Crowded Conservative leadership race means ‘short-term pain for long-term gain’ for party fundraising

The Conservative Party is seeing fewer donations while a portion of the money from its donor pool is flowing towards leadership campaigns. Communications director for Conservative Party of Canada Cory Hann says any party that’s “even somewhat organized” is going to plan and budget in anticipation of a leadership race. But, Mr. Hann himself acknowledged that no […]
Angus launches website for possible NDP leadership run

NDP MP Charlie Angus is acting more and more like someone who’s planning to run for the NDP leadership, but he’s playing hard to get. He recently launched a campaign-style website, charlieangusndp.ca, and promoted it through his Facebook page in attempt to gauge the level of support that’s there if he decides to vie for […]
Top job of new Conservative leader to keep progressive, social conservatives united: Tories

The next leader of the Conservative Party will have to address frustrations between the social conservatives and progressive conservatives who have been holding their noses for years and to keep the party united, say Conservatives. “That’s pivotal. The party has always been a coalition. It’s been a coalition between the West and the East, it’s […]
Lots of challenges and opportunities for political players this year

OTTAWA—Having avoided the standard year-end retrospective, primarily because I was late to the keyboard and all the good “sunny days” and “honeymoon” analogies were already taken, I have decided to cast my mind forward and look at what I would like to see the coming year hold and some of the challenges and opportunities for […]
Opposition parties meet, plan House offensive in shadow of leadership races

While the New Democrats and Conservatives huddle together to map out strategy and party positions for the upcoming session of Parliament, the respective leadership races and the future direction of the parties loom large overhead. But caucus chairs say they’ve been here before, and aren’t worried about being able to separate parliamentary business from the […]
O’Leary instructed his team not to respond to Raitt’s attack

Kevin O’Leary instructed his campaign team not to respond to attacks from other leadership candidates, such as Lisa Raitt’s anti-O’Leary website, his campaign chair says. A few days into the new year, Ms. Raitt (Milton, Ont.) held an Ottawa press conference at which she announced a new website: StopKevinOLeary.com, and decried Mr. O’Leary for representing “irresponsible populism” […]
Conservative leadership race: who’s supporting whom

Chris Alexander Yuri Shymko former Progressive Conservative MP and Ontario PC MPP Alexandra Day former Conservative staffer Paul Egli former Conservative nomination candidate Maxime Bernier Dan Albas Conservative MP Alupa Clarke Conservative MP Tony Clement Conservative MP Jacques Gourde Conservative MP Tom Kmiec Conservative MP Alex Nuttall Conservative MP Len Webber Conservative MP, former […]
Leitch’s immigrant-screening ideas won’t work, are impractical
Kellie Leitch prominently features McMaster University sociology professor Vic Satzewich’s book, Points of Entry: How Canada’s Visa Officers Decide Who Gets In, on the website devoted to her run for Conservative leadership. She also brought the book on stage and held it up for the cameras during a debate among leadership contenders last November. Mr. […]
Blaney campaign managed by long-time aide, former Harper PMO assistant

Long-time aide Pierre-Luc Jean is helping run Quebec Conservative MP Steven Blaney’s bid for Conservative leadership as campaign manager, but other details of who’s working behind the scenes are few, with Mr. Jean saying he instead wants to focus “on delivering results.” “Let the others spin about their campaign. Our campaign is doing well, and […]
With Trump and O’Leary, it could be a few long, painful years

OTTAWA—It could be a few long, painful years in North American politics with United States President Donald Trump and potential Conservative leader Kevin O’Leary. While it is quite possible they may have positive effects on their respective countries, their abrasive in-your-face style of communicating could wear thin pretty quickly. It has already for me, but […]