Trade Talks Collapse, A Deal Signed in Pencil & Five MLAs Walk Out on the BC Conservatives | UnSpun Ep. 335

Here is what is inside of Episode 335 of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck:The Trade Talks Blow Up: A week ago the US president was already selling it to his farmers. Then Carney picked up the phone and called everyone home. George and Jody on what actually happened and why nobody should be surprised.Signed in Pencil: Trump tore up NAFTA, negotiated CUSMA himself, called it the greatest deal ever, then shredded it with the ink still on the page. So what exactly would a new signature be worth?The Distraction Theory: Greenland, Venezuela, the Kennedy Center naming fight. Jody makes the case that the trade war is the shiny object keeping the news cycle off everything else.Gavin Newsom Does the Canadian Media Tour: CTV, CBC, Global, the full rounds. Rosemary Barton presses him on the obvious: Biden never removed Trump's first round of tariffs, so why would a Democratic White House remove these? His answer is the part Canadians need to hear.Tariffs Are the New Normal: George on why the US keeps reaching for tariff revenue. No appetite for income tax, no national sales tax, and a debt they cannot service. Free trade was the historical exception, not the rule.What Was Actually on the Table: Reports that Ottawa would have had to clear future trade deals with a joint board, plus first right of refusal on our minerals and potash. Hell no, says Jody.Turning Off the Taps: Winter is coming, the northeastern US runs on Ontario and Quebec power, and middle America needs our potash. Jody asks whether we would ever use it. George says weaponizing it would be a mistake.Seafood Gets a Backtrack: Tariffs on fish and seafood pulled back the morning of taping. Somebody did the math, and on both coasts that math matters.Grants, Loans and the 75% Wage Backstop: George worries subsidies blunt the very leverage the tariffs are meant to create. Jody's counter: the 75% wage coverage for a laid off Canadian worker does not exist south of the border, and that is the difference.Loblaws Puts the Canada Signs Back: The backlash worked. Read your labels, buy local, and the elbows up thing is still on us.The BC Conservatives Are Coming Apart: Down to 32 seats. Five MLAs gone in 12 days: Teresa Wat, Brennan Day, Rosalyn Bird, Peter Milobar and Ian Paton. Stated reasons: lost confidence in the leader's judgment, ethics and conduct.George's Prediction: Watch for 20: At roughly 20 departures the math flips. That is when they have the numbers to either finish Kerry-Lynne Findlay or fund a new party, and she loses official opposition status and the money that comes with it. At two a week, he puts that as early as October.The Leaked Audio: Jas Johal posts a phone call. Somebody talks about holding fundraisers, getting in there and pillaging, and not leaving without half a million dollars. Jody has watched it several times and it still curls her toes.There Are Still Good People Running: George's counterweight to the cynicism: this Vancouver civic election has a deep bench on every side. And a reminder most voters never get, you do not have to fill out the whole ballot. Vote only for the people you actually believe in.Helmcken, Yaletown and a Snap Election: The NDP walks back the overdose provention consumption site in a swing riding. George reads that as polling, and thinks Eby calls an election as early as November. If he were advising, he would say next week.Follow Jody: @jodyvanceFollow George: @george_affleck sitkamedia.ca