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.
Trudeau’s leadership faces further stress tests in series of coming byelections
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s judgment could also be under scrutiny pending the party’s performance in the Elmwood-Transcona, Man., byelection, says pollster Nik Nanos.
Despite divorce talk, New Democrat brand, history still hold value for Alberta’s Naheed Nenshi, say politicos
Former staffers and political observers say Nenshi has more to gain from uniting progressives under the orange banner than attempting to start from scratch.
Caucus disquiet grows after Toronto-St. Paul’s byelection upset as Liberals face ‘catastrophic loss’ with status quo
For the Trudeau government, the writing has been on the wall since November, and ‘despite their best efforts, they haven’t been able to get up off the floor,’ says pollster Greg Lyle.
‘Stark reality’: Toronto-St. Paul’s byelection loss shows no seat safe for Liberals, politicos warn
‘The status quo is untenable, unless [the Liberals] want to get absolutely steamrolled when we head to the next election,’ says former Conservative staffer Shakir Chambers.
Party leaders’ communications strategy on foreign interference report ‘not a positive’ for public interest, say political strategists
Canadians have no further clarity about the content of the NSICOP report because of mixed messaging from party leaders, say Garry Keller and Yaroslav Baran. Keller says the messaging has been ‘awful’ and is now sowing doubt and discord in the House and among Canadians.
