Fetiene Grzeski is a political commentator and former Conservative candidate nominee for the House of Commons and a candidate for the New Brunswick Provincial Legislature. In this episode of The Hannaford Show, she talks about the current political climate and the challenges facing Canada.
00:01:18.280Fatine Grzeski, an Alberta-born girl and hockey mom,
00:01:21.980is a political commentator and host of a national issues commentary show
00:01:26.720that airs on networks canada-wide an executive director in the charitable sector and a candidate
00:01:34.080nominated for the federal conservative party and a candidate for the new brunswick provincial
00:01:40.160conservatives fateen welcome to the show great to be here jan thank you so much for having me
00:01:47.040oh we're so delighted to have you so fateen given your history in politics as both a federal and
00:01:53.840provincial conservative candidate and your work i hear with youth driving political change i reckon
00:02:00.320you have some special insight into the multi-level political chaos we face as the nation yeah well
00:02:06.960you know i like you and all of your viewers i love this nation you know and i'm both a businesswoman
00:02:12.800and a mom and so you know i interface with the issues of the day from a variety of angles and
00:02:18.960you know the stakes are high the issues are intense and it is just a wild time in politics
00:02:23.840right now so i'm great to i'm happy to be with you today to chop up some of the issues of the
00:02:28.320day i do want to mention though um at the federal level i was a nomination candidate i lost the
00:02:34.000nomination by just a hair and provincially i was on the ticket so right i saw that it was really
00:02:40.240quite a close race though it was just by a hair as you say so we'll we'll get back to any kind
00:02:47.920of political ideas you might have in the future towards the end of the show but for now let's just
00:02:53.200jump right into it so the unelected mark carney appears to be a shoe-in for the liberal leader
00:02:58.960coming up we have a march 9th liberal leadership contest and if he wins that he'll become the next
00:03:06.320prime minister and again he's unelected so there is speculation that he would call an election
00:03:12.320right away but some people are saying that the liberals could de facto stay in power until 2026
00:03:19.760even though there's an election scheduled for october 2025 and according to the charter i think
00:03:26.160it's section four if there's an emergency situation like a tariff war for example
00:03:32.480that it could be even longer so what do you make of that well you know what i make of the
00:03:38.160current political climate is that things are changing not just by the day but by the hour by
00:03:43.680the minute right so i think so much of our political context right now definitely is
00:03:48.800responsive to what is happening in the united states specifically with president trump and
00:03:55.280it changes can change by the day by the minute so you know in terms of the possibility of the
00:04:01.120federal election being pushed all the way to 2026 i think the only way that canadians uh would have
00:04:08.880an ounce of that without a major outcry uh would be if there was a legitimate national crisis uh
00:04:17.120you know many people would say that the crisis that we're facing right now is not only uh external
00:04:23.760wasn't just created by the trump tariff threat but it's been created by poor domestic policies
00:04:29.840The fact that we haven't been able to get our act together on the issue of domestic trade, the imbalance with equalization payments.
00:04:37.580There's a lot that we could do internally, I think, to bolster our economy or not.
00:04:42.980I think there's a lot that we can do internally, domestically, you know, to bolster trade, to bolster the economy, to strengthen our essential industries before we have to go so far as to declaring a national emergency that would cause the election to be delayed a year.
00:05:01.380So I think the Liberals have a pretty hard sell, given the fact that a lot of the economic crisis that we're facing was created by them and by their policies.
00:05:11.360They're going to have a hard sell with Canadians to push that election all the way to 2026.
00:05:15.600But, you know, it's a crazy time. It's a wild time and anything could happen.
00:05:21.820Yeah, absolutely. We really do have to be prepared for anything.
00:05:25.420And just to your point about all of the internal solutions that Canadian politicians, both federally and provincially, could be doing, you mentioned the internal trade.
00:05:37.600I've recently discussed with both the Alberta Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, amongst some other business agencies here in Canada at both federal and provincial levels.
00:05:50.620And they are actually all singing a similar tune that the tariffs are creating a big problem.
00:05:57.520And should they go through, there's going to be massive impacts.
00:06:00.440But this isn't just the beginning of a new issue.
00:06:04.000It's actually been something that's been going on for years or even decades with all these barriers for trade.
00:06:13.400You know, we have the carbon tax being spiked again on April 1st, and that's going to be like a 20% increase for, you know, forgive me if I'm slightly off about that, but it's a substantial increase in the carbon tax as well.
00:06:27.780so it's not like donald trump just came along and created these problems for canada they were
00:06:33.680long-standing before and that's without even touching on the illegal immigration issues that
00:06:39.620canada has had for years and even legal immigration has been so wildly out of control and in addition
00:06:47.320to that is where we're learning more and more just what an issue this fentanyl problem has been so
00:06:54.620in light of the liberal leadership race, it's like parliament has been put on pause for this
00:07:01.660prorogation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on January 6, as you know, he announced his intention
00:07:08.380to resign, but we haven't actually seen any fruit of that except for a prorogued parliament
00:07:13.760and liberal candidates scrambling to get their act together for this leadership contest.
00:07:20.760so so how do we square this circle when we have so much going on that needs to be addressed
00:07:28.120from not just a an internal perspective but internationally we're we're dealing with um
00:07:36.120with trump and the tariffs and all the different issues that are collectively adding towards
00:07:43.880something that we need to really address but we don't have anyone seated in the house of commons
00:07:49.320right now. Yeah, it's incredibly concerning and disappointing, obviously, to have a dysfunctional
00:07:55.540parliament at such a critical moment in our national timeline here. So, you know, listen,
00:08:01.720there's there are so many different things that you said there, but let's go with the low hanging
00:08:05.840fruit. First of all, let's get our domestic trade flowing. And let's face it, if the one thing that
00:08:12.860Trump's tariffs threats accomplish is that we get those pipelines built, that we get energy east
00:08:20.460flowing, that we start getting our resources to market on the both the Pacific and the Atlantic
00:08:25.620coast. You know, that will be a huge win. Now, obviously, that's not going to happen in a minute.
00:08:30.200It takes more than a day to build a pipeline. And so we have to be looking at what are some
00:08:35.560of the other economic levers that can be pulled that are immediate other than just starting a
00:08:41.180massive trade war with the United States of America. And the low hanging fruit, Jen, is that
00:08:47.760carbon tax. It really, really is. This has been one of the deepest grinds on Canadians in the last
00:08:55.080decade. And the average Canadian household right now, as I understand it, is paying
00:08:59.800just under $1,000 per annum in carbon tax. Well, let's get rid of that. That's just the household
00:09:07.380burden you know we understand as well that this carbon tax is putting immense pressure on our
00:09:12.020industries that that those costs are being passed on to the consumer in a multiplicity of ways it
00:09:18.900is a massive contributor to inflation uh so let's start with what we can do right now and i just i
00:09:26.420want to applaud the voices of common sense that have been saying this really now for years and
00:09:31.860And sometimes, you know, a little bit of an external pain makes us wake up to some of the conversations that we might not have been open to in the past.
00:09:40.420And I want to say this, like I'm I'm an Alberta girl originally, but I've really lived all over the all over the nation.
00:09:46.540I lived in Vancouver, went to university there and then have built my life kind of across the nation.
00:09:51.740We're in New Brunswick right now. And, you know, Jen, I've noticed that, you know, a lot of Eastern Canadians really don't understand the policy press.0.96
00:10:01.580that has been put on the financial economic engine of our nation, namely Alberta and Western
00:10:07.360Canada. It's not that they don't care. It's just that they don't know. It's not something that is
00:10:11.560widely talked about. And what's happening here with the discourse surrounding the tariffs and
00:10:17.300with the strong leadership of Premier Danielle Smith is it's bringing this conversation to the
00:10:22.820fore in a way that I think is really critical, important, and probably the lightest word in
00:10:29.000the mix I could use there would just be healthy. Like this needs to be a conversation, but we've
00:10:33.160got $300 billion in equalization payments over the last several decades. And yet an all out war
00:10:41.620on the very industry that makes those payments possible. You know, we need to have a conversation.
00:10:47.340So I would say I would advocate for beginning with the conversations we can have domestically,
00:10:51.960internally, let's get some stuff done here at home. And then let's learn how to be diplomats
00:10:57.260on the international stage and not just throw mud from over the fence like i i applaud danielle
00:11:02.700smith and her leadership i think she's demonstrating how to get it done yes i agree i think the premier
00:11:08.860smith is doing a great job it's really refreshing to see uh such a strong level-headed voice
00:11:16.140come out uh in in defense of canada in defense of alberta and without taking on this team canada
00:11:23.420rhetoric either that the federal liberals are all of a sudden set and putting forward without
00:11:31.900too long too long ago in recent memory was the freedom convoy where the federal liberals of
00:11:37.820course were acting like anyone who was on so-called team canada was some kind of a domestic terrorist
00:11:45.660or something calling the emergencies act which was recently appealed in the federal court by
00:11:51.420the Trudeau Liberals. So, but to circle back about what you mentioned about the carbon tax and
00:11:57.820how that is impacting us internally, how do you think that makes us look on the world stage?
00:12:05.180We're really the only nation that has these kind of measures anymore. We see other western nations
00:12:11.980walking back these climate policies. So, how do you think it makes us look and what does it do
00:12:18.780for our attractiveness as global trading partners you know we we're facing down the barrel of a gun
00:12:25.580of this looming trade war who's going to be wanting to do business with canada with all
00:12:30.540of these extra taxes including this astronomical carbon tax that is tacked on to all of our goods
00:12:38.140and commodities yeah you make a really important point how do we look on the international stage i
00:12:43.500i haven't asked any of my international friends and colleagues particularly on this issue but
00:12:48.780I'd have to say we look ridiculous. You know, our emissions output is 1.4% of global emissions.
00:12:55.340The last time I researched it, maybe we're somewhere near 1.6%, but we're not, we're
00:12:59.680definitely not past two. I hadn't even heard, you know, for decades, you know, I remember back
00:13:04.380in probably around 2009, Stephen Harper saying, listen, we could tank our entire economy as we
00:13:12.860drive towards net zero and really make almost no impact on the global emissions footprint and you
00:13:19.820know that's just logical right and so you know we do need to think about our families we need to
00:13:26.060think about our businesses we need to think about creating that climate once again uh speaking of
00:13:31.500self-sabotage creating that climate once again where canada becomes attractive to business and
00:13:37.500And that those of us here that are business owners like myself, you know, are actually able to flourish and build a life for their families that is prosperous.
00:13:47.200And so these are no brainers. These are no brainers. And we are at a time where the pendulum needs to come back.
00:13:53.900Crazy has just gotten more crazy on some of these frontiers.
00:13:57.640And it's time to begin to look at these things pragmatically, logically, and ask those tough questions like why in the world are we killing our economies, these various industries?
00:14:07.500when it's really having a negligible impact on global emissions yeah we really got to get the
00:14:13.340adults back in the room back in the house of commons where these matters can be actually
00:14:18.240discussed with leadership and with a with a leader that has a mandate from the canadian people
00:14:25.200so just again back to the mark carney and liberal leadership so carney there's again there's
00:14:32.640speculation that he would call an election right away because he would just become the de facto
00:14:38.740prime minister if he wins the leader liberal ship race which it looks like he's going to do
00:14:45.640so what do you see happening what so pro so parliament is coming back march 24th that's
00:14:53.220when the prorogation is over the leader liberal ship contest is going to be just a few weeks
00:14:58.040before that on march 9th so we're going to have a new prime minister in place and it's not going to
00:15:06.040be elected by canadians it's going to be someone elected by liberals essentially and they're going
00:15:11.880to be leading the country so a lot of people are looking at the polls looking to see um when is the
00:15:18.840next election because many canadians are liking what they hear from conservative leader pierre
00:15:24.600Polyev, but it seems like there's still a few hurdles to jump over. And as I mentioned at the
00:15:30.920beginning of our discussion, it seems like there is a constitutional mechanism, I think you even
00:15:38.680said that earlier, that would keep the liberals and ergo Carney, should he win the leadership race
00:15:46.160in power even beyond 2026 if parliament votes to repeal of course and with the support of
00:15:55.020Jagmeet Singh and the NDP that very well could happen. Yeah there's so much in what you just
00:16:01.940outlined there but just to say this and politics usually polling rules the day unfortunately
00:16:07.120and that is again so discouraging and disheartening as someone who loves Canada and I know you're in
00:16:13.300the same boat and is deeply concerned about the trajectory that our nation has been on. Like we
00:16:17.740need an election for the sake of the will of democracy to be expressed. But we know that,
00:16:25.720you know, political parties are going to be looking at the polls. They're going to be looking
00:16:28.380at the temperature of, you know, what's happening, how what's happening in the United States of
00:16:34.120America and President Trump's policies, like how that's going to be impacting the political climate.
00:16:39.780It seems like the liberals are trying to set themselves up to be campaigning against President Trump, not against Pierre Polyam.
00:16:48.000And so they're going to be watching these things.
00:16:50.240Obviously, political parties always try to strike when they think that it is most beneficial to them.
00:16:56.420So, again, like I said earlier, anything could happen.
00:16:59.240So I really feel like it's wisdom just for people to engage at the grassroots level right now and not take anything for granted.
00:17:06.520You mentioned the whole dynamic that we will have a prime minister that was not elected by the Canadian people, but rather by the members of the Liberal Party.
00:17:17.760And now the deadline has passed. I don't know what the membership is at right now for the federal liberals.
00:17:22.780But I do know that when Justin Trudeau ran, he won, I think, believe it was with 90,000 votes.
00:17:29.660So if you weigh 90,000 votes up against 40 million people, that's 90,000 people deciding for 40 million that Justin Trudeau was going to be the official leader of the opposition back in the day.
00:17:41.800So, yeah, you're right. But this just illustrates why it is so important for people to get involved in grassroots partisan politics with the party that most represents their views and values.
00:17:54.000because if you're involved in things like these leadership races you're going to be the one that
00:17:58.400sets the temperature in the room and i think it goes without saying i need to highlight this right
00:18:03.680now because i i'm not sure why we're not talking about this one more and that is that there are
00:18:08.560nominations that are being rolled out all across canada right now as a matter of fact i just got
00:18:13.440an email uh yesterday from somebody right just a stone's throw from you right there jen in calgary
00:18:19.200there's a nomination that just opened up in Bow River, I believe. It'll be closed by the time
00:18:24.020this is airing. But these nominations are rolling out right now. And lots of these nominations
00:18:29.020will be determined by just a couple dozen Canadians that buy a membership in the party
00:18:34.560that they resonate with. And it's going to be those Canadians that literally set the climate
00:18:41.360for our nation going forward. You know, we know up until about a month ago, most of the polls
00:18:48.360were projecting a super majority for Pierre Polyev. So to be honest, the more important
00:18:54.840elections, it's really not the liberal leadership race, if those polls are true. It's actually those
00:19:00.220nominations that are happening all across Canada right now that are going to determine the climate
00:19:05.920of the Conservative caucus and the climate of the House of Commons here within, well, we'll see,
00:19:12.220six or 18 months. Yeah, well, that's such an interesting point, because I think for a while
00:19:18.180there. The conservative movement was feeling pretty confident that Pierre Polyev had it in
00:19:24.480the bag or has it in the bag for a super majority. However, there's been kind of a toss up since this
00:19:31.460liberal leadership race got going with a lot of liberals who had jumped ship under Prime Minister
00:19:39.540Justin Trudeau. Now with Mark Carney, things, you know, seem to have shifted a little bit. He seems
00:19:45.720to have some appeal for some former liberals or liberals that were starting to feel wishy-washy
00:19:51.880and maybe said that they would vote conservative because they want to see someone that's a little
00:19:56.560bit more competent in the leadership role as the nation's leader. And so people, I think,
00:20:04.740are finding some likability, perhaps, in Mark Carney. And we see in the polls recently, you
00:20:11.380you say polls are what really demonstrates the situation that actually the liberals are starting
00:20:19.140to gain a little bit more ground so just as we're wrapping it up you know you mentioned about uh
00:20:25.300grassroots movements and that it's not so much the big general election that is going to have
00:20:32.740the poll but in these smaller by-elections um and what are some other ways that people
00:20:39.940on a more local level or more grassroots level can get involved and can really play a role,
00:20:48.740a democratic role in what is to come of this nation? That's a great question. And thank you
00:20:54.520so much for it. I think the most important thing that your viewers can do, the listeners can do
00:21:00.260after they are done listening to this podcast, is to go and make sure that your membership is
00:21:07.540active in the party that most represents your views and values and just get in the room. It's
00:21:14.700not the people that are outside of the room that determine the temperature and the conversations.
00:21:19.060It's the people that are in the room. And then once you're in the room, raise your hand, you
00:21:23.720know, every time that there's an opportunity to volunteer and to serve. And I always encourage
00:21:28.860the people that I lead to come with a service heart, to come with a heart of honor. You know,
00:21:33.980I think we are all so weary and tired of toxic politics, right?
00:22:00.980And I just, you know, all of us have to decide, number one, we're either going to be in the room or we're not, because it's only going to be the people in the room that have sway.
00:22:08.720And number two, we're going to be that person in the room that contributes to a healthy culture within our political discourse or we're not.
00:22:17.680And so I think those are the two. If we all just did those two basic things, got in the room and then helped contribute to a healthy culture, then we would see change in our nation within short order for sure.
00:22:29.120wow that is so good thank you so much for that perspective and for wrapping up the show on a
00:22:35.320positive note because you know we can sit back and comment on all these political unfoldings but
00:22:42.220until people realize that actually it's up to we the people and decide to get involved ourselves
00:22:49.100and that's where the change really comes from so I love hearing that and Fetine it's been amazing
00:22:55.700to have you on the show. Thank you so much for joining us. This is Fetine Griseci, who has her
00:23:02.840show on Fetine TV, and she is a former Conservative candidate for the House of Commons nominee0.72
00:23:10.060and for the Provincial Legislature in New Brunswick. Fetine, any last words?
00:23:16.880Oh, no, it's just been wonderful to be with you, Jen. This is great. And maybe I'll just
00:23:21.340land it with the words of a very Honorable Albertan, the Honorable Preston Manning. Let's
00:23:27.960just get out there and do something. Sounds great. Yeah, those are those are amazing parting words. So
00:23:34.720thank you to you. Thank you to the Honorable Preston Manning for his insight. I saw that you
00:23:39.580just recently did a segment or four show segment with him. So thank you, Fetine, and all the best
00:23:45.860to you. Thank you, Jen. Thank you for joining us for The Hannaford Show this week. I'm Jen Hodson.