The consequences of Islamophobic Conservative policies are coming home to roost
OTTAWA—There is a direct line from the political and policy responses following 9/11 to the murder of the Afzaal-Salman family; there is a cause and effect when politicians spread state-sanctioned hate through policies and the rhetoric required to sell them to the public. It is at this point of reckoning that Canada once again learns […]
Placating words can’t sweep away Canada’s rampant gendered Islamophobia
Watching Canadian politicians offer condolences and perform acts of solidarity in the wake of the Islamophobic terrorist attack in London, Ont., has been gut-wrenching. And not just because 91 Canadian MPs voted against motion M-103 to condemn Islamophobia in 2017, or that Canada’s foreign policy continues to uphold instability and genocide in the Middle East. […]
The allure of foreign consultants
OAKVILLE, ONT.—It’s interesting how the hiring practices of Canada’s Conservative Party always seem to generate news. Or more specifically, the media’s interest tends to get piqued whenever Conservatives hire foreign political consultants. For instance, I saw a headline recently proclaiming, “Erin O’Toole has hired the U.K. consultants who helped Boris Johnson win.” Another, related, headline […]
Conservatives haven’t learned from Republican Party’s self-destruction
As the world watches in horror, the Republican Party is destroying itself, and maybe even the country, with its partisan embrace of the Big Lie—and the Big Liar, Donald Trump. The signs are everywhere. Congressional idiots like Marjorie Taylor Greene compared wearing a mask during the Covid-19 pandemic to the horrors that Jews faced in […]
Erin O’Toole is alienating thousands of Muslim Conservative Party members
A robust commitment to inclusion by the Conservative Party during its last leadership election succeeded in swelling its ranks. Among these new supporters are thousands of Muslim Canadians who welcomed Erin O’Toole’s message of hope, change, and a commitment to do better than his predecessors. Unfortunately, he now risks losing much of this ground as […]
O’Toole’s Quebec quandary
OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Conservative Party of Canada must be experiencing a disturbing case of déjà vu. I say that because, just like in times of yore, Quebec is rattling its nationalistic sabre, demanding the right to unilaterally amend the constitution to enshrine its status as a nation and its official language as French. This is a […]
Conservatives plot contingency plan for candidate nominations in case of a snap federal election
With ongoing speculation about a snap general election coming in the next few months, the Conservative Party’s national council recently passed a new rule that allows the party’s executive director, in consultation with the national council, to “alter, abridge or suspend any section or sections of the rules as they see fit” to ensure all […]
Conservatives have a serious problem, and it’s Erin O’Toole
Since Aug. 24, 2020, the Conservative Party of Canada has faced a serious problem. The problem, unfortunately for Erin O’Toole, is Erin O’Toole. Since O’Toole was chosen leader of the Conservatives, polling for the former chopper navigator has nosedived like a helicopter free falling out of the sky. Research indicates there is an urgency for […]
Thousands of expiring Conservative Party memberships this month throwing a wrench in nominations, say Conservatives
The thousands of Conservative Party memberships expiring this month are adding another layer of complexity in the nomination process as candidates are already facing an uphill battle to sign up new members in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, say Conservatives. “Everything’s more difficult in a pandemic, door-to-door knocking efforts to try to get support for the […]
O’Toole’s leadership election win strategy a lesson for all politicians of how not to do politics
Erin O’Toole’s come-from-behind victory in last year’s leadership election was a surprise for most, especially for the front-runner, Peter MacKay, and his supporters. When the leadership election process began, it looked like a coronation for Stephen Harper’s senior minister but, as the race progressed over the coming months, things started to change. Mr. O’Toole branding […]
