Campaign 2005 spells a total paid media paradigm shift: a traditional paid ‘air war’ simply isn’t going to work, this time
What will work, in campaign terms, is creativity, volume, simplicity, repetition and salience. Voters want to hear, most of all, from politicians who want to talk about what matters to voters. What won’t work in this campaign: Powers: Well, Warren, it looks like we are heading to the polls again. This democracy can be messy […]
Government whip fails to restrict use of Ten Percenters
Her first attempt was voted down by the opposition in the House of Commons, but Chief Government Whip Karen Redman is vowing to bring back a motion to restrict the use of printed or photocopied material that MPs can send out through the Parliamentary printing service. “It won’t move forward in this Parliament. I still […]
Whistleblower gets hazed by Tory Senators
Tory hazing ritual… It didn’t take long for chief whistleblower turned-Conservative candidate Allan Cutler to stick his foot in his mouth. This from Liberal insiders who carefully scrutinized Mr. Cutler’s entrance onto the political stage. During a recent interview, he called the government’s whistleblower protection legislation, Bill C-11,”a disaster.” Mr. Cutler, the man who risked […]
Should there be a federal election now? Absolutely
Anyone can and probably should have an opinion on this issue. Personally, I’m strongly in favour of fixed election dates every four years. I believe that the Parliament we elect is the Parliament we should have – in all ways and for four years to the day. Minority, majority, it doesn’t matter. Over those years, […]
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Coverage of public opinion polls misleading: Conacher As the federal election speculation roller coaster continues, many media reports are misleading the public concerning public support of the federal parties, and hurting the media’s credibility at the same time. The reporting of the results of about a dozen polls in the past month has often neglected […]
Furlong joins Foreign Affairs Minister’s Office
Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Pettigrew has hired a new political aid for his ministerial office. Kim Furlong is starting her new job as director of communications to Minister Pettigrew (Papineau, Que.) on Monday, Nov. 28.That’s a dramatic first day on the job because Nov. 28 is the day when the government is expected to […]
DION VOX POPULI [Stephane Dion]
“My sense is that he’s an exceptionally bright and capable person who is open to new ideas, and that’s encouraging, but I’m not sure we’ve seen that translate into the department. But as an individual, he has an inquiring mind. Obviously as we come up to Montreal, the whole question of how the government intends […]
Opposition parties more eager for ‘E-mas’ than Grits: Federal incumbents to encourage Canadians to take advantage of early polling stations if the weather is good on those days
The federal Liberals are worried about being buried in the upcoming winter and Christmas election campaign. Senior party officials and MPs admit they have few ideas to cope with cold weather and its effects on recruitment and campaigning. “People will be deluding themselves if they think that they are going to get the same rate […]
PARLIAMENTARY CALENDAR: Ambassadors McKenna and Wilkins to speak at the Canadian Club of Ottawa Lunch on Dec. 13 in town
MONDAY, NOV. 28 United Nations Climate Change Conference – Canada will host the First Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP1) jointly with the 11th Session of the Conference of Parties from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9. Environment Minister Stephane Dion will chair the meetings, which will take place at the Palais de […]
The Spin Doctors: “Parti Quebecois Leader Andre Boisclair says he will not respect the Clarity Act. Should this be an issue in the upcoming election and why?”
Leslie Swartman Liberal Strategist “Quelle surprise.The PQ won’t abide by the Clarity Act. While not surprising, it surely is a sad statement on the separatists’ respect for the rule of law in this country. “The Supreme Court’s ruling was unequivocal. It said that when it comes to a province’s right to secede, a referendum result […]
