Dippers are dipping, at precisely the wrong time
TORONTO—The NDP seems to be losing. How come? By the time you read this, their barrage of anti-Trudeau attack ads may have put them back in contention. And perhaps Thomas Mulcair had a good showing in that final French-language debate, and he clobbered Stephen Harper. And maybe the party has figured out a way to […]
Conservatives offer small-ball policy, big-fear Islamophobia
OTTAWA—If there was one day on the campaign trail that captures the Conservative Party’s election strategy, it was the day Stephen Harper announced a new tax credit for single and widowed seniors worth no more than $25 a month. This small-ball announcement came on the same day as the government lost its appeal of a […]
Angry Tom’s back, and he’s not going down without a fight
OTTAWA—Angry Tom is back. And the New Democrat leader is not going to go down without a fight. So after vowing never to use negative advertising, he has unleashed his ire on an unlikely target, his rival on the left. Thomas Mulcair started off on this campaign refusing to even mention the name Justin Trudeau. […]
Political leaders need to be real
OAKVILLE, ONT.—As I watch the federal election slowly unfold the thought has occurred to me that every major political party leader in this race needs the same bit of advice. And because I’m a poetic guy, I’d put that advice to them in classy Shakespearean prose, i.e. “To thine own self be true.” (Please note: […]
Bring back national, televised leaders’ debates
When Prime Minister Stephen Harper pulled out of the consortium-controlled televised debates, it was a bit of a shocker. But then it got exciting. His move forced new approaches and created new options. However, now that all five televised debates have happened, it’s also been a lost opportunity. Of all the debates, including Maclean’s, The […]
Conservatives could lose more than one Ottawa-area riding on Oct. 19
With only two weeks left in the Oct. 19 voting day, Conservatives could lose more than one Ottawa-area riding that they have been winning since 2006, say some Ottawa Conservative insiders but others dismiss this assessment saying they are confident their party will win all the ridings they currently hold in the Ottawa region. “It’s […]
Parties play with dynamite to break electoral logjam
TORONTO—Over eight weeks of debates, trials and advertising, Canada’s three major parties have been locked in an electoral logjam. Each party enjoys its own pockets of support but none has been within reach of a majority. With the finish line in sight, parties desperate for an advantage are now playing with explosive issues. In this […]
Liberals eyeing Eglinton-Lawrence, riding Finance minister says has ‘symbolic value’
EGLINTON-LAWRENCE, ONT.—It’s raining in Eglinton-Lawrence and Marco Mendicino is practising his Italian. The Liberal candidate trying to take down Finance Minister Joe Oliver in the Toronto riding is making his way through the Casa Del Zotto seniors’ apartments, floor by floor, knocking on doors adorned with crucifixes and Pope Francis photos and hologram Madonnas. “Ciao […]
‘Will your leader commit to participating in consortium-run nationally televised debates if elected to government?’
Cory Hann Conservative strategist “As I said some weeks ago, the Conservative Party believes having more debates in a variety of formats is a good thing. That’s why we committed to doing up to five debates total in this election—a record number in modern Canadian political history. “All the debates were streamed online, and available […]
Politics This Morning Election 2015: Debate number five gets underway
Good Friday morning! It’s the end of week nine of the 11-week election campaign, and it’s another debate day. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe will square off for a final time in Montreal for the TVA-hosted French-language debate. Green Party Leader Elizabeth […]
