Charest campaign yet again denies Harper is against former Quebec premier’s leadership campaign bid
Media reports continue to suggest that Stephen Harper will oppose Jean Charest’s Conservative leadership election bid, but a senior strategist for the former Quebec premier’s campaign strenuously denies the stories, arguing that the former prime minister will not influence the outcome of the leadership election. “I will believe it when I see it,” said Michael […]
Place your bets, it’s a real race, now
OTTAWA—It’s official. There really will be a race for the Conservative leadership. For political watchers from all sides, that is a good thing. We really will be able to witness the fight for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party. Frontrunner Pierre Poilievre has already laid down the ground rules. He represents a “back […]
What’s up with gas? Explaining the global and local politics behind the price at the pump
In the wake of rising oil and gas prices, Conservative politicians have been urging the government to decrease its dependence on oil imports and ramp up Canadian production, but Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says the opposition is “playing politics.” Gas prices have been climbing steadily for months now, but in the last two weeks, Canadians […]
Time to take Poilievre seriously, no matter how unserious he seems
CHELSEA, QUE.—Those who believe a prime minister Pierre Poilievre is unthinkable had better start thinking—particularly the sleepy-heads in the Liberal communications shop. Political Twitter is a river of vituperation, and social media, generally, a fetid soup of ancient grudges and fresh outrage. But it is Poilievre’s natural habitat and the Ottawa-area Conservative MP is winning […]
Canada’s push for Russian accountability at the ICC faces an uphill battle
As Canada joins the chorus of support for the International Criminal Court’s investigation of possible war crimes committed by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, the probe is unlikely to deter Russian action with little means for the world bench to hold Moscow to account. Along with 38 other member states of the International Criminal […]
A leader with baggage steps back into the spotlight
The entrance of Jean Charest, ex-politician extraordinaire, to the federal Conservative leadership race requires a closer examination of his work since 2013 as an influential lobbyist and consultant while at McCarthy Tétrault. This comes as Charest is breathing a sigh of relief after the Quebec Liberal Party was just cleared by an anti-corruption probe into […]
New operations director, press secretary in the mix for Northern Affairs Minister Vandal
Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal, who was given added responsibility for Prairies Economic Development Canada and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency last fall, has some new faces on his team this Parliament, including new operations director Nikki Hipkin. Hipkin was previously director of operations to Liberal MP Jim Carr as the prime minister’s special […]
Convoy support could help Poilievre’s leadership bid, but populist support can cut both ways
He was first off the mark to declare his candidacy for the federal Conservative Party and has been polling well among Tory supporters, but Ottawa-area MP Pierre Poilievre’s climb to the party’s pinnacle could face not only new challengers in the race—most notably from former federal Progressive Conservative leader Jean Charest—but pushback from his own […]
Pandemic measures easing in House Precinct, public allowed back starting in April
The House of Commons will once again be open to visitors next month, as part of a broader easing of measures introduced nearly two years ago to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the Parliamentary Precinct. House Speaker Anthony Rota (Nipissing-Timiskaming, Ont.) announced the changes on March 10, saying the Commons Board of Internal Economy, […]
The world’s bad news is good news for the CPC
OAKVILLE, ONT.—The federal Conservative leadership race will be decided on Sept. 10, which, reckoned in political-events time, is about a million years from now. Okay, that sounds crazy, but my point is that in this tumultuous world we’re living in right now, lots of things could happen between now and Sept. 10 that could drastically […]
