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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
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Singh’s group loyalty challenges, and why we should be worried about that

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—At one time or another, every major federal political party in Canada will collide head on with some form of “tribalism.” And sometimes
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 13, 2017
The NDP, now led by the likeable Jagmeet Singh, is at its core an ideological party, which means it includes within its ranks a vibrant tribe of 'true believer ideologues,' people who put principle ahead of even winning elections. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Singh’s group loyalty challenges, and why we should be worried about that

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 13, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—At one time or another, every major federal political party in Canada will collide head on with some form of “tribalism.” And sometimes

Singh’s group loyalty challenges, and why we should be worried about that

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 13, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—At one time or another, every major federal political party in Canada will collide head on with some form of “tribalism.” And sometimes
The NDP, now led by the likeable Jagmeet Singh, is at its core an ideological party, which means it includes within its ranks a vibrant tribe of 'true believer ideologues,' people who put principle ahead of even winning elections. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s potential populist problem

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tempestuous, turbulent, and trenchant political warfare is seemingly the new normal in Western democracies these days, with one notable exception—Canada. Our country, relatively
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 6, 2017
A populist revolt could erupt in our country and the one political leader in Canada who understands this potential reality is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently at a Diwali event on the Hill, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s potential populist problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 6, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tempestuous, turbulent, and trenchant political warfare is seemingly the new normal in Western democracies these days, with one notable exception—Canada. Our country, relatively

Trudeau’s potential populist problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 6, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tempestuous, turbulent, and trenchant political warfare is seemingly the new normal in Western democracies these days, with one notable exception—Canada. Our country, relatively
A populist revolt could erupt in our country and the one political leader in Canada who understands this potential reality is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently at a Diwali event on the Hill, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s potential populist problem

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tempestuous, turbulent and trenchant political warfare is seemingly the new normal in Western democracies these days, with one notable exception—Canada. Our country, relatively
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 6, 2017

Trudeau’s potential populist problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 6, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tempestuous, turbulent and trenchant political warfare is seemingly the new normal in Western democracies these days, with one notable exception—Canada. Our country, relatively

Trudeau’s potential populist problem

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | November 6, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Tempestuous, turbulent and trenchant political warfare is seemingly the new normal in Western democracies these days, with one notable exception—Canada. Our country, relatively

Echo chambers, strategists and Scheer

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A recurring theme in politics is that “behind-the-scenes” guys, a.k.a political party strategists, don’t always remain behind the scenes. Every now and again
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 30, 2017
Hamish Marshall, who used to work at The Rebel, will be running the Conservative Party 2019 federal election campaign. No offence to Mr. Marshall, but I highly suspect he’s not exactly a household name, nor for that matter, despite his notoriety in media and political circles, is Ezra Levant.Heck, I bet many Canadians are still fuzzy about Andrew Scheer’s name. Photograph courtesy of Facebook

Echo chambers, strategists and Scheer

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 30, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A recurring theme in politics is that “behind-the-scenes” guys, a.k.a political party strategists, don’t always remain behind the scenes. Every now and again

Echo chambers, strategists and Scheer

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 30, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—A recurring theme in politics is that “behind-the-scenes” guys, a.k.a political party strategists, don’t always remain behind the scenes. Every now and again
Hamish Marshall, who used to work at The Rebel, will be running the Conservative Party 2019 federal election campaign. No offence to Mr. Marshall, but I highly suspect he’s not exactly a household name, nor for that matter, despite his notoriety in media and political circles, is Ezra Levant.Heck, I bet many Canadians are still fuzzy about Andrew Scheer’s name. Photograph courtesy of Facebook

Liberals can’t handle the truth

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the most basic rules in politics is that the perception of truth always trumps the actual truth. Ignore that rule when
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 23, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent ill-fated efforts to sell his controversial tax reform plan provides a textbook example as to how a communication strategy which fails to consider public perceptions can quickly become entangled in a web of competing narratives, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Liberals can’t handle the truth

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 23, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the most basic rules in politics is that the perception of truth always trumps the actual truth. Ignore that rule when

Liberals can’t handle the truth

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 23, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the most basic rules in politics is that the perception of truth always trumps the actual truth. Ignore that rule when
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent ill-fated efforts to sell his controversial tax reform plan provides a textbook example as to how a communication strategy which fails to consider public perceptions can quickly become entangled in a web of competing narratives, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A tale of two strategies

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Although New Democrats and Conservatives are different in so many ways, they both share a common dilemma: how do you beat an opponent
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 16, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has hit a few bumps on the road lately, leading some to suggest 'Trudeaumania' might be waning a bit, but all things considered, the prime minister is still well-liked, still personable and still popular. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A tale of two strategies

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 16, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Although New Democrats and Conservatives are different in so many ways, they both share a common dilemma: how do you beat an opponent

A tale of two strategies

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 16, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Although New Democrats and Conservatives are different in so many ways, they both share a common dilemma: how do you beat an opponent
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has hit a few bumps on the road lately, leading some to suggest 'Trudeaumania' might be waning a bit, but all things considered, the prime minister is still well-liked, still personable and still popular. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The return of politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT. —To paraphrase Mark Twain, the death of politics in Canada has been greatly exaggerated. And, yes, in case you missed its obituary,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 9, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 3, at the first ministers conference in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The return of politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 9, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT. —To paraphrase Mark Twain, the death of politics in Canada has been greatly exaggerated. And, yes, in case you missed its obituary,

The return of politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 9, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT. —To paraphrase Mark Twain, the death of politics in Canada has been greatly exaggerated. And, yes, in case you missed its obituary,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 3, at the first ministers conference in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Scheer should apologize for his apology

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Given the emotional and combative nature of politics, partisan jibes will always fly thick and fast, which means it’s important for politicians to
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 2, 2017
Gerry Ritz, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. Gerry Nicholls says Mr. Scheer has now set a precedent that could come back to haunt him; from now on, whenever any Conservative MP says something offensive, he will be called upon to offer a grovelling apology. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and file photographs

Scheer should apologize for his apology

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 2, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Given the emotional and combative nature of politics, partisan jibes will always fly thick and fast, which means it’s important for politicians to

Scheer should apologize for his apology

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | October 2, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Given the emotional and combative nature of politics, partisan jibes will always fly thick and fast, which means it’s important for politicians to
Gerry Ritz, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. Gerry Nicholls says Mr. Scheer has now set a precedent that could come back to haunt him; from now on, whenever any Conservative MP says something offensive, he will be called upon to offer a grovelling apology. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and file photographs

Cultivating the grapes of political wrath

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Any politician seeking electoral success must learn how to harness the power of anger. And, yes, in politics, anger is a potentially powerful
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 25, 2017
Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer could merge the fury over that tax plan with the fury over the Khadr payout. The Hill Times file photograph

Cultivating the grapes of political wrath

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 25, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Any politician seeking electoral success must learn how to harness the power of anger. And, yes, in politics, anger is a potentially powerful

Cultivating the grapes of political wrath

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 25, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Any politician seeking electoral success must learn how to harness the power of anger. And, yes, in politics, anger is a potentially powerful
Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer could merge the fury over that tax plan with the fury over the Khadr payout. The Hill Times file photograph

Politics in the land of the bland

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Political watchers like to joke about the NDP leadership race’s utter boringness. But when you actually think about it, singling out the NDP
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 18, 2017
NDP leadership candidate Jagmeet Singh, pictured May 28, 2017, in Sudbury at a televised leaders' debate. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Politics in the land of the bland

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 18, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Political watchers like to joke about the NDP leadership race’s utter boringness. But when you actually think about it, singling out the NDP

Politics in the land of the bland

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 18, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Political watchers like to joke about the NDP leadership race’s utter boringness. But when you actually think about it, singling out the NDP
NDP leadership candidate Jagmeet Singh, pictured May 28, 2017, in Sudbury at a televised leaders' debate. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How to be positively aggressive

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—As Sun Tzu, the famed Chinese military philosopher, once declared, “Invincibility lies in the defence, the possibility of victory in the attack.” Yes,
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 11, 2017
Anyway, all this is what I mean by positive aggressiveness, it’s just about refusing to allow your opponents to put you on the defensive or off message. Of course, Sun Tzu basically said the same thing, only more poetically. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

How to be positively aggressive

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 11, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—As Sun Tzu, the famed Chinese military philosopher, once declared, “Invincibility lies in the defence, the possibility of victory in the attack.” Yes,

How to be positively aggressive

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 11, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—As Sun Tzu, the famed Chinese military philosopher, once declared, “Invincibility lies in the defence, the possibility of victory in the attack.” Yes,
Anyway, all this is what I mean by positive aggressiveness, it’s just about refusing to allow your opponents to put you on the defensive or off message. Of course, Sun Tzu basically said the same thing, only more poetically. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Gilmore still hasn’t tackled the hard part of politics

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the easiest things to be in the world is a computer-keyboard political strategist. Any columnist or journalist or blogger can tap
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 4, 2017
Maclean's columnist Scott Gilmore has created some waves with his efforts to rework the Conservative Party, or create a new right-of-centre party. However, Gerry Nicholls writes that there's a lot more to politics than finding people who agree with you. Photograph courtesy of Scott Gilmore

Gilmore still hasn’t tackled the hard part of politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 4, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the easiest things to be in the world is a computer-keyboard political strategist. Any columnist or journalist or blogger can tap

Gilmore still hasn’t tackled the hard part of politics

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | September 4, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the easiest things to be in the world is a computer-keyboard political strategist. Any columnist or journalist or blogger can tap
Maclean's columnist Scott Gilmore has created some waves with his efforts to rework the Conservative Party, or create a new right-of-centre party. However, Gerry Nicholls writes that there's a lot more to politics than finding people who agree with you. Photograph courtesy of Scott Gilmore

Saying goodbye to political legend Arthur Finkelstein

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The luckiest thing that ever happened to me in my professional career was I got a chance to work with and to learn
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 28, 2017
Arthur Finkelstein, left, in 2013 with husband Donald Curiale.Finkelstein recently passed away and is considered a legend among political strategists in the U.S. and beyond. Photograph by Gary Maloney

Saying goodbye to political legend Arthur Finkelstein

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 28, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The luckiest thing that ever happened to me in my professional career was I got a chance to work with and to learn

Saying goodbye to political legend Arthur Finkelstein

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 28, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The luckiest thing that ever happened to me in my professional career was I got a chance to work with and to learn
Arthur Finkelstein, left, in 2013 with husband Donald Curiale.Finkelstein recently passed away and is considered a legend among political strategists in the U.S. and beyond. Photograph by Gary Maloney

Scheer uses subtle image tactics to convince voters he’d be great PM

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Conservative Party of Canada really wants to make it clear to Canadians that its new leader, Andrew Scheer, is a father to
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 21, 2017
Andrew Scheer with his children at the Conservative leadership convention in May. Gerry Nicholls writes that the Conservatives are trying to make voters believe that by being a good father, Scheer would make a good prime minister. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Scheer uses subtle image tactics to convince voters he’d be great PM

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 21, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Conservative Party of Canada really wants to make it clear to Canadians that its new leader, Andrew Scheer, is a father to

Scheer uses subtle image tactics to convince voters he’d be great PM

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 21, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Conservative Party of Canada really wants to make it clear to Canadians that its new leader, Andrew Scheer, is a father to
Andrew Scheer with his children at the Conservative leadership convention in May. Gerry Nicholls writes that the Conservatives are trying to make voters believe that by being a good father, Scheer would make a good prime minister. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

New world requires new arguments

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—We hear a lot these days about how we need to prepare for global climate change, but there’s another kind of global change
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 14, 2017
The success of the Brexit referendum in the U.K., Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in last year’s U.S. presidential election, the rise of right-wing populist parties in Europe, and the surprisingly strong showing in the recent British election of a hard-left wing Labour Party, all suggest that large chunks of world public opinion are turning against the global consensus which more or less materialized in 1991 after the Soviet Union’s sudden collapse. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore

New world requires new arguments

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 14, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—We hear a lot these days about how we need to prepare for global climate change, but there’s another kind of global change

New world requires new arguments

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 14, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—We hear a lot these days about how we need to prepare for global climate change, but there’s another kind of global change
The success of the Brexit referendum in the U.K., Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in last year’s U.S. presidential election, the rise of right-wing populist parties in Europe, and the surprisingly strong showing in the recent British election of a hard-left wing Labour Party, all suggest that large chunks of world public opinion are turning against the global consensus which more or less materialized in 1991 after the Soviet Union’s sudden collapse. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore

The politics of alternate reality

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to a quantum physics theory (my understanding of which is based mainly on what I learned from watching Star Trek), there exists
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 7, 2017
On the cover of the Rolling Stone: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the July 26 issue of Rolling Stone magazine. What made that interview controversial were Mr. Trudeau’s own ill-chosen words about his boxing match with Senator Patrick Brazeau. He later expressed regret for causing offence, but the fact that he didn’t foresee the negative reaction his statement would trigger is a sure sign he was living in his own alternate reality. Rolling Stone cover

The politics of alternate reality

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 7, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to a quantum physics theory (my understanding of which is based mainly on what I learned from watching Star Trek), there exists

The politics of alternate reality

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | August 7, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—According to a quantum physics theory (my understanding of which is based mainly on what I learned from watching Star Trek), there exists
On the cover of the Rolling Stone: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the July 26 issue of Rolling Stone magazine. What made that interview controversial were Mr. Trudeau’s own ill-chosen words about his boxing match with Senator Patrick Brazeau. He later expressed regret for causing offence, but the fact that he didn’t foresee the negative reaction his statement would trigger is a sure sign he was living in his own alternate reality. Rolling Stone cover

Trudeau, Canada’s Sun King?

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Given that we’re smack dab in the middle of summer and given that everyone is consequently in a vacation mindset right now, I
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 31, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured July 25, 2017, on Parliament Hill. Whenever a leader claims to speak for everyone in his country, to my mind it reveals a regal-style hubris, that’s ill-suited for a democracy, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Trudeau, Canada’s Sun King?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 31, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Given that we’re smack dab in the middle of summer and given that everyone is consequently in a vacation mindset right now, I

Trudeau, Canada’s Sun King?

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 31, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Given that we’re smack dab in the middle of summer and given that everyone is consequently in a vacation mindset right now, I
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured July 25, 2017, on Parliament Hill. Whenever a leader claims to speak for everyone in his country, to my mind it reveals a regal-style hubris, that’s ill-suited for a democracy, writes Gerry Nicholls. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Conspiracy theories could spark Conservative feud

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Canadian conservative politics is irredeemably dull, unless that is, it becomes embroiled in some sort of conspiracy theory, at which point it can
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 24, 2017
Then prime minister Stephen Harper, pictured Oct. 16, 2015, at a rally in Fredericton, N.B. About 20 years ago, certain members of the now defunct Reform Party grew suspicious about the political motives of the NCC’s president at the time—a guy named Stephen Harper. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conspiracy theories could spark Conservative feud

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 24, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Canadian conservative politics is irredeemably dull, unless that is, it becomes embroiled in some sort of conspiracy theory, at which point it can

Conspiracy theories could spark Conservative feud

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 24, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Canadian conservative politics is irredeemably dull, unless that is, it becomes embroiled in some sort of conspiracy theory, at which point it can
Then prime minister Stephen Harper, pictured Oct. 16, 2015, at a rally in Fredericton, N.B. About 20 years ago, certain members of the now defunct Reform Party grew suspicious about the political motives of the NCC’s president at the time—a guy named Stephen Harper. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Beware the Twitter echo chamber trap

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Whenever I’m plagued with self-doubt or afflicted with uncertainty, I turn to that one source guaranteed to provide me with the spiritual peace
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 17, 2017
Stop battling Twitter trolls and start listening to real people in the real world. In short, open up your echo chamber, and let your political message go free, Gerry Nicholls advises politicians. Image courtesy of Pixabay

Beware the Twitter echo chamber trap

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 17, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Whenever I’m plagued with self-doubt or afflicted with uncertainty, I turn to that one source guaranteed to provide me with the spiritual peace

Beware the Twitter echo chamber trap

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 17, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—Whenever I’m plagued with self-doubt or afflicted with uncertainty, I turn to that one source guaranteed to provide me with the spiritual peace
Stop battling Twitter trolls and start listening to real people in the real world. In short, open up your echo chamber, and let your political message go free, Gerry Nicholls advises politicians. Image courtesy of Pixabay

New world requires new arguments

  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—We hear a lot these days about how we need to prepare for global climate change, but there’s another kind of global change
Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 10, 2017
Remember Hillary Clinton’s crack about 'deplorables'? Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore

New world requires new arguments

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 10, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—We hear a lot these days about how we need to prepare for global climate change, but there’s another kind of global change

New world requires new arguments

Opinion | BY GERRY NICHOLLS | July 10, 2017
  • OAKVILLE, ONT.—We hear a lot these days about how we need to prepare for global climate change, but there’s another kind of global change
Remember Hillary Clinton’s crack about 'deplorables'? Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore

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