Pierre Poilievre Accuses Trudeau Of ‘Self-Praise’ After Canada’s Spike In Job Losses
The Conservatives’ finance critic raised eyebrows Wednesday for the way he criticized an excess of “self-praise” from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the face of job losses. Pierre Poilievre rose during question period to press Trudeau on sobering figures released by Statistics Canada last week. The data shows Canada’s economy shed 71,000 jobs in November, […]
MPs pay tribute to late Tory MP and ‘fun uncle’ Deepak Obhrai
Members of Parliament rose in tribute on Wednesday to mark the death of longtime Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai over the summer. Obhrai, who had represented the Alberta riding of Calgary Forest Lawn since 1997, died on Aug. 2, just weeks after receiving a diagnosis of Stage 4 liver cancer. He was 69.
Liberal MPs won’t empower themselves to turf Trudeau, control caucus membership
Liberal backbenchers declined Wednesday to give themselves the power to turf their leader, Justin Trudeau. They also passed up the chance to control who gets expelled from — or re-admitted to — the ranks of the governing party’s caucus. The decisions were made at the first formal meeting of the Liberal caucus since the Oct. […]
The House of Commons passed a non-binding NDP motion Wednesday calling on the federal government to pay compensation to children and families affected by the on-reserve child welfare system, as ordered by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in September. The federal government is seeking a judicial review before the Federal Court aimed at quashing the […]
Read MoreWhat should’ve been a one-day story and apology took a bizarre turn Wednesday, over an NDP MPP’s explanation of standing next to a man holding a ‘F*** Doug Ford’ sign at a rally on the weekend. A photo of Ottawa-Centre MPP Joel Harden was posted to Reddit of him standing next to the man holding […]
Read MoreTransport Minister Marc Garneau said Wednesday he has spoken with Air Canada about problems continuing to plague its new booking system on the cusp of holiday travel season, but that resolving them is beyond his reach. “We’ve let them know that we’re hearing from a lot of customers that they’re very frustrated and that they’re […]
Read MoreAn MP from Nova Scotia says he won’t take his seat in the House of Commons right away after the death of his newborn daughter. Sean Fraser says he is taking time away from his duties in Ottawa and his Central Nova riding to spend time with his family “at this time of unspeakable difficulty.” […]
Read MoreTrue to form, members of the Trump administration ― along with the president’s son ― taunted taunted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this past weekend about Canada’s loss of more than 71,000 jobs in the month of November.
Read MoreDefeated Conservative candidates say they’re disappointed with how Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer handled the campaign, but are divided on whether he should remain to fight for his spot at the upcoming convention or resign immediately. The Hill Times reached out to more than 100 unsuccessful Conservative candidates in nine provinces for their thoughts on Mr. […]
Read MoreFeatured Ink
Lost vote over special committee on China an embarrassment for Liberals
“Bardish never lost a vote,” whooped one uncharitable Conservative, as the opposition parties defeated the government in the first vote held in the 43rd Canadian parliament on Tuesday evening. It’s true that former Government House leader, Bardish Chagger, did not lose any votes in the House but she had the benefit of managing the Liberals’ […]
So far, so good, as Canada’s minority parliament takes some positive first steps
Connect the dots between the events of the first instructive week of the 43rd Parliament and the resulting picture is that of a House of Commons more apt to be relevant to the political conversation than it has been in at least a decade. Here are some highlights:
Trash them one day, partner with them the next. Welcome to the two-faced world of politics
Politics really is a two-faced business. Just days after Donald Trump was calling Justin Trudeau “two-faced” for laughing behind his back at last week’s NATO summit, the two leaders were chatting on the phone and pulling together a renewed free-trade deal between their countries and Mexico.
When Kenney speaks, Trudeau would be well-advised to listen
Jason Kenney is a deft exponent of funambulism – the fine art of political tightrope walking. The Alberta premier’s high wire act requires him to be suitably outraged at Ottawa’s anti-energy policies but not so aggrieved that he incites what he calls “the fear and anger roiling the Prairies”. Kenney met with Justin Trudeau on […]
Breaking Beijing’s chokehold on Canada – has Parliament finally wised up?
For the past 30 years, almost without interruption, Canada’s relationship with China has been determined by a closed-loop network of self-dealing and largely interchangeable players in the federal cabinet, the upper echelons of the Foreign Affairs bureaucracy, the Canada China Business Council and a handful of corporate law firms headquartered in Toronto and Montreal.
Kenney upbeat emerging from Trudeau gabfest
No zingers for the Dinger this day. We’ve come a long way from that moment in this column when Jason Kenney said Trudeau was an empty trust-fund millionaire with the political depth of a finger bowl who couldn’t read a briefing note longer than a cocktail napkin. Lots of cheers from the Alberta heartland for […]
The problem with comparing the 1972 and 2019 elections
Justin Trudeau cannot in this new session of Parliament rely on having the outcomes his father did in 1972. True, both he and Pierre Trudeau experienced the embarrassment of moving from a resounding popular victory in their first election cycle to near defeat in the second, after both had been considered the principle reason for […]
Do they actually have a section in the Prime Minister’s office called Annoy Alberta?
Do they actually have a section in the Prime Minister’s office called Annoy Alberta? You’d think so, given the timing of the new Liberal environment minister’s statements that LNG exports may not count toward emissions targets. Jonathan Wilkinson was just off to the Madrid climate summit when he said that to the Globe and Mail. […]
How the ‘New NAFTA’ Will Affect Canadians
After months of talks, House Democrats and the Trump administration have agreed on revisions to the Canada–U.S.–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) that will likely clear the way for U.S. congressional approval. Although Canada was sidelined in these discussions, the Democrats won some significant improvements to the “New NAFTA” that will benefit Canadians. The biggest change is the […]
The throne speech missed any meaningful discussion on these four critical issues
The speech from the throne, in 28 minutes of self-promotion and appeals to the left, avoided any meaningful discussion of four critical issues that will impact the lives of Canadians now and in the future. They are: economic and fiscal policy, national unity, natural resource development and Canada’s role in the world. On each of […]
Thank-you to the Canadian Club for the chance to bring an urgent message to Ottawa on behalf of Albertans: There cannot be a strong Canada without a strong Alberta. Alberta has been the great engine of prosperity, social mobility, and shared wealth in modern Canada. But our ability to play that role is at risk. […]
Read MoreJustin Trudeau had it easy with the Throne Speech of his now minority government. Immediately after it had been delivered, Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet walked up to the microphones and said he was supporting it. His announcement involved no drama, but it did come with a bit of political elbowing: he said he could support […]
Read MoreThe captured scene of Justin Trudeau, Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson quietly conferring on the actions of Donald Trump created its own sensation, but in many ways served as a microcosm of current global tensions. It was an unfortunately timed incident that nevertheless exposed inevitable realities. The nature of power in a world of nation […]
Read MoreFor a glimpse into how regional conflict might dominate our politics in 2020, watch the body language—and the response from Justin Trudeau’s office—when a provincial premier comes to Ottawa these days. Three weeks after the October federal election, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe was in Ottawa for his first face-to-face post-election meeting with Prime Minister Justin […]
Read MoreMon., Dec. 9, 2019timer4 min. read As Jason Kenney and a third of his cabinet attempt to smother Ottawa this week with charm and argument, it’s not just because environmentalists and Justin Trudeau have been breathing down his neck about emissions in the oilsands. That’s just nagging. The real driving force behind Kenney’s push is […]
Read MoreIn our post-letter society Christmas cards seem out of fashion these days. The one glaring exception is cards from politicians. You may not give these cards much thought. But as a former MPP, I can tell you that these seasonal missives take over the lives of many politicians and represent much work and painstaking planning. […]
Read MoreThe Strategy Session panel discusses Andrew Scheer’s absence from question period and the bill to cut middle class taxes.
Read MoreAfter nearly three years of leaving the post vacant, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed a new Canadian secretary to the Queen, amid rumours of the Crown beginning preparations for its inevitable transition and the possibility of a Canadian royal tour next year. Shortly after his government was first elected in 2015, Trudeau had removed […]
Read MoreWhen Richard Nixon and Pierre Elliott Trudeau – two very different politicians – made the decision to open diplomatic relations with the Communist government in China in the 1970s, they did not do so because they were under any illusions about the nature of the Chinese government. It was not a love affair based on […]
Read MoreThe “hot mic” video of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mocking President Donald Trump behind his back at the NATO conference is a major diplomatic blunder. I’m no fan of Trump’s either, and Trudeau certainly found a ready audience for his ridicule, but this is school boy stuff, unbecoming the leaders of any of these countries. […]
Read MoreEntertainment Plus
Harvey Weinstein’s bail increased over monitoring issues
NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein’s bail was increased from $1 million to $5 million on Wednesday over allegations he violated his pretrial release conditions by mishandling or disabling his electronic ankle monitor dozens of times in recent months. Judge James Burke warned the disgraced movie mogul that he'll face jail if other issues crop up. […]