Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters
OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford took office, CBC Toronto asked that the mandate letters to his 23 cabinet colleagues be made public under freedom of information. The Progressive Conservative government refused, claiming they were exempt as […]
Conservative MPs, strategists unpack the ‘undoing of Jason Kenney’ in Alberta
Conservative Alberta MPs are blaming the tough pandemic political climate for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s splintered internal support and say his announced resignation was a result of a “no-win situation” and “an unforgiving political culture” that allowed United Conservative Party divisions to grow. But Conservative strategists say Kenney’s leadership style and caucus management played a […]
In praise of polling
OAKVILLE, ONT.—American politician Sarah Palin once dismissed polls saying they were for “strippers and cross-country skiers.” Of course, Palin isn’t the only politician who has ever disparaged polls and polling. The old expression “the only poll that matters is the one on election day” seems to pop up every election cycle. Yet, for all their […]
Heading backwards in Ontario
OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more, ever-bigger roads, regardless of the environmental consequences. It might have been a miscalculation, seeing that just overnight driving went from being a somewhat costly necessity to an outright luxury. But so […]
Map quest: four provinces reach key stage of electoral redistribution process
Proposed new electoral maps are out for four provinces—British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island—including some significant boundary shifts, and local MPs are readying themselves to weigh in as part of the key, upcoming public consultation process. “There’s some ridings that kind of leave you scratching your head, other ridings that historically have […]
What the hell is a ‘historic anglophone’?
MONTREAL, QUE.—In the coming weeks, the Coalition Avenir Québec government of François Legault will pass Bill 96, a law allegedly intended to improve French in Quebec, but which is really an attack on English-speaking Quebecers. On May 14, about 10,000 people (including me) marched though downtown Montreal to express our opposition to the bill. When […]
Canada supports rapid accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO, but experts say it needs to improve its Arctic defences
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly repeated again on Monday that Canada will push for the quick accession of Sweden and Finland to join NATO after Russia’s invasion and bombing of Ukraine and says she consulted with the Conservative, NDP, and Bloc Québécois foreign affairs critics to gain unanimous House consent for the decision. “Canada is […]
Federal ministers, MPs, and staff working on high-stakes Ontario election
Cabinet ministers, backbench MPs, exempt ministerial staffers and MP office staffers from all parties are helping out Ontario provincial candidates in the high-stakes June 2 election. “I’ve been helping my local candidate, Dr. Adil Shamji—who is an emergency room doctor, incredible candidate—knock[ing] on doors with him on the weekend,” said Liberal MP Michael Coteau (Don […]
Why do Conservatives hate public television?
At the Tory leadership debate in Edmonton last Wednesday, the mere mention of the word CBC elicited boos. Loud shouts and hisses were quickly muffled by the microphones as the format for the event prohibited anyone from clapping, cheering, or booing. The format also prevented anyone from mentioning another politician’s name. When that happened, the […]
Ontario election will be a test on how upset Canadians are with incumbents and affordability issues, say some MPs and Nanos
The June 2 Ontario provincial election will be a case study for how upset Canadians are with incumbent politicians about inflation and affordability issues, like soaring food prices, gas prices, and skyrocketing housing prices, say some MPs and a veteran pollster. “We’re in the heat of a provincial election in Canada’s largest province,” said Nik […]
