Power & Politics Weekly Wrap: A new era of Liberal-Conservative co-operation?
Feb 14, 2026
Laura Stone, Globe and Mail reporter offering on-the-ground political analysis; Rachael Segal, former Harper policy director and Conservative strategist; Carleen Varion, ex-chief of staff to Liberal ministers and parliamentary expert. They unpack signs of Liberal-Conservative cooperation to avoid gridlock. They also discuss cross-party reactions to tariff rows, a court-ordered by-election and national responses to a mass shooting.
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Pragmatic Cross-Party Cooperation
- Conservatives and Liberals are informally cooperating to pass non-controversial legislation while avoiding an election.
- This creates short-term stability but not a formal coalition, and tight votes remain risky for the Liberals.
Why Parties Lean Toward Cooperation
- Both avoiding an election and public desire for Parliament to work drive cooperation between parties.
- The Liberals still face anxious tight votes because they're a few seats short of a majority.
Policy Convergence And Execution Focus
- The policy differences between Liberals and Conservatives are narrowing, shifting disputes toward execution.
- Cooperation may be short- to medium-term as both parties weigh political risk of an election.