On March 23, newly minted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called snap elections for April 28, kicking off a 37-day sprint campaign to determine Canada’s future at a critical moment. The race puts incumbent Prime Minister Carney—who assumed leadership of the Liberal Party following Justin Trudeau’s resignation as prime minister—, head-to-head with Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party. Regardless of who comes out on top, the next leader of Canada will inherit a tense relationship with the United States, public pressure at home to revive Canada's economy, and an increasingly fraught global security environment that tests Canada’s sovereignty.
In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Paul Wells, a veteran journalist and author on Canadian politics and public affairs. Together, they discuss the key issues framing this election, the reasons for the Liberal Party's surge in the polls, and how the next Canadian leader will approach an increasingly fraught relationship with the United States.
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27:39
Ecuador's Elections Head to a Runoff
On February 9th, Ecuadorians headed to the polls for the first round of presidential elections. While there was little surprise about who the two frontrunners would be, the results turned out to be much tighter than many polls had predicted. Incumbent President Daniel Noboa led with 44.17 percent, just ahead of Luisa González of the Revolución Ciudadana party who garnered 44 percent. The narrow margin revealed the nation’s deep polarization, setting the stage for a second electoral round on April 13 that promises to be a close showdown.
In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Will Freeman, Fellow for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Together, they discussed the key challenges Ecuador faces in the security and economic space that have defined the race. How both candidates are seeking to appeal to undecided voters, and what the outcome will mean for U.S.-Ecuador relations at a fraught moment in global politics.
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22:45
The End of Arctic Exceptionalism
Climate change and the reduction in sea ice is opening new shipping routes, and making it easier to tap the arctic’s natural resource wealth, especially critical minerals. For Canada, a country where the arctic represents 40 percent of its territory and 75 percent of its coastline, the changing arctic presents new challenges and opportunities. However, Canada’s sovereignty over its vast arctic territory is exercised by only a very small military presence on land and occasionally at sea.
In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Vincent Rigby, senior adviser with the CSIS Americas Program and professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. Together, they discuss Canada's current force posture in the arctic and priorities for bolstering Canadian sovereignty there. They also examine current U.S.-Canada tensions, and how Ottawa can manage these without sacrificing the need for cooperation and interoperability with the United States to tackle threats in and through the arctic.
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33:22
Aid Freezes and Security in the Andes
As one of his first actions in office, U.S. president Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance pending review for alignment with U.S. foreign policy goals. Subsequent moves by the administration, including the aggressive downsizing and de facto elimination of the U.S. Agency for International Development have roiled Washington and resulted in far-reaching implications. Within the Western Hemisphere, the Andean region, particularly Colombia, stands to be one of the areas most impacted by these funding freezes.
In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Elizabeth Dickinson, Senior Analyst for the Andes at Crisis Group. Together, they discuss how the cutoff of U.S. assistance is impacting security and counter-narcotics efforts in Colombia. They also explore the openings that the end of U.S. assistance creates for other powers to enter the security assistance space, particularly the European Union and China.
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25:48
Consistency, Change, and Crisis in Haiti
Gunfire on Haitian airports and an assault on the largest public hospital show that even the country’s critical infrastructure is not immune to gang violence. Massacres in November and December, claiming over 350 lives, prompted many aid organizations to pull up stakes. While the announcement of elections scheduled for mid-November this year sparked a glimmer of hope, past postponements, the deepening security crisis and the suspension of U.S. assistance to the Multinational Security Support Mission, cast doubts on whether they will ever materialize.
In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Georges Fauriol, Senior Associate with the CSIS Americas Program and fellow with the Caribbean Policy Consortium. Together, they discuss recent political developments with the Haitian provisional government, and the future of the embattled MSS force. They also explore how the Trump administration will approach Haiti policy and the question of international security assistance.
The CSIS Americas Program podcast looks at the politics and policies of the 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere. It especially focuses on U.S. engagement with the region, whether on trade, diplomacy, or security issues like drugs and terrorism. Guests include top policymakers from the U.S. and other countries.
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