The nasty primal subtext of Liberal attacks
OAKVILLE, ONT.—When trying to gauge the true power and intent of a political communication strategy, sometimes you need to look past the words which are spoken and focus instead on the message’s subtext. Consider, for instance, the recent spate of Liberal attacks on Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer, attacks in which Scheer is painted as […]
Liberal agitation on social issues predictable, but still exposed Scheer’s vulnerabilities
OTTAWA—While the official election call still looms, there is no doubt we are in the throes of political warfare. Witness last week’s battle lines, as the Liberals launched a capable offensive on Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s position on key social issues. Since the days of Stockwell Day and the Canadian Alliance, a predictable, expected Liberal […]
Start of Trans Mountain pipeline construction amid election a threat to Liberals in B.C., say observers
Construction on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project will be underway during the federal election, and while the start of work may steal steam from certain Conservative attacks, observers say it’s overall likely bad news for Liberal fortunes in seat-rich British Columbia. “From the Liberals’ perspective, it’s a big problem. I really, for the life […]
PMO Ontario desk among handful of recent staff exits from top office
The metaphorical revolving door of the Prime Minister’s Office has gotten plenty of action in recent weeks, with a handful of political staffers moving in and out of the top office, including the exit of Ontario regional affairs adviser Jamie Kippen. Mr. Kippen had been manning the PMO’s Ontario desk—for a time as one of […]
Ex-staffers to ministers Hajdu, Carr hit the campaign trail
Employment, Workforce Development, and Labour Minister Patty Hajdu has seen a couple of staff departures of late, with Roy Karam and Aisling MacKnight both going on leave. A Cape Breton University alumnus, Mr. Karam had been on the job as the Atlantic regional affairs adviser in Ms. Hajdu’s office since September 2018, serving at the […]
‘Canada is warming at twice the rate of the global average. Is the government doing enough to combat climate change? Is your party offering anything powerful on that front?’
Cory Hann Conservative strategist “Canadians trusted Justin Trudeau when he said he would protect the environment and lower Canada’s emissions. Instead, all they got was a carbon tax. Not only is Canada failing to hit our Paris Agreement targets, we are getting further away. As an environmental policy, the carbon tax is a failure. It […]
Montreal Liberals predict party will appoint replacement for outgoing MP Nassif over nomination contest
With Liberal MP Eva Nassif “pushed out” and the election call only days away, Quebec Liberal insiders are speculating the party will appoint its preferred candidate and not hold a nomination contest in Vimy, Que., to replace her. Veteran Montreal Liberal insiders interviewed for this article said that one key reason the party leadership “pushed […]
Party’s place in political ecosystem can influence platform rollout, strategists say
The Liberals under Jean Chrétien broke platform ground with the much-vaunted “Red Book,” which inspired copycats for its detailed accounting of the party’s promises. The Stephen Harper Conservatives stuck to a disciplined, five-point platform in the 2006 campaign. Progressive Conservative Doug Ford’s campaign for Ontario premier bucked tradition when he decided not to release a […]
Liberal Party completes nominations of incumbent MPs
With Liberal MP Bob Nault’s nomination as an official candidate in the upcoming election, the federal Liberals have completed the nominations of all incumbent MPs seeking re-election. Until last week, Liberal MPs Eva Nassif (Vimy, Que.) and Mr. Nault (Kenora, Ont.) were the only MPs left who had yet to be officially nominated. Mr. Nault […]
Rookie Quebec Liberal MP Nassif unexpectedly says she won’t seek re-election
Rookie Quebec Liberal MP Eva Nassif was “confident,” until recently, the party would nominate her as a candidate. But on Thursday night, she announced unexpectedly she won’t seek re-election, “because of recent events of a personal nature” that she said she does “not take lightly.” In a statement on Twitter, Ms. Nassif (Vimy, Que.) did […]
