Lessons learned from a nasty, unpredictable campaign
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—Anyone who has worked in government or international organizations knows the drill: once an event is over or a crisis has passed, there is a call for “lessons learned” in a formal post-mortem exercise, or through memoranda, identifying failures or omissions. Invariably, such undertakings focus on failure, because success means few lessons, even less […]
McKenna may be moved to new cabinet role after four years implementing Grits’ climate policies, say politicos
After winning re-election in Ottawa Centre, Ont., on Oct. 21, Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna could be in line for a new cabinet post after four years on the divisive file, say politicos. “I will do whatever role I’m asked to do,” Ms. McKenna told The Hill Times in an interview on Oct. […]
Foreign policy, defence left in the cold by political wannabes
OTTAWA—Right down to the wire in the 2019 federal election, no political leader offered up a vision on Canada’s role on the world stage. At no point in the campaign did any party issue specific statements regarding their position on defence or foreign affairs issues. In his successful run in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau […]
‘They went with what they knew’: Politicos react to Election 43
Politicos across the country tuned in closely to watch the results of the 43rd federal election roll in on Oct. 21, and reactions among the election night watch party crowd in Ottawa were certainly mixed, from those who thought Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defied the odds, to those who thought he “blew” his chance […]
This just in: Canadians get carpal tunnel from handwringing over unsurprising domestic divisions
OTTAWA—Well, at least the Liberals had the decency to legalize weed for this toxic election. I’m not here to spit hot fire about how marginalized communities were used as political meat, oscillating between the barbecues of the Conservatives and the Liberals. We were used for political marketing, and for window dressing, yet none of the […]
Nearly 100 new MPs offer new face of Parliament, including 60 in flipped seats
Eight former MPs, seven lawyers, five farmers, two Olympic athletes, a financial adviser, a musician, and an actor are all among the 98 new MPs headed to the Hill this fall. Two-thirds of that group helped change the face of the new Parliament, flipping the ridings in their party’s favour during the Oct. 21 election […]
Public service union heads express relief, optimism over Liberal minority win
The new Liberal minority government is an outcome that the Public Service Alliance of Canada can “certainly live with,” says the union’s national president Chris Aylward, while fellow union leader Debi Daviau says she hopes the government is willing to “reciprocate” the support it received during the campaign. During the campaign, PSAC, the country’s largest […]
Rise of advance voting raising questions about impact on, and of, campaigns: experts
Election after election, the use of advance voting in Canada has steadily increased, with roughly one-quarter of electors having locked in their votes with a week still to go in this year’s campaign, and it’s raising questions about the potential impacts of this shift. “The increase in advance polling, to me, is raising questions about […]
Election campaign a grim foreshadowing of the non-reconciliation to come
Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country can do for you. This bastardization of a famous quote by U.S. president John F. Kennedy kind of sums up the past few weeks on the campaign trail. The front-running Liberal and Conservative parties purported to be pushing a message of helping […]
‘A clear mandate’: Trudeau wins second term, with voters handing Liberals a minority
MONTREAL—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was re-elected with a minority government, squeaking out a narrow, humbling victory in a tight and divisive election that subjected Canadians to fear tactics, dirty tricks, and misinformation like never before. Mr. Trudeau’s victory caps what had been an unpredictable election campaign. It brings an end to a nail-biting, gruelling 40-day […]
