Class of 2019: Parliament’s new crop of MPs
Some ministers, bureaucrats don’t get Trudeau’s vision for Senate, says André Pratte
Some of the influential bureaucrats, ministers, and staff in the Liberal government don’t understand Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s push for an independent Senate, and aren’t interested in using the Senate to improve government bills, according to André Pratte, who announced he was quitting the Upper Chamber on election night after just three years of service. Mr. […]
Did Justin Trudeau really wreck Alberta’s economy?
Western alienation has dominated much of the political discussion following the Oct. 21 federal election that brought the Liberals back to power with a minority government without a single seat in Alberta or Saskatchewan. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged it in his election night victory speech, and reporters grilled him about it in his first […]
Eight former MPs, five Conservatives, make their return to Parliament in 2019
Eight former MPs who weren’t part of the last Parliament will be making their way back to Ottawa following successful bids in the 2019 election, including five Conservatives, two from the Bloc Québécois, and one from the NDP. Liberal candidates finished second in all eight ridings won by the former MPs across the country. Conservative […]
Antidote to a polarizing election: let’s work together to bridge the divides
What can we conclude from a federal election that resulted in a minority government reflecting stark regional and, in some cases, urban/rural divides? That we need to work together to bridge those divides. And with a minority government, we’ve all been given a golden opportunity to do just that. Let’s make the most of the […]
Trudeau should revamp senior PMO staff, hire a diverse array of ‘Canadians of note,’ say politicos
With a changed political landscape after the election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs a wholesale revamp of his senior staff in the PMO, say some, adding that the prime minister needs a group of “substantial individuals of note” in his inner circle to help him unite the divided country, and facilitate the smooth functioning of […]
Change is happening, and Kenney and Moe can’t escape this reality
TORONTO—The election results were barely in before cries of Western alienation were hitting the airwaves. The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Jason Kenney and Scott Moe, had used the election to wage all-out war against the Trudeau Liberals and, in a narrow sense, they won, capturing all but one seat in the two provinces for […]
Prime Minister Trudeau gets a second chance
HALIFAX—Dear Mr. Prime Minister, Congratulations on your election result; you still rule the roost. I would have said “election victory” except you didn’t have one; as Andrew Coyne put it, you just lost less than the other guys. David Suzuki effectively said the same thing: you didn’t win a mandate, just a plurality of seats. […]
Voted last Monday, in spite of Elections Canada
I voted last Monday, but it wasn’t easy, and it was almost in spite of Elections Canada. I am a senior and disabled and full-time in a wheelchair. I received my voter information card, which gave me only two options: advanced voting, four kilometres away, or election day voting, three kilometres away. Initially, I was surprised to see […]
Liberals about to learn how difficult it is to pursue policy while trying to ensure the trains run on time
OTTAWA—Well that was fun! As the carcass of the 43rd general election continues to be picked over in search of political ammunition or insight, it might be useful to step back and examine what actually happened and what, if anything, it might mean. There is a strong consensus that this election was one of the […]
