Poilievre wins Conservative leadership with commanding 68.1 per cent of the points on first ballot, pledges focus on pocketbook issues; party promises unity, downplays division
Seeking to rebuild a Conservative Party that has been relegated to the opposition benches in three straight federal elections, Pierre Poilievre convincingly won the Tory leadership race on Saturday night with a commanding 68.15 per cent of the points on the first ballot. A member of the Conservative caucus since 2004, Poilievre (Carleton, Ont.) was […]
Skating down the middle: Centre Ice Canadians look to ‘take action’ despite trope of ‘malleable’ centrists, with name change as first step
Organizers of the newly renamed Centre Ice Canadians say they will be raising issues that have not been a focus for “any political party with any type of vigour,” as they push back against the idea of centrists being “malleable” or not prone to action. The first step came with the group’s recent rebranding, replacing […]
The sad plight of classical Liberals
OAKVILLE, ONT.—I’d like to tell you a sad tale about a beleaguered political faction. It’s a faction no political party seems to care about it; it’s a faction no political party seems to want. The people who make up this unwanted faction are sometimes referred to as “classical liberals.” Maybe you’ve heard of them, since […]
A user’s guide for what comes after the Tory leadership race
OTTAWA—The six-month-long Conservative leadership race, barring some unforeseen circumstance, ends this weekend. This time next week, they will have their third “permanent” leader in three years. Losing professional hockey coaches have had longer tenures than recent CPC leaders. Will the new leader break the streak of short-termism and hang on for a while? The clock […]
Conservative cohesion is only the first step
On Saturday, Sept. 10, the Conservative Party of Canada will have a new leader. This race has been nasty, brutish, and not-so short, and the post-election tone shift will be interesting to watch. From the moment former leader Erin O’Toole was ejected by caucus as head of the Conservative Party, there has been talk of […]
‘Small army’ on hand to ensure no repeat of 2020 Tory leader vote-counting drama
With the deadline to return Conservative leadership race ballots now passed, the main challenge will be ensuring those hard-fought votes get counted in time for Saturday’s coronation—without a repeat of the 2020 snafu. The Conservatives will announce the final tabulation on Sept. 10, at the Shaw Centre in downtown Ottawa, with event programming beginning at […]
Politics This Morning: Deadline for Conservative leadership ballots arrives
Good Tuesday morning, Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU released a statement Sunday expressing shock and devastation at the series of stabbings by two suspects in Saskatchewan that left at least 10 people dead and many more injured. Saskatchewan RCMP said yesterday that the attacks had happened over 13 locations in James Smith Cree Nation and a […]
A landslide victory for Poilievre can unite the Conservative Party
Buckle up: federal politics is about to get a lot more interesting. For us regular House of Commons and all-things-Ottawa followers, September normally shakes us out of our summer hours and into the throws of revived political theatre, and that slightly less humid back-to-work reality. And this year, the next few weeks will not disappoint. […]
A Poilievre Conservative leadership would be a test: is love really stronger than hate?
CHELSEA, QUE.—Here’s some “plain language” for the presumptive Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who has announced that all government communication must be comprehensible and direct should he become prime minister: less hate, more compassion. There is no question Poilievre has struck a deep vein of discontent as he’s campaigned, drawing unprecedented crowds across western Canada and […]
The secret to Tory unity
OAKVILLE, ONT.—To some, the ongoing Conservative Party leadership contest seems less like a race and more like a burning fuse. Indeed, the way certain political observers see it, when the race finally reaches its endpoint, and a new leader is selected, it’ll spark an ideological explosion that’ll rip the Conservative Party asunder. I don’t think […]
