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 Robert Benzie.
With Premier Doug Ford soon calling three byelections for September, Ontario’s political parties are scrambling to select candidates. Ford is expected to trigger contests in Scarborough Southwest, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek and York—Simcoe on Aug. 5 for Sept. 3 votes.
The stage is now set for Premier Doug Ford to call key summer byelections in Scarborough Southwest and York—Simcoe. Ford’s Progressive Conservatives finally selected a candidate in Scarborough Southwest with family physician Dr. Noor Tarun winning a contested nomination Thursday night.
Paradoxically, history suggests things go best politically for Premier Doug Ford when things are at their most uncertain for Ontario. Ford’s performance during the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic — when Ontario recorded fewer deaths per capita than neighbouring Quebec, Manitoba, New York and Michigan — ensured his Progressive Conservatives were easily re-elected in 2022.
Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives remain the most popular party at Queen’s Park even though seven out of 10 Ontarians think it’s time for a change in government, a new poll suggests. The Abacus Data survey found Ford’s Tories at 41 per cent support, while the Liberals, who elect a new leader Nov. 21, were at 32 per cent. Marit...
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals would likely win another majority despite trade tensions with the U.S. and national unity concerns at home, polls suggest. According to The Signal, the Star’s poll aggregator, Carney’s Liberals, who currently have 173 MPs in the 343-member House of Commons, would win between 171 and 213 seats — with median tally of 191 — on...
Ontario’s 15-month prohibition against American booze on LCBO shelves will end if the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement is renewed, says Premier Doug Ford. “I just want to get this deal done,” Ford told reporters Tuesday in Washington, D.C., where he was meeting with U.S. officials.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals would likely increase their parliamentary majority if a federal election were held now, polls suggest. According to The Signal, the Star’s poll aggregator, Carney’s Liberals, who currently have 174 MPs in the 343-member Commons, would win between 167 and 218 seats — with a median tally of 192 — with 44.9 per cent of the popular vote.
There are questions as to why the Beaches—East York Liberal MP — whose own 2014 federal nomination win was challenged — and his team didn’t publicly raise concerns during the meeting Saturday.
Amid Liberal infighting and NDP disarray, Premier Doug Ford is hoping to win Scarborough Southwest for the Progressive Conservatives in a byelection expected this summer. With the stunning departure two months ago of New Democratic MPP Doly Begum to run for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s federal Liberals, Ford has been closely watching developments in the riding.
The prime minister will secure a majority government if his Liberals win two of the three byelections. Premier Doug Ford is appealing for political “certainty” in Canada ahead of contentious trade negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump. Ford, in Texas on a trade mission to promote Ontario, stressed “it was the right move” when he called an early Ontario election...
It’s a flashpoint in the hotly contested race to become the provincial Liberal candidate in Scarborough Southwest. Where do you live?
The Liberal leadership front-runner is vying for the the Ontario party’s nomination. Make way for the Nate juggernaut. That’s the message from the apparent front-runner in the Ontario Liberal leadership race to rivals hotly contesting the party’s nomination in Scarborough Southwest.
Light is being cast on two measures the Liberal government hoped to pass with little scrutiny this week but public outcry many not be loud enough for Prime Minister Mark Carney to change course. The first is on the extraordinary powers the Star first raised concerns about back in December. Hidden in the government’s 600-page budget bill is a measure...
As Prime Minister Mark Carney moves to allay concerns about lifting tariffs on Chinese EVs, Premier Doug Ford says Ottawa needs to “step up” to protect Ontario’s auto industry. Speaking to Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference delegates at the Sheraton Centre on Monday, Ford reiterated his alarm at Carney’s new agreement with China.
This is a love story. In May, Ontario Premier Doug Ford implored his ally, Prime Minister Mark Carney, to show the west “some love.”
Dumping embattled leader Pierre Poilievre would not necessarily be an electoral panacea for the opposition Conservatives, a new poll suggests. According to a new Abacus Data survey for the Star, conducted before the defection to the Liberals of one Tory MP and the surprise resignation of another, Poilievre tested better than any other potential leader, including Premier Doug Ford.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police officials were tight-lipped when contacted about the second anniversary of launching their criminal inquiry. Only one of the four Progressive Conservatives who lost their jobs in the Greenbelt imbroglio has been interviewed by the RCMP in a probe that began two years ago, the Star has learned.
Doug Ford is probably the most popular and successful Tory politician in Canada, but he still has his detractors within the conservative movement. The three-term Progressive Conservative premier, whose party is at a near-record high of 52 per cent support in the latest Abacus Data survey, has long triggered Tories who feel he’s drifted too far to the mushy middle...
NDP Leader Marit Stiles has narrowly avoided the ignominious fate of Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie. Stiles garnered just 68 per cent support Saturday from New Democrats at their Niagara Falls convention, better than the 57 per cent that cost Crombie her job last weekend, but hardly a ringing endorsement from party delegates.
In the notes for his unfinished final novel, The Last Tycoon, F. Scott Fitzgerald famously and portentously wrote “there are no second acts in American lives.” Nowhere is this less true than in politics, American or otherwise.
Premier Doug Ford is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to stand his ground against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff assault on Canada. “I told the prime minister, do not roll over. Hit that guy back as hard as we possibly can. And that’s what we need to do — and we can do it,” Ford told reporters Thursday in Thunder...
Liberal MPPs are rallying behind embattled leader Bonnie Crombie in the wake of the broadside against her fired by former rival Nate Erskine-Smith. With Crombie facing a leadership review at the Ontario Liberals’ annual general meeting Sept. 12-14 in Toronto, Erskine-Smith wrote an 1,177-word email blast urging “change in our party.”
Backers of Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie are sounding the alarm about the perils of plunging into another leadership race later this summer. “Team Bonnie” sent out an email to Liberal members Friday warning against “giving Doug Ford exactly what he wants: a distracted, divided party that can’t deliver for Ontarians.”
Forged by crisis, tempered by opportunity and steeled by circumstance, it is the most important political alliance in the country. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Doug Ford, a federal Liberal and an Ontario Progressive Conservative, each recently tasked by voters with tackling the economic and existential threat of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Premier Doug Ford is stampeding west to promote pipelines. Ford will be at the Calgary Stampede on Monday and is to sign a memorandum of understanding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to build new energy and trade infrastructure.
As first ministers gather against the backdrop U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war, a new poll suggests Alberta’s Danielle Smith has the highest negatives of any premier. The Pollara Strategic Insights survey also found Ontario’s Doug Ford is the country’s most popular premier — thanks largely to his stance against Trump’s tariffs.
Four sources close to Mendicino confirmed Friday that he is eyeing a mayoral bid to replace incumbent Olivia Chow in next year’s municipal election. Marco Mendicino, the former Liberal cabinet member and chief of staff to Prime Minister Mark Carney, is considering a run for mayor of Toronto, multiple sources say. Four sources close to Mendicino confirmed Friday that he...
One of Premier Doug Ford’s closest former aides has been sanctioned by the legislature’s ethics watchdog for breaking Ontario lobbying rules. Amin Massoudi, who was on the infamous 2020 Las Vegas trip with Greenbelt developer Shakir Rehmatullah that cost former Ford minister Kaleed Rasheed his job in cabinet, received a slap on the wrist from integrity commissioner Cathryn Motherwell.
The remarks referenced the tensions between Ontario’s PC premier and the federal Tories, who accused Ford of “sabotaging” their campaign. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is reaching out to Premier Doug Ford in the wake of the Tories’ latest electoral defeat. But there is one piece of advice Ford, who works closely with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals, isn’t about to...
Premier Doug Ford is firing back at federal Conservative charges that the provincial Tories “sabotaged” Pierre Poilievre’s campaign in Ontario. “I shouldn’t interfere in the federal election,” Ford told reporters in Mississauga on Wednesday when asked why he didn’t help Poilievre.
As the federal Conservatives assess a campaign that saw leader Pierre Poilievre lose his Ottawa-area seat of Carleton, they are pointing fingers at the most powerful Tory in Ontario. Let the blame begin. As the federal Conservatives assess a campaign that saw leader Pierre Poilievre lose his Ottawa-area seat of Carleton, they are pointing fingers at the most powerful Tory...
As the federal campaign enters its final days, Mark Carney’s Liberals appear set to win a majority Monday, according to the Star’s poll aggregator, the Signal. While Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives have closed the gap nationally in terms of voter preference, that does not seem to be translating into additional seats for the official opposition party.
The federal Conservatives are funnelling resources into Pierre Poilievre’s local campaign, shoring up volunteer support in the leader’s Ottawa-area riding over concerns that winning his seat is not guaranteed, the Star has learned. One Conservative source involved in Poilievre’s campaign told the Star that the leader appears to be in trouble in Carleton, the sprawling riding Poilievre has held since...
John Mutton — the Greenbelt lobbyist known as “Mr. X” — has been banned from lobbying government for two years. Mutton, a former mayor of Clarington, gained notoriety when integrity commissioner J. David Wake dubbed him “Mr. X” in a 2023 report on the $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap scandal.
Doug Ford insists he has no interest in succeeding Pierre Poilievre as federal Conservative leader. “You know something, I have the greatest job in the world,” the recently re-elected Progressive Conservative premier told reporters Wednesday when asked about his federal ambitions.
On a campaign stop in Milton, a reporter asked if Poilievre would “respect the results of the election no matter the outcome.” Trailing in every major public-opinion poll, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he will respect the results of the April 28 election win or lose. But Poilievre — some of whose supporters have been sporting gear saying “Do You...
Ford’s campaign manager warns that unless the Tories “get on it quick, they are going to get obliterated.” Internal polling for Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives suggests Mark Carney’s Liberals lead Pierre Poilievre’s federal Conservatives by double digits in Ontario, the Star has learned. A new Campaign Research survey found Carney’s Liberals at 48 per cent while Poilievre’s Tories were...
Voters in Ontario and Quebec are propelling Mark Carney’s Liberals deep into majority government territory, polls suggest. The Star’s election predictor, the Signal, says the Liberals have widened their lead over Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives in the April 28 vote.
Premier Doug Ford is reminding Progressive Conservative cabinet ministers and MPPs they will be too “swamped” with their day jobs to help Pierre Poilievre in the federal election campaign. Asked at the first ministers’ meeting in Ottawa on Friday if he would “let your MPPs campaign with Mr. Poilievre,” Ford did not mince words.
The premier told him he would be too busy governing Ontario, the Star has learned. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called Doug Ford to ask for his help in the upcoming federal election campaign, but the premier told him he would be too busy governing Ontario, the Star has learned. Federal and provincial Tory sources said Poilievre phoned the premier on...
As Premier Doug Ford gets set to appoint his new cabinet, the Progressive Conservatives’ top priority is dealing with the Trump trade war. Ford, whose executive council will be unveiled Wednesday, is already working closely with new Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney on a “Team Canada” approach to combating U.S. tariffs.
The tone has changed, but the threats remain. While Doug Ford says “the temperature is being lowered” in the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, the premier is reserving the right to reinstate his 25 per cent surcharge on Ontario’s electricity exports stateside.
It was a small aside, but perhaps a surprising one given the often contentious relationship between politicians and journalists. In an impromptu scrum with reporters in the corridor at Queen’s Park last Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford earnestly expressed gratitude to them for their coverage of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada.
Canada offered to delay its second phase of counter-tariffs against the U.S. if Donald Trump drops tariffs on all Canadian products — not just in the auto sector — that are covered by and comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Free Trade Agreement, the Star has learned. High-stakes talks continued between Canadian and U.S. officials with no word about whether there would...
Bonnie Crombie is endorsing Mark Carney to be federal Liberal leader, the Star has learned. The Ontario Liberal chief will make it official Tuesday in Toronto, sources say.
Doug Ford took his tough-on-crime talk to new heights in a campaign speech where he pushed for a return to capital punishment, the Star has learned. Musing about stiffer penalties for home invaders who kill victims, the Ontario Progressive Conservative leader called for changes in the federal Criminal Code that would empower judges to “send ‘em right to sparky.”
Doug Ford’s campaign fumble is getting the Super Bowl spotlight. Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie will be airing two different 30-second commercials during the NFL championship game Sunday night between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Doug Ford’s ”hot mic” gaffe about wanting Donald Trump to win the U.S. presidency may not have damaged the Progressive Conservatives, but it has exposed potential risks for their campaign, a new poll suggests. The Abacus Data poll for the Star found Ford’s Tories with 46 per cent support, well ahead of Bonnie Crombie’s Liberals at 24 per cent, Marit...
Doug Ford‘s hot mic admission that he “100%” wanted Donald Trump to win the U.S. presidential election has jolted the snap Ontario vote. That’s because Ford framed the Feb. 27 campaign as a referendum on who could best deal with Trump’s threatened tariffs against Canada.
A defensive Doug Ford insists it was not reckless to call a provincial election against the spectre of a trade war that could devastate Ontario’s economy. That came as Ford was caught on a hot mic Monday saying that he “100 per cent” wanted Donald Trump to win the American presidency last November.
The onset of a U.S.-led tariff war with Canada, Mexico and China triggered turmoil in global markets and prompted Ontario to cancel its contract with Elon Musk‘s Starlink satellite company and to ban American companies from provincial contracts. “We’ll be ripping up the province’s contract with Starlink. Ontario won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy,” said PC...
Doug Ford is taking a veiled shot at federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, saying whoever is the next prime minister must continue Canada’s supports for the auto industry — particularly in electric vehicles. On the second day of Ontario’s Feb. 27 election campaign, the Progressive Conservative leader, who is seeking a third term in office, said Ontario would maintain its...
Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives are in the poll position as the governing party revs up for a snap election call Wednesday, a new public opinion survey suggests. The Abacus Data poll for the Star found Ford’s Tories at 47 per cent support, far ahead of Bonnie Crombie’s Liberals at 24 per cent, Marit Stiles’s New Democrats at 19 per cent...
Canada would not immediately match any U.S. tariffs with “dollar for dollar” penalties on American products coming into Canada — an approach that Ontario Premier Doug Ford views as not “proportional” or strong enough to counter Donald Trump’s threats, the Star has learned. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told premiers “everything is on the table” as he met them behind closed...
When Dominic LeBlanc once confided to Doug Ford that he used to babysit Justin Trudeau as a child, the Ontario premier quipped: “Dom, you still do.” LeBlanc — now, literally, the embattled Trudeau’s minister of everything with responsibilities for finance, intergovernmental affairs and border security — enjoys an especially warm rapport with Ford.
Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders are meeting Monday to discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump‘s threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canadian products. Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, is hosting the meeting at the Hilton Hotel near Pearson International Airport.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took an indirect dig at Donald Trump ahead of a first ministers’ meeting Wednesday on how to best handle the unpredictable incoming U.S. president-elect. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took an indirect dig at Donald Trump ahead of a first ministers’ meeting Wednesday on how to best handle the unpredictable incoming U.S. president-elect.
As Premier Doug Ford mulls gambling on an early election, a new poll suggests that might be a safe bet. The latest Abacus Data monthly tracking survey for the Star found Ford’s Tories at 43 per cent — well ahead of Bonnie Crombie’s Liberals at 25 per cent, Marit Stiles’ New Democrats at 21 per cent and Mike Schreiner’s Greens...
Released Monday, the ad will run throughout the U.S. over Christmas and into the new year ahead of Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. As Donald Trump threatens 25 per cent tariffs on Canada, Premier Doug Ford has launched a multimillion-dollar American ad blitz touting Ontario’s importance to the U.S. economy. “For generations, this ally to the north has been by your...
It’s Show-Don’t-Tell time. The Trudeau government’s strategy in the face of Donald Trump’s latest 25 per cent tariff threat is fourfold: prove Canada is a reliable neighbour bent on securing borders against illegal migration and drugs.