Conservatives have bigger fish to fry than Scheer’s leadership
OTTAWA—Andrew Scheer’s days as leader of the Conservative Party may indeed be numbered. But before the current leader’s head is placed on pitchfork, supporters of the organization would be wise to avoid deluding themselves into believing that getting a new leader is the simple fix the party needs. While it is true Scheer did not […]
‘We’re not 100 per cent sure who’s framing the discussion anymore’: the evolving role of media in election coverage
With social media playing such a significant role in the federal election campaign, it was unclear whether it was political parties or the media who were responsible for framing the elusive “ballot-box question,” media critics say. Carleton journalism professor Paul Adams, who worked for CBC Television, CBC Radio, and in The Globe and Mail’s parliamentary bureau as senior […]
Class of 2019: Parliament’s new crop of MPs
Eight former MPs, five Conservatives, make their return to Parliament in 2019
Eight former MPs who weren’t part of the last Parliament will be making their way back to Ottawa following successful bids in the 2019 election, including five Conservatives, two from the Bloc Québécois, and one from the NDP. Liberal candidates finished second in all eight ridings won by the former MPs across the country. Conservative […]
Trudeau should revamp senior PMO staff, hire a diverse array of ‘Canadians of note,’ say politicos
With a changed political landscape after the election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs a wholesale revamp of his senior staff in the PMO, say some, adding that the prime minister needs a group of “substantial individuals of note” in his inner circle to help him unite the divided country, and facilitate the smooth functioning of […]
Change is happening, and Kenney and Moe can’t escape this reality
TORONTO—The election results were barely in before cries of Western alienation were hitting the airwaves. The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Jason Kenney and Scott Moe, had used the election to wage all-out war against the Trudeau Liberals and, in a narrow sense, they won, capturing all but one seat in the two provinces for […]
Prime Minister Trudeau gets a second chance
HALIFAX—Dear Mr. Prime Minister, Congratulations on your election result; you still rule the roost. I would have said “election victory” except you didn’t have one; as Andrew Coyne put it, you just lost less than the other guys. David Suzuki effectively said the same thing: you didn’t win a mandate, just a plurality of seats. […]
Voted last Monday, in spite of Elections Canada
I voted last Monday, but it wasn’t easy, and it was almost in spite of Elections Canada. I am a senior and disabled and full-time in a wheelchair. I received my voter information card, which gave me only two options: advanced voting, four kilometres away, or election day voting, three kilometres away. Initially, I was surprised to see […]
Liberals about to learn how difficult it is to pursue policy while trying to ensure the trains run on time
OTTAWA—Well that was fun! As the carcass of the 43rd general election continues to be picked over in search of political ammunition or insight, it might be useful to step back and examine what actually happened and what, if anything, it might mean. There is a strong consensus that this election was one of the […]
Who are the 98 new MPs, and how much did they win by?
The Conservative Party elected the most new MPs in last Monday’s federal election, with 43, followed by the Liberal Party’s 24, the Bloc Québécois’ 22, the NDP’s eight, and the Green Party’s federal seat east of B.C., in New Brunswick. Most of the Conservative gains came from riding-rich Ontario, at 13, and British Columbia, where […]
