Raitt digs in to fend off star challenger in Milton without Scheer

Conservative deputy leader Lisa Raitt says she won’t invite Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer to visit her riding, and won’t be touring other districts, as she tries to fight off a star Liberal candidate in Milton and win re-election. Ms. Raitt, 51, who was first elected in 2008 and won the last election with 45.4 per […]
Scheer left Quebecers with distinct impression he was evasive on Canada’s abortion laws

OTTAWA—Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer continues to promise he will not revisit Canadian abortion laws. He says he will follow the example of predecessor Stephen Harper. Some example. When Harper was prime minister, he would only fund International Planned Parenthood in countries that criminalized abortions except in cases where the mother’s life was at risk. […]
It’s the smear election

HALIFAX—What an absurd election campaign this has been. For a week, the game was how many nominated candidates could be picked off for undisclosed skeletons in their past. For a while there, it seemed like Curly, Larry, and Moe were doing the vetting. Hardly anyone was fit to run. For another week, a costume worn […]
If we want to achieve a higher standard of living, we need to improve our productivity performance, stat

TORONTO—All the political parties are competing in this election for new ways to spend money, claiming their goal is to make life more affordable for Canadians. Yet none has much to say about addressing the real barriers to rising incomes for the great majority of Canadians. Instead, they offer largely ineffectual bromides. “Canada’s economy is […]
Blanchet puts Bloc in position to win more seats in Quebec

The Bloc Québécois has rebounded after nearly falling apart a year ago, and has a chance to double its seat count in the House with a possible minority government looming ahead. Public opinion polls suggest the sovereigntist party has the support of roughly one-in-five Quebecers, perhaps more. Pollster Greg Lyle and Quebec political scientist Thierry […]
Fifty-seven racially diverse ‘swing’ ridings ‘critical’ in election outcome, say MPs and political players

With the Oct. 21 election expected to be a nail-biter, 57 racially diverse swing ridings across the country are expected to play a “critical” role in deciding who wins the next election, say MPs and top political players. “It’s impossible really to win an election and certainly to form a majority government unless you do […]
When it comes to climate change, Scheer should ignore the media

OAKVILLE, ONT.—One fun thing about elections is how they suddenly turn journalists and columnists into masters of political strategy. Indeed, if you scan social media, or read newspaper opinion pages, or watch public affairs shows on TV, you’ll find legions of media pundits offering up their strategic advice to political party leaders as to how […]
PPC, Conservative candidates to skip environmental debate in Kanata-Carleton

The People’s Party and the Conservative Party’s Kanata-Carleton, Ont., candidates are skipping a debate on the environment Thursday night, according to the event’s organizers. Invitations were sent to the five major parties on the ballot, but only the Greens, the NDP, and the Liberal Party’s candidates confirmed their attendance, said Robb Barnes, executive director of […]
Trudeau, Scheer have mostly been touring Ontario, Quebec so far

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer have largely split their time between the seat-rich provinces of Ontario and Quebec over the last three weeks, with stops in other pockets of the country in the intervening days since the election was called. With more than half of the campaign behind them, Mr. Trudeau […]
Haters gotta hate, hate, hate on Bernier

Pity poor Maxime Bernier. The leader of the People’s Party of Canada, who came within a hair’s breadth of becoming head honcho of the Conservative Party, cannot catch a break. At first he was not welcome at the commission’s leaders debates—even the Greens were invited! He later qualified. No one seems to give him a […]