Top job of new Conservative leader to keep progressive, social conservatives united: Tories
The next leader of the Conservative Party will have to address frustrations between the social conservatives and progressive conservatives who have been holding their noses for years and to keep the party united, say Conservatives. “That’s pivotal. The party has always been a coalition. It’s been a coalition between the West and the East, it’s […]
Lots of challenges and opportunities for political players this year
OTTAWA—Having avoided the standard year-end retrospective, primarily because I was late to the keyboard and all the good “sunny days” and “honeymoon” analogies were already taken, I have decided to cast my mind forward and look at what I would like to see the coming year hold and some of the challenges and opportunities for […]
Trudeau government taking right approach with Trump
Whatever misgivings you might have about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government’s performance, he should be given credit for taking a non-partisan, unemotional approach to Donald Trump becoming president of the United States. His judgment on the Aga Khan trip and his flip-flopping on whether the oilsands are forever have not been Mr. Trudeau’s […]
Opposition parties meet, plan House offensive in shadow of leadership races
While the New Democrats and Conservatives huddle together to map out strategy and party positions for the upcoming session of Parliament, the respective leadership races and the future direction of the parties loom large overhead. But caucus chairs say they’ve been here before, and aren’t worried about being able to separate parliamentary business from the […]
O’Leary instructed his team not to respond to Raitt’s attack
Kevin O’Leary instructed his campaign team not to respond to attacks from other leadership candidates, such as Lisa Raitt’s anti-O’Leary website, his campaign chair says. A few days into the new year, Ms. Raitt (Milton, Ont.) held an Ottawa press conference at which she announced a new website: StopKevinOLeary.com, and decried Mr. O’Leary for representing “irresponsible populism” […]
Conservative leadership race: who’s supporting whom
Chris Alexander Yuri Shymko former Progressive Conservative MP and Ontario PC MPP Alexandra Day former Conservative staffer Paul Egli former Conservative nomination candidate Maxime Bernier Dan Albas Conservative MP Alupa Clarke Conservative MP Tony Clement Conservative MP Jacques Gourde Conservative MP Tom Kmiec Conservative MP Alex Nuttall Conservative MP Len Webber Conservative MP, former […]
Trump changed the game for Trudeau, but the heavy lifting is just beginning
MONTREAL—Stéphane Dion was the first Canadian political casualty of the Donald Trump era. Significant parts of Justin Trudeau’s agenda could yet be next. Dion’s removal from his foreign affairs cabinet post was the central piece of this month’s cabinet shuffle. Trump’s inauguration provided a rationale for precipitating the former Liberal leader’s political retirement and replacing […]
Leitch’s immigrant-screening ideas won’t work, are impractical
Kellie Leitch prominently features McMaster University sociology professor Vic Satzewich’s book, Points of Entry: How Canada’s Visa Officers Decide Who Gets In, on the website devoted to her run for Conservative leadership. She also brought the book on stage and held it up for the cameras during a debate among leadership contenders last November. Mr. […]
Blaney campaign managed by long-time aide, former Harper PMO assistant
Long-time aide Pierre-Luc Jean is helping run Quebec Conservative MP Steven Blaney’s bid for Conservative leadership as campaign manager, but other details of who’s working behind the scenes are few, with Mr. Jean saying he instead wants to focus “on delivering results.” “Let the others spin about their campaign. Our campaign is doing well, and […]
With Trump and O’Leary, it could be a few long, painful years
OTTAWA—It could be a few long, painful years in North American politics with United States President Donald Trump and potential Conservative leader Kevin O’Leary. While it is quite possible they may have positive effects on their respective countries, their abrasive in-your-face style of communicating could wear thin pretty quickly. It has already for me, but […]
