Inside Ontario Politics - the Liberal Rebuild, the NDP Divide, and Ford’s Populist Power

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On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast

Story Studio Network, Dave Trafford and iContact Productions

328 episodes

1 week ago

The Ledge, n: slang for the legislature. Mostly used by members of the legislative press gallery.
On the Ledge posts weekly when the Ontario Legislature is sitting. But there have been times when we've had to "recall" the Ledge for an emergency session to address pressing matters of Ontario politics when Queen's Park isn't sitting!

Our OTL team includes former Ontario Premier, Kathleen Wynne, former Progressive Conservative Leader, (and Wynne's erstwhile parliamentary sparring partner), Tim Hudak, Queen's Park broadcast commentator Keith Leslie, John Wright, our veteran pollster and co-founding host, and Dave Trafford, Chief Executive Producer at Story Studio Network.

All content for On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast is the property of Story Studio Network, Dave Trafford and iContact Productions and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Politics

News,

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Inside Ontario Politics - the Liberal Rebuild, the NDP Divide, and Ford’s Populist Power

On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast

1 hour

4 weeks ago

Inside Ontario Politics - the Liberal Rebuild, the NDP Divide, and Ford’s Populist Power

Dave Trafford welcomes back the full panel — former Premier Kathleen Wynne, former PC leader Tim Hudak, veteran journalist Keith Leslie, and pollster John Wright — for a fall political reset at Queen’s Park. The conversation opens with reflections on the late Jim Bradley, the long-serving Ontario Liberal who embodied integrity, bipartisanship, and a deep respect for public service. The panel shares personal memories and stories that capture Bradley’s “old-school” approach and his remarkable 55 years in elected office.

From there, the discussion shifts to the state of Ontario’s major parties ahead of the legislature’s return. Wynne assesses the Liberal leadership race, urging a timely process to give the next leader room to grow before the 2026 election. Hudak credits Bonnie Crombie for rebuilding the party infrastructure despite her short tenure, while Leslie and Wright note the Liberals’ resilience and the potential impact of generational change.

Attention then turns to the NDP, where Marit Stiles faces internal divisions, slipping poll numbers, and a crisis of relevance. The panel contrasts Ontario’s left with more pragmatic western NDP governments, questioning whether the party can reconnect with working-class voters.

Finally, the team examines Premier Doug Ford’s enduring popularity, exploring how his populist instincts and “Captain Canada” persona resonate across the province, even as critics fault him for weak policy and performative politics. With the legislature set to resume, the conversation sets the stage for an intense fall session dominated by affordability pressures, the Auditor General’s reports, and the evolving federal–provincial dynamic.

00:00 – Introduction – The team reunites and celebrates The Arctic Edge awards
04:55 – Remembering Jim Bradley – Stories of humility, legacy, and public service
19:20 – Liberal Leadership Reset – The race to rebuild the party
30:55 – NDP in Trouble – Divisions, direction, and the struggle for relevance
44:10 – Ford Nation Rising – Populism, polling, and political staying power
59:55 – Looking Ahead – The legislature returns and new battles loom

TRANSCRIPT