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Gerry Nicholls

How polls help parties plan policy

  • I recently turned down a chance to participate in a phone survey dealing with federal politics, a decision I almost instantly regretted. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 2, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

How polls help parties plan policy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 2, 2023
  • I recently turned down a chance to participate in a phone survey dealing with federal politics, a decision I almost instantly regretted. 

How polls help parties plan policy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 2, 2023
  • I recently turned down a chance to participate in a phone survey dealing with federal politics, a decision I almost instantly regretted. 
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

It’s better for Singh to be Singh

  • To be successful, a politician has to be real. That’s to say if a politician tries to be something he or she isn’t, it
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 26, 2023
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured on the Hill. New Democrat strategists should focus on addressing Singh’s true political vulnerabilities, argues Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It’s better for Singh to be Singh

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 26, 2023
  • To be successful, a politician has to be real. That’s to say if a politician tries to be something he or she isn’t, it

It’s better for Singh to be Singh

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 26, 2023
  • To be successful, a politician has to be real. That’s to say if a politician tries to be something he or she isn’t, it
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured on the Hill. New Democrat strategists should focus on addressing Singh’s true political vulnerabilities, argues Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Politics and the five-issue clusters

  • In a tight race, other issues could play a pivotal part in deciding who wins and who loses. Maybe a new slogan should be: 'It’s
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 18, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left; NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green Co-Leader Elizabeth May. The next federal election will be won by whichever political party puts together a campaign which best reflects that famous slogan, 'It’s the economy, stupid.' The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

Politics and the five-issue clusters

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 18, 2023
  • In a tight race, other issues could play a pivotal part in deciding who wins and who loses. Maybe a new slogan should be: 'It’s

Politics and the five-issue clusters

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 18, 2023
  • In a tight race, other issues could play a pivotal part in deciding who wins and who loses. Maybe a new slogan should be: 'It’s
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left; NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green Co-Leader Elizabeth May. The next federal election will be won by whichever political party puts together a campaign which best reflects that famous slogan, 'It’s the economy, stupid.' The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

Trudeau’s ‘boredom’ problem

  • If Canadians are simply bored of Justin Trudeau, he still has a path to victory. But if Canadians are bored of Trudeau and also think
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 12, 2023
A Nanos poll came out recently which seemed to have bad news for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Indeed, according to this poll, just over half of Canadians (51 per cent) want the Liberals to dump Trudeau as their leader before the next federal election.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s ‘boredom’ problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 12, 2023
  • If Canadians are simply bored of Justin Trudeau, he still has a path to victory. But if Canadians are bored of Trudeau and also think

Trudeau’s ‘boredom’ problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 12, 2023
  • If Canadians are simply bored of Justin Trudeau, he still has a path to victory. But if Canadians are bored of Trudeau and also think
A Nanos poll came out recently which seemed to have bad news for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Indeed, according to this poll, just over half of Canadians (51 per cent) want the Liberals to dump Trudeau as their leader before the next federal election.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Notley’s policy gambit

  • Anyone who’s expecting the Alberta election to be a battle of policy platforms will be sorely disappointed.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 4, 2023
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, left, will face off against Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley in the provincial election this spring. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright and courtesy of Flickr

Notley’s policy gambit

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 4, 2023
  • Anyone who’s expecting the Alberta election to be a battle of policy platforms will be sorely disappointed.

Notley’s policy gambit

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 4, 2023
  • Anyone who’s expecting the Alberta election to be a battle of policy platforms will be sorely disappointed.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, left, will face off against Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley in the provincial election this spring. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright and courtesy of Flickr

Harper’s ideals live on

  • The Canadian Alliance Stephen Harper, not the Conservative Harper, exuded ideological fervour, which mobilized the conservative base. And right now, the conservative base needs mobilizing. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 19, 2022
Stephen Harper, pictured campaigning in New Brunswick in the 2015 federal election. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has branded himself as conservatism’s true champion and as an adamant foe of wishy-washy Red Toryism, seems to be taking a page out of Canadian Alliance Harper’s playbook, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Harper’s ideals live on

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 19, 2022
  • The Canadian Alliance Stephen Harper, not the Conservative Harper, exuded ideological fervour, which mobilized the conservative base. And right now, the conservative base needs mobilizing. 

Harper’s ideals live on

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 19, 2022
  • The Canadian Alliance Stephen Harper, not the Conservative Harper, exuded ideological fervour, which mobilized the conservative base. And right now, the conservative base needs mobilizing. 
Stephen Harper, pictured campaigning in New Brunswick in the 2015 federal election. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has branded himself as conservatism’s true champion and as an adamant foe of wishy-washy Red Toryism, seems to be taking a page out of Canadian Alliance Harper’s playbook, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The problem with applause lines

  • Message discipline should always trump the urge to score with applause lines. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 12, 2022
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May recently landed in some hot water after she attempted an applause line.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The problem with applause lines

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 12, 2022
  • Message discipline should always trump the urge to score with applause lines. 

The problem with applause lines

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 12, 2022
  • Message discipline should always trump the urge to score with applause lines. 
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May recently landed in some hot water after she attempted an applause line.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Chasing ‘meh’ voters 

  • The much-anticipated Republican 'red wave' was more like a 'red trickle.' The question is, what happened? Why did the supposed Republican juggernaut fizzle out? 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 1, 2022
Not-so-sleepy Joe: U.S. President Joe Biden's Democrats outperformed the historical trend in the Nov. 8, 2022, midterm elections. According to The Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter, the election hinged on what she termed the 'meh voters,' defined as independents, Americans not registered as either Republicans or Democrats. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Chasing ‘meh’ voters 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 1, 2022
  • The much-anticipated Republican 'red wave' was more like a 'red trickle.' The question is, what happened? Why did the supposed Republican juggernaut fizzle out? 

Chasing ‘meh’ voters 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 1, 2022
  • The much-anticipated Republican 'red wave' was more like a 'red trickle.' The question is, what happened? Why did the supposed Republican juggernaut fizzle out? 
Not-so-sleepy Joe: U.S. President Joe Biden's Democrats outperformed the historical trend in the Nov. 8, 2022, midterm elections. According to The Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter, the election hinged on what she termed the 'meh voters,' defined as independents, Americans not registered as either Republicans or Democrats. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Planning the politics of division 

  • Will Pierre Poilievre emulate Ronald Reagan and try to split Canada along ideological lines, perhaps by setting populists against elites? Or, like Justin Trudeau, maybe
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 28, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Trudeau could seek a less controversial division, such as splitting up Canadians between those who want change in government and those who favour keeping the status quo. We’ll have to wait and see how Poilievre's pollsters come up with a way to divide and conquer. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Planning the politics of division 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 28, 2022
  • Will Pierre Poilievre emulate Ronald Reagan and try to split Canada along ideological lines, perhaps by setting populists against elites? Or, like Justin Trudeau, maybe

Planning the politics of division 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 28, 2022
  • Will Pierre Poilievre emulate Ronald Reagan and try to split Canada along ideological lines, perhaps by setting populists against elites? Or, like Justin Trudeau, maybe
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Trudeau could seek a less controversial division, such as splitting up Canadians between those who want change in government and those who favour keeping the status quo. We’ll have to wait and see how Poilievre's pollsters come up with a way to divide and conquer. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s self-sabotaging comment 

  • Chrystia Freeland’s apology essentially informed Canadians that she really isn’t like 'us,' which is why she doesn’t understand our economic problems, which is why
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 16, 2022
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured recently on the Hill. In the political game of 'Us vs. Them,' politicians must follow one key rule: they should always identify with 'us,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s self-sabotaging comment 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 16, 2022
  • Chrystia Freeland’s apology essentially informed Canadians that she really isn’t like 'us,' which is why she doesn’t understand our economic problems, which is why

Freeland’s self-sabotaging comment 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 16, 2022
  • Chrystia Freeland’s apology essentially informed Canadians that she really isn’t like 'us,' which is why she doesn’t understand our economic problems, which is why
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured recently on the Hill. In the political game of 'Us vs. Them,' politicians must follow one key rule: they should always identify with 'us,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Closing a Charter loophole

  • So that’s the lesson for all those who oppose the notwithstanding clause. Maybe you can’t close that loophole in the court of law, but
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 10, 2022
Ontario Doug Ford, pictured on Oct. 17, 2022, at Nokia in Kanata, Ont., recently buckled on his threat to use the notwithstanding clause to pre-emptively protect a law his government had enacted banning the province’s education workers from going on strike. Apparently, he miscalculated. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Closing a Charter loophole

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 10, 2022
  • So that’s the lesson for all those who oppose the notwithstanding clause. Maybe you can’t close that loophole in the court of law, but

Closing a Charter loophole

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 10, 2022
  • So that’s the lesson for all those who oppose the notwithstanding clause. Maybe you can’t close that loophole in the court of law, but
Ontario Doug Ford, pictured on Oct. 17, 2022, at Nokia in Kanata, Ont., recently buckled on his threat to use the notwithstanding clause to pre-emptively protect a law his government had enacted banning the province’s education workers from going on strike. Apparently, he miscalculated. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Singh’s TikTok problem

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—This is going to sound strange, but it seems NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh could at least partially blame his loss in the last
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 2, 2022
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured Nov. 12, 2021, on TikTok. The video, which picked up on a popular TikTok trend and showed Mr. Singh eating spaghetti and dancing, had received 212,800 likes, 6143 comments, and more than 3.2 million views. Photograph courtesy of Jagmeet Singh's TikTok

Singh’s TikTok problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 2, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—This is going to sound strange, but it seems NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh could at least partially blame his loss in the last

Singh’s TikTok problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 2, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—This is going to sound strange, but it seems NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh could at least partially blame his loss in the last
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured Nov. 12, 2021, on TikTok. The video, which picked up on a popular TikTok trend and showed Mr. Singh eating spaghetti and dancing, had received 212,800 likes, 6143 comments, and more than 3.2 million views. Photograph courtesy of Jagmeet Singh's TikTok

What to expect in the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 8

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To understand what’s truly going on in the crazy and wacky world of American politics, you really need to rely on people with
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 27, 2022
The Capitol Hill Building in Washington, D.C. According to recent polls, the issues that dominate right now in most American states are the economy, inflation, crime, justice, immigration, and border chaos. All these issues, by the way, favour the Republicans, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

What to expect in the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 8

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 27, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To understand what’s truly going on in the crazy and wacky world of American politics, you really need to rely on people with

What to expect in the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 8

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 27, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To understand what’s truly going on in the crazy and wacky world of American politics, you really need to rely on people with
The Capitol Hill Building in Washington, D.C. According to recent polls, the issues that dominate right now in most American states are the economy, inflation, crime, justice, immigration, and border chaos. All these issues, by the way, favour the Republicans, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Trudeau’s got an inflation problem, whether or not he caused it

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If you want to know who’s going to win the next federal election, pay less attention to opinion polls and more attention to
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 21, 2022
It doesn’t matter if Justin Trudeau isn’t to blame for the onset of inflation, it doesn’t matter if it’s worse in other countries, it doesn’t matter if there’s no short-term, painless way to stop it; at the end of the day, all that matters is he’s the prime minister and the loonie ultimately stops at his desk, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s got an inflation problem, whether or not he caused it

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 21, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If you want to know who’s going to win the next federal election, pay less attention to opinion polls and more attention to

Trudeau’s got an inflation problem, whether or not he caused it

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 21, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If you want to know who’s going to win the next federal election, pay less attention to opinion polls and more attention to
It doesn’t matter if Justin Trudeau isn’t to blame for the onset of inflation, it doesn’t matter if it’s worse in other countries, it doesn’t matter if there’s no short-term, painless way to stop it; at the end of the day, all that matters is he’s the prime minister and the loonie ultimately stops at his desk, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole’s bad luck

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole may have lost the last federal election because he lacked a rabbit’s foot or a four-leaf clover.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 12, 2022
Former Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole in a recent media interview basically claimed that what brought him down was a sudden stroke of bad luck, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole’s bad luck

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 12, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole may have lost the last federal election because he lacked a rabbit’s foot or a four-leaf clover.

O’Toole’s bad luck

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 12, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole may have lost the last federal election because he lacked a rabbit’s foot or a four-leaf clover.
Former Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole in a recent media interview basically claimed that what brought him down was a sudden stroke of bad luck, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will Singh embrace populism lite?

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Thanks to the NDP, I’m unable at this point to make a fully confident prediction about what kind of communication strategies will be
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 6, 2022
New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured on Sept. 30, 2022, speaking with attendees at the National Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremony on Parliament Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will Singh embrace populism lite?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 6, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Thanks to the NDP, I’m unable at this point to make a fully confident prediction about what kind of communication strategies will be

Will Singh embrace populism lite?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 6, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Thanks to the NDP, I’m unable at this point to make a fully confident prediction about what kind of communication strategies will be
New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured on Sept. 30, 2022, speaking with attendees at the National Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremony on Parliament Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The artistry of fundraising

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The worst enemy for any fundraiser is the trash can. After all, anyone who receives a fundraising letter in the mail is always
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 29, 2022
The charm offensive: Imagine if newly minted Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured on Sept. 12, 2022, with his wife Anaida and their son Cruz, sent out a seemingly handwritten letter on his own letterhead to party donors that said something like, 'Dear Joe; it’s late at night and I’m sitting here in my study worried about our party’s finances. The bills for the leadership campaign are piling up on my desk. That’s why I’m writing to you. You’ve stood by me from the beginning so I know you’ll stand by me now at this crucial moment when I need your help.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The artistry of fundraising

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 29, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The worst enemy for any fundraiser is the trash can. After all, anyone who receives a fundraising letter in the mail is always

The artistry of fundraising

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 29, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The worst enemy for any fundraiser is the trash can. After all, anyone who receives a fundraising letter in the mail is always
The charm offensive: Imagine if newly minted Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured on Sept. 12, 2022, with his wife Anaida and their son Cruz, sent out a seemingly handwritten letter on his own letterhead to party donors that said something like, 'Dear Joe; it’s late at night and I’m sitting here in my study worried about our party’s finances. The bills for the leadership campaign are piling up on my desk. That’s why I’m writing to you. You’ve stood by me from the beginning so I know you’ll stand by me now at this crucial moment when I need your help.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What’s wrong with the Greens?

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Sometimes political organizations need to focus less on ideological fervor and more on the practicalities of politics. A case in point is the
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 22, 2022
Former Green Party leader Elizabeth May, pictured Oct. 3, 2020, is running to be leader again. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What’s wrong with the Greens?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 22, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Sometimes political organizations need to focus less on ideological fervor and more on the practicalities of politics. A case in point is the

What’s wrong with the Greens?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 22, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Sometimes political organizations need to focus less on ideological fervor and more on the practicalities of politics. A case in point is the
Former Green Party leader Elizabeth May, pictured Oct. 3, 2020, is running to be leader again. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre will need disciplined aggressiveness

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that the dust has settled in the Conservative Party leadership race, I think it’s safe to look back on it all and
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 14, 2022
Pierre Poilievre is a badass leader and exactly what Conservatives want right now; they want a leader who's willing to mix it up with his opponents, who’s willing to vigorously defend conservatism, and who’s prepared to stand up to the 'Laurentian elites,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre will need disciplined aggressiveness

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 14, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that the dust has settled in the Conservative Party leadership race, I think it’s safe to look back on it all and

Poilievre will need disciplined aggressiveness

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 14, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that the dust has settled in the Conservative Party leadership race, I think it’s safe to look back on it all and
Pierre Poilievre is a badass leader and exactly what Conservatives want right now; they want a leader who's willing to mix it up with his opponents, who’s willing to vigorously defend conservatism, and who’s prepared to stand up to the 'Laurentian elites,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The sad plight of classical Liberals

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—I’d like to tell you a sad tale about a beleaguered political faction. It’s a faction no political party seems to care about
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 7, 2022
Wilfrid Laurier, who was prime minister from 1896-1911 and one of Canada’s most celebrated prime ministers, was a classical liberal, writes Gerry Nicholls. As author Brian Lee Crowley notes in his book, The Canadian Century, Laurier promoted 'minimal state interference, low taxes and respect of property and of contract.' Photograph courtesy of Flickr

The sad plight of classical Liberals

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 7, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—I’d like to tell you a sad tale about a beleaguered political faction. It’s a faction no political party seems to care about

The sad plight of classical Liberals

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 7, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—I’d like to tell you a sad tale about a beleaguered political faction. It’s a faction no political party seems to care about
Wilfrid Laurier, who was prime minister from 1896-1911 and one of Canada’s most celebrated prime ministers, was a classical liberal, writes Gerry Nicholls. As author Brian Lee Crowley notes in his book, The Canadian Century, Laurier promoted 'minimal state interference, low taxes and respect of property and of contract.' Photograph courtesy of Flickr

The secret to Tory unity

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To some, the ongoing Conservative Party leadership contest seems less like a race and more like a burning fuse. Indeed, the way certain
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 1, 2022
The Conservative Party will choose its new leader—whether it's populist Pierre Poilievre, right, or moderate Jean Charest, left—on Sept. 10, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The secret to Tory unity

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 1, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To some, the ongoing Conservative Party leadership contest seems less like a race and more like a burning fuse. Indeed, the way certain

The secret to Tory unity

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 1, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To some, the ongoing Conservative Party leadership contest seems less like a race and more like a burning fuse. Indeed, the way certain
The Conservative Party will choose its new leader—whether it's populist Pierre Poilievre, right, or moderate Jean Charest, left—on Sept. 10, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The NDP’s strategic dilemma

  • Federal New Democrats should view the partition of Poland in the 18th century as a cautionary tale. For those of you not up on
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 24, 2022
Other parties have been cutting away at the NDP base, and leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured, better find a way to stop the leak, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The NDP’s strategic dilemma

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 24, 2022
  • Federal New Democrats should view the partition of Poland in the 18th century as a cautionary tale. For those of you not up on

The NDP’s strategic dilemma

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 24, 2022
  • Federal New Democrats should view the partition of Poland in the 18th century as a cautionary tale. For those of you not up on
Other parties have been cutting away at the NDP base, and leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured, better find a way to stop the leak, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The politics of vacation shaming

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—While researching this column, I discovered that if you criticize a politician for going on a holiday, you’re guilty of something called, “vacation
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 18, 2022
Shortly after unveiling a new haircut, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left to vacation with his family in Costa Rica—much to the chagrin of his political opponents. Screenshot courtesy of Twitter

The politics of vacation shaming

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 18, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—While researching this column, I discovered that if you criticize a politician for going on a holiday, you’re guilty of something called, “vacation

The politics of vacation shaming

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 18, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—While researching this column, I discovered that if you criticize a politician for going on a holiday, you’re guilty of something called, “vacation
Shortly after unveiling a new haircut, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left to vacation with his family in Costa Rica—much to the chagrin of his political opponents. Screenshot courtesy of Twitter

How to deal with bad polls

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—When it comes to dealing with bad polls, today’s politicians could learn a thing or two from a Roman Emperor who lived about
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 11, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured with his family on July 1, 2022, at the Canada Day celebration in Ottawa, has been polling badly lately, painting a bleak picture for his government. A recent Abacus poll indicated that 51 per cent of Canadians have a negative view of his government, the highest number ever recorded since the Liberals were elected in 2015. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

How to deal with bad polls

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 11, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—When it comes to dealing with bad polls, today’s politicians could learn a thing or two from a Roman Emperor who lived about

How to deal with bad polls

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 11, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—When it comes to dealing with bad polls, today’s politicians could learn a thing or two from a Roman Emperor who lived about
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured with his family on July 1, 2022, at the Canada Day celebration in Ottawa, has been polling badly lately, painting a bleak picture for his government. A recent Abacus poll indicated that 51 per cent of Canadians have a negative view of his government, the highest number ever recorded since the Liberals were elected in 2015. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Poilievre and the Harper effect

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former prime minister Stephen Harper recently did a huge favour for every political pundit in the country. During the dog days of summer,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 4, 2022
Harper picks his favourite to win: Former prime minister Stephen Harper, pictured in his video posted on Facebook and Twitter on July 25, 2022, endorsing Pierre Poilievre for leader of the Conservative Party. If Poilievre ends up winning the leadership, the torch will have been passed. Maybe then, Harper will finally disappear into the background; maybe then the 'Harper effect' will come to an end, writes Gerry Nicholls. Screen capture images courtesy of Stephen Harper's Facebook

Poilievre and the Harper effect

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 4, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former prime minister Stephen Harper recently did a huge favour for every political pundit in the country. During the dog days of summer,

Poilievre and the Harper effect

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 4, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former prime minister Stephen Harper recently did a huge favour for every political pundit in the country. During the dog days of summer,
Harper picks his favourite to win: Former prime minister Stephen Harper, pictured in his video posted on Facebook and Twitter on July 25, 2022, endorsing Pierre Poilievre for leader of the Conservative Party. If Poilievre ends up winning the leadership, the torch will have been passed. Maybe then, Harper will finally disappear into the background; maybe then the 'Harper effect' will come to an end, writes Gerry Nicholls. Screen capture images courtesy of Stephen Harper's Facebook

Trudeau launches hair war

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—I want to talk about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new haircut, because, believe it or not, I actually think there’s a political angle
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 27, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently sporting his new haircut. It is surprising that Trudeau would make such a radical change to his appearance, especially since his thick and magnificent coiffure was such an integral part of his image, writes Gerry Nicholls. Image courtesy of Twitter

Trudeau launches hair war

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 27, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—I want to talk about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new haircut, because, believe it or not, I actually think there’s a political angle

Trudeau launches hair war

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 27, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—I want to talk about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new haircut, because, believe it or not, I actually think there’s a political angle
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently sporting his new haircut. It is surprising that Trudeau would make such a radical change to his appearance, especially since his thick and magnificent coiffure was such an integral part of his image, writes Gerry Nicholls. Image courtesy of Twitter

Now is the summer of our discontent

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It should go without saying that 2022 hasn’t exactly been a typical year, which also means this hasn’t exactly been a typical summer.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 20, 2022
Money and politics: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green Party interim leader Amita Kuttner. It’s almost impossible this summer to escape or to ignore the hard, cold realities of what’s currently going on in the world, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

Now is the summer of our discontent

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 20, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It should go without saying that 2022 hasn’t exactly been a typical year, which also means this hasn’t exactly been a typical summer.

Now is the summer of our discontent

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 20, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It should go without saying that 2022 hasn’t exactly been a typical year, which also means this hasn’t exactly been a typical summer.
Money and politics: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green Party interim leader Amita Kuttner. It’s almost impossible this summer to escape or to ignore the hard, cold realities of what’s currently going on in the world, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia
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Don’t underestimate Poilievre 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge.”  This saying perfectly sums up
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 13, 2022
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre, pictured May 5, 2022, at the first leadership debate at the Canada Strong and Free Network’s conference in Ottawa. Perhaps Canadians would reject Poilievre's message today, but the question is, will they reject it in two or three years?  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Don’t underestimate Poilievre 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 13, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge.”  This saying perfectly sums up

Don’t underestimate Poilievre 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 13, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge.”  This saying perfectly sums up
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre, pictured May 5, 2022, at the first leadership debate at the Canada Strong and Free Network’s conference in Ottawa. Perhaps Canadians would reject Poilievre's message today, but the question is, will they reject it in two or three years?  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

In politics, ideological opposites feed off each other

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the truisms of politics is that ideological opposites feed off each other. For this reason, I’m pretty sure NDP Leader Jagmeet
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 6, 2022
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre. As former prime minister Brian Mulroney once aptly put it, 'In politics ... you need two things: friends, but above all an enemy,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

In politics, ideological opposites feed off each other

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 6, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the truisms of politics is that ideological opposites feed off each other. For this reason, I’m pretty sure NDP Leader Jagmeet

In politics, ideological opposites feed off each other

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 6, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the truisms of politics is that ideological opposites feed off each other. For this reason, I’m pretty sure NDP Leader Jagmeet
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre. As former prime minister Brian Mulroney once aptly put it, 'In politics ... you need two things: friends, but above all an enemy,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

An ominous poll for the Liberals

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to a recent Nanos poll, the leaderless Conservative Party of Canada is currently a whopping five percentage points ahead of the Liberals,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 30, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured June 21, 2022, after delivering remarks at a National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration at the Mādahòkì Farm in Ottawa. Things aren’t trending well for the Liberals, writes Gerry Nicholls, and as pollster Nik Nanos put it, 'Canadians are grumpy and the Conservatives are in the driver's seat.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

An ominous poll for the Liberals

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 30, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to a recent Nanos poll, the leaderless Conservative Party of Canada is currently a whopping five percentage points ahead of the Liberals,

An ominous poll for the Liberals

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 30, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to a recent Nanos poll, the leaderless Conservative Party of Canada is currently a whopping five percentage points ahead of the Liberals,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured June 21, 2022, after delivering remarks at a National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration at the Mādahòkì Farm in Ottawa. Things aren’t trending well for the Liberals, writes Gerry Nicholls, and as pollster Nik Nanos put it, 'Canadians are grumpy and the Conservatives are in the driver's seat.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Playing the game of politics 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A successful political consultant once told me the thing he loved most about his job was “playing the game.”  In other words, he
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 23, 2022
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre, pictured March 31, 2022, at a rally in Ottawa. His campaign team recently made an interesting tactical move when it called upon Elections Canada to investigate fellow candidate Patrick Brown over alleged election law violations, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Playing the game of politics 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 23, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A successful political consultant once told me the thing he loved most about his job was “playing the game.”  In other words, he

Playing the game of politics 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 23, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A successful political consultant once told me the thing he loved most about his job was “playing the game.”  In other words, he
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre, pictured March 31, 2022, at a rally in Ottawa. His campaign team recently made an interesting tactical move when it called upon Elections Canada to investigate fellow candidate Patrick Brown over alleged election law violations, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The case against uniting the left

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A famous old adage says, “United we stand; divided we fall.” Yet, even though, most of the time, that’s an inspiring rallying cry,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 16, 2022
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Writer Gerry Nicholls argues that in politics, division is often better than unity, and that it's better for the Liberals to remain a separate political entity from the NDP. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia

The case against uniting the left

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 16, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A famous old adage says, “United we stand; divided we fall.” Yet, even though, most of the time, that’s an inspiring rallying cry,

The case against uniting the left

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 16, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A famous old adage says, “United we stand; divided we fall.” Yet, even though, most of the time, that’s an inspiring rallying cry,
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Writer Gerry Nicholls argues that in politics, division is often better than unity, and that it's better for the Liberals to remain a separate political entity from the NDP. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia

Ontario’s perfect storm for apathy

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Ontario election’s historically low voter turnout has generated lots of anxious handwringing. University professor and author Emmett Macfarlane bluntly summed up much
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 9, 2022
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, pictured on the Hill on Nov. 21, 2019, just won a massive majority victory by getting the votes of just 18 per cent of Ontario’s eligible voters. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ontario’s perfect storm for apathy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 9, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Ontario election’s historically low voter turnout has generated lots of anxious handwringing. University professor and author Emmett Macfarlane bluntly summed up much

Ontario’s perfect storm for apathy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 9, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Ontario election’s historically low voter turnout has generated lots of anxious handwringing. University professor and author Emmett Macfarlane bluntly summed up much
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, pictured on the Hill on Nov. 21, 2019, just won a massive majority victory by getting the votes of just 18 per cent of Ontario’s eligible voters. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Sore losers are bad for democracy, so don’t be a sore loser 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To operate as it should, democracy requires good losers.  That’s to say, people who are on the losing side of a democratic election,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 2, 2022
Conservative leadership candidates Pierre Poilievre, top left, Jean Charest, Patrick Brown, Leslyn Lewis, above left, Roman Baber and Scott Aitchison. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and handouts

Sore losers are bad for democracy, so don’t be a sore loser 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 2, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To operate as it should, democracy requires good losers.  That’s to say, people who are on the losing side of a democratic election,

Sore losers are bad for democracy, so don’t be a sore loser 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 2, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—To operate as it should, democracy requires good losers.  That’s to say, people who are on the losing side of a democratic election,
Conservative leadership candidates Pierre Poilievre, top left, Jean Charest, Patrick Brown, Leslyn Lewis, above left, Roman Baber and Scott Aitchison. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and handouts

Making the case for an unlikely comeback

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It’s crossed my mind that Jason Kenney’s decision to step down as leader of the United Conservative Party has set the stage for
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 26, 2022
It's too crazy an idea to even contemplate, since former prime minister Stephen Harper is happily retired from partisan politics. But, as crazy as it might sound, there’s still a lot about the idea which makes sense. For one thing, throughout his career, Harper has always made protecting Alberta’s culture and economy his number one priority, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Making the case for an unlikely comeback

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 26, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It’s crossed my mind that Jason Kenney’s decision to step down as leader of the United Conservative Party has set the stage for

Making the case for an unlikely comeback

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 26, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It’s crossed my mind that Jason Kenney’s decision to step down as leader of the United Conservative Party has set the stage for
It's too crazy an idea to even contemplate, since former prime minister Stephen Harper is happily retired from partisan politics. But, as crazy as it might sound, there’s still a lot about the idea which makes sense. For one thing, throughout his career, Harper has always made protecting Alberta’s culture and economy his number one priority, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

In praise of polling

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—American politician Sarah Palin once dismissed polls saying they were for “strippers and cross-country skiers.” Of course, Palin isn’t the only politician who
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 19, 2022
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, and Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath are running to win the June 2 election. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

In praise of polling

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 19, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—American politician Sarah Palin once dismissed polls saying they were for “strippers and cross-country skiers.” Of course, Palin isn’t the only politician who

In praise of polling

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 19, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—American politician Sarah Palin once dismissed polls saying they were for “strippers and cross-country skiers.” Of course, Palin isn’t the only politician who
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, and Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath are running to win the June 2 election. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

In Conservative leadership race, everyone has an angle

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Well, that certainly didn’t take long. Before the dust had even settled from the very first Conservative Party leadership debate, concerned voices were
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 11, 2022
At the first—unofficial—Conservative leadership debate, Pierre Poilievre, left, had some heated moments with opponents including Leslyn Lewis, right. Scott Aitchison, centre, said in an email to supporters after the debate that he was 'embarrassed' by its tone. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

In Conservative leadership race, everyone has an angle

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 11, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Well, that certainly didn’t take long. Before the dust had even settled from the very first Conservative Party leadership debate, concerned voices were

In Conservative leadership race, everyone has an angle

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 11, 2022
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Well, that certainly didn’t take long. Before the dust had even settled from the very first Conservative Party leadership debate, concerned voices were