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Gerry Nicholls

Gerry Nicholls is a communications consultant.

Does Doug Ford want Pierre Poilievre’s job?

  • Some polls are showing Doug Ford and his party are polling 21 points ahead of the Ontario provincial Liberals, but if the polls start
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 23, 2025
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, pictured at a first ministers' meeting in Ottawa on March 21, 2025, is riding high in public opinion right now and is 21 points ahead of the Ontario provincial Liberals, according to a June 10 Abacus Data poll. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Does Doug Ford want Pierre Poilievre’s job?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 23, 2025
  • Some polls are showing Doug Ford and his party are polling 21 points ahead of the Ontario provincial Liberals, but if the polls start

Does Doug Ford want Pierre Poilievre’s job?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 23, 2025
  • Some polls are showing Doug Ford and his party are polling 21 points ahead of the Ontario provincial Liberals, but if the polls start
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, pictured at a first ministers' meeting in Ottawa on March 21, 2025, is riding high in public opinion right now and is 21 points ahead of the Ontario provincial Liberals, according to a June 10 Abacus Data poll. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s ideological advantage

  • Mark Carney might only be a rookie politician, but it looks like he knows how to play the game. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 16, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on June 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on June 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on June 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s ideological advantage

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 16, 2025
  • Mark Carney might only be a rookie politician, but it looks like he knows how to play the game. 

Carney’s ideological advantage

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 16, 2025
  • Mark Carney might only be a rookie politician, but it looks like he knows how to play the game. 
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on June 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on June 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feeding the fundraising beast

  • One of the key principles of fundraising is that you don’t give your donor base a chance to relax, which is to say, you
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 9, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Mark Carney. Political parties may have their differences, but when it comes to fundraising, they all share the same principles, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

Feeding the fundraising beast

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 9, 2025
  • One of the key principles of fundraising is that you don’t give your donor base a chance to relax, which is to say, you

Feeding the fundraising beast

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | June 9, 2025
  • One of the key principles of fundraising is that you don’t give your donor base a chance to relax, which is to say, you
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Mark Carney. Political parties may have their differences, but when it comes to fundraising, they all share the same principles, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

Economic ambush awaits Carney

  • Unfortunately, for the prime minister, when it comes to mending the economy, there are no easy solutions, no quick fixes, no magic answers. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 29, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and his wife Diana Fox Carney tour Ottawa's Lansdowne Park with King Charles and Queen Camilla on May 26, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Economic ambush awaits Carney

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 29, 2025
  • Unfortunately, for the prime minister, when it comes to mending the economy, there are no easy solutions, no quick fixes, no magic answers. 

Economic ambush awaits Carney

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 29, 2025
  • Unfortunately, for the prime minister, when it comes to mending the economy, there are no easy solutions, no quick fixes, no magic answers. 
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and his wife Diana Fox Carney tour Ottawa's Lansdowne Park with King Charles and Queen Camilla on May 26, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Carney’s boomer base

  • Mark Carney’s alliance with the boomer generation could pose future challenges for the Liberals. For one thing, if the Liberals do anything that boomers consider
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 26, 2025
Generation X: Pierre Poilievre, left, and Mark Carney, are both technically generation Xers, people born between 1965 and 1980. Poilievre was born in 1979 and Carney was born in 1965, but Carney comes across like a boomer, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

Carney’s boomer base

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 26, 2025
  • Mark Carney’s alliance with the boomer generation could pose future challenges for the Liberals. For one thing, if the Liberals do anything that boomers consider

Carney’s boomer base

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 26, 2025
  • Mark Carney’s alliance with the boomer generation could pose future challenges for the Liberals. For one thing, if the Liberals do anything that boomers consider
Generation X: Pierre Poilievre, left, and Mark Carney, are both technically generation Xers, people born between 1965 and 1980. Poilievre was born in 1979 and Carney was born in 1965, but Carney comes across like a boomer, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

New book reappraises Diefenbaker’s legacy

  • Bob Plamondon paints Diefenbaker as a passionate, charismatic, quick-witted politician who, above all else, strongly identified with the common people. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 19, 2025
Former prime minister John Diefenbaker has gotten a raw deal when it comes to his historical reputation, writes Gerry Nicholls. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

New book reappraises Diefenbaker’s legacy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 19, 2025
  • Bob Plamondon paints Diefenbaker as a passionate, charismatic, quick-witted politician who, above all else, strongly identified with the common people. 

New book reappraises Diefenbaker’s legacy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 19, 2025
  • Bob Plamondon paints Diefenbaker as a passionate, charismatic, quick-witted politician who, above all else, strongly identified with the common people. 
Former prime minister John Diefenbaker has gotten a raw deal when it comes to his historical reputation, writes Gerry Nicholls. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ford’s embrace of realpolitik

  • If it’s in Doug Ford’s own self-interest to have you as a friend, then he’s your friend; but if it’s in his interest to
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 12, 2025
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are not buddies. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Ford’s embrace of realpolitik

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 12, 2025
  • If it’s in Doug Ford’s own self-interest to have you as a friend, then he’s your friend; but if it’s in his interest to

Ford’s embrace of realpolitik

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 12, 2025
  • If it’s in Doug Ford’s own self-interest to have you as a friend, then he’s your friend; but if it’s in his interest to
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are not buddies. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The CPC’s Harper problem

  • The Harper syndrome is weakening the Conservative Party because instead of looking forward, it keeps looking back. It’s hard for a party to advance that
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 5, 2025
Even though former prime minister Stephen Harper has been off the political stage for nearly 10 years now, the memory of his leadership, the force of his personality, and the power of his intellect, still looms over the Conservative Party like a ghostly colossus, writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The CPC’s Harper problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 5, 2025
  • The Harper syndrome is weakening the Conservative Party because instead of looking forward, it keeps looking back. It’s hard for a party to advance that

The CPC’s Harper problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | May 5, 2025
  • The Harper syndrome is weakening the Conservative Party because instead of looking forward, it keeps looking back. It’s hard for a party to advance that
Even though former prime minister Stephen Harper has been off the political stage for nearly 10 years now, the memory of his leadership, the force of his personality, and the power of his intellect, still looms over the Conservative Party like a ghostly colossus, writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How to face defeat

  • People vote for parties because they believe in ideas, not because they want Parliament to work better, and fighting to the end is always
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 28, 2025
Green co-Leader Elizabeth May in a Hill scrum on Dec. 3, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How to face defeat

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 28, 2025
  • People vote for parties because they believe in ideas, not because they want Parliament to work better, and fighting to the end is always

How to face defeat

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 28, 2025
  • People vote for parties because they believe in ideas, not because they want Parliament to work better, and fighting to the end is always
Green co-Leader Elizabeth May in a Hill scrum on Dec. 3, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s backseat drivers

  • It’s easy to say things like a campaign should change its messaging or alter its tone, but to do this during an election campaign
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 17, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Kory Teneycke, former campaign manager for Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Teneycke recently accused the federal Conservatives of 'campaign malpractice.' The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Stuart Benson

Poilievre’s backseat drivers

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 17, 2025
  • It’s easy to say things like a campaign should change its messaging or alter its tone, but to do this during an election campaign

Poilievre’s backseat drivers

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 17, 2025
  • It’s easy to say things like a campaign should change its messaging or alter its tone, but to do this during an election campaign
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Kory Teneycke, former campaign manager for Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Teneycke recently accused the federal Conservatives of 'campaign malpractice.' The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Stuart Benson

The theatre of leaders’ debates

  • The election debates we see on TV nowadays are little more than political leaders going on a stage to express carefully crafted talking points
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 14, 2025
It's showtime: Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault will face off this week in Montreal for the English and French-language televised leaders' debates. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The theatre of leaders’ debates

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 14, 2025
  • The election debates we see on TV nowadays are little more than political leaders going on a stage to express carefully crafted talking points

The theatre of leaders’ debates

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 14, 2025
  • The election debates we see on TV nowadays are little more than political leaders going on a stage to express carefully crafted talking points
It's showtime: Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault will face off this week in Montreal for the English and French-language televised leaders' debates. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Controlling the campaign message

  • One of the more interesting battles that occur during elections is the one between politicians and journalists over who is going to control the
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 7, 2025
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, top left, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, bottom left, Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, Green co-Leaders Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault, top right, and People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Joey Sabourin

Controlling the campaign message

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 7, 2025
  • One of the more interesting battles that occur during elections is the one between politicians and journalists over who is going to control the

Controlling the campaign message

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 7, 2025
  • One of the more interesting battles that occur during elections is the one between politicians and journalists over who is going to control the
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, top left, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, bottom left, Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, Green co-Leaders Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault, top right, and People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Joey Sabourin

Good vibrations: why vibes matter in this election campaign

  • Social media puts emotion much more front and centre. Unfortunately, for Pierre Poilievre, the vibes surrounding him for the past few weeks have been largely
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 31, 2025
Liberal Leader Mark Carney, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Thanks to the emergence of social media platforms, 'vibe politics' is more important than ever, writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Wikimedia Commons, and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

Good vibrations: why vibes matter in this election campaign

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 31, 2025
  • Social media puts emotion much more front and centre. Unfortunately, for Pierre Poilievre, the vibes surrounding him for the past few weeks have been largely

Good vibrations: why vibes matter in this election campaign

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 31, 2025
  • Social media puts emotion much more front and centre. Unfortunately, for Pierre Poilievre, the vibes surrounding him for the past few weeks have been largely
Liberal Leader Mark Carney, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Thanks to the emergence of social media platforms, 'vibe politics' is more important than ever, writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Wikimedia Commons, and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

The Liberal Constanza strategy: do the opposite of usual practice

  • The Liberals have done a 180-degree shift; they’ve ditched the politics of pizzazz and personality and replaced it with the politics of mundane political
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 24, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Liberals have picked boring over sparkle, but it could work, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The Liberal Constanza strategy: do the opposite of usual practice

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 24, 2025
  • The Liberals have done a 180-degree shift; they’ve ditched the politics of pizzazz and personality and replaced it with the politics of mundane political

The Liberal Constanza strategy: do the opposite of usual practice

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 24, 2025
  • The Liberals have done a 180-degree shift; they’ve ditched the politics of pizzazz and personality and replaced it with the politics of mundane political
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Liberals have picked boring over sparkle, but it could work, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Conservative attack ad lacks authenticity

  • Most political consumers will reject the Conservative ad attacking Mark Carney as helping Donald Trump by driving jobs south because it won’t seem rooted
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 17, 2025
The Conservative Party's recent attack ad, called 'Trump wants our jobs.' Image courtesy of the Conservative Party of Canada

Conservative attack ad lacks authenticity

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 17, 2025
  • Most political consumers will reject the Conservative ad attacking Mark Carney as helping Donald Trump by driving jobs south because it won’t seem rooted

Conservative attack ad lacks authenticity

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 17, 2025
  • Most political consumers will reject the Conservative ad attacking Mark Carney as helping Donald Trump by driving jobs south because it won’t seem rooted
The Conservative Party's recent attack ad, called 'Trump wants our jobs.' Image courtesy of the Conservative Party of Canada

Get ready for a clash of nationalisms 

  • My point is, given how the Liberals essentially 'own' anti-American-style nationalism, it’ll be difficult for the Conservatives to exploit anti-Trump feeling. Difficult, but not impossible.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 6, 2025
Watch for Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, to echo this argument in his efforts to push a 'Canada First' agenda. Already, Conservative TV ads are branding Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney as 'weak,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia

Get ready for a clash of nationalisms 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 6, 2025
  • My point is, given how the Liberals essentially 'own' anti-American-style nationalism, it’ll be difficult for the Conservatives to exploit anti-Trump feeling. Difficult, but not impossible.

Get ready for a clash of nationalisms 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 6, 2025
  • My point is, given how the Liberals essentially 'own' anti-American-style nationalism, it’ll be difficult for the Conservatives to exploit anti-Trump feeling. Difficult, but not impossible.
Watch for Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, to echo this argument in his efforts to push a 'Canada First' agenda. Already, Conservative TV ads are branding Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney as 'weak,' writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia

Singh’s no-win scenario

  • It’s hard to see how Jagmeet Singh can overcome this no-win scenario. Of course, Captain Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru test, but he cheated. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 3, 2025
No matter what strategy he employs in the next federal election, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will fail to improve his party’s standing, predicts Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Singh’s no-win scenario

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 3, 2025
  • It’s hard to see how Jagmeet Singh can overcome this no-win scenario. Of course, Captain Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru test, but he cheated. 

Singh’s no-win scenario

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 3, 2025
  • It’s hard to see how Jagmeet Singh can overcome this no-win scenario. Of course, Captain Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru test, but he cheated. 
No matter what strategy he employs in the next federal election, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will fail to improve his party’s standing, predicts Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Conservative course correction

  • Only time will tell if this new plan survives contact with the enemy. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 20, 2025
Pierre Poilievre and his son, Cruz, pictured Feb. 15, 2025, at the Conservative Party's rally in Ottawa at the Rogers Centre. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The Conservative course correction

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 20, 2025
  • Only time will tell if this new plan survives contact with the enemy. 

The Conservative course correction

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 20, 2025
  • Only time will tell if this new plan survives contact with the enemy. 
Pierre Poilievre and his son, Cruz, pictured Feb. 15, 2025, at the Conservative Party's rally in Ottawa at the Rogers Centre. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The paradox of free trade

  • Bad economics sometimes makes for good politics. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 17, 2025
Canadians see Trump’s tariff threats as an attack on our country, a feeling which was further fuelled by his frightening rhetoric about absorbing Canada as America’s '51st state,' writes Gerry Nicholls.   Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

The paradox of free trade

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 17, 2025
  • Bad economics sometimes makes for good politics. 

The paradox of free trade

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 17, 2025
  • Bad economics sometimes makes for good politics. 
Canadians see Trump’s tariff threats as an attack on our country, a feeling which was further fuelled by his frightening rhetoric about absorbing Canada as America’s '51st state,' writes Gerry Nicholls.   Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Freeland’s flaws

  • Chrystia Freeland should have vacated the scene for a while, put some distance between herself and the prime minister, and then she could have
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 10, 2025
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland
Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland, pictured on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s flaws

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 10, 2025
  • Chrystia Freeland should have vacated the scene for a while, put some distance between herself and the prime minister, and then she could have

Freeland’s flaws

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 10, 2025
  • Chrystia Freeland should have vacated the scene for a while, put some distance between herself and the prime minister, and then she could have
Chrystia Freeland
Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland, pictured on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Guilbeault’s carbon tax pivot

  • This is why I always tell activists, if you want to stay true to your cause, stay out of partisan politics. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 3, 2025
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault speaks with reporters in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on Nov. 7, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault speaks with reporters in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on Nov. 7, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault recently admitted that he was open to implementing alternatives to the carbon tax.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Guilbeault’s carbon tax pivot

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 3, 2025
  • This is why I always tell activists, if you want to stay true to your cause, stay out of partisan politics. 

Guilbeault’s carbon tax pivot

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 3, 2025
  • This is why I always tell activists, if you want to stay true to your cause, stay out of partisan politics. 
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault speaks with reporters in the House of Commons foyer before Question Period on Nov. 7, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault recently admitted that he was open to implementing alternatives to the carbon tax.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time to redefine liberalism

  • With Trump's return and the Liberals’ sagging poll numbers, that brand of progressivism seems to be a spent force. This is why the party will
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 27, 2025
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Former prime minister Jean Chrétien, pictured on Jan. 10, 2024, once said: 'When ... the left says of you you’re a right winger, and when the people on the right say you’re a left winger, you’re a good Canadian Liberal.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time to redefine liberalism

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 27, 2025
  • With Trump's return and the Liberals’ sagging poll numbers, that brand of progressivism seems to be a spent force. This is why the party will

Time to redefine liberalism

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 27, 2025
  • With Trump's return and the Liberals’ sagging poll numbers, that brand of progressivism seems to be a spent force. This is why the party will
Jean Chrétien
Former prime minister Jean Chrétien, pictured on Jan. 10, 2024, once said: 'When ... the left says of you you’re a right winger, and when the people on the right say you’re a left winger, you’re a good Canadian Liberal.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The politics of Trump’s Panama Canal gambit

  • Panama’s president met Trump’s threats with defiance, declaring 'we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.' That’s the way of politics: nationalism on one side
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 16, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
One of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's defining characters is that he's totally unpredictable, writes Gerry Nicholls. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore

The politics of Trump’s Panama Canal gambit

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 16, 2025
  • Panama’s president met Trump’s threats with defiance, declaring 'we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.' That’s the way of politics: nationalism on one side

The politics of Trump’s Panama Canal gambit

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 16, 2025
  • Panama’s president met Trump’s threats with defiance, declaring 'we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.' That’s the way of politics: nationalism on one side
Donald Trump
One of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's defining characters is that he's totally unpredictable, writes Gerry Nicholls. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore

Trudeau brought down by his political fragility

  • When anxiety is the population’s dominant emotion, voters want leaders who show strength instead of empathy, toughness instead of sensitivity. Trudeau’s political fragility is
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 13, 2025
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outside Rideau Cottage on Jan. 6, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau brought down by his political fragility

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 13, 2025
  • When anxiety is the population’s dominant emotion, voters want leaders who show strength instead of empathy, toughness instead of sensitivity. Trudeau’s political fragility is

Trudeau brought down by his political fragility

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 13, 2025
  • When anxiety is the population’s dominant emotion, voters want leaders who show strength instead of empathy, toughness instead of sensitivity. Trudeau’s political fragility is
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outside Rideau Cottage on Jan. 6, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

My crazy Christmas conspiracy

  • My Christmas conspiracy theory is that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided—long before his dramatic split with former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland—to resign his position,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 19, 2024
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly in a Hill scrum on Oct. 29, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

My crazy Christmas conspiracy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 19, 2024
  • My Christmas conspiracy theory is that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided—long before his dramatic split with former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland—to resign his position,

My crazy Christmas conspiracy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 19, 2024
  • My Christmas conspiracy theory is that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided—long before his dramatic split with former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland—to resign his position,
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly in a Hill scrum on Oct. 29, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The importance of internal polls

  • Those public opinion polls you see on TV and in newspapers are only the tip of the iceberg. Most of the polling action is actually
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 16, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau recently suggested Poilievre can’t 'unite Canadians' against president-elect Donald Trump’s agenda, which was likely based on internal polling, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The importance of internal polls

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 16, 2024
  • Those public opinion polls you see on TV and in newspapers are only the tip of the iceberg. Most of the polling action is actually

The importance of internal polls

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 16, 2024
  • Those public opinion polls you see on TV and in newspapers are only the tip of the iceberg. Most of the polling action is actually
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau recently suggested Poilievre can’t 'unite Canadians' against president-elect Donald Trump’s agenda, which was likely based on internal polling, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The politics of climate change are changing

  • Economists tell us such carbon taxes are the most efficient way to fight climate change. Yet, regular people will often see them as disproportionately harming
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 9, 2024
Canada's federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, pictured on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The politics of climate change are changing

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 9, 2024
  • Economists tell us such carbon taxes are the most efficient way to fight climate change. Yet, regular people will often see them as disproportionately harming

The politics of climate change are changing

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 9, 2024
  • Economists tell us such carbon taxes are the most efficient way to fight climate change. Yet, regular people will often see them as disproportionately harming
Canada's federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, pictured on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Playing the blame game with pandemic politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Whoever coined the phrase “success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan” obviously never anticipated how society would react to the COVID
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 29, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Playing the blame game with pandemic politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 29, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Whoever coined the phrase “success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan” obviously never anticipated how society would react to the COVID

Playing the blame game with pandemic politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 29, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Whoever coined the phrase “success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan” obviously never anticipated how society would react to the COVID
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Conservatives waving an ideological white flag

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—When Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole decided to impose a carbon tax (I know he says it’s actually a  “price on pollution” but you
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 26, 2021
When Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole decided to impose a carbon tax (I know he says it's actually a  'price on pollution' but you and I both know it’s really a tax) he basically loosened the last tether connecting his party to its ideological moorings, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives waving an ideological white flag

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 26, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—When Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole decided to impose a carbon tax (I know he says it’s actually a  “price on pollution” but you

Conservatives waving an ideological white flag

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 26, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—When Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole decided to impose a carbon tax (I know he says it’s actually a  “price on pollution” but you
When Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole decided to impose a carbon tax (I know he says it's actually a  'price on pollution' but you and I both know it’s really a tax) he basically loosened the last tether connecting his party to its ideological moorings, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole and the problem of pessimistic conservatism

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A conservative friend recently texted me to ask if there’s any chance Stephen Harper will ever return as Conservative Party leader? When I
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 14, 2021
if public opinion polls are anything to go by, current Conservative Party leader, Erin O’Toole, pictured on the Hill on Feb. 18, 2021, isn’t exactly wowing the country with his leadership skills, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole and the problem of pessimistic conservatism

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 14, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A conservative friend recently texted me to ask if there’s any chance Stephen Harper will ever return as Conservative Party leader? When I

O’Toole and the problem of pessimistic conservatism

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 14, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A conservative friend recently texted me to ask if there’s any chance Stephen Harper will ever return as Conservative Party leader? When I
if public opinion polls are anything to go by, current Conservative Party leader, Erin O’Toole, pictured on the Hill on Feb. 18, 2021, isn’t exactly wowing the country with his leadership skills, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Political ‘hired guns’ like to keep policies simple

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—With a federal election looming, strategists from all the major political parties are currently trying to figure out which policies their leaders should
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 7, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured March 30, 2021, on the Hill, basically won the 2015 federal election, based on his winning, rock-star, personality. His policies went largely unnoticed, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Political ‘hired guns’ like to keep policies simple

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 7, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—With a federal election looming, strategists from all the major political parties are currently trying to figure out which policies their leaders should

Political ‘hired guns’ like to keep policies simple

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 7, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—With a federal election looming, strategists from all the major political parties are currently trying to figure out which policies their leaders should
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured March 30, 2021, on the Hill, basically won the 2015 federal election, based on his winning, rock-star, personality. His policies went largely unnoticed, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

NDP makes an inexplicably soft pitch

  • I recently read an NDP fundraising letter, (I’m not an NDP donor; as wacky as this sounds, I actually enjoy reading fundraising letters) and
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 5, 2021
After regaling the donor with tales of his downtime routine, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh notes: 'I have some good news. Thanks to the generous donations of New Democrats all over the country we have eliminated our 2019 election debt and are starting 2021 on sound financial footing.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

NDP makes an inexplicably soft pitch

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 5, 2021
  • I recently read an NDP fundraising letter, (I’m not an NDP donor; as wacky as this sounds, I actually enjoy reading fundraising letters) and

NDP makes an inexplicably soft pitch

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 5, 2021
  • I recently read an NDP fundraising letter, (I’m not an NDP donor; as wacky as this sounds, I actually enjoy reading fundraising letters) and
After regaling the donor with tales of his downtime routine, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh notes: 'I have some good news. Thanks to the generous donations of New Democrats all over the country we have eliminated our 2019 election debt and are starting 2021 on sound financial footing.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

To win, O’Toole doesn’t need a bigger tent

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the most common bits of advice pundits like to offer to Canada’s Conservative Party is that it needs a “bigger tent.”
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 25, 2021
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, pictured April 20, 2020, in the House. The Conservatives don’t need to change who they are, they just need to change how voters perceive the Liberals, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

To win, O’Toole doesn’t need a bigger tent

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 25, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the most common bits of advice pundits like to offer to Canada’s Conservative Party is that it needs a “bigger tent.”

To win, O’Toole doesn’t need a bigger tent

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 25, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the most common bits of advice pundits like to offer to Canada’s Conservative Party is that it needs a “bigger tent.”
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, pictured April 20, 2020, in the House. The Conservatives don’t need to change who they are, they just need to change how voters perceive the Liberals, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why do politicians go populist? Because it’s easy

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Ironically, the political phenomenon known as “populism” isn’t all that popular. Or least, it’s not popular with many in the media, who typically
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 18, 2021
Ironically, the political phenomenon known as 'populism' isn’t all that popular. Or least, it’s not popular with many in the media, who typically associate it with the sometimes crude, sometimes bellicose, and sometimes coarse brand of populism as practiced by former U.S. president Donald Trump, writes Gerry Nicholls. Image courtesy of Pixabay

Why do politicians go populist? Because it’s easy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 18, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Ironically, the political phenomenon known as “populism” isn’t all that popular. Or least, it’s not popular with many in the media, who typically

Why do politicians go populist? Because it’s easy

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 18, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Ironically, the political phenomenon known as “populism” isn’t all that popular. Or least, it’s not popular with many in the media, who typically
Ironically, the political phenomenon known as 'populism' isn’t all that popular. Or least, it’s not popular with many in the media, who typically associate it with the sometimes crude, sometimes bellicose, and sometimes coarse brand of populism as practiced by former U.S. president Donald Trump, writes Gerry Nicholls. Image courtesy of Pixabay

Why COVID hasn’t stopped political donors

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—With all the COVID lockdowns slamming Canada’s economy, you’d think political parties would have a hard time raising financial donations. Yet, that doesn’t
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 15, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. I’d suggest that Canadian donors for all political parties were more engaged than normal in the last part of 2020, not because of what was happening here in Canada but because of what was happening south of the border in the U.S., writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Why COVID hasn’t stopped political donors

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 15, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—With all the COVID lockdowns slamming Canada’s economy, you’d think political parties would have a hard time raising financial donations. Yet, that doesn’t

Why COVID hasn’t stopped political donors

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 15, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—With all the COVID lockdowns slamming Canada’s economy, you’d think political parties would have a hard time raising financial donations. Yet, that doesn’t
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. I’d suggest that Canadian donors for all political parties were more engaged than normal in the last part of 2020, not because of what was happening here in Canada but because of what was happening south of the border in the U.S., writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Why Trudeau’s China troubles won’t stick

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—China has been a persistent thorn in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s side. Not only have his diplomatic difficulties with that country been making
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 4, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Dec. 5, 2017, with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. China has been a persistent thorn in Prime Minister Trudeau’s side. PMO photograph by Adam Scotti

Why Trudeau’s China troubles won’t stick

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 4, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—China has been a persistent thorn in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s side. Not only have his diplomatic difficulties with that country been making

Why Trudeau’s China troubles won’t stick

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 4, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—China has been a persistent thorn in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s side. Not only have his diplomatic difficulties with that country been making
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Dec. 5, 2017, with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. China has been a persistent thorn in Prime Minister Trudeau’s side. PMO photograph by Adam Scotti

Will O’Toole see Conservative activists as friend or foe?

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In his obituary for conservative broadcaster, Rush Limbaugh, Canadian commentator Mark Steyn made an interesting observation. Wrote Steyn, “Throughout his entire time on
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 1, 2021
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, pictured Dec. 3, 2020, who wants to project himself as a 'centre-right' politician, has made it known that he’s ruled out doing any interviews with the stridently conservative Rebel News. Ezra Levant, meanwhile, claims O’Toole, is 'afraid of the media party' and 'not much of a leader.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will O’Toole see Conservative activists as friend or foe?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 1, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In his obituary for conservative broadcaster, Rush Limbaugh, Canadian commentator Mark Steyn made an interesting observation. Wrote Steyn, “Throughout his entire time on

Will O’Toole see Conservative activists as friend or foe?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 1, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In his obituary for conservative broadcaster, Rush Limbaugh, Canadian commentator Mark Steyn made an interesting observation. Wrote Steyn, “Throughout his entire time on
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, pictured Dec. 3, 2020, who wants to project himself as a 'centre-right' politician, has made it known that he’s ruled out doing any interviews with the stridently conservative Rebel News. Ezra Levant, meanwhile, claims O’Toole, is 'afraid of the media party' and 'not much of a leader.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s political parties are stuck in a communications rut

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In the movie, Waterloo, which tells the story of Napoleon’s famous last battle, there’s a scene where, as he eyes massed ranks of
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 22, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Leader Annamie Paul. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Canada’s political parties are stuck in a communications rut

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 22, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In the movie, Waterloo, which tells the story of Napoleon’s famous last battle, there’s a scene where, as he eyes massed ranks of

Canada’s political parties are stuck in a communications rut

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 22, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In the movie, Waterloo, which tells the story of Napoleon’s famous last battle, there’s a scene where, as he eyes massed ranks of
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Leader Annamie Paul. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Explaining Trudeau’s COVAX manoeuvre

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—one of the world’s leading “postnationalists”—would never publicly utter the words: “I’ll always put the needs of my country first,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 10, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Feb. 9, 2021, outside the Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Explaining Trudeau’s COVAX manoeuvre

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 10, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—one of the world’s leading “postnationalists”—would never publicly utter the words: “I’ll always put the needs of my country first,

Explaining Trudeau’s COVAX manoeuvre

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 10, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—one of the world’s leading “postnationalists”—would never publicly utter the words: “I’ll always put the needs of my country first,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Feb. 9, 2021, outside the Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole shouldn’t worry about third-party sound and fury

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Every once in a while, the theatre of Canadian politics features lesser political actors who strut and fret their hour upon the stage,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 4, 2021
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole, pictured Dec. 3, 2020, at a press conference in the West Block on Parliament Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole shouldn’t worry about third-party sound and fury

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 4, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Every once in a while, the theatre of Canadian politics features lesser political actors who strut and fret their hour upon the stage,

O’Toole shouldn’t worry about third-party sound and fury

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 4, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Every once in a while, the theatre of Canadian politics features lesser political actors who strut and fret their hour upon the stage,
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole, pictured Dec. 3, 2020, at a press conference in the West Block on Parliament Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Get ready for a dose of vaccine populism

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Populist politician Donald Trump may no longer be in power, but that doesn’t mean populist tactics will suddenly become unfashionable. Like it or
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 27, 2021
Poorer countries are complaining that richer countries are hoarding the vaccines for themselves, a situation which has led Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, pictured, to complain that 'vaccine nationalism hurts us all and is self-defeating.' Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Get ready for a dose of vaccine populism

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 27, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Populist politician Donald Trump may no longer be in power, but that doesn’t mean populist tactics will suddenly become unfashionable. Like it or

Get ready for a dose of vaccine populism

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 27, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Populist politician Donald Trump may no longer be in power, but that doesn’t mean populist tactics will suddenly become unfashionable. Like it or
Poorer countries are complaining that richer countries are hoarding the vaccines for themselves, a situation which has led Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, pictured, to complain that 'vaccine nationalism hurts us all and is self-defeating.' Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

O’Toole’s quixotic quest to locate the centre 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Erin O’Toole really wants the media and the public to perceive his band of Conservatives as a party that’s located on the “centre-right.” 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 25, 2021
Erin O’Toole really wants the media and the public to perceive his band of Conservatives as a party that’s located on the 'centre-right,' writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole’s quixotic quest to locate the centre 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 25, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Erin O’Toole really wants the media and the public to perceive his band of Conservatives as a party that’s located on the “centre-right.” 

O’Toole’s quixotic quest to locate the centre 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 25, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Erin O’Toole really wants the media and the public to perceive his band of Conservatives as a party that’s located on the “centre-right.” 
Erin O’Toole really wants the media and the public to perceive his band of Conservatives as a party that’s located on the 'centre-right,' writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is a Trudeau electoral victory inevitable? 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Rumour has it the federal Liberals would like to see an election occur as early as this spring.  And why wouldn’t they?  At
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 14, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Jan. 12, 2021, talking to the media at the Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. Rumour has it the federal Liberals would like to see an election occur as early as this spring. And why wouldn’t they? At this point, a Liberal electoral victory seems all but inevitable. Or does it?  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is a Trudeau electoral victory inevitable? 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 14, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Rumour has it the federal Liberals would like to see an election occur as early as this spring.  And why wouldn’t they?  At

Is a Trudeau electoral victory inevitable? 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 14, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Rumour has it the federal Liberals would like to see an election occur as early as this spring.  And why wouldn’t they?  At
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Jan. 12, 2021, talking to the media at the Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. Rumour has it the federal Liberals would like to see an election occur as early as this spring. And why wouldn’t they? At this point, a Liberal electoral victory seems all but inevitable. Or does it?  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau brands himself as Canada’s Climate Change Churchill 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“We shall fight climate change at our gas stations, we shall fight it with our furnaces, we shall fight with growing confidence and
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 6, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Dec. 4, 2020, in Ottawa. How can the prime minister go about convincing Canadians that, despite his inherent amicable niceness, he’s got the internal toughness necessary to guide a nation through both the COVID crisis and any looming economic downturn that might be coming our way, writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau brands himself as Canada’s Climate Change Churchill 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 6, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“We shall fight climate change at our gas stations, we shall fight it with our furnaces, we shall fight with growing confidence and

Trudeau brands himself as Canada’s Climate Change Churchill 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 6, 2021
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“We shall fight climate change at our gas stations, we shall fight it with our furnaces, we shall fight with growing confidence and
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Dec. 4, 2020, in Ottawa. How can the prime minister go about convincing Canadians that, despite his inherent amicable niceness, he’s got the internal toughness necessary to guide a nation through both the COVID crisis and any looming economic downturn that might be coming our way, writes Gerry Nicholls.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole needs to channel Reagan’s optimism 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole is looking for New Year’s resolution suggestions, I’d advocate he pledge to emulate former U.S. president Ronald
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 16, 2020
If Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole is looking for New Year’s resolution suggestions, I’d advocate he pledge to emulate former U.S. president Ronald Reagan.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

O’Toole needs to channel Reagan’s optimism 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 16, 2020
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole is looking for New Year’s resolution suggestions, I’d advocate he pledge to emulate former U.S. president Ronald

O’Toole needs to channel Reagan’s optimism 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 16, 2020
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole is looking for New Year’s resolution suggestions, I’d advocate he pledge to emulate former U.S. president Ronald
If Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole is looking for New Year’s resolution suggestions, I’d advocate he pledge to emulate former U.S. president Ronald Reagan.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Christmas gift ideas for our leaders 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that Christmas is just around the corner, it’s time to ponder that most important of seasonal questions: what gifts would each of
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 10, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Christmas gift ideas for our leaders 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 10, 2020
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that Christmas is just around the corner, it’s time to ponder that most important of seasonal questions: what gifts would each of

Christmas gift ideas for our leaders 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 10, 2020
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that Christmas is just around the corner, it’s time to ponder that most important of seasonal questions: what gifts would each of
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

COVID could trigger an outbreak of protectionism 

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The old expression, “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” sometimes applies to the world of politics.  Consider, for instance,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 26, 2020
U.S. president-elect Joe Biden, pictured with U.S. vice-president elect Kamala Harris, has made it known that he will implement what he calls a 'Buy American' policy.   Photograph courtesy of Facebook

COVID could trigger an outbreak of protectionism 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 26, 2020
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The old expression, “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” sometimes applies to the world of politics.  Consider, for instance,

COVID could trigger an outbreak of protectionism 

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 26, 2020
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The old expression, “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” sometimes applies to the world of politics.  Consider, for instance,
U.S. president-elect Joe Biden, pictured with U.S. vice-president elect Kamala Harris, has made it known that he will implement what he calls a 'Buy American' policy.   Photograph courtesy of Facebook

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