Stories by Abbas Rana
Conservatives, NDP dealing with internal feuds, upbeat Trudeau Liberals ‘excited’ for fall sitting
Liberals MPs were briefed by party officials and Liberal Research Bureau staffers about polling numbers, fundraising, strategy, and nominations in held and unheld ridings.
NDP MP Georgina Jolibois says she’s surprised the Liberals are hoping to win her riding, as she's heard that constituents are satisfied with her work as an MP.
The report landed on day two of the Liberal caucus retreat in Saskatoon, the annual gathering that serves as a venue for backbenchers to draw attention to issues constituents have been raising and to get briefed on minis
The summer caucus retreat ‘really brings MPs from across the country together and we get to share our concerns, look for allies on different issues,’ says Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux.
'What are the Liberals and the Conservatives afraid of?' says NDP MP Jenny Kwan.
‘The role of the [riding] association is not to focus on the MP’s interests, but rather to promote and protect the interests of the membership,’ says newly-elected riding association president Guillaume Tétrault.
'The 1993 election and the 2015 elections were the two most wonderful elections from a Liberal Party candidate’s point of view,’ say veteran Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Wayne Easter.
Faith leaders speculated that ‘the next logical step’ for the government is to revoke the charity status of faith groups that don’t hold the same values as the Justin Trudeau government.Author
'Norm! You want to come against me? Come and get it my boy,’ says former eight-term Liberal MP Karygiannis.
The House of Commons is refusing to say if there will be any penalties for Darshan Kang after and a legal panel recently 'affirmed' that he had violated the House's harassment rules.
Challenger Patrick Brown has 'unfinished business' with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, says Brampton incumbent mayor Linda Jeffrey, whom Mr. Brown described as a 'life-long Liberal.'
The survey is a good first step, say Liberal Hill staffers, but it remains to be seen if the PMO will take concrete action based on what it tells them about the concerns of staffers. 
Heated debate between the feds and provinces is expected to 'bubble up' in the coming months, and Dominic LeBlanc is the Liberals' best bet to lead the federal side, says Prof. Donald Savoie. 
'The opportunity is real, but the capacity to take advantage of it is what’s in question,' says former Liberal MP Joe Jordan. 
One of the key aspects of the cabinet shuffle to watch in the coming months would be how cabinet ministers with shared responsibilities resolve contentious issues, says former Ontario cabinet minister John Milloy.
If PM Trudeau does not provide a ‘full explanation’ to his caucus, Liberal MPs will question him at the Liberal caucus retreat Sept. 11-13 in Saskatoon, says a Liberal MP.
Liberal staffers got an email from the deputy whip outlining the help available to them. Conservative staffers didn't even get that. 
'I've had an inbox full of messages from victims saying, 'What do I do now? Because I'm really worried that the tide is turning back,' says Kathleen Finlay, CEO of the Centre for Patient Protection.
Clive Veroni, a Toronto-based author and expert on marketing and brand positioning, said the carefully-crafted Trudeau brand as a feminist has been damaged by the groping allegation.
‘If you were going to shuffle prior to a fall 2019 election, summer 2018 is probably a wise time to do it,’ says Greg MacEachern, a senior vice president at Proof Strategies.
'The key thing is it all comes down to ego. All these people have some of the biggest egos in the country,' said one Conservative staffer.
Five candidates so far are seeking the Conservative nomination in Calgary Centre, and more are expected to enter the race. 
Former PC leader Patrick Brown is also pondering running to be the chair, which would make the Peel region race one of the most watched municipal elections in the province.
The Progressive Conservatives won 40 seats and the NDP 19 seats in the June 7 provincial election that were held by the provincial Liberals previously.
Paul Wernick, son of PCO clerk Michael Wernick and EA to rookie Liberal MP Francis Drouin, says staffers and MPs shouldn't be drinking away their stress, but should be embracing an overall healthier Hill workplace.
Voters will become 'a little bit more choosy' about how they support the federal Liberals if the Canada-U.S. trade spat begins to hit their pocketbooks, says Independent Senator Paul Massicotte. 
Businesswoman and former federal cabinet minister Belinda Stronach denies she is considering a run for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership.
If Independent MP Darshan Kang were not allowed to return to the Liberal caucus, former Trudeau adviser Jessie Chahal would likely seek the Liberal nomination in Calgary Skyview.
To win in 2019, the federal Liberals need to pay more attention to the middle class, and be seen to be paying more attention to them, says pollster Greg Lyle.
It’s ‘important’ that NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has a seat in the House, but ‘not essential,’ says NDP MP Don Davies.
Divided Liberals lets Conservative motion pass in the Public Accounts Committee to invite PCO clerk Wernick appear to discuss AG’s report on Phoenix
However, pollster Greg Lyle says although Thursday's election results will be a good indicator of where parties might find success in 2019, the dynamic will be totally different.
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