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SHIFTHEADS: The Airport Deal Ottawa Killed To Save One Toronto Seat
Description
Canada has eight days before new US tariffs land, and the response so far raises hard questions. Columnist Matt Gurney breaks apart what a real climb down would look like, and why one Toronto by-election says more about Ottawa's nerve than any trade speech has.
He points to the federal government's decision to pull a planned island airport expansion rather than risk losing a single downtown Toronto seat in a by-election the Liberals were expected to win anyway. For Matt, that decision draws a clear line around how much this government will risk, in Toronto or in Washington.
Matt also lays out the more sympathetic read: that Mark Carney is playing a longer game, buying Canada time to rebuild strength lost over a generation. Both sides of that argument are on the table, along with a clear-eyed read on what happens if Ottawa runs out of room before the deadline hits.
Topics: US tariffs, Mark Carney, Beaches-East York by-election, Liberal Party, Toronto island airport
GUEST: Matt Gurney | The Line | Substack | @mattgurney
Originally aired on 2026-08-11