At Grits’ convention, Conservative deputy leader Raitt says Tories targeting seats Liberals won by five per cent or less in 2015
HALIFAX—In their bid to form government in 2019, the federal Conservatives are going after ridings the governing Liberals won in close races in the last election, among other targets. In an interview with The Hill Times at the Liberal Party’s biennial policy convention in Halifax, N.S., this weekend, Conservative deputy leader Lisa Raitt (Milton, Ont.) […]
Sunny Trudeau convention speech turns into attack on Scheer
HALIFAX—In a convention speech meant to fire up his party faithful before the 2019 federal election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today touted the Liberals’ progressive record and a sunnier political vision, before blasting Conservative leader Andrew Scheer as the second coming of Stephen Harper. The roughly 25-minute campaign-style speech started off with Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, […]
Liberals don’t need to change fundraising strategy, focus on ridings, says fundraising director at Halifax convention
HALIFAX—The federals Liberals are currently behind the Conservatives in fundraising, but Liberal Party fundraising director Christina Topp says the party’s fundraising game plan hasn’t changed as the 2019 federal election inches closer. “The strategy has never changed,” Ms. Topp told The Hill Times at the Liberal Party’s national policy convention in Halifax, where more than […]
Grits’ ‘self-inflicted wounds’ serious concern for rank and file delegates, MPs, former senior Liberals at Halifax convention
HALIFAX—It’s a three-day happy gathering of about 3,000 Liberal Party faithful, but one serious concern still being talked about in the hallways and backrooms is the propensity for self-inflicted wounds by top strategists and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s inability to do anything about it which could cost him the next election or could reduce the […]
Young Liberals look to improve influence on party’s progressive policies as numbers grow
HALIFAX—Outgoing Liberal Youth Party president Mira Ahmad and those running to replace her say the youth wing of the party has increased its share of influence on the Liberal Party under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as youth delegates push for a bold resolution for decriminalizing sex work at this weekend’s convention. “The party does take […]
Families Minister Duclos promotes new policy director after Mathieu Laberge departs
Families, Children, and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has a new director of policy in his office following the recent departure of Mathieu Laberge from the role. Up until the beginning of this month, Mr. Laberge had been in charge of policy work in Mr. Duclos’ office since February 2016. He’s previously been a deputy […]
Indigenous Services Minister Philpott’s chief of staff poised to depart
Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott’s chief of staff, John Brodhead, is set to exit the minister’s team at the end of April. Mr. Brodhead addressed his impending departure in a Facebook post on April 11, noting it was “not an easy decision.” He’s set to move back to Toronto to do policy and strategy work […]
Liberals’ policy convention a ‘litmus test’ of Grit membership, a time for leadership to listen, say Libs
When more than 2,500 Liberals sweep into Halifax for their last national policy convention before the 2019 election, Grits say the party’s senior leadership should look to the gathering to gauge, engage, and mobilize the base for the next general campaign. They also say the party’s top brass has to listen. While not likely to prompt […]
Experts warn of ‘long-term political consequences’ for Liberals if Trans Mountain pipeline fails, but Trudeau says pipeline will happen
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who met with B.C. Premier John Horgan and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley for more than two hours on the Hill on Sunday, says the government will start negotiating with Kinder Morgan to “remove the uncertainty” over the fate of the $7.4-billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project and promised the pipeline will happen, […]
Perreault promoted to PMO lead speechwriter after Armstrong departs for Morneau’s office
Brittany Perreault has been promoted to be senior manager of speechwriting in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, taking charge of the team previously headed by Jeni Armstrong. Former lead speechwriter Ms. Armstrong left the Prime Minister’s Office on March 29 to join Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s team as a senior communications adviser as of April […]
