French debate puts Bloc in kingmaker territory
VANCOUVER—Despite the dramatic events of this campaign, there has been relatively little movement in the key battlegrounds. The Conservatives will likely win more rural Atlantic and suburban Vancouver and Toronto seats, but those wins are not enough to pull ahead of the Liberals. In addition to holding on to most of the Atlantic and a […]
Are politicians deceiving taxpayers about the generous approach to veteran benefits?
With great fanfare, the Trudeau government announced a new version of veteran benefits stylishly labelled “Pension for Life.” Presumably this was a “promise kept” as Justin Trudeau’s 2015 election campaign zeroed in on veterans’ anger over the penny-pinching, no-pension “New Veteran Charter,” and he promised a return to the original Pension Act established that provided […]
What role, if any, do security issues play in the 2019 election campaign?
OTTAWA—They don’t call Canada “the peaceable kingdom” for nothing. Yes, we have our problems with violence—gun crime is a growing concern, for example—but we are blessedly removed from the levels of extreme violence (i.e. terrorism) that beleaguer other countries. We have had less than one terrorist plot, foiled or successful, per year in this land […]
Elizabeth May’s dilemma
CHELSEA, QUE.—For a while, it looked as if this election might be the breakthrough Elizabeth May and her ardent Green Party supporters have been working towards for decades. It still could be, but the forecast remains uncertain in an unsettled season. May is generally more popular than her political rivals, rightly admired for her honesty […]
Mental health policy could be political winner in this election, but it’s not being talked about
A new Ipsos/Global News poll, released Oct. 3, shows health care is the top election issue for Canadians, with 37 per cent of respondents listing it in their top three. Health care is followed by climate change, at 30 per cent, and affordability and the cost of living, at 26 per cent. When asked which […]
So, you’re telling me there’s a chance…
OTTAWA—I need to preface this pseudo-intellectual effort by pointing out that I am neither a constitutional lawyer, nor a constitutional scholar. However, I am a former teacher and a former federal politician, so I feel I am perfectly positioned to speak confidently, or with confidence, about this stuff without having to be constrained by facts […]
Oil companies want to increase their emissions by 60 per cent—this election, federal parties should say no
Federal political parties vying for office in this election must stand up for Canadians in the face of pressure from the oil and gas lobby. That means disregarding the wish list of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). If implemented, those measures would not only increase, but would accelerate, the climate and environmental impact […]
Conservative gains in Ontario before campaign due to ‘Ford being quiet,’ but pollster says Trudeau’s attacks may not be working
Many Liberal candidates say Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford’s unpopularity is still a significant issue at the doors more than halfway through the election campaign, with some political strategists saying that voters who backed Mr. Ford in 2018 are upset with the Ontario government’s record one year in, and may now look to back […]
NDP says position unchanged on renegotiation for new NAFTA, despite saying improvements ‘can and should be made to this deal’
The NDP will wait to see what changes are made by U.S. House Democrats to the new NAFTA before deciding whether they will vote to implement it in the next Parliament, says its most recent international trade critic. “We will have a full debate in the next Parliament and a vote based on whatever the […]
Let’s talk about a different model of governance
OTTAWA—Jody Wilson Raybould is running as an Independent candidate in Vancouver-Granville following the SNC-Lavalin affair this past winter and her separation from the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party candidate, meanwhile, told The Hill Times last week that “People in this riding need things to happen for them … and it’s hard to do that when […]
