With Elections Looming, the Conservatives’ Lead Slips Further

Monday, March 24, 2025

This week from The Walrus:

From Landslide to Toss‐Up: The Stunning Conservative Collapse

Could the Liberals actually win? The math says yes

BY PHILIPPE J. FOURNIER

An image of conservative leader Pierre Poilievre speaking at a news conference with a Canadian flag behind him, but the bottom quarter of his face is cut off.

By late last year, the numbers were catastrophic. Léger had the Liberals at 20 percent nationally, trailing the Conservatives by twenty‐three points. Ipsos and Abacus Data measured a twenty‐five‐point canyon between the two parties. Mainstreet Research placed the Liberals in the high teens. In the 338Canada projections, the party had even fallen behind the Bloc Québécois—not just in Quebec but from coast to coast.

Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party were about to cruise to power with one of the largest parliamentary majorities in Canadian history.

Then Trudeau resigned. And suddenly, the entire Conservative script—the one that was supposed to take them back to power after a decade on the opposition benches—became obsolete.

Read or listen to the story

A photo illustration shows Jagmeet Singh standing on a small rock and stuck between two giant rocks.

With the NDP Dropping in the Polls, What’s Left for the Left?

Jagmeet Singh is running out of time—and so is his party

BY DREW NELLES

A greyscale image of Danielle Smith opposite a posterized image of her.

The What‐Will‐She‐Do‐Next Premier of Alberta

Part of Danielle Smith’s appeal is being open to all ideas, even when they are bananas

BY CHRISTINA FRANGOU

The Walrus Announces Mostafa Al‐A’sar as the Second Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) Contributing Writer

Mostafa joins Soraya Amiri as part of a program that platforms internationally trained writers

Photo shows the blackened door of Schara Tzedeck synagogue in Vancouver.

What Counts as Antisemitism? The Debate That Is Dividing Communities

Jewish Canadians face the challenge of confronting—and defining—hate

BY JOHN LORINC

Photo shows a blue tent surrounded by trees and sunlight in a park.

COVID‐19 Showed Who Really Owns Public Spaces. It’s Not the Public

Are our cities meant for everyone?

BY ANNA KRAMER AND JESSE UPTON CROWE

A photo illustration of a man and woman, picture from the neck down, facing each other on bar stools. The background is pink with floating white hearts.

Dating Is Hard. Dating in Northern Ontario Is Something Else

Plenty of rom coms are filmed in North Bay, but in real life, sparks don’t fly on cue

BY LEAH BORTS-KUPERMAN

A black and white photo shows John Lennon and Yoko Ono on a snowmobile.

When John and Yoko Came to Ontario to Figure Out How to Change the World

Waking up Americans about peace was a goal, Lennon said. That meant setting up shop not far from the border

BY PETER GODDARD

How well do you know our stories?
Test yourself with our Weekly Quiz

Since 2019, the NDP’s parliamentary seat count has plummeted from forty‐four to twenty‐four. It’s remained there ever since, and polls predict the party could lose as many as half its seats. According to writer Drew Nelles, what is the main reason the NDP has been struggling to gain power?

Yes, I know the answer

Extracurricular and enrichment activities are proven to provide young people with a more well‐rounded education, as well as developing their social, cultural, and physical skills. So why are nearly a third of parents in Canada going into debt to pay for them? And why are public schools forced to depend on fundraising by parents to provide them?

Join us for an important discussion about public education, philanthropy, and how this country can better set our kids up for their future.

Join us

Frozen Frontiers: Canada, NATO, and the Defence of the North

On April 4, 1949, Canada became a founding member of NATO, shaping our role in global security. But as the world changes, some say our involvement isn’t what it once was.

In this episode, Canadian Ranger Allen Pogotak talks about his life in the Arctic and questions Canada’s defence efforts there. Then, former Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy examines our NATO contributions—past, present, and future. Are we keeping up, or are others stepping in where we’re falling behind?

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In this episode of What Happened Next, host Nathan Whitlock is joined by author and journalist Bob McDonald, host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks. He is a regular science commentator on the CBC News Network, a science correspondent for The National, and the author of multiple books, including The Earthling’s Guide to Outer Space, Canadian Spacewalkers, The Future Is Now, and—most recently—the memoir Just Say Yes. Bob and Nathan talk about the importance of promoting real science amid the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories, about his initial reluctance to include the story of his childhood sexual abuse in his memoir (but why he is proud that he did), and about his work‐in‐progress, a book for kids that focuses on—surprise!—science.

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THE WALRUS THANKS ALL OUR ADVERTISERS. BECOME ONE.

Donald Trump’s presidency is already reshaping Canada, like it or not. The question is whether we understand what’s coming and whether we’re ready to face it. At The Walrus, we’ve been preparing for months. Earlier this year, we looked at how his tariffs would hit our industries, how his protectionism could destabilize our health care system, and how we might need to start looking to Europe for trade. And now? My team is digging into critical issues like climate policy, Trump’s obsession with annexation, and Canada’s national defence strategy, and more.

This kind of journalism is why The Walrus exists—but it takes time and resources. If you believe our moment calls for deep, rigorous, clear‐eyed reporting, then please make a donation today. It’s the one thing you can do to help Canada stay strong, with free‐to‐all reporting needed during times of crisis. Thank you for your support.