Jan 27 2020 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Does the next Conservative leader need to be fluent in both of Canada’s official languages? It’s the question that has defined the early days of the race to replace Andrew Scheer, with the front-runners’ fluency in French — or lack thereof — making headlines in Quebec and beyond. Peter MacKay was ridiculed in Quebec newspapers […]
Jan 25 2020 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Michael Chong will only run for the party’s leadership if there’s a “clear path to victory,” a source close to the Conservative MP tells the Star. Chong, who placed fifth in the party’s 2017 leadership contest, is “still deliberating” on whether he’ll run a second time. “Last time he ran for leader, he proposed to […]
Jan 22 2020 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Pierre Poilievre says that under his leadership, Conservative MPs would be free to bring forward legislation on abortion and vote according to their conscience. But the Ottawa-area MP, who has yet to officially announce his bid to lead the party, told the Star that no such legislation would be adopted under a Conservative government led […]
Jan 15 2020 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Three federal political parties are facing a competition probe over their near unfettered collection and use of Canadians’ personal information, the Star has learned. The Competition Bureau has launched an investigation into how the Liberals, Conservatives and New Democrats amass and use data on Canadian citizens. Federal political parties have bee
Jan 12 2020 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Stephen Harper is “supportive” of some early contenders for the leadership of the federal Conservative party, but is staying neutral in the race — at least for now. The former prime minister still has significant influence within the Conservative Party, both as its co-founder and as a member of the board that controls the party’s […]
Jan 6 2020 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Pierre Poilievre is expected to formally announce his bid to lead the Conservative Party later this month and already has the backing of two party heavyweights. The Star has learned that John Baird, who held senior cabinet roles in Stephen Harper’s government and at Queen’s Park, will chair Poilievre’s campaign. Jenni Byrne, a veteran organizer […]
Dec 19 2019 — Alex Boutilier — The Canadian Press — Canadians are more exposed to “influence” operations than ever before according to an internal assessment from the country’s electronic spy agency. A 2018 memo from the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) warned the rise of “web technology” like social media, along with Canadians’ changing habits for consuming media, make the population much more likely to encounter […]
Dec 13 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is facing an internal audit over the use of party funds to cover his children’s private school tuition. Two sources told the Star Friday night that the Conservative Fund board, which manages the party’s finances and counts former prime minister Stephen Harper as a member, has ordered a forensic audit […]
Dec 13 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Former Conservative cabinet ministers Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole are both putting together teams as they prepare to enter the race to replace Andrew Scheer. Conservative sources speaking on background confirmed that camps for both MacKay and O’Toole have been making calls to Conservative activists Friday, a day after Scheer announced he would step aside […]
Nov 20 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — The Liberal government has issued a broad new directive requiring more accountability from Canada’s domestic spy agency, the Star has learned. The updated rules require the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to be more upfront with its political masters on its operations and techniques, including informing the public safety minister before undertaking “high risk” intelligence operations. […]
Nov 16 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Canada’s domestic intelligence agency repeatedly broke rules by authorizing “high risk” spy operations without the knowledge of its political masters. Documents obtained by the Star show then-public safety minister Ralph Goodale was informed in June 2018 that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service failed to inform him of “human source operations assessed as posing a high […]
Nov 11 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — The issue of Western alienation will loom large over the Prime Minister’s Office Tuesday as Justin Trudeau holds meetings with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. Trudeau and Scheer are scheduled to meet for the first time since October’s federal election, which returned Trudeau’s Liberals to power with a minority government. Moe, […]
Oct 29 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Andrew Scheer is hoping for a “clear mandate” when his party’s grassroots gathers in Toronto in April to decide the Conservative leaders’ political fate. But what’s not clear is what a “clear mandate” would actually look like. Scheer has faced a week of open speculation about whether he can continue as the Conservative party’s leader […]
Oct 26 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — On Thursday, Oct. 17, Andrew Scheer had boldly and publicly boasted the Conservatives’ internal polling suggested they were in a good position to win the most seats. Maybe even a majority. By the following Monday, Scheer’s team knew they had lost the election before the votes were even counted.
Oct 25 2019 — Alex Boutilier — Toronto Star — Beset by questions over whether his social conservative positions lost Andrew Scheer the election, the Conservative leader is being attacked by social conservatives for failing to stand up for them. The Campaign Life Coalition, an anti-abortion organization with clout, accused Scheer of “abandoning his principles” by failing to stand against equal marriage rights and access […]