While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Abbas Rana.
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.
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...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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.)...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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.
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...
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...
After today’s deadline, leadership candidates must pay an additional non-refundable $250,000 to the party, as required by leadership election rules.
The success and failure of a potential Liberal call for an early election will depend on where the U.S. tariff threat is at that point in time, says pollster Greg Lyle.
The Liberals will elect Justin Trudeau’s successor across 343 reconstituted federal ridings, with each riding equally weighted at 100 points, requiring the winner to secure at least 17,151 points—50 per cent plus one—to win, according to the party’s constitution. The voting for the Liberal leadership election will take place in newly reconfigured ridings, which came into effect in April last...
The national Liberal caucus is meeting on Thursday and Friday on the Hill, with regional caucus meetings to start on Wednesday, say Liberal MPs.
Barring a major surprise to shift his plans, Mark Carney is expected to launch his Liberal leadership campaign on Jan. 16 in Edmonton, Alta., according to two sources close to his team. The former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor is emerging as one of the leading candidates for the March 9 election with several high-profile cabinet ministers...
Following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement last week that he would not lead the party in the next election, Liberal MPs say they feel bullish about their prospects in the next election, but also say this optimism could fade if the party fails to elect the “right” leader in the upcoming leadership race. “I’m going back to my community excited...
The Liberal Party has set the highest entry fee for a leadership election in Canadian history, which can be paid in instalments, but the party is still deciding whether any portion of the deposit will be refundable upon the conclusion of the leadership contest.
Liberal MP Judy Sgro says she's 'doing everything' she can to get a 'draft Dominic' LeBlanc movement going to change his mind about entering the Liberal leadership race. A number of Liberal MPs are urging newly-minted Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc to reconsider his decision not to seek the party’s top job, with Liberal MP Judy Sgro leading the charge by...
Several senior cabinet ministers in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government are considering running for the Liberal leadership as he prepares to step aside, but a critical question complicating their calculus is whether they would need to resign from their positions. The prime minister remains undecided on how to proceed.
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s much-anticipated announcement on the morning of Jan. 6 that he will resign as prime minister and Liberal leader once a new party leader is elected, former Montreal MP and businessman Frank Baylis has become the first to declare his candidacy for the party’s leadership. “I intend to run, but I’ll formally announce when the rules...
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces he will step down when Liberals meet for a special caucus meeting this coming week, it could trigger another cabinet shuffle, say senior Liberal sources. A top Liberal told The Hill Times that only two people, including Prime Minister Trudeau (Papineau, Que.), are aware of whether he intends to stay or leave. When asked...
Stepping down as Liberal leader is the 'only way forward' for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, says Liberal MP Judy Sgro in an email to colleagues. As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to reflect on his future, several Liberal MPs are speculating about his expected resignation in the coming days, and proposing a path forward on how to elect a new...
Alberta Liberal MP George Chahal has sent a letter to his 152 caucus colleagues urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign immediately, and a second letter to the party president, calling for leadership planning to begin. “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau no longer has the support of caucus, and to maintain some dignity he should immediately tender his resignation,” wrote Chahal...
Some Liberals are already ‘jockeying’ for the interim leader’s position, say Liberal MPs. While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reflects on his political future, a flurry of political activity is unfolding behind the scenes with potential candidates quietly preparing for a federal Liberal leadership race, assuming the prime minister’s departure is now a matter of when, not if, according to some...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is consulting his most trusted political aides about his future, say some Liberal sources. Following Chrystia Freeland’s bombshell resignation from cabinet on Monday, tanking poll numbers, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reflecting on his future, senior cabinet ministers—such as Tourism Minister and national campaign co-chair Soraya Martinez Ferrada—are also said to be considering opportunities beyond federal...
Following Monday evening’s emergency national caucus meeting where Liberal MPs expressed their concerns about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership and questioned why deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland was removed from her role as the country’s finance minister, Liberal MPs are now waiting to see whether the prime minister will step down or continue to lead the party in the next...
Unlike the Oct. 23 national Liberal caucus meeting, at Monday's national caucus meeting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ‘absorbed the message’ from MPs that it’s time to move on, a Liberal MP told The Hill Times.
Some PMO officials working on Canada-U.S. file include chief of staff Katie Telford, deputy chief of staff Brian Clow, senior global affairs adviser Patrick Travers, strategic adviser for special projects Jason Easton, and senior policy adviser Oz Jungic.
In the next cabinet shuffle expected later this month or next, U.S.-Canada relations will be a key factor in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s political calculus, say Liberal sources. Faced with U.S. president-elect Trump’s threatened 25 per cent tariffs on all imported Canadian goods, the Trudeau government is expected to spend more than $1-billion to stem the movement of undocumented migrants...
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had consulted his caucus and cabinet before unveiling the two-month GST holiday and $250 payments for approximately 18.7 million working Canadians, some Liberal MPs say they would have highlighted the “obvious” omission of seniors and individuals with disabilities from these cost-of-living measures.
Some members of the federal public service have questioned Privy Council Office Clerk John Hannaford’s neutrality following his decision to issue a statement after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attack on Israel, but declined to do the same to mark the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and Lebanese in the ensuing conflict. The public servants question why Hannaford issued...
As Canada braces for significant shifts in its relationship with its largest trading partner and neighbour following Donald Trump’s inauguration as United States president in January 2025, the Liberal government should engage with Canadians openly instead of speaking in platitudes, and should outline its specific plans for navigating the challenges ahead, say political insiders.
As some Liberal caucus members push for a secret ballot on Justin Trudeau’s leadership, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Privy Council Office are gearing up for an anticipated cabinet shuffle in the weeks following the U.S. presidential election, say Liberal MPs and political insiders. Given the expected closeness of the Nov. 5 race, it may take several days or...
The attempt to oust the PM at caucus was ‘unorganized’ and ‘haphazard’ said ex-Liberal staffer Nick McRoberts, but other forms of pressure must be tried because the party can’t win with Trudeau. Meanwhile, pollster Greg Lyle says the longer the infighting continues, the better it is for opposition parties, especially the NDP.
Two-term B.C. Liberal MP Patrick Weiler read out a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the party’s national caucus meeting on Oct. 28, telling the full Liberal caucus that 24 MPs have signed the document calling for the leader’s resignation by Oct. 28, according to Liberal sources. Weiler (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, B.C.), who was unavailable for...
Some Liberal MPs say they are expecting a boisterous national caucus meeting discussing their leader’s future following a preview at a lively Ontario caucus gathering Monday where outspoken Justin Trudeau supporters kicked back at efforts to oust the prime minister. Trudeau’s (Papineau, Que.) supporters appeared “pumped up” voicing strong backing for the prime minister while blasting those advocating for a...
Having the mechanism would provide ‘more structure’ and make any decision ‘a bit more final,’ says Liberal MP John McKay. ‘It may not be a happy result’ but it would be a ‘clear expression’ of the will of caucus.
After nine years in power, and polling 20 points behind the Conservatives for more than a year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing a serious challenge to his leadership from within his own caucus, and MPs and political insiders are predicting a showdown between a “motivated group” of more than 20 MPs pushing for a new leader before the next...
In response to reports that more than 20 Liberal MPs are readying an effort to call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down, two Liberal MPs emailed their colleagues to say it only helps Conservatives.
As some in the Liberal caucus organize a call for the prime minister’s resignation, a number of former Liberal MPs, cabinet ministers, and prominent party members are also expected to ask Justin Trudeau to step down in the coming weeks, say Liberal sources.
Meanwhile, Liberal pundit Scott Reid said on Sept. 29 on social media: 'If you're like me and you were wondering, 'When's a good time to panic?' The answer is…right now.' The Liberals’ national popularity numbers under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are tanking, but still some MPs are putting on a brave face, saying they may be down but not out...
The growing support for the Bloc Québécois poses a challenge for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals as it will pave the way for an easier path to a Conservative majority in the 2025 election. “It’s not that the Bloc Québécois needs to win a national election. They only need to win there [in Quebec],” said Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Transport Minister and Quebec lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez is expected to resign his cabinet position on Thursday to pursue the Quebec provincial Liberal leadership, sparking a cabinet shuffle in the coming days, say Liberal sources. Rodriguez (Honoré-Mercier, Que.) is expected to officially announce on Thursday that he’s resigning from cabinet. At this morning’s weekly Quebec regional caucus...
In a historic step forward for LGBTQ+ representation and work-life balance in federal politics, Canada’s federal Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge is about to become the first openly lesbian cabinet minister to take parental leave. “I’m thrilled to be expecting my first child,” said St-Onge (Brome-Missisquoi, Que.) in a statement to The Hill Times. “In the meantime, I’m fully committed to...
If the Liberals lose the Montreal byelection on Sept. 16, more MPs will speak up criticizing their leadership, say some Liberal MPs. Even after the final national summer retreat ahead of the next federal election, Liberal MPs say the party leadership has yet to share their strategy for winning in 2025. The 154-member national caucus convened in Nanaimo, B.C., from...
To ensure free, fair, and transparent nomination contests, rank-and-file party members must communicate an unequivocal message to their respective leadership that they will not accept any interference from the top, say former candidates and party insiders.
Liberal MP Marcus Powlowski says the caucus needs to discuss 'how to address people's dissatisfaction with our direction as the government.' With the Liberals trailing by double digits in the polls for a year, facing two byelections this month, and dealing with 52 political staffers voicing their opposition against their own government over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the 155-member Liberal caucus...