A Conservative candidate who once voiced his support for “public hangings” – even joking that former prime minister Justin Trudeau should receive the death penalty – will no longer be running to represent the party after CTV News first obtained audio of his comments. “The comments are clearly unacceptable. Mr. McKenzie will not be the Conservative candidate,” a Conservative campaign...
Move comes after RCMP announced probe into comments made about Conservative candidate Joe Tay. Embattled Toronto-area Liberal candidate Paul Chiang is dropping out of the race just hours after the RCMP told CBC News it's looking into whether he broke the law by suggesting people turn a Conservative candidate running in a nearby riding into the Chinese consulate to collect...
Like the grey skies above her Newmarket campaign office, Sandra Cobena’s forecast of flipping the must-win Liberal-held riding have become cloudedIt is Monday morning on the second week of the federal election campaign and for Sandra Cobena, that means it’s sign day.
The ruthless tactician behind Pierre Poilievre’s campaign has spent decades shaping Canadian conservatism from behind the scenes. This year’s election will be her greatest achievement—or her undoing.
Ripper has one message: The Pierre Poilievre we see today is the same person as the teenager he was in Calgary’s Reform Party backrooms. Mark Bourrie describes that 1990s teenager as “the political equivalent of a hockey goon,” and argues that he hasn’t adjusted his behaviour or outlook since then. However, to understand Canada’s “Trump-lite,” Bourrie argues, we need to...
With less than a month to go until Election Day, the Liberal Party enjoys a very clear and stable lead. At 48 per cent, the party holds a 15-point lead over the second-place Conservatives, who are sitting at 33 points. At seven points, the NDP has been stuck below 10 points for nearly a month. The Bloc Québécois has seen...
Economic turmoil between Canada and the United States has taken the headlines this year, perhaps obscuring several positive domestic trends. Falling rents, a grocery cost reprieve, and stable inflation have some Canadians feeling better about their economic stress, and it appears to the benefit of the federal Liberals. New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds a two-point decrease...
A new poll by Liaison Strategies for the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC), the industry association representing Canada’s non-official language newspapers, TV, radio, and online news media, finds the Liberals leading with 44% (+1) with the Conservatives once again at 38% (No Change). The rolling survey, conducted from March 29 to March 31, 2025, used interactive...
To add to our interesting content about the federal election campaign, Spark and Northstar Public Affairs recruited a unique panel of people who have worked in political campaigns in Canada. Each week, we’ll survey them online to see what they think is happening. This is our first synopsis, based on a survey completed March 26-27. Read More
Like the grey skies above her Newmarket campaign office, Sandra Cobena’s forecast of flipping the must-win Liberal-held riding have become cloudedIt is Monday morning on the second week of the federal election campaign and for Sandra Cobena, that means it’s sign day.
A Conservative candidate who once voiced his support for “public hangings” – even joking that former prime minister Justin Trudeau should receive the death penalty – will no longer be running to represent the party after CTV News first obtained audio of his comments. “The comments are clearly unacceptable. Mr. McKenzie will not be the Conservative candidate,” a Conservative campaign...
The ruthless tactician behind Pierre Poilievre’s campaign has spent decades shaping Canadian conservatism from behind the scenes. This year’s election will be her greatest achievement—or her undoing.
Ripper has one message: The Pierre Poilievre we see today is the same person as the teenager he was in Calgary’s Reform Party backrooms. Mark Bourrie describes that 1990s teenager as “the political equivalent of a hockey goon,” and argues that he hasn’t adjusted his behaviour or outlook since then. However, to understand Canada’s “Trump-lite,” Bourrie argues, we need to...
Move comes after RCMP announced probe into comments made about Conservative candidate Joe Tay. Embattled Toronto-area Liberal candidate Paul Chiang is dropping out of the race just hours after the RCMP told CBC News it's looking into whether he broke the law by suggesting people turn a Conservative candidate running in a nearby riding into the Chinese consulate to collect...
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, appearing alongside conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, told a Florida gala last week the federal Liberals’ upswing in public support can be attributed to a change in leadership. “When I was down before, we were talking about the potential for a total wipe-out of the Liberal party. That’s how unpopular they had become,” Smith said, when asked...
When three leading New York Times columnists sound the same urgent warning at the same time, we should pay attention. Ezra Klein, Thomas Friedman, and Kevin Roose have just delivered a stark and urgent message: They believe Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—highly advanced, human-like AI—is only two or three years away.
Liberal leader Mark Carney has undone the sizable lead that Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives held in the polls while Justin Trudeau was the still the prime minister. Carney has done this by responding to voters’ primary concerns and offering a suite of policies that have broad appeal. If voters give him what he asks for — a “strong, positive...
Mark Carney and his revitalized Liberal Party have come roaring out of the gate, opening a comfortable lead over Pierre Poilievre and a Conservative campaign that still seems to be waiting for the starter’s pistol. If the six-point edge we’re seeing in our Ipsos polling for Global News holds through to election day, Carney could be standing on the doorstep...
By now, it’s clear that the Conservative Party, once riding high on Trudeau fatigue, has bungled its commanding pre-election lead. That such a fate was avoidable only compounds the disappointment. Yet, in politics as in war, setbacks are not always fatal, provided one has the imagination – and the ruthlessness – to correct course.
For years before Donald Trump wormed his way back into the U.S. presidency, forcing the entire world, including, and perhaps especially, Canada, to refocus on his mush-brained threats, a single issue dominated Canadian politics: Housing. By the beginning of last year, just about everyone of any political stripe in this country agreed the housing market was out of control. There...
Mark Carney had a chance to define himself as a Liberal leader who is guided by values and unafraid of decisive action, and on Monday he failed spectacularly. Was it overconfidence? A lack of political skills? A refusal to bend to opposition calls? Whatever held Carney back from dumping Paul Chiang as the Liberal candidate in Markham—Unionville, it raises questions...
Today, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that as Prime Minister, he will support the plan to double Newfoundland and Labrador’s oil and gas production and approve the LNG Newfoundland and Labrador project. Conservatives will work with the province to end the uncertainty and delays that a decade of Liberal government has created. “I support Newfoundland and Labrador’s plan to double...
Today, Jagmeet Singh stood alongside frontline workers to deliver a clear message: Canada’s public health-care system is not for sale—not to Trump, not to profiteers, not now, not ever. “Donald Trump has made it clear he’s willing to use trade pressure to advance the interests of U.S. corporations—including in areas like health care,” said Singh. “Canadians believe in care over...
Mark Carney is taking action to put money back in the pockets of Canadians and build a stronger economy. “We can’t control President Trump, but we can make it easier for Canadians to weather the storm by putting more money back in their pocket,” said Mark Carney, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. “Our Liberal plan to make life...
Today, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre committed to meeting all of the policy recommendations from Canada’s energy sector to end dependence on the U.S. market and unleash Canada’s economy. Poilievre challenged Mark Carney to do the same and to repudiate his radical commitment to “keep it in the ground”—the same policy that gave us the Lost Liberal Decade. “We need to...
With Trump’s trade threats fuelling fear and economic uncertainty, Canadians are already bracing against a rising cost of living and a worsening climate crisis. Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced a plan to lower energy bills, create good jobs, and stop giving oil and gas CEOs a free ride.
From climate disasters to cyber threats and geopolitical instability, Canada must ensure its citizens have the tools and support needed to meet the security challenges of the 21st century. Today, the Green Party is announcing our transformative National Civil Defence Corps plan to defend a strong and independent Canada while promoting peace and emergency readiness by:
Liberal leader Mark Carney has undone the sizable lead that Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives held in the polls while Justin Trudeau was the still the prime minister. Carney has done this by responding to voters’ primary concerns and offering a suite of policies that have broad appeal. If voters give him what he asks for — a “strong, positive...
Mark Carney and his revitalized Liberal Party have come roaring out of the gate, opening a comfortable lead over Pierre Poilievre and a Conservative campaign that still seems to be waiting for the starter’s pistol. If the six-point edge we’re seeing in our Ipsos polling for Global News holds through to election day, Carney could be standing on the doorstep...
By now, it’s clear that the Conservative Party, once riding high on Trudeau fatigue, has bungled its commanding pre-election lead. That such a fate was avoidable only compounds the disappointment. Yet, in politics as in war, setbacks are not always fatal, provided one has the imagination – and the ruthlessness – to correct course.
For years before Donald Trump wormed his way back into the U.S. presidency, forcing the entire world, including, and perhaps especially, Canada, to refocus on his mush-brained threats, a single issue dominated Canadian politics: Housing. By the beginning of last year, just about everyone of any political stripe in this country agreed the housing market was out of control. There...
Thanks to tactful diplomacy, Canada and Greenland share a border. Thanks to increasingly an increasingly aggressive foreign policy coming out of Washington, the two countries now share an existential threat, as well. While all of Canada’s political leaders now, finally, recognize the need to take Arctic sovereignty seriously, Canada needs to immediately stand up for Greenland as it faces intimidation...
One of the biggest knocks against Justin Trudeau’s government is that it failed to get big things done. It was great at announcing ambitious plans with multibillion-dollar price tags. But when it came to actually building stuff, not so much. The list is familiar: military jets that were studied for years but never arrived; housing plans that promised a lot...
Mark Carney had a chance to define himself as a Liberal leader who is guided by values and unafraid of decisive action, and on Monday he failed spectacularly. Was it overconfidence? A lack of political skills? A refusal to bend to opposition calls? Whatever held Carney back from dumping Paul Chiang as the Liberal candidate in Markham—Unionville, it raises questions...
Speaking to reporters after a recent cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Mark Carney told the assembled media that Canada’s old relationship with the United States, “based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military co-operation, is over.”
Paul Chiang's comments, and Carney's defence of the candidate, are a sign that the Liberal party’s inexplicable attachment to Beijing remains intact
After 91-year-old former prime minister Jean Chrétien’s rousing speech to Liberals earlier this month, it can be easy to forget the still-formidable politician was once doubted, even dubbed “yesterday’s man.” That label prompted Chrétien to run his first campaign as Liberal leader in 1993 showcasing a team of star candidates, invoking the slogan “I have the people, I have the...
The premiers of Saskatchewan and Alberta support Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, but they're helping the campaign of Mark Carney's Liberals.
The astonishing news Friday of a polite and insult-free phone call between Trump and Mark Carney — one surprisingly, the U.S. president had asked for — has pushed the Trump roller-coaster up for the first time. It may only last hours or days, probably not weeks, but it signals that Canada’s tough retaliatory posture to Trump’s trade war is giving...
Pierre Poilievre went into this election campaign with plenty of political skills, but lacking one he needs right now — the ability to turn enemies into friends.That could be a tall order for this take-no-prisoners Conservative leader.
A few months ago, only people who were smoking the drapes would have thought a Liberal majority possible. Now, who knows? Driving into my hometown, there is a sign at the Four Corners in a farmer’s field. It reads “Mr. Trump. Don’t poke the Goose.” It’s the Canada Goose, of course. The words are directed at U.S. President Donald Trump...
Prime Minister Mark Carney will probably never be a spellbinding public speaker, at least judging by his first tentative forays. When he takes to the podium, he delivers his message with all the flair, passion, and levity of a central banker addressing a meeting of the International Metallurgy and Materials Congress. Unsurprising, given his resumé. But press conferences? He is...
In the heat of a federal election campaign, with Donald Trump once again occupying the White House and making noise and consistent threats about tariffs and even annexation of Canadian territory, patriotic fervour in Canada is on the rise. Parties are campaigning with slogans of “Canada Strong” and “Canada First”. You’d think that in such a moment of national self-reflection...
Welcome to Election 2025 and the weekly campaign edition of On The Contrary, in which Susan Delacourt and Matt Gurney will be tracking the race by focusing on the five people who have made things interesting or game-changing.
This is a hard time for the country. It is also a good time. Hard because of tariffs, talk of annexation and other uncertainties every day. Good because, up against it, we’ve quickly come to learn that we have to face these challenges together. Provinces, territories, regions historically defined by difference – language, culture, religion, race – have discovered we...
The following is a conversation between two journalists who have been covering Canadian federal politics up close for decades. Stephen Maher — author of The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau — spoke to Mark Bourrie on March 22 about his latest book, Ripper: The Making of Pierre Poilievre, a thoughtful and unsparing examination of the life and career...
Mark Carney is the Prime Minister of Canada. He held this office despite not having had a seat in Parliament prior to the general election, and he still holds the office during it. He does not hold the office and the title during some events and not during others based on a temporary, election-period, church-and-state distinction between political and executive...
The Alberta premier thought it was a good thing — a top Conservative strategist begged to differ. The most controversial statement of the federal election so far was uttered before the campaign even started — not by a federal politician, but the premier of Alberta. In an interview taped on March 8 with a right-wing American media outlet, Danielle Smith...
Another federal election and the Mark Carney-Justin Trudeau Liberals are employing their tried-and-true tactic, made famous by the legendary Liberal campaign organizer Sen. Keith Davey in the 1980 election, to “screw the West, we’ll take the rest.”
Faced with President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats against Canada this week, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh shifted his campaign plans and headed to Windsor to stand with affected auto workers. Now Singh needs to shift again but this time to deal with the near existential threat his party is facing. Public opinion surveys show support for the NDP has fallen...
When three leading New York Times columnists sound the same urgent warning at the same time, we should pay attention. Ezra Klein, Thomas Friedman, and Kevin Roose have just delivered a stark and urgent message: They believe Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—highly advanced, human-like AI—is only two or three years away.
It's official — the consumer carbon tax is over, starting today. Mark Carney cancelled the fee on his first day as prime minister last month, signing a directive for the fuel charge to be removed on April 1. The levy had been added to the sale price of carbon-emitting products by fuel type. For gasoline, it was 17.6 cents a...
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, appearing alongside conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, told a Florida gala last week the federal Liberals’ upswing in public support can be attributed to a change in leadership. “When I was down before, we were talking about the potential for a total wipe-out of the Liberal party. That’s how unpopular they had become,” Smith said, when asked...
CBC News has obtained video of Alberta premier's onstage discussion with podcaster Ben Shapiro. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's response to a U.S. podcaster's quips about Canada as the 51st state last week was to tell him and a conservative group's Florida donor gala that they'd regret having tens of millions of progressive Canadians voting for the U.S. president, according to...
Most Canadians support Liberal Leader Mark Carney disclosing the financial assets he’s placed in a blind trust while in office, as well as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre obtaining security clearance to receive briefings about foreign interference, according to new data from Nanos Research.
Some shutout Conservative nomination candidates in the Greater Toronto Area, Calgary, and some British Columbia ridings say they have been unfairly denied the right to contested nominations by backroom party operatives. Some say they were led to believe that meeting fundraising targets would significantly boost their chances, but even after raising tens of thousands of dollars they were ultimately denied...
Unions on both sides of the border are calling on American senators to vote in favour of legislation to overturn U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.
Conservative leader says he won't stop criticizing the incumbent government for its 'lost Liberal decade.' Pierre Poilievre says he disagrees with calls from some supporters for him to change his election strategy amid a Liberal surge in the polls, arguing that he should not stop talking about the “lost Liberal decade.” Monday morning, he poopooed any suggestion that he should...
Liberal Leader Mark Carney promised Monday to get the federal government back into the business of home building, while Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives pitched a national energy corridor to fast-track approval of key infrastructure. The two rival party leaders touted the plans as national projects to stand up to the United States as it menaces Canada's economy with a steady stream...
Liberal Leader Mark Carney said he will not be dropping Paul Chiang from the race in Markham–Unionville, despite the candidate’s comments about handing over a Conservative candidate to Chinese authorities to collect a lucrative bounty. Carney said he was “deeply offended” by those comments and said they demonstrated a “terrible lapse of judgment,” but believes this episode amounts to a...
Liberal Leader Mark Carney says Paul Chiang will remain a candidate under his banner, despite calls to ouster the Markham-Unionville incumbent for suggesting people turn in a Conservative candidate to the Chinese consulate and collect a bounty.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pledged to create a “national energy corridor” across Canada, within which approvals for pipelines and other critical infrastructure would be fast-tracked, in order to help ship resources across the country or globally while bypassing the United States. He took aim at U.S. President Donald Trump in the announcement, saying this would help Canada reduce its dependence...
In the three-party battle for Trois-Rivières, the Bloc Québécois MP will be on the ballot, but not the campaign trail. On Friday morning, René Villemure filed his candidacy with Elections Canada. He went to the book fair to meet his constituents, attended a few meetings, and returned home to rest. Villemure, first elected in 2021, will not campaign, deliver any...
Former deputy PM Sheila Copps said she had permission not to register in contacting Anand's office. One offer was flagged by officials as suspicious
The federal Liberals have opened up an eight-point advantage over the Conservatives in the latest Nanos Research tracking on Day 9 of the federal election campaign.
It feels like we've been building to this week.Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump was elected, we've been waiting for a moment when his broad plan about tariffs is put forward.He initially said it would happen on inauguration day, then the first day of February. That was delayed to the 4th of February.
This election's ballot question is twofold: is it time for change, and who is best suited to stand up to Donald Trump, says pollster Greg Lyle. With American tariffs and calls for change creating extreme voter volatility, the federal election outcome will depend on tight races, but the list of battleground ridings may shift before the campaign ends—making it challenging...
The second week of the federal election campaign is underway, with a fresh round of U.S. tariffs expected to soon reverberate on the hustings.Eyes are turning to Wednesday when U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to slap "reciprocal tariffs" on countries including Canada over various alleged trade practices.
The Liberals continue to lead the Conservatives among voters after the first week of the federal election campaign, a new poll suggests, but the two parties are tied on who will best handle what’s seen as the top issue: affordability and the cost of living. The latest Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News shows both the Liberals and new...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre brushed off reports of campaign turmoil Sunday as he pitched his party as the best choice to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump. With the second week of the federal election campaign underway, another round of U.S. tariffs is expected to land on Wednesday -- tariffs that threaten to overtake the conversation in the federal...
Calls are mounting for Liberal Leader Mark Carney to fire Toronto-area candidate Paul Chiang, who said people should bring a Conservative politician to the local Chinese consulate to collect a bounty on him for criticizing Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong. NDP candidate Jenny Kwan urged Mr. Carney to drop Mr. Chiang for his comments on Conservative candidate Joe Tay. “He...
Former Liberal says he doesn't want to split the vote to Conservatives' benefit. Independent MP Han Dong said Sunday morning he will not seek re-election in Don Valley North — a decision that comes one day after the Liberals announced they're running a candidate in the suburban Toronto riding. "After speaking with my family, team and supporters, I have decided...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced his second tax cut of the campaign targeted at investors Sunday, promising to exempt capital gains from taxes if the proceeds are reinvested in Canada."The current capital gains tax locks up investment in old assets, because selling them would force a big bill," Poilievre said in a statement.
The federal Liberals are emerging as frontrunners in a tightly-contested election with a five-point lead over the Conservatives, who have maintained steady support as both parties are locked in a two-horse race on Day 8 of the federal election campaign. The first three-day sample of this election campaign by Nanos Research, CTV News’ and the Globe and Mail’s official pollster...
Less than a year after her shocking byelection loss blew a Conservative hole through the federal Liberals’ fortress Toronto, Liberal candidate Leslie Church says her reception at doorsteps this time could not be more different. “It’s like night and day,” the Toronto—St. Paul’s hopeful said Friday, smiling broadly while taking a break from campaigning at a St. Clair Avenue West...
Our government created the Citizens’ Services portfolio in 2023 to champion service delivery excellence and to improve government efficiency. This State of Service report was drafted to communicate how we are accomplishing this mandate and to update Canadians on some of our biggest programs, including the Passport Program, the Canadian Dental Care Plan, Employment Insurance, Benefits Delivery Modernization and the...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The recent firings of career Justice Department lawyers by the White House is a sign of President Donald Trump's tightening grip over the law enforcement agency known for its long tradition of political independence.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump has pardoned a Virginia man whose sentence already was commuted for his convictions stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
President Donald Trump has just started his second term, his last one permitted under the U.S. Constitution. But he's already started talking about serving a third one.
President Donald Trump said "I'm not joking" about trying to serve a third term, the clearest indication he's considering ways to breach a constitutional barrier against continuing to lead the country after his second term ends at the beginning of 2029. "There are methods which you could do it," Trump said in a telephone interview Sunday with NBC News from...
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen strode out of a French court as the chief judge on Monday barred her from seeking public office after she was found guilty of embezzling EU funds. The judge hasn’t yet said how long Le Pen will be ineligible for running for public office -- a decision that could derail the far-right leader’s career...
A state of emergency has been declared in six regions and states in Myanmar after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake whose epicenter was near the country’s second largest city. State-run MRTV television said the military-run government’s proclamation includes the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay, after the earthquake and a strong aftershock hit midday. Myanmar is in the midst of a civil war...
NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of major automakers slumped following President Donald Trump's announcement that he will place 25% tariffs on auto imports.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- European sales of Tesla electric vehicles tumbled 49% in the first two months of the year compared with a year earlier even as overall sales of EVs grew, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Lennon Tyler and her German fiance often took road trips to Mexico when he vacationed in the United States since it was only a day's drive from her home in Las Vegas, one of the perks of their long-distance relationship.
The United States, under President Donald Trump, has become an unreliable partner. Its longstanding allies can no longer be confident that America will respect its commitments to come to their defence or respect its economic agreements. That is particularly true for Canada. This report identifies concrete measures to mitigate Canada’s risk of depending on an ally, trading partner, and neighbour...
Stéphane Sérafin and Geoffrey Sigalet explain why Alberta's laws on gender pronouns, early age transitioning, and access to girls' and women's sports are necessary to protect children and ensure the integrity of girls’ and women’s sports.
A collection of SubStack publishing within Canadian public affairs.
The 10 men who have governed the Bank of Canada since its inception in 1934 have been taciturn types, studiously avoiding the mud-holes of public controversy. Central banks trade in trust, and must project immutability and stability.That’s why it was so unusual in 2012 to hear Mark Carney, then governor of the Bank, apologize to Canadians for screwing up.
Peter Larkin launched King’s fund with $25,000 of his own cash, deposited Sept. 22, 1925 at the Old Colony Trust Co.’s main branch in Boston, the same firm used by Salada Tea for its U.S. operations. Likely he reasoned that a foreign account would reduce the risk of discovery.
Now that the election is called, time to riff from that part of my bio that says “campaign manager” and offer up regular assessments and analysis on what I think is going on. Check this space regularly for my campaign updates. You can judge my content for its value and biases on its own. But for the record, let me...
As the Liberals ride strong, support for the NDP is collapsing. Most polls now show their support at less than 10 per cent — half of what it was just three months ago. Some data suggest they could lose three quarters of their seats in the house, and that they’re at risk of losing official party status. How did the...
Corey Hogan and Stephen Carter discuss whether the ballot question is set, if public criticisms of the Conservative campaign are sincerely well intentioned, and how Jagmeet Singh can get back into the game. Is affordability doomed to be just one bullet under a bigger issue called "Trump"? Can early public discussion about campaign challenges strengthen a campaign? And why is...
Federal Conservative Party Leader, Pierre Poilievre, was positioned for a landslide win over the federal liberals, but incomes a new rival leader, and voters seem to have no problem moving the pendulum - and fast! Recent leaks from inside the campaign paint a chaotic picture for the federal tories just one month out from when Canadians head to the polls...
