Slogans in this campaign are symbolic of our age
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—Choose Forward. It is time for you to get ahead. Together, they sound like something your mother might have told you before you set off to Grade One. But they are actually the slogans of the two main contending parties in the October election. To be fair, the Conservative Party slogan has subject, object, […]
Leader tours show Liberals eye riding upsets to offset tougher battles out East, experts say
Party leaders’ summer travel itineraries tell a story of politicians who are looking to break ground in ridings historically held by rivals, particularly the Liberals who may be looking to make up for anticipated losses out East, say strategists. “The Liberals have done a good job of setting themselves up for a victory in seats […]
Party’s place in political ecosystem can influence platform rollout, strategists say
The Liberals under Jean Chrétien broke platform ground with the much-vaunted “Red Book,” which inspired copycats for its detailed accounting of the party’s promises. The Stephen Harper Conservatives stuck to a disciplined, five-point platform in the 2006 campaign. Progressive Conservative Doug Ford’s campaign for Ontario premier bucked tradition when he decided not to release a […]
Fearing the Seinfeld election campaign
OTTAWA—Maybe it is the result of being a little bit older or having been in the political arena for a while, but there doesn’t seem to be much excitement in the air heading into the 2019 election. While you now do see lawn signs about and political ads popping up, the energy that usually comes […]
Voters will return politicians to sender if backs turned on rural Canada
Compared to vote-rich urban Canada, rural ridings can seem unappealing to federal candidates. Due to their sparser demographics, they are tougher and more resource-intensive to campaign in. Rural ridings often resist change, sticking to traditional voting patterns (which favour the Conservatives). Priorities and issues for rural residents may differ greatly from their urban counterparts, which […]
Make climate change front and centre in election with a special leaders’ debate
Living in Ottawa, I am beginning to worry that tornadoes are going to become the new norm each year. That every spring we will see more and more residences and buildings damaged by flooding, which will need to be compensated, and tornado alerts serving to caution against the dangers of funnel clouds touching down in […]
Our celebrity prime minister
Nearly four years ago, Justin Trudeau was sworn in as Canada’s 23rd prime minister. He was the second youngest PM, and the first to be elected largely on the basis of celebrity value. Previously employed as a drama teacher and nightclub bouncer, his path to the PMO began in 2007 when he won the Liberal […]
Why spending on public transit is the fix for Canada’s big election issues
Climate change and the rising cost of living in Canada have become defining issues for the upcoming federal election. Recent polls suggest that concerns about the environment and affordability have become top ballot-box issues ahead of the vote. All parties realize that they need to have a robust election platform that focuses on both climate […]
There’s more to this election than SNC-Lavalin
OTTAWA—To listen to much of the news coverage these days, one would think this fall’s election is only about SNC-Lavalin. But in reality national elections are never about one thing, and rarely is there a single ballot question that all voters are agreed upon. SNC, to some, is the biggest scandal to erupt on the […]
Liberal Party completes nominations of incumbent MPs
With Liberal MP Bob Nault’s nomination as an official candidate in the upcoming election, the federal Liberals have completed the nominations of all incumbent MPs seeking re-election. Until last week, Liberal MPs Eva Nassif (Vimy, Que.) and Mr. Nault (Kenora, Ont.) were the only MPs left who had yet to be officially nominated. Mr. Nault […]
