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Gerry Nicholls

Gerry Nicholls is a communications consultant.

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

Will Trumpism change Canada’s political parties?

  • In the years ahead, we can expect Conservative populism, Liberal pragmatism, and NDP contemplation. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 2, 2024
Donald Trump.
Donald Trump.
Some questions about how Donald Trump’s recent electoral victory will impact Canadian politics are easier to answer than others, writes Gerry Nicholls. Caricature courtesy of DonkeyHotey/Wikimedia Commons

Will Trumpism change Canada’s political parties?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 2, 2024
  • In the years ahead, we can expect Conservative populism, Liberal pragmatism, and NDP contemplation. 

Will Trumpism change Canada’s political parties?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 2, 2024
  • In the years ahead, we can expect Conservative populism, Liberal pragmatism, and NDP contemplation. 
Donald Trump.
Some questions about how Donald Trump’s recent electoral victory will impact Canadian politics are easier to answer than others, writes Gerry Nicholls. Caricature courtesy of DonkeyHotey/Wikimedia Commons

The anger versus joy election

  • What does all this joy-versus-anger stuff teach us? If you’re going to campaign solely on emotion, make sure that it's in sync with the public
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 25, 2024
Donald Trump, left, and Kamala Harris. In the U.S. election campaign, the vibe Harris chose to emphasize was 'joy,' whereas Trump chose 'anger.' Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Flickr

The anger versus joy election

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 25, 2024
  • What does all this joy-versus-anger stuff teach us? If you’re going to campaign solely on emotion, make sure that it's in sync with the public

The anger versus joy election

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 25, 2024
  • What does all this joy-versus-anger stuff teach us? If you’re going to campaign solely on emotion, make sure that it's in sync with the public
Donald Trump, left, and Kamala Harris. In the U.S. election campaign, the vibe Harris chose to emphasize was 'joy,' whereas Trump chose 'anger.' Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Flickr

Trump’s win is bad for news for Trudeau

  • Just as Americans seemed determined to punish the Biden administration, Canadians seem ready to topple the Trudeau regime. Just as Americans had a populist
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 18, 2024
Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with reporters before the Liberal caucus meeting in West Block on Nov. 6, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump’s win is bad for news for Trudeau

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 18, 2024
  • Just as Americans seemed determined to punish the Biden administration, Canadians seem ready to topple the Trudeau regime. Just as Americans had a populist

Trump’s win is bad for news for Trudeau

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 18, 2024
  • Just as Americans seemed determined to punish the Biden administration, Canadians seem ready to topple the Trudeau regime. Just as Americans had a populist
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with reporters before the Liberal caucus meeting in West Block on Nov. 6, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The coming ad war

  • If the Conservatives see their poll numbers dropping, they’ll quickly respond by increasing their own ad buys and intensifying their attacks on the Liberals.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 11, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Given the huge advantage the Conservatives have for raising money, it’ll be hard for the Liberals to match them dollar for dollar when it comes to duking it out in an all-out advertising war, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The coming ad war

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 11, 2024
  • If the Conservatives see their poll numbers dropping, they’ll quickly respond by increasing their own ad buys and intensifying their attacks on the Liberals.

The coming ad war

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 11, 2024
  • If the Conservatives see their poll numbers dropping, they’ll quickly respond by increasing their own ad buys and intensifying their attacks on the Liberals.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Given the huge advantage the Conservatives have for raising money, it’ll be hard for the Liberals to match them dollar for dollar when it comes to duking it out in an all-out advertising war, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The problem of political homelessness

  • According to Nik Nanos, 'more than four in 10 people likely consider themselves (politically) homeless in Canada.' So, what’s causing this to happen and
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 4, 2024
Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet, left, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. The politically homeless won't necessarily be attracted to the main parties if they move to the centre, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia/illustration by Neena Singhal

The problem of political homelessness

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 4, 2024
  • According to Nik Nanos, 'more than four in 10 people likely consider themselves (politically) homeless in Canada.' So, what’s causing this to happen and

The problem of political homelessness

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 4, 2024
  • According to Nik Nanos, 'more than four in 10 people likely consider themselves (politically) homeless in Canada.' So, what’s causing this to happen and
Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet, left, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. The politically homeless won't necessarily be attracted to the main parties if they move to the centre, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia/illustration by Neena Singhal

U.S. election offers Liberals a glimmer of hope

  • In short, the U.S. election results may help the Liberals, but it won’t be their political salvation. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 24, 2024
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, U.S. Vice-president Kamala Harris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and photographs courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

U.S. election offers Liberals a glimmer of hope

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 24, 2024
  • In short, the U.S. election results may help the Liberals, but it won’t be their political salvation. 

U.S. election offers Liberals a glimmer of hope

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 24, 2024
  • In short, the U.S. election results may help the Liberals, but it won’t be their political salvation. 
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, U.S. Vice-president Kamala Harris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and photographs courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Poilievre’s real ‘hidden’ agenda?

  • Conservatives talk like conservatives while in opposition, but govern like liberals when they’re in power. 
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 17, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, flanked by Conservative MPs Melissa Lantsman, left, Raquel Dancho and Don Stewart. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s real ‘hidden’ agenda?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 17, 2024
  • Conservatives talk like conservatives while in opposition, but govern like liberals when they’re in power. 

Poilievre’s real ‘hidden’ agenda?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 17, 2024
  • Conservatives talk like conservatives while in opposition, but govern like liberals when they’re in power. 
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, flanked by Conservative MPs Melissa Lantsman, left, Raquel Dancho and Don Stewart. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
More Stories

The perils of partisan punditry

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It seems the plague of partisan party politics (try saying that three times fast) is taking a toll on Canada’s TV punditry class.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 9, 2018
Former NDP staffer and pundit Ian Capstick, centre, pictured in this file photo with Global National anchor Dawna Friesen and former CTV Hill reporter Roger Smith. The Hill Times file photograph

The perils of partisan punditry

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 9, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It seems the plague of partisan party politics (try saying that three times fast) is taking a toll on Canada’s TV punditry class.

The perils of partisan punditry

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 9, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It seems the plague of partisan party politics (try saying that three times fast) is taking a toll on Canada’s TV punditry class.
Former NDP staffer and pundit Ian Capstick, centre, pictured in this file photo with Global National anchor Dawna Friesen and former CTV Hill reporter Roger Smith. The Hill Times file photograph

Guns, culture, and politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In case you haven’t noticed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s political strategy seems to be undergoing a bit of a metamorphosis. What I mean
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 2, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured March 6, 2018, at the University of Ottawa. The debate surrounding the government's gun legislation inevitably results in a battle between urban and rural cultures, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Guns, culture, and politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 2, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In case you haven’t noticed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s political strategy seems to be undergoing a bit of a metamorphosis. What I mean

Guns, culture, and politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | April 2, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—In case you haven’t noticed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s political strategy seems to be undergoing a bit of a metamorphosis. What I mean
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured March 6, 2018, at the University of Ottawa. The debate surrounding the government's gun legislation inevitably results in a battle between urban and rural cultures, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Singh’s bad first impression

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Years ago, when I was working on a Republican senatorial primary campaign, my communications team found itself dealing with a bit of a
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 26, 2018
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Singh’s bad first impression

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 26, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Years ago, when I was working on a Republican senatorial primary campaign, my communications team found itself dealing with a bit of a

Singh’s bad first impression

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 26, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Years ago, when I was working on a Republican senatorial primary campaign, my communications team found itself dealing with a bit of a
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Lamenting Canada’s political jungle

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley once told the media, “It took us 40 years of scandal (and) sweat to come to a regime
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 19, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government will soon announce tough new rules on political financing and transparency. Translation: the election gag law is going to get even gaggier, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Lamenting Canada’s political jungle

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 19, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley once told the media, “It took us 40 years of scandal (and) sweat to come to a regime

Lamenting Canada’s political jungle

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 19, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley once told the media, “It took us 40 years of scandal (and) sweat to come to a regime
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government will soon announce tough new rules on political financing and transparency. Translation: the election gag law is going to get even gaggier, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time for Trudeau to grow up

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Famed physicist Isaac Newton once declared, “What goes up must come down.” And while Newton was referring to the natural laws of the
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 12, 2018
The bottom line is if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can learn from his mistakes, he can get stronger. What goes down can go up, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time for Trudeau to grow up

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 12, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Famed physicist Isaac Newton once declared, “What goes up must come down.” And while Newton was referring to the natural laws of the

Time for Trudeau to grow up

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 12, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Famed physicist Isaac Newton once declared, “What goes up must come down.” And while Newton was referring to the natural laws of the
The bottom line is if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can learn from his mistakes, he can get stronger. What goes down can go up, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Scheer’s bold conversion plan

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer might have a dull persona, but that hasn’t stopped him from dreaming up audacious plans. One such audacious
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 5, 2018
Conservative leader Andrew Scheer might achieve success if he adopted the less ambitious strategy of making disillusioned Liberals so disillusioned they would stay home on election day, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Scheer’s bold conversion plan

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 5, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer might have a dull persona, but that hasn’t stopped him from dreaming up audacious plans. One such audacious

Scheer’s bold conversion plan

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | March 5, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer might have a dull persona, but that hasn’t stopped him from dreaming up audacious plans. One such audacious
Conservative leader Andrew Scheer might achieve success if he adopted the less ambitious strategy of making disillusioned Liberals so disillusioned they would stay home on election day, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The unsinkable Bill Morneau

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Politically speaking, what usually makes a federal budget noteworthy is what it says about tax rates or spending priorities or fiscal policies. But
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 26, 2018
So Bill Morneau’s finance minister job is safe, at least for now, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The unsinkable Bill Morneau

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 26, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Politically speaking, what usually makes a federal budget noteworthy is what it says about tax rates or spending priorities or fiscal policies. But

The unsinkable Bill Morneau

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 26, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Politically speaking, what usually makes a federal budget noteworthy is what it says about tax rates or spending priorities or fiscal policies. But
So Bill Morneau’s finance minister job is safe, at least for now, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Playing it smart in politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Today’s topic is political intelligence. And let me quickly note, when I say “intelligence” I don’t mean “James Bond” spying kind of intelligence.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 19, 2018
Jean Chrétien was a successful lawyer and one-time justice minister, but he played up his small town roots, 'le petit gars,' and, of course spoke in a blunt, direct, unadorned style. The Hill Times file photograph

Playing it smart in politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 19, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Today’s topic is political intelligence. And let me quickly note, when I say “intelligence” I don’t mean “James Bond” spying kind of intelligence.

Playing it smart in politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 19, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Today’s topic is political intelligence. And let me quickly note, when I say “intelligence” I don’t mean “James Bond” spying kind of intelligence.
Jean Chrétien was a successful lawyer and one-time justice minister, but he played up his small town roots, 'le petit gars,' and, of course spoke in a blunt, direct, unadorned style. The Hill Times file photograph

The desire for change is changing politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The trendiest word in the political lexicon these days is “change.” Everywhere you look, political parties are inserting this term into their electoral
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 12, 2018
Meanwhile, here in Canada, we elected Justin Trudeau prime minister despite his lack of experience, mainly because his charismatic, rock-star persona was such a stark contrast to Stephen Harper’s unrelenting dullness. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The desire for change is changing politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 12, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The trendiest word in the political lexicon these days is “change.” Everywhere you look, political parties are inserting this term into their electoral

The desire for change is changing politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 12, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The trendiest word in the political lexicon these days is “change.” Everywhere you look, political parties are inserting this term into their electoral
Meanwhile, here in Canada, we elected Justin Trudeau prime minister despite his lack of experience, mainly because his charismatic, rock-star persona was such a stark contrast to Stephen Harper’s unrelenting dullness. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s problem on the left

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—While visiting in Davos recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did something a little unusual. And no I don’t mean he wore “duck-themed” socks.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 5, 2018
While visiting in Davos recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did something a little unusual. Mr. Trudeau held a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and didn’t tell the Canadian media about it. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s problem on the left

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 5, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—While visiting in Davos recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did something a little unusual. And no I don’t mean he wore “duck-themed” socks.

Trudeau’s problem on the left

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | February 5, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—While visiting in Davos recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did something a little unusual. And no I don’t mean he wore “duck-themed” socks.
While visiting in Davos recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did something a little unusual. Mr. Trudeau held a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and didn’t tell the Canadian media about it. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Playing the celebrity game in politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—NDP leader Jagmeet Singh recently invited reporters to witness and record his wedding proposal to Gurkiran Kaur. Sounds like a cute—even romantic—little media
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 29, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Jan. 9, 2018, answering questions during a town hall in Sackville, N.S. Photograph courtesy of PMO photographer Adam Scotti

Playing the celebrity game in politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 29, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—NDP leader Jagmeet Singh recently invited reporters to witness and record his wedding proposal to Gurkiran Kaur. Sounds like a cute—even romantic—little media

Playing the celebrity game in politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 29, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—NDP leader Jagmeet Singh recently invited reporters to witness and record his wedding proposal to Gurkiran Kaur. Sounds like a cute—even romantic—little media
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Jan. 9, 2018, answering questions during a town hall in Sackville, N.S. Photograph courtesy of PMO photographer Adam Scotti

Playing the celebrity game

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—NDP leader Jagmeet Singh recently invited reporters to witness and record his wedding proposal to Gurkiran Kaur. Sounds like a cute—even romantic—little media
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 29, 2018

Playing the celebrity game

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 29, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—NDP leader Jagmeet Singh recently invited reporters to witness and record his wedding proposal to Gurkiran Kaur. Sounds like a cute—even romantic—little media

Playing the celebrity game

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 29, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—NDP leader Jagmeet Singh recently invited reporters to witness and record his wedding proposal to Gurkiran Kaur. Sounds like a cute—even romantic—little media

Conservatives have limited strategy options

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“They came at us, in the same old style,” is how the Duke of Wellington famously described the French tactics at the Battle
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 22, 2018
The Conservative Party usually always has a boring, bland leader—Joe Clark, Jean Charest, Stephen Harper, Andrew Scheer, pictured; it rarely offers much in the way of new or exciting ideas; and generally speaking, its main selling point to voters is that it’s a safe alternative to the Liberals. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives have limited strategy options

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 22, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“They came at us, in the same old style,” is how the Duke of Wellington famously described the French tactics at the Battle

Conservatives have limited strategy options

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 22, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“They came at us, in the same old style,” is how the Duke of Wellington famously described the French tactics at the Battle
The Conservative Party usually always has a boring, bland leader—Joe Clark, Jean Charest, Stephen Harper, Andrew Scheer, pictured; it rarely offers much in the way of new or exciting ideas; and generally speaking, its main selling point to voters is that it’s a safe alternative to the Liberals. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The politics of political messaging

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If I were asked to give quick advice on how to create an effective political message, I’d say make it concise, make it
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 15, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has more credibility when talking about an issue like the environment than he has when talking about an issue like national security. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The politics of political messaging

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 15, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If I were asked to give quick advice on how to create an effective political message, I’d say make it concise, make it

The politics of political messaging

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 15, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If I were asked to give quick advice on how to create an effective political message, I’d say make it concise, make it
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has more credibility when talking about an issue like the environment than he has when talking about an issue like national security. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time waits for no political party

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to my calculations, Canada’s next federal election will take place in approximately 650 days. Wow, 650 days—that’s a long time, right? Well,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 8, 2018

Time waits for no political party

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 8, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to my calculations, Canada’s next federal election will take place in approximately 650 days. Wow, 650 days—that’s a long time, right? Well,

Time waits for no political party

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | January 8, 2018
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to my calculations, Canada’s next federal election will take place in approximately 650 days. Wow, 650 days—that’s a long time, right? Well,

Trudeau’s trade policy not as altruistic as it seems

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tis the season to be jolly, so maybe, tis also the season for jolly political analysis. With that in mind, instead of exposing
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 18, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured in a scrum last week on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s trade policy not as altruistic as it seems

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 18, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tis the season to be jolly, so maybe, tis also the season for jolly political analysis. With that in mind, instead of exposing

Trudeau’s trade policy not as altruistic as it seems

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 18, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tis the season to be jolly, so maybe, tis also the season for jolly political analysis. With that in mind, instead of exposing
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured in a scrum last week on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can nice guys finish first?

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Politically speaking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enjoys a lot of key advantages: he’s an incumbent, he presides over an economy that’s humming along,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 11, 2017

Can nice guys finish first?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 11, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Politically speaking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enjoys a lot of key advantages: he’s an incumbent, he presides over an economy that’s humming along,

Can nice guys finish first?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 11, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Politically speaking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enjoys a lot of key advantages: he’s an incumbent, he presides over an economy that’s humming along,

The science of politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If you believe the latest in fashionable wisdom, the best of all possible national political leaders would be a reincarnation of Albert Einstein.
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 4, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Parliament Hill on Sept. 26, with newly appointed chief scientist Mona Nemer. The Hill Times by Andrew Meade

The science of politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 4, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If you believe the latest in fashionable wisdom, the best of all possible national political leaders would be a reincarnation of Albert Einstein.

The science of politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | December 4, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—If you believe the latest in fashionable wisdom, the best of all possible national political leaders would be a reincarnation of Albert Einstein.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Parliament Hill on Sept. 26, with newly appointed chief scientist Mona Nemer. The Hill Times by Andrew Meade

Rumpled shirts mean rumpled imagery

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“I hate it.” Those were the exact words I uttered immediately after viewing the latest Conservative Party TV ad, an ad which is supposed
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 27, 2017
Conservative leader Andrew Scheer pictured in a new television ad. The strategy is that if Canadians eventually grow tired of Justin Trudeau’s exciting sizzle, they will happily embrace Scheer’s brand of non-threatening, inoffensive, rumpled-shirt-wearing boringness. Okay fine, but here’s the problem with that strategy: voters don’t want average people running the country; they want strong leaders, writes Gerry Nicholls. Photograph courtesy of Conservative Party of Canada

Rumpled shirts mean rumpled imagery

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 27, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“I hate it.” Those were the exact words I uttered immediately after viewing the latest Conservative Party TV ad, an ad which is supposed

Rumpled shirts mean rumpled imagery

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 27, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—“I hate it.” Those were the exact words I uttered immediately after viewing the latest Conservative Party TV ad, an ad which is supposed
Conservative leader Andrew Scheer pictured in a new television ad. The strategy is that if Canadians eventually grow tired of Justin Trudeau’s exciting sizzle, they will happily embrace Scheer’s brand of non-threatening, inoffensive, rumpled-shirt-wearing boringness. Okay fine, but here’s the problem with that strategy: voters don’t want average people running the country; they want strong leaders, writes Gerry Nicholls. Photograph courtesy of Conservative Party of Canada

Canada’s impending unity crisis

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It’s been a relatively long time since Canada’s suffered through a gut-wrenching unity crisis. So yeah, we’re due for one. In fact, the resentment
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 20, 2017
As former interim Conservative Party leader Rona Ambrose, (herself an Albertan) put it, 'We have a population in Alberta feeling as though their goals aren't part of the federation's goals—it's dangerous.' The Hill Times file photograph

Canada’s impending unity crisis

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 20, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It’s been a relatively long time since Canada’s suffered through a gut-wrenching unity crisis. So yeah, we’re due for one. In fact, the resentment

Canada’s impending unity crisis

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 20, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—It’s been a relatively long time since Canada’s suffered through a gut-wrenching unity crisis. So yeah, we’re due for one. In fact, the resentment
As former interim Conservative Party leader Rona Ambrose, (herself an Albertan) put it, 'We have a population in Alberta feeling as though their goals aren't part of the federation's goals—it's dangerous.' The Hill Times file photograph

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