadian voters in BC wanted to change. They wanted to turf the bums out. The Conservative Party, in its wisdom, elected in Terry Lynn Finley, an absolute battering ram that has now turned, battering ram with a skunk attached at the end. And it's turning off voters by the dozens. And it's not going to end well. Let's shift our attention to the 25th anniversary of 9-11. I mean, there's some politics there, you know, a whole bunch of the.

families of victims don't want the mayor to show up for, you know, to mere obvious reasons. He's going to show up anyway. He's the mayor of the city. Kind of, he's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. And tomorrow, by the way, former New York Governor George Pataki is going to be joining Greg Brady on 640 Toronto. And he's, you know, he's been talking about how he's suffering from a 9-11-related restrictive airway disease that was caused by toxic dust exposure at ground zero.

So that's going to be something for people to look out for. But where were you guys on 9-11? Andy, I'll start with you. I was at Carleton University. I had just finished second-year Russian history class. And I walked into Roosters, which is the famous coffee shop on Carleton campus. And the place was dead silent. And the TV was on.

And I asked the guy who makes my large mocha, what's going on here? And he said planes have flown into the World Trade Center. and I kind of knew right away the significance of it. I sat down and there was a strange young woman. I didn't even know crying on my shoulder for the next hour as we watched this. I got choked up thinking about it. It was so powerful at that moment in the days after. But yeah, I was a student at Carlton University.

Regan, what about you? I was a student at Laurier, and I remember seeing the video on the second floor of the student union building because there was a big screen that in a gathering place people could watch television from time to time. And when I saw the second plane hit,

I ended up heading, I actually walked home. I had a meeting at the Student Union that morning and walked home and watched the rest of it on television. And yeah, it was pretty profound. And, you know, it's at a world event that has really changed our lives then and Andy and the lives that our children are growing up in

and the world they're growing up in. And we should never forget what happened and why and you know where in places like Gaza for example they celebrated the terrorism that took place there and and it should you know the people who lost their lives should never have lost those lives to begin with and they should not be lost in vain and Donald Trump should remember that without missing a beat Canada was there both to welcome the planes in Gander Newfoundland and to stand shoulder to shoulder with Americans in Afghanistan I tends to forget that so does Pete Heggseth so maybe someone could remind them I was

I was here in Toronto and I had just been out the night before at a Toronto Film Festival party. So I was feeling it the next morning as I was walking to work. And I noticed I was struck by how quiet the street was on my way to work. Normally more bustling than that. When I walked into the lobby of my office of my building where I was doing my TV show, the first plane had hit just a few minutes earlier and there was a TV there. And once I wrap my head around it, I realized my brother was no more than a couple of blocks away from that very site taking his C-C-7 exam. And so I ran upstairs.

I watched everything from the studio as we tried to find Mark. And now Mark did something very smart after he'd been told test is over. Everyone leave. And he was headed south to New Jersey. He knew that the phone lines would be jammed. So he sent one single email to my dad's assistant. in Montreal and she was able to get word out to us that he was safe. And it was a moment that, I mean, it's seared in all of our memories.

And you're right, every aspect of our lives, every single aspect of our lives was touched by that moment and the repercussions that were felt. And since. And since, absolutely. And I'm glad to thank you guys for sharing that. Thank you guys for being here today. And let's do it again real soon.