The Pollcast: The Bernier Bombshell

The Conservatives have a problem on their hands, and his name is Maxime Bernier. But just how much of a negativeimpact he will have on the party's chances in the 2019 federal election remains to be seen.

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On the first day of the Conservatives' policy convention in Halifax last week, Bernier dropped a bombshell when he announced he was leaving the party and would start his own, calling the party he nearly came to lead "intellectually and morally corrupt."

The CBC'sJohn Paul Tasker was in Halifax to cover the convention, and joinsPollcasthost ric Grenier to discuss the fallout of Bernier'sannouncement, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer'sspeech to members and the policy votes and debates that followed.

Jacques Poitras, the CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick, then breaks down the first week of the New Brunswick provincial election campaign, including the introduction of the federal carbon tax issue into the campaign, the cancelling of the French-language leaders' debate and the potential electoral impact of the smaller parties in the race.

Listen to the full discussion above or subscribe to the CBCPollcastand listen to past episodes of the show.

Follow ric Grenier, John Paul Tasker and Jacques Poitrason Twitter.