Inside Politics Blasts CBC Bias, Media Manipulation & Liberal Election Tactics

The latest episode of Inside Politics with Kevin Klein, Jeff Currier, and Royce Koop focused on ethics in Canada’s federal election campaign, media bias, and growing concern over economic policy being sidelined in favour of political theatre.

As early voting ramps up at Elections Canada offices, the trio noted an uptick in political activity and attention. “I’ve never seen so many staff,” said Klein, referencing a nearby Elections Canada site. “People are coming in early to vote. There’s momentum.”

But that momentum, the panel agreed, has been overshadowed by controversy. A Liberal campaign tactic involving planted pro-Trump buttons at a conservative conference has sparked criticism. The buttons, designed to associate Conservatives with American politics, were reportedly placed by Liberal staffers later overheard discussing their actions at a bar near Parliament Hill.

Royce Koop, a political science professor and Winnipeg Sun columnist, called the stunt a “dirty tricks campaign” and said the decision by Liberal leadership to quietly reassign rather than fire those involved shows a lack of accountability. “This kind of sneaky business alienates people from politics,” Koop said. “It’s why good people don’t run for office.”

Currier echoed that sentiment, calling the move “unconscionable.” He said other parties have dropped candidates for far less. “These are the people who want to govern the country and manage your tax dollars,” he said. “And this is the ethical standard they’ve set.”

The panel questioned whether Liberal leader Mark Carney truly leads the party or whether entrenched backroom operatives from the Trudeau era remain in control. “We’re getting the same old Liberal Party,” said Koop. “Carney’s just the new face.”

The conversation then shifted to provincial politics, where Premier Wab Kinew’s comments in the legislature about the ongoing PC leadership race drew attention. Kinew claimed that despite one candidate selling a large number of memberships, the “establishment” would ensure another wins. Koop dismissed Kinew’s remarks as political interference. “It’s none of his business,” he said. “That’s internal party politics.”

Klein and Currier both criticized the state of modern political coverage, arguing that economic issues such as rising debt, the carbon tax, and the size of the federal bureaucracy are being ignored. Klein pointed out that over 110,000 federal bureaucrats have been added under the Trudeau government, and said few are talking about what that means for Canadians’ wallets.

“The media is too focused on sideshows,” said Currier, citing recent questions from CBC reporters as examples of misplaced priorities. He criticized one instance where a journalist asked Pierre Poilievre if Trump could pose a military threat to Canada. “That’s not journalism. That’s a distraction,” he said.

The panel also discussed the CBC’s funding and perceived bias. Koop noted that Carney’s support for increasing CBC funding could influence media coverage. “You can’t ignore that one leader wants to give them $150 million and the other wants to defund them,” he said. “Of course that affects how stories are told.”

Klein clarified that while federal programs such as the Local Journalism Initiative have supported some outlets, they come with strings attached and are ending. “If they want to write us a cheque, fine. But we’re not going to say what they want us to say,” he said.

The hosts closed by reflecting on the broader challenge of sustaining private media in a shifting digital economy and emphasized the importance of government spending its ad dollars locally rather than on U.S.-owned platforms.

The panel plans to reconvene after the English-language leaders’ debate, which they believe could mark a turning point in the campaign.