The Paikin Podcast World on Edge: How Canada Survives in the “Time of Monsters”
14 snips
Feb 12, 2026 
Janice Stein, founding director of the Munk School and international-relations expert, and Stephen Marche, author and social commentator, discuss why the United States may pose the greatest threat to democracy today. They debate U.S. unpredictability versus China and Russia. They examine Canadian resilience planning, economic and tech decoupling, U.S. interference, and the risks of escalating political chaos.
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Retreats Can Embed Gains
- Marche contends Trump's retreats are strategic retrenchments, not full reversals of his agenda.
- He says small concessions can still embed authoritarian gains into institutions.
Canada Saw It First
- Marche says Canada saw America's authoritarian slide before other countries and therefore has early warning.
- He frames Canada's dual position as most vulnerable but also most aware.
Use Variable-Geometry Coalitions
- Janice Stein urges Canada to build flexible, issue-based coalitions rather than rely on broad EU-wide action.
- She suggests picking partners and moving quickly on targeted priorities like Arctic cooperation.
