The last of the ‘McGill Four’: outgoing MP Dubé on losing to Bloc leader Blanchet
When he noticed the Bloc Québécois surging in the polls, the NDP’s Matthew Dubé says he knew that he faced an “uphill battle” in holding onto his riding. “I arrived in a wave. I survived one, but two is a bit too much,” said the outgoing Quebec MP in for Beloeil-Chambly who lost to Bloc […]
Minority governments are not always the public-interest godsend we imagine
OTTAWA—I can remember the day I ceased to be a member of the New Democratic Party. It was the fall of 1975, and I was a student at Carleton University. Our political science professor invited David Lewis, the recently retired leader of the NDP, to speak to our class. He spoke eloquently of how his […]
‘We’re not 100 per cent sure who’s framing the discussion anymore’: the evolving role of media in election coverage
With social media playing such a significant role in the federal election campaign, it was unclear whether it was political parties or the media who were responsible for framing the elusive “ballot-box question,” media critics say. Carleton journalism professor Paul Adams, who worked for CBC Television, CBC Radio, and in The Globe and Mail’s parliamentary bureau as senior […]
Eight former MPs, five Conservatives, make their return to Parliament in 2019
Eight former MPs who weren’t part of the last Parliament will be making their way back to Ottawa following successful bids in the 2019 election, including five Conservatives, two from the Bloc Québécois, and one from the NDP. Liberal candidates finished second in all eight ridings won by the former MPs across the country. Conservative […]
Liberals about to learn how difficult it is to pursue policy while trying to ensure the trains run on time
OTTAWA—Well that was fun! As the carcass of the 43rd general election continues to be picked over in search of political ammunition or insight, it might be useful to step back and examine what actually happened and what, if anything, it might mean. There is a strong consensus that this election was one of the […]
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
Highs The vote For the 43rd time in the country’s history, Canadians headed to the polls to decide who to send to the House of Commons. In many countries around the world, citizens don’t have a say in their government. But in Canada, every so often, every MP has to go back to their […]
Don’t write off the NDP, ditch the talking points: lessons from Election 43
OTTAWA—Now seems like as good a time as any to talk about lessons learned from Election 43. But first, breathe a big sigh of relief it is finally over, and perhaps, for a brief period, there will be a respite from politicians demeaning each other. In no particular order here, we go: Don’t write off […]
Public service union heads express relief, optimism over Liberal minority win
The new Liberal minority government is an outcome that the Public Service Alliance of Canada can “certainly live with,” says the union’s national president Chris Aylward, while fellow union leader Debi Daviau says she hopes the government is willing to “reciprocate” the support it received during the campaign. During the campaign, PSAC, the country’s largest […]
Singh’s strong campaign an internal win, whatever the outcome, New Democrats say
Even if Jagmeet Singh takes the NDP to a smaller seat count than predecessor Tom Mulcair in 2015, New Democrats say the new leader’s strong campaign puts him on safe footing as leader “as long as he wants to be.” Grumblings about the party’s path under his leadership—lacklustre fundraising, a reduced bench as a third […]
Transition teams must be prepared for ‘unpredictable outcomes’ in minority situation, say former senior bureaucrats
Former senior bureaucrats say they hope Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s transition team is “already plugged into the Privy Council Office,” and that both the Liberal and Conservative transition teams should be “prepared for unpredictable outcomes” at this point in the campaign. According to CBC’s poll tracker, updated on Oct. 14, the Conservatives were in the […]
