Facing pressure from supporters of the Green Party led by Elizabeth May, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh suffered a blow in New Brunswick last week, with eight former provincial candidates publicly supporting the Greens. Observers say it’s likely to be a ‘boost’ for the Green Party’s standing, though not enough to win seats. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
NDP defection gives Greens ‘boost’ in New Brunswick, but it’s still an ‘uphill battle’
The NDP needs to do a better job differentiating from the Greens, says interim NDP provincial leader Mackenzie Thomason. 'That is on us.'
‘They simply ran out the clock,’ says PSAC, as feds, union fail to reach deal before election
But a spokesperson for Treasury Board president Joyce Murray says the government continued to demonstrate its commitment to negotiating in good faith in last week’s talks with the union.Trudeau triggers federal election call amid shadow of SNC-Lavalin affair
In seeking to contrast his party with the Conservatives, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaned on familiar attacks, invoking the spectre of the Harper government’s decade in office and the unpopular Ford government.Politics This Morning
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Parties take on phone bills, internet prices in election platforms
The Liberals and NDP have said price caps might be the answer, while Conservative MP Dan Albas said that would ‘knee cap’ investment.Senators Christmas, Black, Doyle top spring spending in Red Chamber
Spending in the last quarter climbed to $1.6-million from $1.4-million over the same period a year ago, according to the latest disclosures. Money scandals irk Canadians more, but ethics a grey area, says UVic Prof. Bryden
‘Canadians do tend to be, when it comes to these matters of morality, less morally traditional,’ agreed Concordia University’s Nick Ruderman.Assad’s grip on power hampers Canadian humanitarian assistance to Syria, say experts
Two senior Syrian-focused Canadian diplomats recently left their posts, and Syrian observers say there has to be a realization that the war is nearly over and the Assad government will maintain its control. It’s on: Trudeau to formally kick off federal election Wednesday, 41-day campaign begins
Though the economy typically weighs heavily on voters' mind, this campaign could see the environment as a major ballot box issue.‘Choose your poison’: that’s the ballot question for most Canadians in Oct. 21 federal election, says pollster Nanos
But pollster Frank Graves says the upcoming election will be about a choice between the Liberal vision of an ‘more open Canada’ and the Conservative Party’s vision of a ‘more ordered type of Canada.’ Either way, he says, the country is divided and there's no outcome that will make most Canadians happy.‘NDP in serious difficulty,’ Greens could win more seats than NDP; and Grits and Conservatives poised for a ‘quite ugly, bare knuckles fight,’ says pollster Graves
Pollster Nik Nanos says he's not sure if they will outperform the New Democrats in a number of seats. Facing pressure from supporters of the Green Party led by Elizabeth May, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh suffered a blow in New Brunswick last week, with eight former provincial candidates publicly supporting the Greens. Observers say it’s likely to be a ‘boost’ for the Green Party’s standing, though not enough to win seats. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
NDP defection gives Greens ‘boost’ in New Brunswick, but it’s still an ‘uphill battle’
The NDP needs to do a better job differentiating from the Greens, says interim NDP provincial leader Mackenzie Thomason. 'That is on us.'
The myth and opportunity of the Indigenous vote
It’s time we all demand that political platforms give attention to these systems in desperate need of change, so that Indigenous peoples need not fear the systems purported to help them. We need something better than televised leadership debates, we need content
Politics is chess, not checkers. If the public is to be well-served, it will have to better informed. A good place to start would be to modernize the way the networks conduct public debates during an election.The nasty primal subtext of Liberal attacks
When trying to gauge the true power and intent of a political communication strategy, sometimes you need to look past the words which are spoken and focus instead on the message’s subtext.
Liberals passing the buck on weapons ban
If the Liberal government truly believes that the legal availability of assault weapons puts the public at risk, then why not enact measures that are available to them right now, while they are still in power?Trudeau’s legislative record unlikely to motivate voters in the fall, with a few exceptions: pollsters
Many achievements and blunders enshrined in legislation are ancient history in the minds of voters, who cast their ballots based on the next thing you can do for them, say politicos and pollsters.Will the Senate respect democracy and First Nations rights?
Three important pieces of legislation sit in the Senate today, subject to the whim of a small group of Senators, which is a gross undermining of the democratic process.
U.S. co-operation needed to put end to trade friction with China
No egg stays intact under an overturned nest. The world must say ‘No’ to unilateral protectionism and trade bullying by the U.S.The empire strikes back
Deeply unpopular at home, Turkey's strongman has a new plan to appeal to his critics: he’s going to move a million Kurds away from Turkey’s southern frontier with Syria, and replace them with a million Arabs.With drug plan, Trump tosses another nasty, disingenuous grenade into U.S.-Canada relations
Any extension of drug buying here by Americans beyond what is currently allowed for limited personal use would quickly turn the current drug shortage problem in Canada into an emergency.
Tale as old as time: Liberal ethics breach proves politics still about comforting the comfortable
The SNC-Lavalin affair is about a political system that is rife for abuse, and those responsible for the recent abuses are seeking re-election on a platform of open and transparent government. Last chance to lobby MPs sees June numbers shrink, with influencers eyeing the campaign season
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business led in groups lobbying MPs as June’s 1,446 reported communications halved the total reported in May.Majority of Canadians may support TMX, but the project remains an electoral risk for Liberals: pollsters
It’s up to the prime minister to decide if he ‘wants to go into the next election arresting Indigenous communities and leaders,’ says the Squamish Nation council’s Dustin Rivers.
New deputy ministers at helm of immigration, innovation, health, environment
Former public service commissioner says preparatory work needed in government before an election 'best led by a deputy minister,' and that governments tend to avoid major appointments once writ is dropped.
#SheTheNorth: Politicos catch Bianca Andreescu fever
Plus, a possible smaller party debate, and Murray Sinclair is awarded Red Cross' Manitoba Humanitarian of the Year award.
Egging him on: chicken-suited protesters mock Trudeau for not attending two of five debates
Plus, the 'first ever' gathering of Ottawa-based Black journalists, and iconic Canadian historian Desmond Morton dies.
Beating the pods: Peter Mansbridge, Kevin Newman launch podcasts
Plus, Justin Trudeau goes another round with Hasan Minhaj, and Political Man makes his return as Omar Alghabra prepares for re-election bid. PMO Ontario desk among handful of recent staff exits from top office
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen has also seen a couple of staffers from his policy unit exit in recent weeks. Qatar hoping Canadian locale pays off for spot on Montreal-based UN aviation body
Countries like Qatar are vying for one of 36 spots on the International Civil Aviation Organization council for a three-year term. Canada is also looking to keep its seat, but won't say who is getting its support.
Canadian soldiers shouldn’t be props in controversial commemoration
The Aug. 21 dedication of a Ukrainian monument shouldn’t be given the appearance of official sanction by having Canadian soldiers commemorate those who collaborated with Hitler’s Nazis.
Climate change action top priority for universities and colleges in 2020 budget
Universities and colleges see infrastructure and research as key ways they can tackle climate change.
When excellence meets equity: re-imagining research chairs
The research chairs remain important, but they are merely one element of the country’s expanding ecosystem for knowledge creation and dissemination.
Canadian government needs to have a more unified China strategy across all domains including innovation and research direction
This is an opportunity for the Canadian government to take a page out of the Chinese playbook and increase its involvement in order to secure innovation leadership and economic growth.Canada’s universities and colleges are navigating challenges created by China
Each collaboration should be assessed carefully for benefits to Canada, risks to our IP, and the safety of our researchers and students in China.Annual Features
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Politics This Morning: Off to the races
Three of the four major party leaders are hitting the debate stage in Toronto tonight. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is passing on the chance to spar with the others, and will instead participate in three other scheduled debates.
Greenpeace doesn’t need to invent new technology to save us from climate change. Alternatives to oil, gas, and coal already exist. Wind and solar energy are cheaper and more scalable than they’ve ever been.
Having a big-name ally in China should open doors for Canada. We can presume Dominic Barton has the intelligence and the wisdom to ensure Canada’s interests are well served. 
Without sharp, critical coverage of the leaders and their campaigns—including having real access to them—Canadians don’t have a shot of being properly informed, or being motivated to vote at all.
The NDP's decline and the Conservatives' piling up of votes in their strongholds has the Liberal Party in a strong position to protect or even add seats in the election, writes pollster Greg Lyle. 
For policy makers, it is essential that interventions that are applied with the goal of suicide prevention be known to do just that—prevent suicide. 
The implementation of Bill 21 is a lawful attempt to create a permanent minority underclass whose disenfranchisement begins economically, but will continue into the political realm.Parties take on phone bills, internet prices in election platforms
The Liberals and NDP have said price caps might be the answer, while Conservative MP Dan Albas said that would ‘knee cap’ investment.Thunberg presents climate emergency with freshness and force, as if we hear of it for the first time
Greta Thunberg's speeches are collected in this book, No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference, her first in English, at age 15 and 16, and like other great leaders, she denies she’s up to the task history has set her. 
Politics This Morning
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Ex-staffers to ministers Hajdu, Carr hit the campaign trail
For one, Jeff Kovalik-Plouffe recently left International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr’s Ottawa office to take over as the MP’s 2019 campaign manager.Political aides exit offices of ministers Freeland, Carr
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is down a deputy director, while Trade Minister Jim Carr is down a press secretary.From where she stands: Jody Wilson-Raybould to launch new book at the Ottawa Writers Festival
Plus, Japan's Princess Takamado visits the Supreme Court, and a team of NDP staffers wins fifth consecutive Parliament Hill softball league pennant. Harper, Scheer, Baird, and MacKay to top speakers list at Deepak Obhrai memorial
Plus, Thomas Mulcair seems to think he is a member of the media, and Canada shuffles four diplomats. Public servants, feds inch closer to contracts with tentative agreements before election
The Public Service Alliance of Canada remains at an impasse with the federal government however, with national president Chris Aylward saying they won’t take an ‘inferior’ deal just to get it done before the election. SAP Canada pitches NextGen plan to standardize human resources processes
When processes are 'standardized, the collective input into a payroll system becomes a lot simpler,' says Robert Conlin, SAP Canada's vice-president of the public sector.U.S. Embassy brings bayou to Bytown for Fourth of July
Though U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft was in Calgary, the U.S. Embassy's Fourth of July party was still filled with food and fun. Hill media descend on 24 Sussex for annual garden party
The prime minister opened up his backyard for one last shindig before politicians and journalists gear up for what's going to be a busy summer. Exile-turned-envoy says Lesotho’s success means attracting investors
Ralechate Lincoln Mokose returned to diplomacy in 2017 after more than a decade in politics. New Indonesian envoy wants Canada to ‘expand horizons’ with ASEAN free trade deal
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations began exploratory trade agreements talks with Canada in 2017, but giving it more attention is a challenge, says Abdul Kadir Jailani.Trio of party leaders to face off in Toronto for first leaders debate on Sept. 12, Trudeau sits it out
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Leader Elizabeth May have confirmed their attendance in the Macleans/Citytv leaders debate on Sept. 12 in Toronto. The event begins at 8 p.m. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, head to Rideau Hall to ask the governor general to dissolve Parliament for the general election. 
Comedian Rick Mercer and then-Reform Party MP Deb Grey, pictured in the late 1990s on Parliament Hill doing a shoot for CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes, which Mr. Mercer hosted at the time. The Hill Times photograph by Terry McDonald 
