Liberals say they expect 100,000-plus eligible voters for leadership vote, and at least three candidates borrow money to cover initial $25,000 entrance fees
PARLIAMENT HILL—More than 100,000 Liberal Party members and voting-age Canadians who register as party supporters are expected to be registered as eligible voters for the Liberal leadership election set for next April, a senior party official says. The sea of voters, which would be unprecedented for federal political party leadership elections in Canada, is a […]
Seven candidates registered for Liberal leadership, Takach says next leader could determine Grits’ fate
PARLIAMENT HILL—With less than a week left before the registration deadline for the federal Liberal Party leadership race, only seven candidates were officially registered with Elections Canada as of Tuesday, despite a prediction from one of the contenders, Toronto lawyer and longtime Liberal George Takach, that the contest could be the party’s last chance. The […]
Tories abuzz, so Trudeau may be on to something
OTTAWA—Conventional wisdom has Justin Trudeau shooting himself in the foot on gun control. Opponents and party members alike are wondering why Trudeau would wade into such a divisive political issue on last week’s eve of the 23rd anniversary of the Montreal École Polytéchnique Massacre. But perhaps Justin is simply crazy like a fox. The Conservatives […]
The campaign people behind the Liberal leadership candidates
Liberal MP Justin Trudeau is the party’s clear front-running leadership candidate right now, but organizers can make or break a campaign too. “While there are lots of smart people on the campaign teams I think what will separate them is those who have the best organizers to mobilize the vote that will be necessary to […]
Trudeau could be called before House Natural Resources Committee in February to explain controversial Alberta comments
PARLIAMENT HILL—The Conservatives’ plan to call Liberal leadership contender Justin Trudeau before the House Natural Resources Committee over statements he made claiming undue Alberta influence over national social and democratic affairs will be delayed until at least February, in the thick of his run for the Liberal Party helm, a senior Conservative says. The development […]
Coyne: Grits don’t have to apologize for long-gun registry
PARLIAMENT HILL—Toronto lawyer Deborah Coyne, one of four women vying for the federal Liberal leadership, says no Liberal has to “apologize” for the federal long-gun registry, a political quagmire for the party for more than a decade. Ms. Coyne made the statement as she and several other Grit leadership candidates, including two other women, […]
Tories to haul Trudeau before House Natural Resources Committee to explain his Alberta statements, opposition parties call it a ‘witch-hunt’
PARLIAMENT HILL—Conservative MPs have pushed through an unprecedented motion at the Commons Natural Resources Committee calling Liberal leadership front-runner Justin Trudeau for a grilling over political comments he made two years ago alleging a negative Alberta influence over federal, social, and democratic policies through Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government. The Conservative motion […]
Trudeau shrugs off Conservative attacks over his 2010 Alberta comments, says he won’t play Tory games; NDP back up Libs in Natural Resources Committee to try to stop Tory tactics
PARLIAMENT HILL—Liberal leadership front-runner Justin Trudeau shrugged off a barrage of Conservative attacks over comments he made in 2010 about Alberta’s disproportionate influence on Canadian social policy under Prime Minister Stephen Harper as a political “game” he won’t play. Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) was responding to attacks from Conservative MPs over the past week-and-a-half, […]
Liberal leadership candidate Murray calls for ‘one-time’ cooperation with major parties to defeat Conservatives in next federal election
PARLIAMENT HILL—Liberal MP Joyce Murray launched her bid for the leadership of the federal Liberal Party on Monday with a call for “one-time” only cooperation among the three major opposition parties in the next federal election in order to defeat Prime Minister Harper and bring in lasting reform to Canada’s electoral system. Pointing out […]
Grit fundraiser actively soliciting ‘pre-launch’ financing for Liberal MP Garneau
PARLIAMENT HILL—One of the Liberal Party’s veteran fundraisers is actively soliciting “pre-launch” financial contributions to finance the Liberal leadership bid by former astronaut and Montreal MP Marc Garneau, according to emails between Mr. Garneau’s supporters and organizers. And, though Mr. Garneau’s Parliament Hill press attaché Jean Proulx told The Hill Times on Wednesday that Mr. […]
