CPC leadership contenders’ vows for fall election call are questionable strategy
OTTAWA—If there was ever any doubt that the Conservative leadership race was about candidates appealing to anyone beyond hard core Conservative voters, that uncertainty can now be cast aside. In recent days, three of the main competitors to become the leader of the opposition all proclaimed that if they were victorious in the June leadership […]
‘Canada has lost a giant’: Liberal icon David Smith dies at 78
David Smith, a former Senator who was behind two Liberal prime ministers victories over four elections, died last week at the age of 78. Sen. Smith served as the Liberals’ Ontario campaign char, their national campaign chair, and the Ontario Liberal president. He was instrumental in Jean Chrétien‘s victories in 1993, 1997, and 2000, helping […]
Conservatives considering 2019 Liberal model to protect incumbent MPs from nomination challenges in next election
The Conservative Party’s national council is considering using the Liberal Party’s 2019 nomination model as an option to protect incumbent MPs from nomination challenges for the next election, but the party also wants a mechanism in place if it doesn’t want an MP to be a candidate, Conservative sources told The Hill Times. “What they’re […]
Will the CPC manage to get to June 27 without imploding politically?
OTTAWA—Leaving aside Andrew Scheer’s recent salute to the capitalistic values of Paw Patrol, it is becoming increasingly recognized that voters’ reluctance to hand over the prime minister’s job to him was a moment of collective wisdom. Scheer’s I’ve-got-nothing-to-lose approach as caretaker leader does not look good on his party and has contributed little if anything […]
Scheer’s mea culpa not forthcoming, and that’s the CPC leadership race’s problem
TORONTO—On Dec. 12, 2019, Andrew Scheer announced his resignation, said he had set a review of the 2019 election in motion, and had appointed respected Conservative, former foreign affairs minister John Baird, to head the review of what went wrong. The post-election report was subsequently delivered—to Scheer. Caucus will never see it as long as he […]
How to energize a political campaign
OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, “the energy of the mind is the essence of life.” That’s a profound thought that I’d like to paraphrase thusly: the energy of an electoral campaign is the essence of politics. And by “energy,” I mean anything which injects a campaign with a sense of vitality, a […]
Tory leadership candidates champion CANZUK pact, but trade experts question idea’s merit
Conservative leadership candidates are renewing a call for a new Commonwealth trading network amid Britain’s exit from the European Union, but trade experts question the value of such a proposition. Part of the Conservative Party’s policy platform since 2018 is the hope for a free-trade, free-movement, and security-co-ordination agreement between Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, […]
Scheer should let Conservative Party members see how his office spent $925,000
The next time Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer talks about accountability and transparency, remember this: he and his Conservative Fund refuse to release any information to their own party members on how Mr. Scheer’s office managed to spend more than $700,000 over-budget last year. That’s right. Mr. Accountability refuses to show the money to his […]
Senior Conservatives seething over Conservative Fund’s refusal to share Scheer’s $700,000 over-budget expense details with national council
Some senior Conservatives are seething with anger over the powerful and unelected Conservative Fund’s refusal to share details with the national council of Andrew Scheer’s $700,000-over-budget office expenses last year, saying the lack of transparency is resulting in gossip affecting the leader’s credibility and the party’s ability to raise funds. “This is a strange situation,” […]
Conservative Party to protect all 121 incumbent MPs from nomination challenges until June 2021
All 121 Conservative MPs will be protected from nomination challenges if a federal election is held before June 2021, and MPs are urging the party to take the expiry date off that protection so they can focus on their work in Ottawa during this minority Parliament. “National council has been in discussions on nomination rules […]
