Faced with nomination challenges, five-term Conservative MP Tilson ‘undecided’ if he will run in 2019
Faced with two nomination challenges, Ontario Conservative MP David Tilson says he’s still undecided if he will seek re-election in 2019, but denies that the challenges are the reason why he may choose not to run next time. “I haven’t made up my mind, I don’t know yet,” said Mr. Tilson (Dufferin-Caledon, Ont.) in an […]
Conservatives raise nearly $19-million in 2017; biggest haul of any recognized party
The federal Conservatives outmuscled their rivals in the race for crucial fundraising dollars in all four quarters of 2017, attracting $719,000 more in donations than the governing Liberals in the last three months alone, newly released statistics from Elections Canada show. The Tories posted their best fundraising period of the year in the fourth quarter […]
Tories face tricky path to power
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s year may be off to a rough start. Two national polls published back to back this week suggest the official opposition’s fall offensive in the House of Commons has failed to make a lasting dent in the Liberal armour. A Mainstreet Research poll based on a sample of 3,890 respondents showed […]
Nasty fights erupt between some incumbent Conservative MPs and challengers, while two Tories decide not to run again
Two Conservative MPs, who were facing nomination challenges, recently announced they won’t seek re-election in 2019, and nasty fights are erupting between some incumbent MPs and their challengers. Moe Amery, a former Progressive Conservative Alberta MLA, who is running for the nomination against Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai (Calgary Forest Lawn, Alta.), described the seven-term MP […]
Handful of new staff hires to Conservative leader Scheer’s team
Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer has hired a handful of new aides to help support the work of his official opposition caucus on the Hill, including a new digital media liaison, Morgan Swan. Ms. Swan joined the Official Opposition Leader’s Office (OLO) earlier this month, after spending the last stretch of 2017 doing public affairs […]
As Conservatives huddle in Victoria, Kellie Leitch announces her exit
Former cabinet minister Kellie Leitch stole the early thunder at the national Conservative caucus meetings in Victoria on Wednesday, announcing she will not seek re-election in 2019, months after mounting an unsuccessful bid to win the party leadership. Ms. Leitch (Simcoe-Grey, Ont.) confirmed to reporters that she would not seek a third term in the […]
Conservatives have limited strategy options
OAKVILLE, ONT.—“They came at us, in the same old style,” is how the Duke of Wellington famously described the French tactics at the Battle of Waterloo. And that tactic reminds me a bit of Canada’s Conservative Party, since, like the French at Waterloo, it keeps attacking the Liberals in the same old style. What I […]
Seven Conservative MPs face divisive nomination challenges, party denies it’s behind the move
Seven Conservative MPs are facing nomination challenges for the 2019 election, but there is widespread speculation the party’s leadership is behind at least some of those challenges, which the party strongly denies. “There were some OLO staffers last fall who were overheard musing about the need to organize challenges against a handful of incumbent MPs, […]
Hold the last rites, Scheer’s got a pulse
OTTAWA—Compared to our southern neighbours, we are blessed these days to have predictable patterns in our national politics. One of those familiar routines is to have columnists and others write the obituary of the opposition leader of the day. If the Conservatives lead the official Opposition, it is almost certain such pronouncements will appear not […]
Conservatives willing to fight for NAFTA abroad, but Trudeau needs to prove he has a plan at home
The following is an edited excerpt from remarks Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer delivered to the Mississauga Board of Trade on Jan. 12. Negotiations over the future of NAFTA are still underway. And they’re not going well. The government is signaling they expect the U.S. to try to pull out of the deal. We have […]
