Future Conservative Party unity hangs on post-victory leadership approach
OTTAWA—In recent days, as the Conservative leadership contest draws to a close, more is being written and said about the need for Conservatives to be unified post race. Those are natural, normal, and smart calls to make. Teams, political or otherwise, don’t win unless they have a working chemistry and buy into a collective game […]
Charest stands best chance of defeating Liberals, but a Poilievre win is feasible
OTTAWA—Jean Charest was at his most eloquent during the recent Conservative debate last week. The only problem, the lights were on, but there was no Tory home. The debate did not attract major television attention and was held at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, pretty much the worst possible slot for widespread coverage. But the whole […]
‘Who’s who’ on the Conservative leadership campaign teams
Team Pierre Poilievre Veteran Conservative strategist Jenni Byrne is a senior adviser on Poilievre’s campaign team. Byrne, who previously served as an adviser to former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, also founded her own public affairs consultancy firm, Jenni Byrne + Associates, which has been active since February 2020. Jeremy Liedtke serves as Poilievre’s campaign […]
Conservative MPs unsure ‘which Poilievre they will get’ as party leader if he wins leadership
If Pierre Poilievre wins the leadership on Sept. 10, Conservative MPs are unsure if they will get a leader who will moderate his views and make a sincere effort to bring the party together, or one who will “double down” on his campaign rhetoric and his hard-hitting leadership style, say some Conservative MPs and senior […]
While Poilievre, Lewis each pay $50,000 to snub last leadership debate, Charest shows up, but optics weren’t great ‘with the tier-two leadership aspirants,’ says Nanos
Without ever naming his chief rival for the leadership of the Conservative Party, Jean Charest attacked Pierre Poilievre from his opening remarks of the third and final debate of the campaign on Aug. 3, comparing a politician who does not want to debate to “a fish who says he doesn’t want to swim in the […]
Poilievre and the Harper effect
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former prime minister Stephen Harper recently did a huge favour for every political pundit in the country. During the dog days of summer, when there’s a dearth of news and hence not much for pundits to write or talk about, Harper publicly endorsed Conservative Party leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre. After that bombshell, everyone suddenly […]
Charest could win the next election for the Conservatives, Poilievre can’t
After remaining neutral in the past two Conservative leadership campaigns, former party leader and prime minister Stephen Harper recently announced his support for Pierre Poilievre. Harper’s breaking of a long-standing protocol—former leaders don’t interfere in current leadership campaigns—is perplexing, especially because Poilievre doesn’t seem to need his help. I have a few theories about this […]
Conservatives need to vote wisely this time around
Back in 2020, I had my letter to the editor published in The Hill Times, titled “O’Toole leadership win would be victory for Trudeau.” I argued that former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole was not sufficiently moderate to win. I believe that my prediction was proven correct when O’Toole lost last year’s election, and was almost […]
‘For the sake of party unity’ Harper should not have publicly endorsed Poilievre, says former cabinet minister LeBreton
Former prime minister Stephen Harper’s unique decision to step into the fray of the Conservative leadership and endorse Pierre Poilievre last week attracted national attention, and has caused some of his former cabinet members to publicly question their former party leader and ex-prime minister. Former government Senate leader Marjory LeBreton said she was disappointed with […]
Harper endorsement of Poilievre victory ‘mic drop’ or ‘strategic’ move for win, says former PM’s senior aide
Former prime minister Stephen Harper’s endorsement of Conservative leadership front-runner Pierre Poilievre has one of Harper’s former senior aides scratching his head about the timing of the video-push Harper gave Poilievre on Facebook and Twitter on July 25. “I don’t think anybody was surprised by the subject of the endorsement, but they might have been surprised […]
