McKenna wins re-election in Ottawa Centre, trumpets voters’ support for climate fight
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna won re-election on Oct. 21, keeping Ottawa Centre, Ont.—which was held by the NDP from 2004 to 2015—red. The election results, Ms. McKenna said, show Canadians voted for parties that are committed to climate change. Ms. McKenna defeated NDP runner-up Emilie Taman convincingly, leading by a margin of more than 18 […]
Would-be PMs offer radical change, regression, or have-it-both-ways comfort
HALIFAX—So E-Day is here at last. Five people want to be prime minister, however long the odds. Here are my impressions of what each of them would bring to the job. One of them, Maxime Bernier of the People’s Party of Canada, wants to make Canada great again. Enough said. Only one of them has […]
This is no Seinfeld Election, this is the real thing
It’s been called the Seinfeld Election, the election about nothing, and, despite its downright nasty, dirty tone, the 43rd federal election, in all its guts and glory, really comes down to leadership and who’s best to lead the country over the next one to four years, depending on Monday’s outcome. The next leader of our […]
Polling evidence favours Liberal victory: Lyle
VANCOUVER—After a tumultuous, negative, and generally unsatisfying election, the two main parties are limping to a photo-finish. While it is close enough that I would not make a big bet or take odds, all evidence we see points to a Liberal victory on Monday night. The Liberals led the CPC by between two and four […]
Election 2019 campaign one of the most ‘uninspiring, disheartening, and dirtiest’ in 40 years, says Savoie
The 40-day contentious election campaign that ended on Oct. 20 was one of the most “uninspiring,” “disheartening,” and the “dirtiest” in four decades, as there was little or no discussion about some of the big issues facing Canadians and the focus instead was only on personalities, says an award-winning researcher and a well respected expert […]
Vox populi on election 2019
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Oct. 16, 2019 “We know that the Conservative Party is running one of the dirtiest, nastiest campaigns based on disinformation that we’ve ever seen in this country. And it’s no surprise that they don’t want to share whose deep pockets are funding their attacks on Canadians, on other parties and on the […]
An election where the past haunted the present
OAKVILLE, ONT.—If the 2019 federal election has taught us anything (and it probably hasn’t) it’s that political parties need some genius scientist to invent a time machine. After all, such a machine would be mighty useful for all the politicians out there who, if they could, would go back in time to correct the mistakes […]
Which party will deliver the most transparent government?
VANCOUVER—Canada’s Access to Information Act of 1982 is an essential law that allows citizens and the media to obtain government records on many vital topics, such as health and safety, crime, public finance, and the environment. Yet today it could be equated to a rusted manual typewriter in the iPhone-Twitter age. In 2008, I wrote […]
Strategic voting to determine if Liberals will form government, say political players
With polls predicting a close election contest this week, many ridings across the country are likely going to be decided by tight margins making strategic voting the key determinant if Liberals will return to power or not on election day, say political players. “It’s a factor, it’s going to be an important factor in close […]
#Elxn43 report card result: needs improvement for Indigenous inclusion
OTTAWA—I never thought a 40-day campaign period could be so long. So many words and so little principle. We looked for opportunities to engage on discussions on the future of health and social services, including for Indigenous peoples. And instead of the urgent conversations needed to address this priority for many Canadians and Indigenous health-care […]
