Abbas Rana

Abbas Rana

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...

Abbas Rana, Stuart Benson

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...

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Jan. 30 deadline for $50,000 non-refundable deposit could shrink Liberal leadership field, say party insiders

After today’s deadline, leadership candidates must pay an additional non-refundable $250,000 to the party, as required by leadership election rules.

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Some Liberals want election called before House returns on March 24

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.

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To succeed Trudeau, Liberal leadership race winner must secure 17,151 points across 343 ridings

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...

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With an election looming, Liberal MPs to return to Ottawa to plot election readiness

The national Liberal caucus is meeting on Thursday and Friday on the Hill, with regional caucus meetings to start on Wednesday, say Liberal MPs.

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Carney expected to launch Liberal leadership bid in Edmonton Thursday: sources

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...

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‘Anything’s possible now’: Liberal MPs shift from ‘hopelessness to optimism’ after Trudeau bows out, though this could fade without the ‘right’ leader

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...

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Liberal leadership candidates can pay $350,000 entry fee in instalments, but unclear if any portion is refundable

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.

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‘He’s our best bet’: several Liberal MPs urging Finance Minister LeBlanc to rethink decision not to seek Liberal leadership

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...

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PM Trudeau, Liberal HQ undecided on whether sitting cabinet ministers can run for leadership

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.

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Businessman and former Grit MP Baylis first out of the gate to announce bid for Liberal leadership

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...

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If Trudeau announces he’s stepping down, expect another cabinet shuffle, say Liberal sources

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...

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‘He knows it just as we do’: internal emails show Liberal MPs speculating about Trudeau’s expected resignation and the roadmap ahead

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...

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Liberal MP Chahal urges Trudeau to stop ‘needless reflection’ and resign, accusing ‘cabal’ around Trudeau of a ‘reckless strategy’ of ‘mutual political destruction’

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...

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As Trudeau reflects on his political future, a flurry of post-Trudeau leadership politics already unfolding behind the scenes

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...

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With Trudeau reflecting on his future, some senior cabinet ministers, including national campaign co-chair Ferrada, said to be exploring other options, say Liberal sources

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...

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‘He’s in big trouble,’ and after Monday evening’s emergency caucus meeting, all eyes are on Trudeau’s next move, say some Liberal MPs

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...

Abbas Rana, Irem Koca, Sophall Duch

PM Trudeau appears to have reached a decision about his future, but he’s not yet prepared to announce it, say some Liberal MPs

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.

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PMO considers reviving Canada-U.S. relations war room, says a senior government source

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.

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To address Trump’s border concerns, feds expected to spend more than $1-billion: senior government source

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...

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Some Liberal MPs upset with Trudeau for not consulting caucus or cabinet before announcing two-month GST holiday and $250 cheques

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.

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PCO clerk subject of human rights complaint over Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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...

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Trudeau should be specific on government’s plans to address challenges posed by Trump administration, say political insiders

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.

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Amid growing questions over his leadership, Trudeau looks ahead as PMO, PCO vet some MPs for cabinet and PS positions

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...

Abbas Rana, Ian Campbell

Impasse between PM Trudeau and dissidents frustrates Liberal grassroots, and a ‘distraction’ to governing, say insiders

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.

Abbas Rana, Ian Campbell

B.C. Liberal MP Weiler read a letter to Trudeau and caucus on behalf of dissenting MPs, calling for the prime minister’s resignation

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...