Liberal-NDP deal should weather Conservative attacks to keep boosting public health
As the Conservatives’ support climbs, so might the Liberals’ desire to avoid a potential election. This provides leverage to the NDP for it to press more demands within the agreement.
Will Singh embrace populism lite?
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Thanks to the NDP, I’m unable at this point to make a fully confident prediction about what kind of communication strategies will be employed in the next federal election. The best I can do is make a forecast that has only a two-thirds confidence level. That’s to say, it’s easy for me to predict […]
New NDP attack ad against Poilievre part of its ‘fight to be relevant,’ says pollster
A new ad released by the NDP attacking Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has garnered significant media attention since it first appeared online, and is part of that party’s “fight to be relevant,” says pollster Nik Nanos. “When you’re a third party and a partner in a parliamentary coalition, it’s easy to be crowded out by […]
NDP caucus members angling to be ‘adults in the room’ as House resumes
Senior NDP MPs say they’re going to rise above whatever mud-slinging might take place between the Liberals and Conservatives, and will be heavily focused on pressuring the Liberals to deliver on the promises made in their supply-and-confidence agreement—but, experts say they can’t ignore the newly minted Conservative leader altogether, as he is cutting into their […]
New operations director on deck in Minister Sajjan’s office
International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan scooped up Emily Heffernan from National Defence Minister Anita Anand’s team to take over as his new director of operations in mid July. Heffernan, who had been deputy director of communications to Anand since just after the 2021 federal election, fills a vacancy left by Sher Rodrigo, who exited Sajjan’s […]
NDP upped pressure on Liberals to meet deal deadlines due to communications ‘bottleneck,’ says NDP House leader
The NDP’s recent public pressure demanding Liberal progress on supply-and-confidence deal promises was to address a “bottleneck” in communications between the two parties, according to NDP House Leader Peter Julian, who said he remains confident the government will deliver on the agreement’s 2022 targets. Julian (New Westminster–Burnaby, B.C.) added that talks between the two parties […]
The NDP’s strategic dilemma
Federal New Democrats should view the partition of Poland in the 18th century as a cautionary tale. For those of you not up on your European history, let me explain: In the late 1700s, Poland was progressively carved up by its rivals—Austria, Russia, and Prussia—until nothing was left of the once-powerful country. Poland basically disappeared […]
Liberal House leader accuses Conservatives of obstruction tactics ‘without purpose,’ Opposition House leader hits back
During a legislative session unfolding in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, the ‘Freedom Convoy’ making landfall just metres outside of West Block, and a particularly rancorous Conservative Party leadership race, 14 government bills ultimately received Royal Assent during the first session of the 44th Parliament, which sat from Nov. 22 to June 23. But […]
The case against uniting the left
OAKVILLE, ONT.—A famous old adage says, “United we stand; divided we fall.” Yet, even though, most of the time, that’s an inspiring rallying cry, I’d argue that in politics, division is occasionally better than unity. For example, I believe it’s better for the Liberals to remain a separate political entity from the New Democrats. I […]
In praise of polling
OAKVILLE, ONT.—American politician Sarah Palin once dismissed polls saying they were for “strippers and cross-country skiers.” Of course, Palin isn’t the only politician who has ever disparaged polls and polling. The old expression “the only poll that matters is the one on election day” seems to pop up every election cycle. Yet, for all their […]
