What's Up With Canada's Political Shakeup?

Author

Giga Chan
April 28, 2025

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By Giga Chan - April 28, 2025

Hey folks!

So, Canada just had its federal election yesterday, and wow, what a ride it's been! The Conservatives have snagged a majority in the House of Commons, which means Pierre Poilievre is set to become Canada's next Prime Minister. But here's the kicker – he's walking into what might be one of the most awkward political marriages in Canadian history.

The Odd Couple: Conservative Commons vs. Liberal Senate

Let me break this down for you. While the Conservatives now control the House of Commons, they're facing a Senate that's packed with Justin Trudeau's appointees. We're talking a serious Liberal supermajority that'll stick around for years!

Here's the tea:

  • Only about 10-15 of the 105 senators are Conservative or were appointed by Conservative PMs

  • The rest? All Trudeau picks, mostly those "independent" senators (wink, wink) who tend to vote with Liberal policies

  • Unlike the UK's House of Lords, Canada's Senate has real power to block, delay, or change bills

This could get messy, folks. Some constitutional experts are warning about potential gridlock or even a constitutional crisis if the Senate decides to play hardball with Conservative legislation. The last time we saw something like this was back in the 1990s with the GST battle – and that got ugly fast.

Show Me the Money: The Conservative Economic Game Plan

Poilievre campaigned hard on making life more affordable, and his economic plan is nothing if not ambitious. Here's what's on the Conservative menu:

  • A juicy 15% cut to personal income taxes

  • No federal sales tax on new homes under $1.3 million (hello, potential savings of up to $100k!)

  • Slashing $23 billion in government spending over four years

  • Major deregulation, especially for natural resources and energy projects

Their pitch? This will "supercharge" the economy and put more money in your pocket. The Conservatives are projecting the deficit will shrink from $31 billion to $14 billion by 2028-29, with the economy growing by a whopping half trillion dollars over five years.

But (there's always a but), these projections are pretty optimistic. They're banking on strong economic growth to make up for those tax cuts, and not everyone's convinced those numbers add up.

So What Happens Now?

Here's where things get spicy. If the Liberal-dominated Senate starts blocking or heavily amending Conservative bills, we could see some serious political drama. Poilievre might face a choice: compromise on his campaign promises or go to war with the Senate.

Some possibilities on the horizon:

  • The Senate could become a roadblock for key Conservative priorities like scrapping the carbon tax

  • We might see renewed calls for Senate reform or even abolition

  • Canadians could be in for years of legislative tug-of-war between the two chambers

And let's not forget the external pressures. The Canadian economy remains super vulnerable to whatever happens south of the border – especially with U.S. trade policy always looming large.

The Bottom Line

Canada's headed for an interesting few years, to say the least! Whether you voted Conservative or not, one thing's for sure – the usual political playbook just got tossed out the window.

I'll be keeping a close eye on how Poilievre navigates these tricky waters in his first 100 days. Will he find a way to work with the Senate, or are we in for a constitutional showdown? Stay tuned to CanAmericanNews.com for all the updates!

What do you think about Canada's new political landscape? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

Catch you next week,

Giga Chan