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What Canadians Want Next: Navigator Discover’s Post-Election Priority Pulse

The ballots are counted, the commentary is fading, and now the spotlight shifts to governing. Within 48 hours of the April 28 result, Discover—Navigator’s research arm—surveyed 1,500 Canadians to capture a fresh, data-rich picture of what voters expect from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first year in office.

Inside this report you’ll find:

  • Economic urgency laid bare – cost of living, jobs, and fiscal discipline dominate a crowded wish-list.
  • Cabinet-clean-slate sentiment – seven in ten Canadians want a brand-new front bench.
  • Cross-party common ground – despite stark divides, Liberals and Conservatives share four of their top five priorities.
  • A wary eye south of the border – tariffs, Trump, and trade realignment shape Canada’s next moves.
  • Confidence—and caution—about the road ahead – where optimism runs high, and where anxieties still simmer.

Whether you advise government, business, or civil society, this forward-looking deep dive reveals the levers that will matter most in the months ahead. Download the full report below—and if you need to translate these insights into strategy, the Discover and Navigator teams are only a conversation away.

Self-inflicted mistakes drain a government’s credibility. The Liberals just made two

When the boss promotes you, trusts you with a new, important file, it’s a good idea to stay on message. Reinforce the mandate. Show people why you deserved the nod.

Those are the dictates of received wisdom.

But then there is the inconvenience of reality.

Earlier this week, Gregor Robertson, the newly minted Housing Minister, told reporters he didn’t believe housing prices should go down. Not to be outdone, Steven Guilbeault explained to Western Canada that the country doesn’t need more pipelines right now. Both, predictably, drew media attention and public ire.

But the real and enduring problem for Prime Minister Mark Carney is not just that these statements directly contradict promises he made on the campaign trail — to bring down home prices and build greater energy infrastructure. Nor is it that, in this case, the political “rookie mistake” card is unplayable. Robertson was Mayor of Vancouver for a decade. Guilbeault is a cabinet veteran, and no stranger to statements that inflame Western Canada and its energy sector.

The real, more insidious issue for the Prime Minister is what these statements represent: the temptation to be distracted from the very mission that got them elected in the first place.

There’s a classic axiom in politics: most failures aren’t assassinations — they’re suicides.

And the weeks and months that follow an election are when governments are most prone to scoring on their own net. These are the kind of self-inflicted mistakes that drain a government’s credibility. The kind that comes back to bite you the next time voters head to the polls.

But crucially, these missteps almost always stem from the same source: a fundamental misreading of why you were elected — and what voters expected you to deliver.

It’s a strange and dangerous irony of politics that just when your mandate should be at its sharpest — fresh off a campaign — the temptation to misinterpret it is at its peak. The tunnel vision of the election clears and suddenly ministers begin seeing their new roles not as extensions of the public will, but as blank canvases for their personal agendas.

It is the leader’s job — above all — to arrest that drift. To enforce clarity. To instill message discipline. And to continually remind every member of their cabinet and caucus why they’re sitting on the government side of the House of Commons — and not wandering in the political wilderness.

In this election, Canadian voters were exceptionally clear on what they wanted: Mark Carney to take on Donald Trump. A decisive turn from the Trudeau years. Real answers on productivity, competitiveness, and growth.

For the new Prime Minister, the assignment couldn’t be clearer — or less forgiving. Because Canadian voters have left no margin for error. This is a relatively thin mandate. And to preserve it, Carney must not only stick to the plan — but communicate an unrelenting focus on delivering it.

So, here’s the bottom line. The biggest risk to Carney isn’t the opposition benches — it’s the risk of losing the plot. It’s misunderstanding the very assignment he was elected to complete. Of forgetting, too soon, what voters actually asked for.

A lot of commentators have described the challenge of this government as a balancing act. But that’s the wrong metaphor — because it’s the wrong message.

For Carney, this is no time for finesse. Voters didn’t ask for acrobatics — they asked for action.

That’s the test in the short term and that’s the test that will define him the next time Canadians cast their votes.

A Balancing Act: Ontario’s 2025 Budget

Coming out of a consequential election with a supermajority, the Conservatives’ Budget 2025 is a product of its time—protecting Ontario against U.S. tariffs and global economic uncertainty threatening Ontario businesses, workers, and investments, even if it makes balancing the budget an uphill battle for 2027-28. More than a defensive posture, the budget declares Ontario open for business and willing to spend for it.

Projected to exceed fall forecasts by nearly tenfold, the budget is expected to yield a $14.6 billion deficit in the 2025-26 fiscal year. The budget deficit outlines a path to balance over the next three years.

Despite running a deficit, the Ford government maintains that a strong economy is the only way to boost government revenue. The government projects the measures announced in the budget will boost Ontario’s GDP by $200 billion and make Canada the most competitive G7 country.

Unprecedented investments in infrastructure, including energy, critical minerals, and transit projects, account for $33 billion in spending in 2025-26. Spending in Budget 2025 will help build Ontario highways, hospitals, mines and a tunnel under the 401. In his address to the legislature, Ontario Finance Minister, Peter Bethlenfalvy, said cutting taxes and investing in the economy would boost future revenues for social services.

You can find our full analysis of the budget below. For more analysis, or support engaging government on any of the budget announcements, contact your Navigator team or reach out at info@navltd.com.

What the three federal parties must do next to succeed

“The past is a nice place to visit. You just wouldn’t want to live there.”

In the wake of a gruelling campaign, the problem is, too many political parties unpack their bags and take up residence.

My advice? Keep the trip as short as possible.

The real challenge for political parties isn’t figuring out what went right or wrong. That part’s easy. What’s hard is summoning the discipline to move on from the over-analysis, post-mortems, and endless internal score-settling.

Because if there is one thing that should be clear to all parties it’s that they are not going to find answers for the road ahead by staring in the rearview mirror.

With that in mind, let’s examine three federal parties: where they find themselves now, and what they must do next to succeed.

The NDP: Down, but not out

I don’t think there’s even room left on the bandwagon to be critical of their performance in this election. So, I won’t hop on. But I will say this: those who think a two-horse race between the Liberals and Conservatives will become a permanent fixture are dead wrong. Three essential points.

First, all it takes is one election to turn it around.

In 2015, Justin Trudeau took the federal Liberals from third place and just 36 seats to a commanding majority. Provincially, Bob Rae steered the Ontario NDP from the wilderness to a majority in 1990, and Rachel Notley took Alberta’s NDP from just four seats to a majority government, also in 2015.

Yes, rebuilding after defeat takes time. But it needn’t take a generation.

Second, Canadians are used to multi-party choice. The NDP brand has deep and durable roots. They’ve come back before. They can do it again.

Third, with a strong new leader, everything can change. After his national performance in response to the Trump tariff crisis, Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew looks like the perfect fit for the federal leadership role. Charismatic. Pragmatic. Principled. He could be the all-star the party is waiting for.

The Conservatives: Where’s the ceiling?

My belief in a possible NDP resurgence perfectly defines the problem for the Conservative party.

While the media spotlight is fixated on Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, the real story, the Conservative’s path to victory, has gone overlooked.

To their credit, the Conservatives made impressive gains this cycle by pulling in working-class voters — many disaffected former NDP supporters. That’s a big win — and a sign of momentum.

But if the NDP rebounds — as history suggests they will — the path to a Conservative government narrows dramatically. It hurts the Liberals, yes. But it hurts the Conservatives too, because they don’t have the option of governing with the NDP in a coalition or confidence agreement.

In other words: the ceiling gets lower, fast.

So where do they go? They can’t pivot further right. There are simply no more votes there.

They can’t easily reclaim the centre either, as Carney has commandeered many of their policy positions on fiscal and energy matters.

While this is a dilemma with no perfect answer, the fact remains this new Liberal government is shaky. Its mandate is thin. Its challenges are massive. Translation: the Conservatives will have every opportunity to pounce on a government that has a short leash with Canadians. They need not redefine who they are but only add nuance to their policy pledges to allow more voters to see them as a viable option to govern in these challenging times.

The Liberals: Power on a tightrope

If you thought the Conservatives had a steep climb, look at the terrain ahead for Prime Minister Mark Carney. He’s inherited an enormous policy to-do list — without the majority to make it happen efficiently.

And while his focus must be on Trump, he can’t fully confront the American threat until he delivers at home. Only by advancing his domestic agenda — on trade, growth, and productivity — can Canada begin to rebalance the power dynamic with Washington.

Two of the biggest political mountains Carney must now scale: First, interprovincial trade. He’s promised to dismantle internal trade barriers by Canada Day.

There’s a reason no one has succeeded before. It will require national unity, real sacrifice, and backroom political skill. Provinces will need to compromise, and Carney will need to orchestrate it all flawlessly.

Second, Alberta separatism. It’s rearing its head again — at the worst possible time. Carney must move swiftly to address the legitimate grievances of Western Canadians. But he also needs to confront Premier Danielle Smith directly, and decisively.

Raised in Edmonton, Carney has the personal credibility to make that case. But he must do so with clarity, empathy, and unwavering resolve.

No party has emerged from this election with a clear and easy path forward. This country will need courage, focus, and creativity more than ever.

Let’s hope every party — whether in government or opposition — is ready to deliver.

What Mark Carney needs to do at home before facing Trump in Washington

It doesn’t matter your political persuasion. Tuesday morning, Canada did not get the headline it very much needed.

That headline would have trumpeted an expression of firm resolve and electoral clarity. It would have been supported by the usual language of triumph: “decisive victory,” “clear mandate,” “stable majority.”

Pick your phrase. But almost anything would have been better than what we got.

A country divided. A mandate diluted. A political leash far too short at a moment we need full stride.

Of course, the people have spoken and there’s no arguing with that. But now Prime Minister Mark Carney must make do with it — and transform it into something bolder and more workable than it appears.

Because what matters, first, is how that headline is interpreted by one man: Donald Trump.

At first glance, it might seem easy to overstate the importance of majority rule when facing the orange menace to the south.

Sure, it matters to Carney’s ability to govern and the stability of his rule.

But to Trump? A man who probably doesn’t know the difference between the House of Commons and House of Cards — is he really going to parse the nuances of a Westminster minority?

Of course not.

But here’s the difference he does understand: strength vs. weakness.

Trump not only knows something about that — that’s all he really cares about. And more importantly, he knows how to skilfully exploit weakness. And that means Carney must fight like hell to wash off its scent — and do it fast.

In an ideal world, before he sits across the table from Trump to negotiate on behalf of our sovereignty and prosperity, he needs to negotiate a deal here at home — to ensure he shows up with a united front and a functioning government.

Why? You don’t enter a heavyweight title match with your gloves half-laced.

Given the signals the two will meet as early as next week, there won’t be time for that, which only means that Carney will need every bit of his own negotiating skills to get what he needs from that meeting.

And, of course, it’s not just about foreign policy. Carney’s ambitious domestic agenda — on housing, energy, trade, productivity — depends on more than bold vision. It requires a functioning Parliament. Without one, the whole platform is just a pamphlet.

That’s why the next step demands ruthless political calculation.

The good news? He has options.

The bad news? None are easy.

But he has to try.

Let’s take a look — ranked from most effective to least feasible.

1. Convince NDP MPs to cross the floor

It’s unlikely, I’m told. In the style of a last stand, those who remain are true believers.

But politics is full of improbable deals. And the pitch to NDP MPs is simple and could be effective:

Door one — sit against the curtains in lonely opposition, stripped of official party status, wielding marginal leverage in a hostile House.

Door two — cross the floor, join the government, and be rewarded. Committee posts. Cabinet slots. A starring role in a moment of national challenge. Sacrifice the purity of ideology for country.

2. Offer the NDP official party status in exchange for a supply-and-confidence agreement

Not a majority. Not forever.

But a workable governing arrangement to shore up confidence and provide political cover.

3. Name a non-Liberal speaker

In short, a Liberal speaker reduces the government’s voting bloc to 168, meaning Carney would need support from four opposition MPs to pass legislation. But if the speaker comes from outside Liberal ranks, the government holds 169 votes — needing only three.

4. Build pragmatic, issue-by-issue alliances

Unstable, complex, and far from ideal — but sometimes, political longevity is about buying time. Carney may need to pursue legislative wins through tactical co-operation with the Bloc, independents, or dissenting voices in other parties.

He must also be ruthlessly pragmatic with Western MPs of all affiliations — recognizing that many will pose the fiercest opposition to elements of his agenda. On files with potential cross-partisan appeal, he’ll need to think less like a partisan and more like a dealmaker by looking at the individual interests of MPs.

A minority government isn’t just unstable — it’s dangerous in the current climate.

Trump reads weakness like a headline and sees it as an invitation.

This isn’t politics as usual. It’s power politics.

And Canada not only requires strength — it must project it.

Now.