Politics is a vicious business
Politics is a vicious business. A petition to dump Erin O’Toole is already circulating and you don’t even have to be a party member to sign. Who can forget how ignominiously the New Democrats disposed of leader Thomas Mulcair after he took them so close to power that they could taste it? Perhaps the Tories […]
Canada’s first openly two-spirit candidate is elected to Parliament
Blake Desjarlais has become Canada’s first openly two-spirit MP, after winning the seat for Edmonton-Griesbach, Alta., for the NDP with 40.5 per cent of the vote. The newcomer and Alberta’s only Indigenous MP, Mr. Desjarlais took the seat from incumbent Conservative candidate Kerry Diotte, who was close behind with 37.1 per cent of the vote. “I’m […]
Look again: this election could be transformational
CHELSEA, QUE.—Last week’s election may, in retrospect, look far from inconsequential; it may even look momentous, notwithstanding the absence of a radical shift in seats. If it produces an affordable national child care program, for example—and that work is well underway—families, especially women, (along with the economy) will benefit far into the future. True, that […]
Signs point to mid-October return for Parliament, full agenda for government
Reviving old bills, delivering on election promises, and facing down a financial reckoning will likely keep the government busy when Parliament returns, which could come on the week of Oct. 18. The date of Parliament’s return is ultimately up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.). Several signals point to a quick return to the […]
Politics This Morning: Liberal Louis re-elected in Kitchener; recount expected in Manitoba race between Liberal, Conservative candidates
Good Friday morning, There were a number of tight races this election, delaying the official call of some contests into Sept. 23—including in Kitchener-Conestoga, Ont., where Liberal incumbent Tim Louis was finally declared the winner, having bested his Conservative challenger by 528 votes. Closest of all was the Manitoba riding of Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingly, where a recount is […]
With slight seat gain, NDP has potential to hold ‘balance of power’ in new Parliament
Despite “disappointing” results in the election, the New Democrats have an opportunity in the new Parliament to push the other parties to enact progressive policies that would benefit Canadians, say strategists. “What’s most important about this election outcome is the fact that the NDP holds the balance of power in a Parliament, that is led […]
Don’t count on parliamentary progress after this scattershot election outcome
OTTAWA—Canadians should demand their newly-elected Members of Parliament take to heart the obvious result of Monday’s election—that voters favour a mixed power dynamic in Ottawa that encourages modulated government action based on input from the opposition parties. Allied with this is the need for compromise to bring forward what, in theory at least, are policies […]
Election has neutralized Liberals’ opponents, Trudeau could do big things
OTTAWA—In April 2013, days after Justin Trudeau became leader of the Liberal Party he spoke at an event to mark the 50th anniversary of Lester B. Pearson taking office (full disclosure, hosted by the Pearson Centre). Interestingly, Trudeau said that if he were fortunate enough to be prime minister he hoped he would be able […]
Having an election that changes nothing is not such a bad outcome after all
TORONTO—What, if anything, has changed? Immediate media reaction to the federal election result is divided. Those who count the seats won and lost see the status quo. Those concerned with the tone and tenor of our politics fear the election has left the country more divided than ever. Is it possible that the election changed […]
Politics This Morning: O’Toole on the hot seat with Tories just days after election; Green-turned-Liberal MP Atwin wins in Fredericton
Good Thursday morning, As the federal election campaign recedes into the background, party leaders, staffers, bureaucrats—and of course the newly-elected and incumbent MPs that will comprise Canada’s 44th Parliament—are all busy getting their bearings after a short but often intense election campaign. There are constituency and Parliament Hill offices to be set up for the […]
