Mark McQueen

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 Mark McQueen.

The Liberals haven’t exactly been a steady hand on the wheel, but that’s not hurting Mark Carney so far

The Liberals haven’t exactly been a steady hand on the wheel, but that’s not hurting Mark Carney so far

As Canada’s Formula 1 fans gear up for next month’s Canadian Grand Prix, they know all too well the sorrow of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. Despite the talent and technology those teams have assembled this season, the only way they’ll catch McLaren is if Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris spend the balance of the season driving into various track...

After his defeat, Pierre Poilievre finally has to go places he’s been avoiding

After his defeat, Pierre Poilievre finally has to go places he’s been avoiding

As the dust settled on election night, things immediately got off on the wrong foot for the defeated Conservative Party. Older voters had instructed Tory candidates that they wanted to see a “more conciliatory tone,” according to Calgary Centre MP Greg McLean, yet Bowmanville–Oshawa North MP Jamil Jivani weaponized what should have been a perfunctory election-night interview to settle personal...

The Conservatives have a plan. But the Liberals have something you can’t plan for

The Conservatives have a plan. But the Liberals have something you can’t plan for

One of the grand traditions in federal political campaigns is that someone will always chirp: “If only they’d put me in charge, we wouldn’t be losing!” Yet winning is never easy, particularly for Conservatives. A year ago, when the CPC was riding high, many in Canada’s entrepreneurial community were relieved. The Liberal government had just increased the capital gains tax...

Thanks to Danielle Smith, Alberta may trump Trump as the big ballot box question

Thanks to Danielle Smith, Alberta may trump Trump as the big ballot box question

Mere hours after finalizing his plan to run an election campaign focused on protecting Canada from U.S. President Donald Trump’s various threats, Prime Minister Mark Carney learned the first lesson of the PMO: you never know what your day will hold. Those best-laid plans might have suddenly been turned upside down, courtesy of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. In the wake...

Carney seems to be following another Liberal’s roadmap — and it’s a cynical one

Carney seems to be following another Liberal’s roadmap — and it’s a cynical one

If prime minister-designate Mark Carney is looking for a roadmap to victory in the upcoming election, he could do worse than follow in the footsteps of Jean Chrétien. The rules are simple: ignore everything you’ve ever said previously and beat up on the sitting Republican U.S. president at every opportunity.

Will the real Mark Carney please stand up?

Will the real Mark Carney please stand up?

I’m the last person to criticize Mark Carney for throwing his goalie mask into the Liberal leadership ring. Canada probably benefits when broadly experienced 59-year-old Bay Streeters named Mark who once played goal volunteer for meaty public service roles. The former investment banker was quick to ditch traditional Bay Street decorum at his campaign launch last Thursday. Speaking to a...

One big winner of the U.S. election: Justin Trudeau

One big winner of the U.S. election: Justin Trudeau

As Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump piled-up the votes last night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must have been pinching himself in anticipation. For months, Trudeau and his PMO palace guard will have followed the U.S. presidential race polls more closely than most. Despite the whispers to the Star’s Ottawa Bureau, I’m dubious that the Liberals actually preferred a Kamala Harris...

Liberals go hog wild on immigration, hoping to secure victory in 2029 and beyond

Liberals go hog wild on immigration, hoping to secure victory in 2029 and beyond

You would think a government that’s down 20 points might want to telegraph an aura of sanity, rather than spend its days finding new ways to eviscerate an immigration policy that has served Canada well since Lester Pearson led the Liberal party. In a vacuum, some of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s changes might seem justified: whether it be the streamlined...

Dear Katie Telford: It’s time to go

Dear Katie Telford: It’s time to go

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been told by Liberal MPs that some of his key players need to go. Beyond Trudeau himself, Katie Telford is the only truly ‘key player.’ Dear Katie Telford, It’ll feel odd to take advice from a lifelong Tory but hear me out. Unlike anyone else in your orbit, I’ve been in your shoes. In the...

Pierre Poilievre’s superpower: he doesn’t care what 'we' think of him

Pierre Poilievre’s superpower: he doesn’t care what 'we' think of him

If you’re waiting for Pierre Poilievre to start acting like a “prime minister-in-waiting,” you’ve not been paying attention. While Poilievre is more John Diefenbaker than Stephen Harper, this is not your Father’s Progressive Conservative Party. Politics traditionally draws the type of person who cares deeply about what others think of them. That’s only natural. To get elected, you need to...