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The second Trump administration is turning into an unsettling roller-coaster ride, and Canadians can’t seem to get off. Every day seems to bring a new set of goalposts, demands and threats. Leadership demands nimbleness, but also integrity and forward planning. 

On March 5, 2025 we held a webinar with veteran leaders (and IRPP Board members!) Jean Charest, Janice Charette, Ian Brodie and Christopher Sands. They unpacked the challenges facing Canadian governments in these tumultuous times and discussed what it will take to build economic and social resilience for the long haul. The discussion was moderated by IRPP president and CEO Jennifer Ditchburn. 

This podcast is the audio from that discussion.

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Ian Brodie
Ian Brodie is associate professor in the Law and Society Program at the University of Calgary. He was chief of staff to former prime minister Stephen Harper from 2005 to 2008.
Jean Charest
Jean Charest was the 29th premier of Quebec, from 2003 to 2012.
Janice Charette
Janice Charette is Clerk of the Privy Council.
Christopher Sands
Christopher Sands is director of the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and professor of Canadian Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, both in Washington DC. He is a member of the board of directors of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, which publishes Policy Options.
Jennifer Ditchburn
Jennifer Ditchburn is the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. From 2016 to 2021, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the IRPP’s influential digital magazine, Policy Options. Prior to joining the IRPP, Jennifer spent two decades covering national and parliamentary affairs for The Canadian Press and for CBC Television. She is the co-editor with Graham Fox of The Harper Factor: Assessing a Prime Minister’s Policy Legacy (McGill-Queen’s).

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