Redrawing the political landscape as COVID becomes a way of life
OTTAWA—Throne Speeches are always aspirational, but the blueprint for the future that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rolled out goes a step beyond. It stands as the kind of comprehensive policy wish list political parties normally accumulate over the course of an entire election campaign. Touching on the full spectrum of social and economic policy, […]
Elections Canada should oversee riding nomination elections
Nomination meetings to select candidates for ridings across the country are one of the key building blocks of democracy in any political system. Prior to every election, all party leaders vow to hold free, fair, and transparent nomination elections. But as soon as the nomination contests start, all major parties make national headlines facing allegations […]
‘We have to be part of it’: Indigenous MPs say there needs to be better representation
More electoral education, mentorships for rookies, and proactive party policies will help bring about a needed increase in Indigenous representation in federal politics, from the elected-level down, say Indigenous MPs and a former candidate. The last 150 years of Canadian history have shown the devastating impact government policy can have on Indigenous lives, the residential […]
Meslin’s first-ever book a condemnation of and prescription for all that ails modern Canadian politics
Author and activist Dave Meslin doesn’t mince his words in describing what he sees as an ailing political system in Canada, calling it a “childish circus” and a “demoralizing farce,” plagued by toxic discourse, and populated by unrepresentative party “cartels.” His prescription, as laid out in his new book: tear it all down, and rebuild […]
Questions remain over political party data practices after recent testimony, says expert Colin Bennett
Little has been learned and questions remains after the recent and unprecedented House committee appearance by representatives from Canada’s major political parties, who spoke about and took questions on parties’ collection, use, and protection of personal data, says University of Victoria professor and privacy expert Colin Bennett. “A lot of it [the testimony] was expected. […]
Political parties set to testify about data use, collection efforts at House Affairs Committee
Representatives from Canada’s top federal political parties are set to testify before the House Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics Committee about how they use and collect data, as part of an ongoing study into the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook data breach and the privacy concerns it’s raised. At the same time, some MPs on the committee […]
Bernier may not be most lingering challenge for Conservatives after Halifax
OTTAWA—Despite Maxime Bernier’s efforts at setting a different agenda, the Conservatives managed to pull off what appeared to be a reasonably successful convention in Halifax on the weekend. While at this point it is unknown what Bernier’s walk away will do to party fortunes in 2019, it is fair to say at least on the […]
Convention supply-management tumult ‘opened the floodgates’ for Bernier supporters, says organizer
A Conservative Party member and proponent of ending Canada’s supply management system said he’s received plenty of interest from current and former MPs and businesspeople in support of maverick MP Maxime Bernier’s future party. This follows a tense scene at the party convention that saw a policy resolution on phasing out the system dropped before reaching a vote. […]
Scheer tries out his Ford-Trump routine
OTTAWA—If you’re tired of the mendacious, anger-spewing modus operandi that now passes for political discourse in the United States, you may want to find something to do outside Canada next year. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, who is so uninspiring that rival Maxime Bernier finally quit the party over what he said was moral and intellectual […]
Drawing from a new well: Tories look to party outsiders to quench voters’ thirst for change
Looking to replicate their success in the recent Chicoutimi-Le Fjord, Que., byelection on a national scale, the Conservatives’ 2019 campaign chief is encouraging party faithful to think outside the box and recruit outside traditional party circles. “Especially in seats we haven’t won for a long time, going back to the same well again and again […]
