Digital ads the story of election 2019 budgets, say campaign vets
A shift towards even more digital advertising is the most likely change to the way the parties will spend their money during this fall’s election campaign, say veterans of previous campaigns with the Liberals, Conservatives, and NDP. “I suspect digital is going to become more and more the battleground. That’s where more campaigns should be […]
Campaigning ‘from the front’ will test Liberal strategists
The senior Liberal strategists running the governing party’s re-election campaign made history in 2015 by bringing the party from third to first place, but the test for the same team now is if they can defend the government’s four-year record and get their party re-elected with a second mandate on Oct. 21. “The 2015 campaign […]
More parties, more polls, and voter ‘malaise’: tracking 2019 trickier, pollsters say
With more parties in the mix, voter ‘malaise,’ and a tight race among the top-two, pollsters are bringing new approaches to 2019 as they try to keep up with trends during a breakneck 40-day campaign they say will be more challenging than the last one. With six parties to consider and the Liberals and Conservatives […]
Small team working to help realize People’s Party’s big ambitions this fall
People’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier and his team have been busy in the year since forming the new party and committing to run candidates in all 338 federal ridings this fall. Campaign preparations, led by executive director Johanne Mennie, have happened alongside other work required to get the new party up and running. “It’s the […]
Shining a light on projects affecting the environment: do we get a choice?
OTTAWA—The environment will be a major issue this October. But one example access-to-information records reveal is how infrastructure funds and the chance of increased government revenues can predetermine the outcome when there is no real public transparency or input. Access-to-information records indicated that Parks Canada had put forward a business case to spend more than […]
Familiar faces fill NDP campaign team, led by Jennifer Howard
The NDP has struggled to recover its pre-2015 strength in the years since the last election, but it’s heading into the fall campaign with an experienced team of strategist and organizers at its back. It’s been suggested that goal No. 1 for the party and its new leader, Jagmeet Singh, this election is simply hanging […]
Hill haunt Parliament Pub to shutter at end of September
The Parliament Pub, once a hotspot for MPs, Senators, lobbyists, and staffers alike, will close at the end of September, its owner says. “I’m sad to see it go,” said Janaki Mody, who bought the pub in 2013. “It’s time to start a new chapter.” Ms. Mody bought the restaurant in 2013 from then-owner Stanley […]
Elections, media, and the politics of politics
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that the federal election is officially underway, we can all sit back and watch the Canadian media’s fascination with the politics of politics go into overdrive. What do I mean by the “politics of politics?” Well, what I mean is, journalists, pundits, columnists all have a tendency to focus on the fun stuff […]
Globe appears to be on campaign to keep SNC-Lavalin story alive
OTTAWA—The Justin Trudeau campaign plane being hit by the media bus could be a metaphor for his campaign. Or not. It depends on the success of what appears to be a campaign by The Globe and Mail to keep the SNC-Lavalin story on the front page. The first two official days of the race have been dominated […]
Parties’ promises cover health, economy, immigration with campaign underway
Most of the big parties’ platforms are still under wraps in the early days of the election campaign, but the leaders have already made a series of commitments on issues ranging from immigration to climate change during the past four years. In this election, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is eyeing a second term in office […]
