Year-long deadlock between Libs and Tories could be ‘new normal,’ but ‘perfect storm’ of inflation and health-care crisis creates a ‘windfall’ for opposition parties this fall: Coletto, Nanos
A week out from the official return of Parliament on Sept. 19, the Liberals and Conservatives appear deadlocked in the polls, and analysts predict this winter will provide a “perfect storm” of issues for all the opposition parties. But if the Conservatives hope to defeat the Liberals in the next election, it will be up […]
Poilievre wins Conservative leadership with commanding 68.1 per cent of the points on first ballot, pledges focus on pocketbook issues; party promises unity, downplays division
Seeking to rebuild a Conservative Party that has been relegated to the opposition benches in three straight federal elections, Pierre Poilievre convincingly won the Tory leadership race on Saturday night with a commanding 68.15 per cent of the points on the first ballot. A member of the Conservative caucus since 2004, Poilievre (Carleton, Ont.) was […]
There’s a ‘window of opportunity’ to expand pool of Supreme Court candidates to ensure top talent applies, say Parliamentarians, jurists
There is a “window of opportunity” to rethink and broaden how Canada finds Supreme Court justice candidates, according to members of the legal community and Parliamentarians who are echoing a call from the chair of the most recent search for the top court’s newest judge. It has prompted a debate about the French-language requirements and […]
‘This is the time for getting things done,’ says former Liberal staffer after retreats wrapped up
The confidence-and-supply agreement between the Liberals and the NDP looks to be in good shape as Parliament returns for the fall, say strategists, even as both parties look to address growing frustrations with the rising cost of living, and prepare for the election of a new Conservative leader. Sheamus Murphy, a former senior staffer to […]
Skating down the middle: Centre Ice Canadians look to ‘take action’ despite trope of ‘malleable’ centrists, with name change as first step
Organizers of the newly renamed Centre Ice Canadians say they will be raising issues that have not been a focus for “any political party with any type of vigour,” as they push back against the idea of centrists being “malleable” or not prone to action. The first step came with the group’s recent rebranding, replacing […]
Cybersecurity expert says he’s confident MPs are receiving proper guidance on cyber threats
Following a warning from a senior RCMP official, the House Speaker’s Office says MPs and their staffers are provided with specially configured devices and with classroom instruction on cybersecurity, and that additional briefings are provided to MPs who are travelling to high-risk events. David Masson, the director of enterprise security for Darktrace, a cybersecurity company […]
MPs say ‘game changer’ UN report on China’s Uyghur persecution should propel increased action from feds
MPs from across the political spectrum say they are hoping that the United Nation report detailing human rights abuses in China’s persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang will be met with an increased effort from the Liberal government to confront the mistreatment. A long-awaited report from UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet on the situation was […]
‘Small army’ on hand to ensure no repeat of 2020 Tory leader vote-counting drama
With the deadline to return Conservative leadership race ballots now passed, the main challenge will be ensuring those hard-fought votes get counted in time for Saturday’s coronation—without a repeat of the 2020 snafu. The Conservatives will announce the final tabulation on Sept. 10, at the Shaw Centre in downtown Ottawa, with event programming beginning at […]
Union of Taxation Employees latest PSAC group to declare impasse in negotiations with feds
The Union of Taxation Employees, which represents more than 35,000 workers at the Canadian Revenue Agency, have declared an impasse in contract negotiations with the federal government after eight months of what union leader Marc Brière called “the same damn movie” that led to strike votes in February and March of 2020. The latest unsuccessful […]
Limited hope for resolution to historic Canada-U.S. softwood lumber spat, say stakeholders, MPs
As Ottawa embarks on a trade challenge of American countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports, there is a glimmer of hope that both sides can reach a negotiated settlement to resolve the longstanding dispute. Softwood lumber has long been a trade irritant along the 49th parallel, as both Democratic and Republican administrations have taken […]
