Liberals vote to be party of grass, roots
OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE—When a controversial resolution to legalize marijuana was passed with 77 per cent support on Sunday morning at the Liberal biennial convention, two Liberal delegates told The Hill Times they were going outside the Ottawa Convention Centre to celebrate by smoking “a doobie.” They were joined by John Shavluk, a Liberal party member […]
Liberals want assurances Rae won’t use interim leadership, resources as ‘leverage’ to win next leadership
OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE—The Liberal Party executive will have to ensure that acting Liberal Leader Bob Rae is unable to “leverage” his current post into an unfair advantage against other leadership contenders if he decides to run for the permanent position, says former Liberal MP and 2006 leadership contender Gerard Kennedy. As more than 3,000 Liberals circulated through […]
Liberals see party’s future success in ‘transformative’ health care policies
OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE—Health care could be the Liberal Party’s opportunity to gain ground on the Conservatives, with the Liberals’ current health critic and its last prime minister calling on the party to propose transformative changes to Canada’s health-care system. “If we Liberals want to fix the system that we started, we’re not going to […]
Dion says Senate reform bill will weaken Canada’s democratic system
OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE—Prime Minister Stephen Harper government’s move to reform the Senate will weaken Canada’s democratic system, Liberal MP Stéphane Dion told hundreds of Grits at a workshop on governance at the Liberal biennial convention in Ottawa on Saturday. Mr. Dion said all the government’s bills to reform the Senate have been bad, including […]
Trudeau supports preferential ballot, even though he would have lost his seat under it
OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE—If Canada had a preferential ballot voting system, Liberal MP Justin Trudeau says he would have likely lost his seat, but a move to democratize how people elect their representatives is better for the country than political self-interest. “I happen to be a very polarizing figure in my own riding. A lot […]
Liberals down, but not out as they look to rebuild a political movement again across Canada
OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE—The Liberals, who have lost 800,000 voters in every federal election in the last four elections and were nearly wiped off the map in the last one in their worst election in Canadian political history, say it took that near death experience to reawaken the party, but vow to rise up again. […]
Deciding whether Rae should be allowed to run for Liberal leader a ‘minefield’
OTTAWA—Despite a growing view among Liberal Party brass and MPs that it would be acceptable to disengage Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae from his promise not to contest the post on a permanent basis and run in the party’s leadership next year, the question is simmering below the surface at the national Liberal convention, with views split, […]
Liberal A-listers fete MacEachen, Copps and Crawley host parties to shake hands and rub shoulders with supporters
With at least a dozen parties to choose from, Liberals had a wealth of social options Thursday night to kick off their biennial convention. Party Central joined in for some of the fun, and wonders how many beleaguered Grits are sitting in a delegate session right now, trying their best to think about policy while […]
If Rae runs for leadership, party brass must assure ‘level playing field’ to rank and file Grits: Apps
PARLIAMENT HILL—If Interim Leader Bob Rae wants to seek the party’s permanent leadership, despite a “solemn undertaking” he took that he would not when he became interim leader last May, party president Alf Apps says party brass must do all it can to assure the rank and file there is a “level playing field.” […]
Grits don’t want ‘to get smoked’ again, plan $2-million counter-attack ad campaign against Tories
PARLIAMENT HILL—Liberals will vote on an unprecedented motion at their national convention in Ottawa this week endorsing a dedicated war chest—possibly up to $2-million—to “promote and defend” their new permanent leader against a barrage of Conservative attack ads even Conservatives admit will be inevitable once the new Liberal chief is elected next year. The […]
