O’Toole flies into the Danger Zone
Erin O’Toole has got a Top Gun type of thing happening lately with his social media campaign to become Conservative leader. On April 28, he posted a picture on both his Twitter and Facebook feeds of his head on a body of someone wearing air-force gear, standing in front of a fighter jet, with a […]
With O’Leary gone, Conservatives dodged a nuclear missile
OTTAWA—Kevin O’Leary, we hardly knew you! Your political career is over in the blink of an eye. You say it is because you were being selfless and putting the interests of the Conservative Party first. Some cynics, me among them, wonder if you were more concerned about the impact of a lost leadership on the […]
Health minister hires new parliamentary affairs director
Health Minister Jane Philpott recently filled a vacancy among her senior staff ranks, hiring Jordan Miller to serve as her new director of parliamentary affairs. Previously, Peter Cleary was parliamentary affairs director to the minister, but he left the Hill early last month and is now a senior consultant at Toronto-based public affairs, policy, and […]
O’Leary supporters have potential to throw Conservative race wide open
MONTREAL—With the Conservative crown slipping from his grasp, Kevin O’Leary settled on becoming kingmaker last week. But will the decision to throw his support to Maxime Bernier do the trick? On that, the evidence is mixed. There is not a Canadian political junkie who does not remember the high drama that attended Stéphane Dion’s upset […]
Why the Conservative membership total blew away insider projections
The Conservative Party blew past estimates from leadership candidates, pollsters, and party insiders by signing up 259,010 members by the March 28 cutoff to vote in the federal party’s leadership race on May 27. Estimates by those close to the race had ranged from 150,000 to 200,000 over the past few months, far below the number of […]
Notoriety, Shark-boy, isn’t same thing as popularity
TORONTO—Dear Kevin: At least Michael Ignatieff moved back here. You know what I mean, Mr. Disembark Tank. You’re Just Leaving. As expected. As planned. As such, I was going to wish you the best in packing for the return to Boston—but we both know you never really unpacked, did you? Ignatieff may have been “just visiting”—but […]
Ontario premier’s resignation not only option
TORONTO—To say Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s leadership is in trouble is an understatement. However, to say that she will lose the next election is premature. The face of success or failure is the face of the leader, but the leader is not necessarily responsible for either. Many times, the problem is with the people behind the […]
Conservatives’ rank and file ‘pissed off’ O’Leary quit, wondering, ‘what the hell are we left with?’
With Kevin O’Leary gone from the Conservative leadership race, there are concerns within the party about the level of star power left and the chances any of the remaining candidates have of winning the next federal election, say insiders. There is still resentment toward heavyweights from the former Stephen Harper cabinet, such as Peter MacKay, […]
O’Leary departure makes things less interesting, but likely for the best
Watching the Conservative leadership race unfold over the next month will not be nearly as interesting now that Kevin O’Leary has quit the race. But as a country, we’re probably better off that this happened. Why? He might have somehow become prime minister. Yes, we agree with Mr. O’Leary’s assessment that he would have had […]
This just in: Parliament Pub set for a comeback after more than two-year hiatus
The Parliament Pub, the patio for which provides the best view of the Parliament Buildings of any Ottawa establishment, is set to reopen during the May long weekend, weather permitting, after being closed since December 2014. It closed due to renovations the federal government—owner of the historic Birks Building at 107 Sparks St., where the […]
