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Women hold powerful roles in Carney’s cabinet and PMO, but none are in prime minister’s inner circle, say some Liberals

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet and senior ministerial staff ranks include a significant number of women, but there aren’t any women in the prime minister’s inner circle on whom he relies for top-level, day-to-day strategic advice, say some Liberals. “It’s not as though there aren’t any women with senior-ish titles in the Prime Minister’s Office—of course [there are],” said Supriya...

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True representation of constituents requires MPs to take principled positions even if it risks caucus expulsion or floor crossing, says Bill Casey

MPs are in the House of Commons to represent their constituents, and if they believe their party's positions run counter to those interests, they should speak up, even if it means leaving the party or being kicked out, says former Conservative-turned-Liberal MP Bill Casey. Crossing the floor, or even voting against one’s own party, is one of the hardest decisions...

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Bloc Leader Blanchet’s expletive about government’s budget negotiation strategy ‘not suitable for work,’ says Government House Leader MacKinnon

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet’s colourful characterization of the government’s strategy on last week’s budget vote was inappropriate and not suitable for a professional work environment, says the government House leader. “That’s not suitable for work, is it?” said Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon (Gatineau, Que.) in an interview with The Hill Times.

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Poilievre should take a page out of Brian Mulroney’s playbook on caucus management, say political players: ‘an absolute master,’ it was his ‘secret sauce’

David McLaughlin says building and maintaining trust requires two-way communication. It's also political capital that leaders can draw upon in tough times. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre needs to reach out to his MPs individually, rather than through the House leader and the whip.

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House Speaker Scarpaleggia residing at an Ottawa hotel instead of official residence, ‘The Farm,’ for family reasons

It’s more economical for the Speaker to live at a hotel than at the official residence in Gatineau Hills, says spokesman Olivier Duhaime. Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia, who was elected as House Speaker in May following the last general election, has chosen not to reside at “The Farm,” the Speaker’s official residence in the Gatineau Hills in Quebec, opting instead...

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Conservative MP Bragdon ousts Liberal MP Duguid as co-chair of ‘influential’ Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group: Grits are ‘kicking ourselves’

In a stunning upset that has left the Liberal caucus “kicking ourselves,” the Conservatives have ousted a senior Liberal MP as co-chair of the powerful Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group. At the Oct. 29 meeting held to elect a new co-chair, Conservative MP Richard Bragdon (Tobique-Mactaquac, N.B.) defeated four-term Liberal MP and cabinet minister Terry Duguid (Winnipeg-North, Man.) for the position. The...

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‘Things are crumbling’: changing caucus landscape, external pressures spell bad news for Poilievre’s leadership review, say Conservatives

If the Liberals were to gain majority status amid the ongoing floor-crossing speculation, it would spell bad news for Pierre Poilievre’s leadership review, says Keith Beardsley, former deputy chief of staff to then-prime minister Stephen Harper. With one MP already gone to the Liberals, another one resigning, and more rumoured to be leaving the Conservative fold, the rapidly shifting political...

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If Poilievre goes down as party leader, it will be due to external pressure, not caucus dissent, say senior Conservatives

To stop outside sniping, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will have to get more than 80-per-cent support in the upcoming leadership review, says Keith Beardsley, a former high-level staffer in Stephen Harper's PMO. If Pierre Poilievre is ever forced out of his role as Conservative leader, it won’t be due to internal caucus dissent, but rather mounting criticism from outside the...

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‘Game of chicken’ Amid ongoing election speculation, Liberal and Conservative MPs are preparing, just in case

There’s no ‘appetite’ for a Christmas election, says Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux. With election speculation intensifying, some Liberal and Conservative MPs are preparing for the possibility that a vote could be called in the coming days if the government loses the confidence vote that will follow the reading of the budget on Nov. 4. “We can go into an election...

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Conservative B.C. riding association launches confidential survey to gauge Poilievre’s support

The survey, launched three days after Pierre Poilievre’s controversial remarks, is ‘Just to confirm the support that I know is already there,’ EDA president James Barlow told The Hill Times. Amid criticism from both within and outside Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s caucus following an interview with a YouTube channel, the Conservative electoral district association of Abbotsford-Langley South in British Columbia...

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Most ministers still trying to navigate how to ‘keep their jobs’ in Carney’s cabinet: Liberal sources

Ottawa lobbyists say ministerial staffers aren’t returning their calls, but Liberal sources say it’s because ministers and their political aides are still trying to find their footing and determine how to survive in the new prime minister’s cabinet. But if lobbyists want meetings, they should focus on the economy and the Canada-U.S. trade war. Five months after Mark Carney won...

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PM Carney risks trouble without loyal ‘palace guard,’ say political players

Every new prime minister eventually faces turbulence, and that’s when a strong and trusted palace guard is ‘essential,’ says political historian and former Liberal MP John English. But at a critical time in Canadian history, Carney’s team is going to have to learn fast. Like other prime ministers before him, Mark Carney needs a loyal ‘palace guard’ within his office—a...

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It would be ‘idiotic’ for any party to topple government on budget vote only seven months after election, say some Liberal MPs

Barely seven months after the last federal election, it would be politically unwise for any party to topple Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government over its first budget, say Liberal MPs. “It would be idiotic for any party to try to bring down the government at this stage,” said Liberal MP Marcus Powlowski (Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Ont.), in an interview with...

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‘I doubt if I’ll ever cross the U.S. border again in my lifetime’: Trump’s annexation talk, Hoekstra’s remarks draw fire from former MPs, political players

Former eight-term Liberal MP and chair of Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group Wayne Easter says he’s unsure if he will ever set foot into the U.S. ever again. United States President Donald Trump’s more recent comments last week about Canada being the 51st state, coupled with his envoy’s controversial remarks at a business conference in Banff, Alta., are drawing sharp criticism from...

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With confidence votes coming, it’s important to keep political strategist Pitfield in the PMO, say some top Liberals

In a minority government, it is critical to have a senior strategist with regular, direct access to the prime minister, says Greg Lyle, president of Innovative Research. In this minority government and with the budget confidence vote approaching, Tom Pitfield has chosen to remain in the Prime Minister’s Office to steer political strategy, say some top Liberals. Between July and...

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Coming byelections in at least three safe Liberal ridings will mark first test of Carney government’s popularity, say political players

With at least three safe Liberal ridings expected to open soon, any byelections after this fall’s “austerity budget” will serve as the earliest measure of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s standing with voters, say political players. “If we think back to it, where did Justin Trudeau’s situation really start [to take a serious threat] when he lost the Toronto-St. Paul’s byelection?”...

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At least three safe Liberal seats poised to open as high-profile contenders line up

Marco Mendicino, John Tory Jr., Mark Wiseman, and Liam Olsen are seen as some potential names to claim nominations in ridings soon to be vacated by Liberal MPs, say party sources. With at least three safe Liberal seats expected to become vacant in the coming weeks and months, prominent political figures are positioning themselves for the nominations and upcoming byelections...

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Ontario Conservative EDAs slam nomination process in last election at recent meeting, say party sources

Kicking off the Sept. 11 meeting, Ontario national councillor Christina Mitas invited all EDA presidents to share things that went well in the nomination process and there was silence, according to Conservative sources.

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High-stakes fall sitting ‘first real test’ for Carney and cabinet who have ‘zero latitude for error,’ say Liberal MPs, political players

'Carney still hasn't defined himself in the House of Commons. His style, it's going to be interesting,' said one Liberal MP. With Pierre Poilievre returning to the House as official opposition leader and challenging Mark Carney and the government for the first time since the last election, the fall sitting of Parliament will mark the first real test for prime...

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Former Liberal MP Sorbara joins Finance Minister Champagne’s office

Francesco Sorbara is expected to start his new job in Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s office this week, according to Audrey Milette, Champagne's director of communications. Former three-term Ontario Liberal MP Francesco Sorbara has joined Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s office as a senior exempt ministerial staffer. “His role is caucus relations and investments,” wrote Audrey Milette, director of communications to Champagne...

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Podcast interview not enough: campaign director Byrne should speak to national council about her future role with the party, say senior Conservatives

After skipping two national council meetings, Jenni Byrne attended the Aug. 17 meeting where delegate selection rules were passed. Conservative campaign director Jenni Byrne spoke about the party’s April election campaign loss and her future plans in a podcast interview last month, but has yet to brief the national council or the caucus about the same subject. Some senior party...

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Conservatives’ ad hoc nomination rules committee for next election to report back to national council in September, say sources

Saskatchewan Conservative MP Warren Steinley is a non-voting member of the national council’s subcommittee on nomination rules, say Conservative sources. Amid widespread criticism of the 2025 election cycle nominations, the Conservative Party’s national council has set up a seven-member ad hoc committee to recommend new rules for the next election cycle, say Conservative sources. Those recommendations will be submitted next...

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Liberals’ shift from progressive to right of centre a ‘reflection of where people are today,’ say some Grit MPs

The national Liberal caucus retreat in September will offer a clearer picture of how caucus members are responding to their party’s shift from a progressive to a centre-right party, say Liberal MPs. Following Justin Trudeau’s exit as party leader and prime minister, Prime Minister Mark Carney has reoriented the Liberal Party, steering it from the left toward the centre-right, a...

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Conservative MP Khanna mobilizing support for Poilievre’s upcoming leadership review, say Conservative sources

The Conservative ‘movement is bigger, stronger and more energized than ever’ under Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, says Conservative MP Arpan Khanna. While Pierre Poilievre is preoccupied with his August byelection and with “grumbling” about his leadership getting “louder,” Conservative MP and national outreach chair Arpan Khanna is reaching out to his party’s unsuccessful candidates from the last election, urging them to...

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Chants of ‘shame’ erupt at Conservative AGM in GTA after organizer ‘unfairly’ disqualifies a slate of 30 candidates

Multiple Conservative EDA members in Mississauga-Erin Mills, Ont., want the party’s national council to annul the results of the June 25 AGM after they say a regional organizer disqualified an entire slate of board of directors candidates on an unfounded technicality. Some Conservative Party members in the Greater Toronto Area are calling out a regional party organizer for “unfairly” blocking...

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Frustrated with party’s nominations process, former Alberta Conservative national councillor mulls comeback: ‘the worst I saw was in Calgary Skyview’

The national council has reduced itself to a mere ‘housekeeping’ role and has allowed itself to be ‘bullied’ by senior party and campaign officials. If the national council is unwilling to lead, it might as well ‘disband,’ says Marilyn Elliott. A former and prominent three-term Alberta national councillor is considering coming out of retirement to run for the Conservative Party’s...

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‘Very, very unhappy’ with his party’s handling of nominations, former Conservative Senate leader Plett not ruling out running for national council

Former Manitoba Conservative Senator and party president Don Plett says he’s “very, very unhappy” with his party’s conduct of nominations in the 2025 election cycle, and is not absolutely ruling out a bid for a seat on the party’s highest-elected governing body at the January 2026 biennial policy convention in Calgary. “I don’t think anybody ever says, ‘Nothing will ever...

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Conservative campaign director Jenni Byrne’s absence from first national council meeting following election loss raises some eyebrows

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Poilievre is reaching out to unsuccessful candidates for feedback, say Conservatives: ‘he’s doing a post-mortem himself’

The Conservative campaign team ‘missed the moment’ rather than rising to meet it—ultimately losing the 2025 election, says an unsuccessful Conservative candidate. Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre is reaching out to unsuccessful candidates from this year’s election to get their feedback and to gauge the level of support for him within rank-and-file party members ahead of the mandatory leadership review...

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Some shut-out Conservative candidates plan to press national councillors over 2025 nominations at upcoming convention

The Conservative Party's national council is scheduled to meet on June 14 for its quarterly meeting, where it will decide, among other issues, the timing and venue of the next policy convention, say Conservative sources. Incumbent Conservative national councillors seeking re-election at the party’s upcoming policy conference should expect to face tough questions from shut-out nomination candidates from the most...

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Carney’s success hinges on effective caucus management, but he has struggled so far, say some Liberal MPs

At last week’s national caucus meeting, staffers were barred from attending, and Liberal MPs discussed ways to improve the structure of future weekly meetings, Liberal MPs told The Hill Times. The current 169-member Liberal caucus is largely made up of seasoned MPs who have recently experienced political upheaval in ousting Justin Trudeau, and for Mark Carney to succeed as prime...

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To advance House business, Carney’s Liberals may bypass Bloc in the Commons, but not in committees, says Bloc House Leader Normandin

The governing Liberals want to work with both the Conservatives and the Bloc in committees, say Liberal MPs Judy Sgro and Kevin Lamoureux. With only three parties holding recognized party status in the current Parliament—down from the usual four—both the governing Liberals and the opposition Conservatives must depend on the Bloc Québécois to advance any work in House committees, which...

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Top 10 most influential Liberals in Carney’s government

Gerald Butts and David Lametti hold no official roles in the Liberal government, but Prime Minister Mark Carney informally seeks their advice on key political matters, say Liberal sources. The federal Liberals owe their surprising comeback to Mark Carney who officially entered in the political arena just five months ago. A former central banker who led both the Bank of...

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To limit critics’ time to organize against Poilievre, some senior Conservatives explore moving convention to this fall

If Pierre Poilievre wants to lead the party in the next election, he should resign and seek a fresh mandate through a new leadership race, says former Calgary Conservative MP Devinder Shory. To limit the time Pierre Poilievre’s critics have to organize ahead of his leadership review by party rank-and-file members and to eliminate uncertainty, some senior Conservatives are considering...

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Conservatives had a ‘somewhat frank’ talk about their fourth election loss to Liberals since 2015, some want a full post-mortem: ‘there should be accountability’

The Conservative Party began its post-election review last week and talked about what happened in the April 28 election, with the process expected to continue in the coming weeks, says Rob Batherson, former Conservative Party president. The federal Conservative caucus held a full-day meeting on Parliament Hill last week—their first since the election—to discuss what went right and what went...

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Poilievre can only survive as party leader if he makes ‘seismic’ changes to his ‘inner circle’ and to his approach, say current and former senior Conservatives

The Conservative Party is scheduled to hold its convention in Ottawa next spring at the Rogers Centre, where the party membership will vote on Pierre Poilievre’s leadership. Until early January, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives were widely expected to win a commanding majority in the 2025 election, with projections topping 200 seats, but their April 28 defeat has stunned the party. The...

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‘Historic’ election campaign a referendum on Trump tariffs and cost-of-living crisis, say political players

Pollster Greg Lyle says this election will likely be remembered as the greatest turnaround in Canadian political history. The “historic” and “substantive” election on April 28 is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in Canadian history, serving as a referendum on which party leader is best suited to manage Canada–U.S. relations and tackle the pressing cost-of-living crisis...

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Shut out from Tory nominations in Calgary, ex-Conservative joins Liberals while another runs as Independent

Ranbir Parmar, who hoped to represent the Tories in Calgary McKnight, has joined the Liberals after not being allowed to contest the nomination. Minesh Patel, who faced a similar experience in Calgary Skyview, is running as an Independent.

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‘We’re behind’: some senior Conservatives call out central campaign for failing to focus more on Trump’s tariffs

As the election campaign enters its final stretch and advance voting begins, some Conservatives are voicing concerns that the party’s messaging of focusing heavily on the cost of living and not enough on the pressing American trade war reflects a troubling disconnect. They warn that this misalignment is putting the party at risk in key strongholds, and opening the door...

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In ‘classic 905-swing riding’ of Burlington North–Milton West, Ont., Conservative and Liberal candidates going ‘all-in’ on get-out-the-vote efforts

With just nine days until election day and advance polls already open, the two leading federal parties are pulling out all the stops to get out the vote in the crucial 905-swing riding of Burlington North–Milton West. “This election is extremely close,” said Conservative candidate Nadeem Akbar in an interview with The Hill Times yesterday on the first day of...

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Despite dip in polls, Conservative path to victory remains possible, say political players

The ongoing trade war with the United States and Justin Trudeau’s exit as prime minister have significantly altered the political landscape for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, but some believe his path to victory lies in a sharp focus on the cost of living and trade tariffs, placing their hopes on the upcoming leaders’ debates—where they expect him to “wipe the...

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Poilievre needs to ‘bomb the bridge’ of Carney’s credibility to win one of Canada’s ‘most consequential’ elections, say political players

As one of the “most consequential” election campaigns enters its third week, the Liberals are leading in the polls, and if the Conservatives hope to win, they will need to seriously undermine Mark Carney’s credibility—much like Brian Mulroney’s Tories did to John Turner’s Liberals in the 1988 campaign.

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Liberals could pick up five to six seats in Alberta, but NDP’s bleed in votes could also help Conservatives, say strategists

The Mark Carney Liberals could be competitive in three seats in Calgary and two in Edmonton, says political strategist Stephen Carter. Alberta has long been a stronghold for the federal Conservative Party, but political insiders say the Liberal Party’s rapid surge in the polls over the past two months has put at least five of the province’s 37 ridings into...

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‘I was totally shocked’: shut-out Tory nomination hopefuls blast backroom players for denying them contests in GTA, Calgary, and B.C.

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...

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Election to likely hinge on 50 most competitive ridings, but things could shift greatly by polling day, say politicos

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...

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Stretch between potential April 2 U.S. tariffs and voting day will be ‘critical’ to the election outcome, say political players

Seizing the momentum amid the United States’ trade war with Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has called an early election—a high-stakes move that risks potential layoffs starting on April 2, and sets the stage for one of the most dramatic and consequential campaigns in Canadian history, as the Conservatives, NDP, and Liberals prepare to trade political blows. “Every day of...

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Federal election one of ‘most consequential’ in Canadian history, say political players

The winner of this election will be handed a list of issues that will be outside their control, says pollster Frank Graves. 'This is not a business as usual election.' The federal election, called amid a trade war with the United States, is one of the “most consequential” in Canadian history for party leaders and the country as the outcome...

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Ford-Carney relationship could provide federal Liberals with crucial boost in Ontario, says Coletto

Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s positive remarks about Prime Minister Mark Carney weaken Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s change narrative, says pollster Greg Lyle. The cordial working relationship between Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals could give the federal party a crucial six to eight per cent boost in the upcoming election, and with the race...

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Carney Liberals reach out to prominent Tories and New Democrats to recruit ‘star’ candidates for next election

Sources told The Hill Times that Priti Obhrai-Martin, daughter of the late Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai, is seeking the Liberal nomination in Calgary East, Alta., the same riding her father represented as a Conservative for nearly two decades. Prime Minister Mark Carney and his senior campaign team are reaching out to prominent Conservatives and New Democrats to recruit high-profile candidates...

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Liberals, Conservatives gripped in a tie, next election will be ‘like a knife fight in a telephone booth,’ with Trump as disruptor: Nanos

Newly minted Prime Minister Mark Carney—who was sworn in as prime minister on March 14—secured a convincing landslide victory in the Liberal leadership election on March 9, winning 89.5 per cent of the vote and sweeping all 343 ridings, which pollster Nik Nanos says indicates Carney’s national appeal. He defeated his two main rivals—Chrystia Freeland and Karina Gould—even in their...

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Liberal caucus more focused on getting re-elected in a snap election than on who makes cabinet, say MPs

Former B.C. premier Christy Clark says she has not made a final decision on whether she will run in the next federal election, but plans to 'help elect as many Liberals' as possible.

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NDP should be ‘very concerned’ about strategic voting as progressive voters shift to Liberals, say pollsters

With progressive voters shifting in large numbers to the Liberals to prevent a Pierre Poilievre-led Conservative government, according to the polls, the New Democratic Party should be “very concerned” about the potential impact of strategic voting in the next election, say pollsters. “The [NDP should be] very concerned,” said Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, in an interview with...

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Former central banker Carney takes Liberal leadership in landslide win on first ballot

Mark Carney dominates the results with 85.9 per cent of the vote ahead of former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland in second place with eight per cent. Rank-and-file Liberal Party members have elected Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, as their new leader. Carney, who will now succeed Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.)...

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With potential federal election on the horizon, MPs and candidates secure campaign offices, order signs, and assemble teams

But if U.S. President Donald Trump imposes tariffs this month, the governing Liberals may also find it challenging to call a snap election, says pollster Greg Lyle. With the Liberal leadership race concluding on March 9 and a federal election anticipated soon after, MPs and candidates from the major parties are actively preparing by securing campaign offices, ordering lawn signs...

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Trump’s tariffs have ‘just freaked everybody out’: some senior Conservatives fear losing support to Liberals

As the federal Liberals continue to regain lost political ground, the Conservatives are increasingly concerned about their electoral prospects, and many within the party attribute their declining support to the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which they believe have driven voters toward the Liberals. “We are losing support, absolutely,” said a senior Conservative, who spoke on a not-for-attribution...

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During those two critical Feb. 3 calls, Trump and Trudeau talked tariffs, football, and Freeland’s Liberal leadership bid, according to sources

U.S. President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Canada discriminates against the U.S. goods by imposing a sales tax, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promptly corrected, say government sources.

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‘High-risk poker’: new Liberal leader should trigger election before House returns on March 24, says Liberal MP Lamoureux

Some Liberal MPs want the next election to be called shortly after the party’s new leader is chosen on March 9, and before the House resumes following prorogation on March 24. “For the record, there should be an election called before we’re in session,” said Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Man.), parliamentary secretary to the government House leader, in...

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‘Canada First rally’ expected to be major rebranding of Conservative campaign, say senior Tories

The Conservative Party’s upcoming rally in Ottawa is expected to serve as a major rebranding effort, shifting the focus from “Axe the Tax” to “Canada First,” and is anticipated to act as an unofficial launch of the next election campaign, say some senior Conservatives.

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Liberal MPs Battiste and Kelloway spar over nomination for same Nova Scotia seat

A war of words is raging between Nova Scotia Liberal MPs Mike Kelloway and Jaime Battiste over who should be the party’s candidate in the newly rejigged and renamed riding of Sydney-Glace Bay. Battiste has represented the riding of Sydney-Victoria since 2019, while Kelloway has served as the MP for the neighboring riding of Cape Breton-Canso since the same year...

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Trudeau’s exit, Trump’s rhetoric, and plan to scrap carbon tax tighten polls, say pollsters

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s early January announcement that he will step down as party leader, U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on Canada-U.S. relations, and the Liberal leadership candidates’ pledge to scrap the consumer carbon tax have all played a key role in the narrowing of the gap between the governing party and the Conservatives in the polls, say pollsters...