It’s Canada’s first billion-dollar election
The 2015 election will be Canada’s first billion-dollar election. The average election is five weeks and is usually estimated to cost taxpayers $400-million to $475-million, but this election is the longest since 1872 at 11 weeks and could see expenditures go over a billion dollars. Make no mistake about it; it will cost the taxpayers, […]
Elections campaigns matter, especially this one
Prime Minister Stephen Harper walked out of Rideau Hall last Sunday morning, up to the podium, and announced the start of the longest election campaign since 1872, also the costliest, and possibly the dirtiest. Mr. Harper, who is campaigning on the economy and security, didn’t appear to be too excited about the 11-week election campaign, […]
It’s Mulcair vs. the Senate
OTTAWA—Tom Mulcair recently said that if he becomes Prime Minister after the Oct. 19, 2015, general election, he would appoint no Senators while he negotiates with the provinces to amend the Constitution to abolish the Senate. That’s certainly a clear and succinct statement of the NDP position. It reminds me, however, of the old riddle […]
Five factors to watch for in this election
TORONTO—Campaign length: Much has been made at the outset about the historically long 79-day writ period. In the 1960s and 1970s the average election (there were eight of them) was 61 days. While this campaign is extra long by recent standards, with more than one-third of it in the vacation-filled month of August, the extended […]
More debates, more May, would be good for democracy
GATINEAU, QUE.—Elizabeth May is right about (at least) two things in the wake of last Thursday night’s stimulating first debate of the 2015 campaign. The Green Party leader says we need more debates on important, but under-scrutinized issues (like pharmacare, social policy, missing and murdered aboriginal women and inequality) before Oct. 19. Second, she believes […]
Politics This Morning Election 2015: The morning after: no knock-out punches in TV debates; tracking nominated candidates across Canada
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was under attack during most of last night’s TV leaders’ debate from NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, overall, performed well. He was strong and confident. Mr. Mulcair sounded good, but came across at times as a bit too scripted and stiff. […]
Liberals expect to spend maximum limit, ‘fully-funded campaign’: Goodale
PARLIAMENT HILL—The Liberal Party, trailing third place in public opinion polls, says it is confident it will have the money to spend the national campaign expense maximum of $54.5-million for the Oct. 19 federal election—more than double the limit for party spending on the much shorter 2011 election—despite claims the long campaign and subsequent […]
Politics This Morning Election 2015: From Toronto, it’s show time tonight. First televised leaders’ debates, gloves off
Good Thursday morning. All the party leaders are hunkering down in Toronto for tonight’s first televised leaders’ debate, hosted by Maclean’s Paul Wells who recently told The Hill Times that he’s been brushing up on his big role in part by watching old Canadian and American televised leaders’ debates for pace and approach. Nice touch. We’re […]
Five factors to watch for in this election
TORONTO—Campaign length: Much has been made at the outset about the historically long 79-day writ period. In the 1960s and 1970s the average election (there were eight of them) was 61 days. While this campaign is extra long by recent standards, with more than one-third of it in the vacation-filled month of August, the extended […]
Politics This Morning Election 2015: Record number of open seats in election campaign, 85
Good Wednesday morning to you, Day 4 of the longest federal election campaign since 1872. Launched by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at Rideau Hall on Sunday, Aug. 2, it will also be one of the costliest. Elections Canada expects it costs $375-million to run a typical 37-day campaign, but it could cost as much as […]
