The Current - Rick Mercer stands up for Canada

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

The great Newfoundland satirist has been touring the country this fall, selling out theatres with his latest standup show. He joins us to reflect on the year in Canadian politics. Rick Mercer's Stand Up For Canada premieres Dec 28 at 9 PM on CBC TV and streams on CBC Gem.

Hi, Steve Patterson here, host of the debaters, the show where we answer your most burning questions, like, do candles deserve more appreciation? Canada's best comedians wax on about it in this week's new episode, so listen, wherever you get your podcasts. This is a CBC podcast. Hello, I'm Matt Galloway, and this is the current podcast. It has been a wild year in Canadian politics. Donald Trump threatened to take us over. Justin Trudeau got forced out of office.

Pierre Pahliav blew a 20-point lead, and Canadians picked a former central banker with no political experience as our prime minister. Our elbows went up. We kept our tourist dollars, as we were just saying, at home, and we tried our best to buy Canadian. Joining me now is somebody who is an expert in helping Canadians get a laugh out of the pickle

we find ourselves in. Rick Mercer's comedy tour, stand-up for Canada, sold out theaters from coast to coast this fall. If you missed it, well, good luck. you have a chance to watch it next week when the special is broadcast on CBC television. Rick Mercer is in our studio in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Rick, good morning. Good morning, Matt. How are you? Well, I'm okay. This has been a wild year. These are wild times. The news is unpredictable and overwhelming.

How would you describe the feeling you get in your chest when you look at the news these days? Well, the introduction that you just gave, everything that you went through, that's all subjects that I talk about in this comedy special. And it's all stuff that I talked about as I toured across the country. We went from Victoria to St. John's, Newfoundland. And it's, if you're in my business, if you're talking about current events, if you're talking about events in general, it's a tricky time because every time you turned around or every time you woke up, the news changed. Everything used to be a 48 hours news cycle. Now it's sometimes it's a two or three hour news cycle. It's hard to keep track. But it has been a, it's been a pretty wild year. Yes.

I mean, never mind what's happening south of the border. Here we had, as you said, we had an election where we had an incumbent that was, the liberal party were so far behind. I mean, it was an absolute fact that they were going to be, not that they were going to lose, but they were going to be destroyed. We all knew it. We accepted it, and we all saw it coming. And then everything changed on a dime. It was a fascinating thing to watch. One of the things you say in the special, and I want to get to the Canadian news, but one of the things you say in the special is that there are a lot of

people who avoid the news because it's just so terrible. They're hiding from the news in some ways. Do you understand that? Oh, 100%. If something causes you anxiety and anguish, why would you bathe in it? And I found myself doing the same thing all my life because of, for professional reasons, I always watch the news. But I'm an avid news consumer. Those are the podcasts I like. That's what I like to listen to. And there's certain times where you just say I can't watch. I mean, just last week when there was an address from the president and there was speculation in the media that, you know, Canada might be a subject matter. I purposely avoided it.

I just didn't, I didn't normally, the old me would say, oh, well, I better watch that. So I totally understand that. At the same time, we can't have our head in the sand and ignore everything that's going on in the world. I mean, I would never prescribe that anyone do that. But, yeah, I think small doses, absolutely. The old you used to say on Twitter in your bio that anger was your cardio. You're going to the gym instead now?

I was an angry young man. Now I have a potato patch, Matt. I spend time in the potato patch. I'm never angry in the potato patch. Melloed in our old age, all of us, I think. So yeah, this time last year, I think a lot of us thought that Pierre Pahliav would be the prime minister. Mark Carney is now a seat shy of a majority. How do you understand that turnaround?

Well, it was a pretty fascinating – well, I was – my own mini-analysis, Pierre Polyev, he didn't want to be prime minister. He knew he was going to be prime minister. He knew in its heart of hearts that he was going to be prime minister. And he just kept hammering away at Trudeau. And then when Trudeau left, he just kept hammering away at Trudeau. And the narrative changed. And Canadians became very, very concerned with what was happening south of the border. And I just don't think Pierre read the room. He didn't realize – he He just kept going from an old script. And you know what? I get it. I totally get this. And people in comedy get this. If you have lines that work, it's really hard to drop them. Because when you're out there on stage, you go, this will work.

And Pierre had a lot of red meat for his base, but it was all Trudeau based and it was all Canada's broken. And that's not what people wanted to hear because of what was going on south of the border. We were circling the wagons, and he just didn't read the room. And then we had someone shiny and new who seemed very much like an adult. I would say on election day, most people didn't really have a bead on Merrick Kearney, except that he felt like the adult in the room, and people felt that's what they wanted. And I honestly, I would have laid any money, three months before the election, any money that the liberals would have been decimated. So, I mean, what do I know?

You surprised at how hard the country went from Mark Carney? Yeah, yeah, I was. But then I also saw that, you know, this is one of the problems with electoral politics now in Canada. It's like, you know, these parties are very much reflections of the leader. And the leader controls everything and sets the agenda. So the Liberal Party had pulled off this incredible trick where they've said, oh, all that stuff that we were for the last eight years. We're not that anymore because we've got this new guy. And he's thrown all that out.

And he's adapting, he's cherry-picking every conservative policy that was polling well in the country. And the liberal party's very malleable organism, and they're proving it. So, yeah, surprising, but there's a reason why they were one of the most successful, you know, political parties in the history of democracy. Do you spare a thought for the old guy? I mean, not that he's old, but Justin Trudeau, who was, as we said, shown the door this time last year still wasn't sure whether he was going to be around or not. And, well, talk about not reading the room when he was walking around going, I still may stick around. It's like literally nobody in the country wants you to stick around.

Nobody, nobody. Can you feel bad for me? If I was going to do a panel discussion, let's go find four people who think you should stick around. You'd be, you know, your producers would be looking for weeks. Do I feel bad for him? No. Why?

Because he's tall and handsome and was born on Christmas Day and became the prime minister. No. No, I mean, listen, I mean, I don't wish ill will on anyone. I think he's doing okay. I'm sure he'll land on his feet. He seems very happy with Katie Perry. Listen, I wish them the best. Nicely done.

What struck you about the mood of Canadians when you were out touring the country talking to us coast to coast? You know, Matt, I haven't changed my act. My act, and I chose a long time ago, that I was going to take a lane that was very celebratory about Canada and it was going to celebrate Canada. This is not as special about dunking on the states because they're doing that themselves. But I feel like Canadians have always responded to that, but I think Canadians want that now more than ever. I noticed, you know, in Newfoundland, we're not really flag waivers. We don't hang a lot of Canadian flags on the side of her house.

And Flag Day last year, you know, the holiday that Jean Cretchen invented one morning, I don't think you would ever notice a flag day in St. John's Newfoundland. And this year, I decided, for the first time ever, I thought, I'm going to hang a flag on the side of my house. I absolutely am. And I've never done that before. Just, you know, if you want to do it, fill your boots. I've just never done it. I had to go to three Canadian tires stores to find a Canadian flag.

Like, that's just not normal. And the same in Victoria, British Columbia. You know, I was there and it was like every second house. And I think there's a feeling there. And the buy Canadian thing. I think Canadians have always, always liked the idea of buying Canadian, but we're taking it to a whole new level. I found myself in the drugstore Googling, is there a Canadian toothpaste? Your previous guests talked about changing habits.

And that's absolutely happening. And it's a direct result of the chaos south of the border. You found that Canadian toothpaste? Well, you have to watch the special because I've got a bit about toothpaste. I have seen this. For you, I mean, that change is a personal thing. You were talking to our pal Tom Power. And you were saying that when you were a young man,

you were a Newfoundland nationalist. When did you become a Canadian nationalist? Well, I guess maybe when I visited Canada or when I went to the mainland. And, you know, I think it's like I mentioned earlier, I was an angry young man. And I think as an angry young man, and I'm talking 1819, and I was doing shows about the Meach Lake Accord, which was, you know, Newfoundland felt like we were getting shortchanged. And I absolutely was a Newfoundland nationalist. But I, you know, I came to realize that Canada is a great place to live.

Canada is a great country. And I'm proud to be Canadian, and I became a Canadian nationalist as well as a Newfoundland nationalist. You know, I feel like you can be both. But – and Canada's given so much to me. Like, I mean, it's been my subject matter for my entire professional career. And, you know, I had a birthday. Actually, the night we taped the special was my birthday this year. and I don't normally pay any attention to birthdays.

And, you know, I was side of the stage at a sold-out theater in St. John, New Brunswick. And I thought, what a privilege it is that I've reached this far in life. And I've just managed to do this tour across the country, and audiences in every part of the country are coming out. And I can remember the first time I performed off the island. And what I considered a Canadian audience responded to what I was doing. And that was a great, great day. And, you know, many, many, many years later, it was still happening.

So Canada's given me a lot, I got to say. Do you think this moment that we are in right now, the moment of nationalism where people are, yeah, not traveling to the United States because of talk from the president, but also that they want to spend their money here, that they want to support their own? Do you think that this will last? Well, as your previous guest said, habits change. One of my favorite things in the world is to go to New York City and see shows. very lucky that I'm, you know, I have a life where I can do that. I haven't done that in many, many, many years. It's no longer a part of my life. That used to be a part of my life. Twice a year. That was a part of my life. It's just not. And you made that choice

because? Well, because I'm not going to the United States as long as he's in the White House. And I'm, and that's just me. I'm not telling anyone what they should do. And it's easy for me. I don't, I don't have immediate family in the States that I have to, you know, spend time with. I don't have to go there for work. And it's an easy choice. for me to say, oh, what a sacrifice. I'm not going to see 12 angry men this year. Or Glenn Gary, Glenn Ross. What a sacrifice.

You know, it's no big deal. But it's my decision, and that's what I've decided. And I think a lot of people have. And one of your other previous guests, you know, everyone justifies their own narratives. I mean, she's down there in an RV park in Florida, and she's saying, it's just one person. It's just one person. As if it's like some guy on the radio in Cleveland is talking trash about Canada. No, it's not one person.

It's the president and his entire administration. And I think for many Canadians, it was one thing that were in a trade war. That's fine. Those things happen. No, it's this 51st state business. Once, you know, another country starts floating the idea that they're going to take you over, you have to take that very seriously. And then it's one thing to say, oh, he was joking, but then he came out and made it very clear.

He was not joking. And this is something that he will return to time and time again. So, you know, obviously Canadians are going to respond to that. they're going to change their travel plans. They're going to change their shopping plans. That's just, you know, that's human nature. There might be a little bit of the angry young man still lurking somewhere within the. I was so calm when I came in this morning.

Let's talk comedy, Matt. I got to let you go. We had Dave Bedini, another somebody who loves Canada, was in our studio recently. And he was talking about how the country is so big and complicated you could spend your whole life learning about it and not really know it. Do you know what he's talking about there? Oh, well, it's, yes, of course. I said, you know, people say, oh, I've been to Western Canada. It's like, well, there's about 40,000 places you have to visit before you really get a grasp on it.

And the same with Atlantic Canada. Yeah, we're just a great big place. And, you know, Bedini has to be traveling. He's probably traveled the country more than I have. And I can't say that about many people. He would know. It's like a project. There's a project to learn about Canada in some ways.

Oh, my God. Yeah. Well, it's a life's work. You can spend all your life and doing it, and there's still plenty left. This is a special that, I mean, it feels like it was good for you, but it's good for us as well. We kind of need something like this after it's been this year. Well, listen, the last per minute ratio is extremely high. Just quickly let me tell you, I'm out on the road with three really, really funny young comedians.

And that was great for the soul, Sophie Bottle, Julie Kim, May Scaloney. These are great comedians. It's a very funny show. It's a very positive show. It's December 28th. Listen, can you think of a better thing to do on the 28th of December, then shut the door, put your feet up and have a few lots? I can't, Matt. I laughed a lot.

Rick, it's great to talk to you, as always. Happy Christmas, happy holidays, and we'll talk again in the new year. Thank you. Merry Christmas. Rick Mercer, his comedy special, Stand Up for Canada, airs on CBC television, as you heard,

and you'll also be able to stream it on CBC Jam. This has been the current podcast. You can hear our show Monday to Friday on CBC Radio 1 at 8.30am at all time zones. You can also listen online at cbc.ca. slash the current or on the CBC Listen app or wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Matt Galloway. Thanks for listening.

For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca.ca slash podcasts.