Small communities on the Rock being left to erode as hard times hit
CORNER BROOK, N.L.—Politics is a hard business anywhere, but in Newfoundland and Labrador, it is a blood sport. And in a tough economy, it gets even harder. Cycling across the west coast of the island, I am reminded of how challenging life can be here. The gaps between towns are punctuated by abandoned restaurants and […]
Canadians deserve more than a white-bread response to racism
OTTAWA—“That’s not how we do things in Canada.” Are you sure about that? This was the statement our racially unsavvy prime minister gave to reporters in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements telling four congresswomen to “go back to where they came from,” and it’s very Canadian. So too is Bill 21, Quebec’s […]
Pulling Butts off the bench too early may cause Liberals to commit a foul
OTTAWA—According to numerous media reports this past week, Gerald Butts is back providing advice to the prime minister and the Liberal Party. That this happening is really a shock to no one and probably most welcomed by Justin Trudeau. Butts seems to be a major part of his mojo. How others in the organization feel […]
The Trump nightmare hits full stride
OTTAWA—The thing about Watergate was that Richard Nixon resigned. With impeachment by the U.S. Congress over Watergate looming in 1974, Nixon stepped down—becoming the first president to do so. Would Donald Trump quit the White House if lawmakers were moving to impeach him? There’s every reason to think he wouldn’t. Two-and-a-half years into his term, […]
Enforce the Veterans Hiring Act, says MP McCauley as committee finds former soldiers still underhired
Despite laws in place to ensure that military veterans get the first crack at federal public service jobs, a recent House committee report says there’s a lack of recognition by managers in the value of hiring vets and a need for clear targets to implement the Veterans Hiring Act, with a Conservative MP calling the federal […]
Contradictory polls ‘perfectly predictable,’ reflect volatility among voters, say pollsters
Contradictory poll results this far out from the election reflect the undecided population and, unlike the results themselves, are “perfectly predictable,” say some pollsters, but others say the recent variations raise important questions about transparency, standards, and reporting. So far, horse-race polls reveal a tight two-way race between the Conservatives and Liberals, but how tight […]
Bringing Butts back gives Conservatives anti-Liberal fodder, but for how long?
Alright, so Gerald Butts is back. Now what? To recap: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s longtime friend and former principal secretary left the Prime Minister’s Office in mid February, resigning in disgrace or in valour (depending on what side of the aisle you’re on) amid the SNC-Lavalin scandal. Mr. Butts had been fingered by the former […]
Last chance to lobby MPs sees June numbers shrink, with influencers eyeing the campaign season
The waning days of the House’s busy legislative calendar were coupled with an unsurprising dip in lobbying, but some were making the most of the last month with MPs in Ottawa before an extended break for the campaign ahead of an October election. With party platforms still being written, June was a good time for […]
Political staff busy bees in riding associations and beyond, public declarations show
A year has passed since Hill Climbers last took a look at the public declarations of outside activities filed by political staffers, and it seems they’ve been busy bees, with 37 making such declarations since June 2018. From active roles in local riding associations to positions on the boards of directors of non-profits, it seems […]
Bloc Québécois’ resurgence shifting race in Quebec, threatening Liberal fortunes, say observers
The federal battleground in Quebec is shifting, with a renewed Bloc Québécois shaping up to be real competition, and a factor other parties can’t afford to overlook, say experts. A year ago, a then-fractured Bloc Québécois was “not a threat” to the major parties in the battle for Quebec’s 78 federal seats, said Carl Vallée, […]
