Only pushback from members will drive party leadership to loosen grip on nominations, say campaign veterans
‘Most people will back out because they realize there’s no point running if the leader doesn’t want you there,’ says former Liberal cabinet minister Sheila Copps.
If labour dispute goes ‘sideways’ it could derail Liberal cabinet retreat, says Nanos
If the union decides to ‘kick and scream’ in the face of binding arbitration, it could take steps that would lead to trains not running, says labour law expert Bruce Curran.
It won’t be easy when the election rolls in
Political parties will exploit our hopes and fears by prepping candidates to ensure our choice is driven by reactionary emotions, not critical analysis. Luckily, we can sift through the noise, and to make an informed decision instead.
Conservatives’ TV ad tells us a lot
Conservatives will employ negative ads to get their message across even though the polls indicate they are well ahead in the race. This is a little surprising since the ‘book’ says if your party is way out front, you should probably stick to positive messaging.
‘It could be a great night for the NDP’: potential byelection wins could trigger end of Lib-NDP agreement, say political players
‘If you thought Toronto-St. Paul’s was a world of pain for Justin Trudeau, not doing well in LaSalle-Émard-Verdun would be another devastating blow,’ says pollster Nik Nanos.
Byelections don’t count, except when they do
In Montreal, Justin Trudeau is putting his leadership on the line; in Winnipeg, Pierre Poilievre is testing out his cosplay routine as a ‘regular guy,’ and in both cities, Jagmeet Singh and the NDP are fighting to strengthen their national position.
‘Going to be a dog fight’: Libs in Newfoundland prepare for toughest electoral fight in a decade without high-profile minister Seamus O’Regan
‘There’s no real heir apparent,’ said former O’Regan campaign manager Charlie Byrne. ‘Seamus was a giant for the province at the cabinet table on the federal scene.’
Voluntary grocery code of conduct short on fair dealing enforcement provisions, says NDP agriculture critic
Liberal MP Francis Drouin says the goverment has made clear that ‘we’re not afraid to legislate—and we will—if the grocery code of conduct fails to meet expectations.’
Poilievre voted best public speaker, most quotable, hardest-working, and biggest self-promoter in The Hill Times’ 29th Annual Politically Savvy Survey
And Housing Minister Sean Fraser, who was already picked as the Most Valuable Politician in 2023 in The Hill Times’ All Politics Poll in December, was voted best cabinet minister in 2024 in this survey.
The NDP’s timing problem
Ironically, Jagmeet Singh’s trendiness and hipness probably would have worked better had he been made NDP leader in the happier days of 2012 and Mulcair’s earnest, businesslike demeanour would probably make him more popular today. It just goes to show that, like in Machiavelli’s age, timing in politics matters.
