Megan Basham

Yeah, a wild election for control of the prime minister's office will be decided today. And like you mentioned, in many ways, the defining issue of this race has been Donald Trump. The election has hinged on which party Canadians feel will stand up to Trump best. To that point, 39% of Canadians now say Donald Trump was their top concern this election. That is second behind only the cost of living.

In the winter, it looked like Pierre Palliev's Conservative Party would cruise to victory. But acting Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party has been surging in the polls. And in large part, it's due to his promise to fight Donald Trump. To give you an idea of that message, here is his closing statement to supporters this weekend.

In the winter, it looked like Pierre Palliev's Conservative Party would cruise to victory. But acting Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party has been surging in the polls. And in large part, it's due to his promise to fight Donald Trump. To give you an idea of that message, here is his closing statement to supporters this weekend.

For his part, conservative Pierre Polyev has taken more subtle jabs at Trump and instead chosen to focus on combating mass migration and reversing liberal Trudeau-era economic policies. But the polls are tight. This looks like a toss-up. You can bet the White House is going to be watching these results very closely tonight.

For his part, conservative Pierre Polyev has taken more subtle jabs at Trump and instead chosen to focus on combating mass migration and reversing liberal Trudeau-era economic policies. But the polls are tight. This looks like a toss-up. You can bet the White House is going to be watching these results very closely tonight.

Well, I'll tell you, Georgia, Rubio is not being shy in billing this as an aggressive reform plan. In a department-wide email, he called the State Department bloated and beholden to a radical political ideology. And he said that because of this, he aims to reduce the agency's U.S.-based staff by 15%. and cut the number of offices from 734 to 602. That's a 17% reduction.

Well, I'll tell you, Georgia, Rubio is not being shy in billing this as an aggressive reform plan. In a department-wide email, he called the State Department bloated and beholden to a radical political ideology. And he said that because of this, he aims to reduce the agency's U.S.-based staff by 15%. and cut the number of offices from 734 to 602. That's a 17% reduction.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce addressed the cuts in a press conference on Tuesday.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce addressed the cuts in a press conference on Tuesday.

Now, there's also one addition in this plan. Rubio proposes a new Bureau of Emerging Threats, and that's going to focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. As far as implementation goes, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau said an internal working group is going to develop thoughtful plans by July 1st. But we do want to note that there are some hurdles here.

Now, there's also one addition in this plan. Rubio proposes a new Bureau of Emerging Threats, and that's going to focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. As far as implementation goes, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau said an internal working group is going to develop thoughtful plans by July 1st. But we do want to note that there are some hurdles here.

Some of these changes may require congressional approval. And a preliminary budget proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget that bolsters Rubio's plan by cutting the State Department's funding by 15%, well, that isn't likely to pass Congress. Hmm.

Some of these changes may require congressional approval. And a preliminary budget proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget that bolsters Rubio's plan by cutting the State Department's funding by 15%, well, that isn't likely to pass Congress. Hmm.

Yeah, we do. Primarily it's offices like the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, which Rubio has criticized for promoting left wing agendas in countries like Poland and Hungary. Specifically, he's argued that they advanced LGBTQ and gender-related initiatives, often undermining the democratic will of more conservative people in those countries.

Yeah, we do. Primarily it's offices like the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, which Rubio has criticized for promoting left wing agendas in countries like Poland and Hungary. Specifically, he's argued that they advanced LGBTQ and gender-related initiatives, often undermining the democratic will of more conservative people in those countries.

And he's also targeting the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. There, he's arguing that it funneled taxpayer dollars to NGOs that facilitated mass migration, including at the U.S. southern border. Rubio said in a new State Department substack that these bureaus have been misused to push policies misaligned with national priorities.

And he's also targeting the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. There, he's arguing that it funneled taxpayer dollars to NGOs that facilitated mass migration, including at the U.S. southern border. Rubio said in a new State Department substack that these bureaus have been misused to push policies misaligned with national priorities.

And he says that for the sake of efficiency, the goal is to refocus diplomacy on greater power competition and consolidate those region-specific functions of the embassies into regional bureaus.

And he says that for the sake of efficiency, the goal is to refocus diplomacy on greater power competition and consolidate those region-specific functions of the embassies into regional bureaus.

And all of this, you have to say, is very much in line with President Trump's America First foreign policy vision in that it follows the administration's efforts to downsize these federal agencies and keep resources in the U.S.