Tories building on ‘large bedrock of support’ ahead of August convention: party president
As the Conservative Party prepares to huddle in Halifax at its end-of-summer policy convention, the party president is feeling buoyed by polling patterns and fundraising stats that he says put them in a prime position for the 2019 election. When the Conservatives’ three-day national convention begins in Halifax on Aug. 23, it will come on […]
House Ethics Committee to release interim report on probe into Cambridge Analytica-Facebook scandal this summer, says Zimmer
The House Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics Committee will deliver an interim report this summer on its sprawling study into the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook data breach and last week it received some suggestions for change from Canadian whistleblower Chris Wylie. “It started off just being a study on Cambridge Analytica and Facebook and the breach […]
Feds’ Bill C-76 privacy changes ‘insufficient,’ and a missed opportunity to make long-called-for reforms, say critics
Privacy-related changes in the Liberal government’s large elections reform package, Bill C-76, are being criticized as “insufficient” by academics and opposition MPs alike, and as a missed opportunity to make long-called-for changes to bring political parties under federal privacy laws before the next election. “There’s nothing like the pressure of an election combined with public […]
Canadians should have right to know personal data held by parties after Cambridge Analytica-Facebook scandal, says privacy commissioner
Canada’s privacy commissioner, who is conducting an investigation into the Cambridge-Analytica-Facebook scandal and a separate probe into whether Canadian privacy laws were violated by AggregateIQ in order to sway the Brexit vote, says Canada’s federal political parties need to be covered by privacy laws and voters should have the right to find out what personal […]
Hold the last rites, Scheer’s got a pulse
OTTAWA—Compared to our southern neighbours, we are blessed these days to have predictable patterns in our national politics. One of those familiar routines is to have columnists and others write the obituary of the opposition leader of the day. If the Conservatives lead the official Opposition, it is almost certain such pronouncements will appear not […]
Conservatives maintain fundraising lead in Q3, with Liberals gaining pace
The federal Conservatives edged out the governing Liberals in the battle to tap into Canadians’ wallets last quarter, drawing $3.6-million in donations over the past three months, in what the party is calling one of its best fundraising performances in a non-election year. The Liberals finished some $500,000 behind the Tories, racking up roughly $3.1-million […]
NDP second quarter fundraising numbers ‘disappointing,’ highlight ‘challenge’ ahead: Bélanger
The federal NDP’s fundraising numbers have slid for the second quarter in a row, and former NDP national director Karl Bélanger says the results are “disappointing,” not just for the party itself but for those currently vying to lead it in the next election. “They are disappointing for the party as a whole, and I […]
Tories outpace Grit fundraising, but Liberals tighten the gap
The Conservative Party outpaced the Liberals again in second-quarter donations even as Tory fundraising fell by $1.2-million, while the governing Grits tried to tighten the gap. Amid the tail end of their leadership race, the Tories raised $4,073,664 between April to June compared to $3,023,955 raised by Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, who fared slightly better this […]
Gould puts feds’ political financing bill on Notice Paper
PARLIAMENT HILL—Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould has put the House of Commons on notice that the government’s promised political financing bill could come down the legislative pipeline as early as tomorrow, Wednesday, May 31. The bill will amend the Canada Elections Act to set new parameters on political parties’ financing practices. Bills are normally placed on […]
Gould expected to introduce political financing bill, but critics say it won’t stop cash-for-access
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould is expected to introduce the government’s political financing bill in the next few weeks, but critics are casting doubt on whether the legislation will adequately address the Liberals’ cash-for-access fundraising problem. “What has been suggested so far is putting lipstick on a pig, essentially. It’s still a pig, and it’s still cash-for-access,” […]
