In politics, no good deed goes unpunished
CHELSEA, QUE.—The people of southern Ontario and parts of Quebec owe former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty a heartfelt thank you. Partly because of action his government took in 2013—namely, the closure of a large, coal-fired electricity plant on Lake Erie—this sweltering summer has featured no smog days so far. In fact, smog days—once a feature […]
Feds’ fight over carbon tax with Ford could help Trudeau score points, say NDP, Liberal politicos
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s fight with the feds over the carbon tax delivers the Trudeau government the kind of political opposition that could work to its favour, say some Liberal- and NDP-connected politicos, while some Tory insiders say that the growing provincial opposition will help strengthen the Conservatives’ appeal federally. “The Liberals like the fight […]
Is social licence to govern a thing?
As we approach the end of a decade, with another provincial election under our belts–and a new government–I find myself reflecting on days gone by and what the future might hold. With change on the horizon, I can’t help but feel a sense of uncertainty. Will this new government reflect my values? Enact change that benefits […]
Telling feds to pay more for asylum seekers is fair game for Premier Ford, stopping cooperation is not
New Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s move to stop cooperating with Ottawa on asylum seekers arriving in the province is, at best, a negotiating tactic for more federal support, and at worst, a cynical, political manoeuvre at the expense of good public policy. Let’s hope it’s more the former than the latter. Mr. Ford has cancelled […]
‘Tough on crime’ tactics won’t address spike in shootings, says downtown Toronto Grit MP
Toronto has been dominating headlines for the spate of shootings that have rocked the city in recent months, but Liberal MP Adam Vaughan says these incidents are not “unique” to it. “It’s clear that, quite frankly, mandatory minimums and 10 years of being tough on crime have not solved the problems we’re dealing with,” said […]
Ford government’s move to withdraw support for resettlement of asylum seekers ‘short-sighted,’ says Vaughan
The Ford government’s decision to halt its co-operation with Ottawa on the resettlement of asylum seekers could throw a wrench in the plan to establish an information-sharing system between the province and the federal government that seeks to alleviate pressures on social services. Calling the influx of migrants entering Canada a “mess” that Ottawa is […]
Revenge of the Harperites
OTTAWA—By now, it’s easy to have forgotten that day in 2011 when Stephen Harper, fresh from winning a majority Conservative government, showed up as the surprise guest at a 700-person barbecue in the backyard of the Ford family home in Toronto. “He’s my new fishing partner,” the late Rob Ford told the enthusiastic crowd at […]
If gender equality is so important, why don’t Canadians give female premiers a second term?
If gender equality is so important to Canadians, why do we not allow female premiers a second term? Many argue that, historically, parties in decline and doomed to electoral defeat elect a female leader to clean up their mess. When the mess gets tidied enough for a possible electoral win, they replace the female with […]
Brand control, ‘beefed-up’ war rooms more important in era of digital campaigns
Campaign war rooms are more important than ever, turning into “content shops” churning out material with the potential to go viral as the fight for attention turns away from conventional approaches to get the message out, say campaign veterans and experts. But even though incoming Progressive Conservative Ontario Premier Doug Ford shot to power earlier this […]
How the party leaders stack up, as campaign machines rev up for 2019
OTTAWA—Summer is upon us. Members of Parliament have returned to their ridings to kiss babies and shake hands wherever they can. Ottawa will feel a bit like a ghost town between now and mid-September until the elected officials return when they will begin the big push to the 2019 election. Through this session of Parliament […]
