Conservatives can’t worry about media criticism as it holds Liberals to account
OAKVILLE, ONT.—I’m no constitutional expert, but I’m pretty certain that under our system of parliamentary government, the main job of an opposition party is, you know, to “oppose.” After all, it’s called “opposition party,” not “go along to get along party,” right? So its odd to see how Canada’s main opposition party—A.K.A. the Conservative Party—has […]
Fantino joins Deepak Obhrai Tory leadership campaign, to focus on minorities, immigrant communities
Calgary Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai has rounded up support from former veterans affairs minister and one-time Toronto police chief Julian Fantino, and two other former Toronto-area MPs who began life in Canada as immigrants, as Mr. Obhrai’s underdog campaign for the Conservative party leadership gets underway. It appears one of Mr. Obhrai’s (Calgary Forest Lawn, […]
Out of touch and out of gas: where are post-Harper Conservatives headed?
OTTAWA—I always thought Preston Manning was done as champion of the restive western-driven Reform party the day he changed his mind and decided to move into Stornoway, the official opposition leader’s residence. Manning had previously said the modest mansion in upscale Rockcliffe Park should be turned into a bingo hall to raise money to pay […]
Tory ‘missing’ Trudeau campaign misses the mark
OTTAWA—For some of us of a certain age we remember the Ottawa Sun “Sunshine Boy.” The Sunshine Boy tended to be a well-built and photogenic local guy who took his shirt off for a little bit of attention in the local paper. It seems Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is emulating that attention-seeking on a national […]
Elizabeth May’s dilemma
GATINEAU, QUE.—It is easy to understand Elizabeth May’s ambivalence about continuing to lead the Green Party. The motion passed at a recent party convention to impose trade sanctions on Israel is mischievous, at worst, and unhelpful at best. Leaving aside the poisoned politics of the BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) movement, the interminable war between […]
On the edge of a new world: Canada’s clean energy future
Canada is at a crossroads on clean energy. Last year was officially the hottest year on record. There is growing global recognition of the urgent need to take action on climate change, just as the costs of clean energy technology are falling. As a result, renewable energy is having a moment. For the first time ever, […]
Bernier, Clement lead declared Conservative candidates in survey, but more would prefer someone else
Conservative MP Maxime Bernier has a narrow edge over Conservative MP Tony Clement among declared candidates in the Conservative leadership race, according to a new survey, though the same poll indicates a greater number of Canadians are undecided or waiting for another candidate to come forward. A phone survey of 1,345 Canadians by Forum Research, […]
Harper’s hand-picked National Energy Board panel risks public confidence in pipeline approval process
In the dying days of his government, Stephen Harper went to considerable lengths to ensure that the National Energy Board panel—tasked with vetting the controversial Energy East pipeline—be made up of commissioners hand-picked by the Conservatives, regardless of the election outcome. In the months prior to the election call, Harper reappointed to various boards and […]
Poll finds support for PM Trudeau’s preferred electoral system—if it means winner elected with majority support
A new public opinion poll indicates the ranked-ballot electoral system Prime Minister Justin Trudeau favours to replace Canada’s so-called first-past-the-post system of electing federal governments has the approval of only a third of Canadians—until they are told that under the system “the winning party is always elected with the support of the majority.” The unusual Forum […]
Minister takes in Rio Olympics, PM soaks up sun and media attention while vacationing in Tofino
The Canadian government is being represented at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics by a federal minister intimately familiar with the competition. Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities Carla Qualtrough (Delta, B.C.) travelled to Brazil this week to cheer on Canadian athletes participating in the global sporting extravaganza. Ms. Qualtrough, who has been visually impaired since birth, […]
