Carbon tax not the villain when gas prices spike
CHELSEA, QUE.—The federal carbon tax—a central actor in budding pre-election drama—is actually a bit player when it comes to its impact on the economy and even on individual drivers. Not exactly much-ado about nothing, but hardly worthy of the angry clamour on one side and the earnest panegyrics on the other. Nor does the tax […]
Canada’s upcoming federal election could expose deepening societal rifts and ‘ordered’ populism, says Graves
Canada’s upcoming federal election could expose deepening societal rifts that will test the country’s immunity from Trumpian-style populism, says one leading pollster, but other politicians and political observers say while there are worrying signs, it has limited appeal. Thanks to economic stagnation, the hyper-concentration of wealth, and a brewing cultural backlash, Canada’s political climate is […]
Conservative premiers on campaign trail give Scheer little boost, say pollsters
Campaigning conservative premiers pose little gain for federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and his party in preparation for the October election, pollsters say. A group of five conservative-minded premiers, who met two weeks ago ahead of the Council of the Federation —a biannual meeting of the 13 premiers of Canada’s provinces and territories—to present themselves […]
Premiers’ meeting sheds light on the real dimensions of Canada’s energy politics
OTTAWA—With Doug Ford going on about how the increasingly conservative lineup of provincial leaders is a driver of concerted Canada-wide action, a reporter at a premiers’ press conference asked the Ontario premier if British Columbia fits that mould. “We look forward to meeting with Premier Hogirth…” replied Ford. Nearby, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney prompted: “Horgan.” […]
Federal parties are racing against time and losing
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Canada’s three main federal political parties have all managed to squander one of their most valuable resources—time. And yes, time is a resource, one that’s just as valuable as other political resources—money, organizational support, good candidates— if not more so. After all, it takes time to raise money, it takes time to raise awareness […]
Politicians fiddle while Rome burns
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared there’s a climate emergency, but also approved the Trans Mountain pipeline. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, who is promising green technology, and not taxes, to bring down greenhouse gas emissions, is against clean fuel standards and the carbon tax. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who launched a constitutional challenge last month of […]
Federal government’s efforts to rein in climate change fall short, with expectations highest in Quebec, poll suggests
The Trudeau government’s response to climate change is falling short of many Canadians’ expectations, a new national poll suggests. But that doesn’t necessarily mean people are willing to bear the costs of aggressive targets and policies designed to reduce fossil-fuel dependency, said Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research. Forum Research’s survey suggested that 63 per […]
Dealing with climate change is ultimately a moral responsibility
TORONTO—We were promised a climate action plan that would be more effective than that of the Trudeau government, a plan that would meet Canada’s greenhouse gas emission targets for 2030, and a plan that would be cheaper. Instead, we got a big zero. Andrew Scheer’s long-awaited climate plan turned out to be long on wishful […]
Global warming followers may be flummoxed by party positions on climate change action plans
OTTAWA—Global warming followers may be flummoxed by the differences in party positions on climate change action plans. Andrew Scheer’s announcement last week was long on photos and short on specifics. He characterized his plan as the most anticipated policy announcement of an opposition leader in the history of the country. Scheer framed his work in […]
If he wants to win, Scheer needs to build his own brand, separate from Ford’s and Kenney’s, say political analysts
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer will have to build his own strong brand to win the October election as perception about his close association with Ontario Premier Doug Ford could prove to be politically risky and could drag down the federal Conservatives in the upcoming federal campaign, say pollsters. “People are taking a closer look at […]
