In this special emergency bulletin of Gristle & Bone, recorded on April 18th, 2025, Christopher Bourne and Dónal Gill break down a dramatic week of Canadian politics following the French and English leaders' debates in Montreal.

They first tackle the chaos surrounding the debate commission’s mismanagement, from rescheduling for a Habs game to accrediting disruptive far-right media, before turning to the real story: how the leaders performed.

• Pierre Poilievre delivered a disciplined, effective performance, keeping his base energized while reaching toward swing voters. Grade: A-

• Mark Carney stayed calm and competent, especially handling Trump-related questions, though he missed some opportunities. Grade: B+

• Jagmeet Singh brought passion and clear NDP values but possibly hurt strategic positioning with an overly aggressive style.