Bloc Quebecois plays defence in first week on campaign trail
With a comfortable lead in opinion polls, the Bloc Quebecois is hinting it can play a front-runner’s campaign of reacting to threats instead of leading the debate in the 2006 election. “We’ll adapt to whatever happens,” said Bloc spokesperson Catherine Bourgault- Poulin,who is accompanying journalists following leader Gilles Duceppe’s campaign. But while the Bloc is […]
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Wanted: more national female candidates running We are writing on behalf of the National Capital Region Chapter of Equal Voice (EV:NCR), a multi-partisan organization dedicated to addressing the under-representation of women in Canadian governments and encouraging political parties to nominate and elect more women. Our chapter was formed in 2004, after the federal election returned […]
Most national reporters happy to be on winter campaign trail
Despite all the dire predictions of a nasty, mudslinging campaign, most Parliamentary reporters said they were looking forward to following the national leaders on an eight-week campaign trail. “I look forward to every campaign. This is why we’re hooked on to these things, [reporters are] ultimate political junkies so yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” […]
Parliament not well-served in the last session say experts
The government rushed 13 bills through in one day before last week’s dramatic defeat of the Liberal minority government. Critics say the move was undemocratic. Parliament, as an institution, was not well-served in the last session and it highlighted the perception that it is no longer at the centre of Canadian democracy, say experts on […]
Swing Ridings
Swing ridings: where the winning candidate won with a very slim margin of victory.The ridings are heavily targeted by the runners-up. Winning party is shown in the parentheses. Up to 30 are shown, with a maximum margin of victory of 15%. * Indicates incumbent not running again Liberal Targeted Swing Ridings: 1. Simcoe-Grey, Ont. (Cons.) […]
‘We constantly talked politics as a family growing up’ [Interview with Peter Van Dusen]
Born into the famous Van Dusen media clan, Peter Van Dusen couldn’t help but to go into the world of politics and media. CPAC’s Prime Time Politics anchor Peter Van Dusen, who comes from a massive Ottawa media and political family, says as far as he’s concerned, the secret to success as a reporter on […]
Lights out on 38th House
It may have sounded absurd, but just before the three opposition parties brought down the government last Monday night in an historic straight non-confidence vote, House Speaker Peter Milliken invited every MP to a reception – mind you following the defeat of the government – in the Speaker’s Room 216- N Centre Block “to permit […]
They’re off and running… but are women stalled? [Federal election candidates]
At the launch of the election, women make up just shy of 22% of the candidates nominated. The NDP leads the parties in nominating women with 35%.The Liberals and Bloc stand at 27% and 25% respectively, while only 11% of Conservative candidates are women. While there are still many candidates to be identified, current numbers […]
The 10 Vulnerable NDP Seats Based on June 2004 Election Results
Riding MP % of vote received 1. Burnaby-New Westminster, B.C. Peter Julian 33.72% 2. Burnaby-Douglas, B.C. Bill Siksay 34.59% 3. Skeena-Bulkley Valley, B.C. Nathan Cullen 37.14% 4. Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Tony Martin 38.29% 5. Ottawa Centre, Ont. Ed Broadbent 41.05% 6. Timmins-James Bay, Ont. Charlie Angus 41.45% 7. Halifax, N.S. Alexa McDonough 41.55% 8. […]
38th minority Parliament: not memorable
Ned Franks, a top expert on Parliament democracy, says the 38th Parliament had no ‘knock-down, dragged out fight on public policy’ issues. The 38th minority Parliament had few highlights, won’t go down in the history books as a memorable one and was not marked by a high degree of cooperation among all political parties with […]
