Articles by Alex Ballingall

May 10 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — The Green Party announced Thursday that a third-party investigation concluded accusations levelled against longtime leader Elizabeth May do not constitute workplace harassment. The allegations, first reported by the Toronto Star in January, came from three former party employees, who accused May of creating a toxic work environment in the party with behaviour that included yelling […]

May 2 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is expected to address a simmering controversy in the party’s federal caucus on Thursday, after Saskatchewan MP Erin Weir alleged an unnamed staff member accused him of harassment because of his views on carbon pricing. Singh called for a third-party investigation in February, after Quebec MP Christine Moore emailed the NDP […]

Apr 21 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — Nicola Di Iorio sleeps five hours a night, but he says that’s enough to keep his motor going overtime — which is exactly what he has to do. For not only is he the federal representative for some 114,000 Montrealers, he maintains a side hustle as an active litigator who co-manages a gaggle of labour […]

Apr 3 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — The NDP leader’s press secretary said Singh is “not going to close the door” to running for Tom Mulcair’s old seat in the downtown Montreal riding of Outremont. The New Democratic Party isn’t ruling out the possibility that federal leader Jagmeet Singh will run for a seat in the Montreal neighbourhood of Outremont, a riding […]

Mar 21 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh categorically condemned political violence on Wednesday, and said he won’t attend any event where he knows someone will advocate violence as a political tool. “Let’s make it really clear. I think it’s an important question. I condemn political violence absolutely, no question about that. It’s something that’s unacceptable. It divides people. […]

Mar 12 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — A stylish criminal defence lawyer from Brampton is gearing up to win an election for the New Democratic Party. Must be Jagmeet Singh, right? Wrong. It’s his brother, Gurratan Singh, who told the Star on Friday that he is “seriously considering” a run for the Ontario NDP in Brampton East. The newly redrawn riding includes […]

Feb 21 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — Two former Green party staffers who accused Elizabeth May of workplace bullying say they won’t participate in an investigation launched last month because they don’t trust it is being conducted independently. Vanessa Brustolin and Diana Nunes separately emailed their decisions Wednesday to the lawyer hired by the party to investigate their allegations, citing concerns with […]

Feb 16 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — A pair of Toronto riding associations wants to put “socialism” back in the New Democratic Party constitution. The push to return to the anti-capitalist roots of the party comes as the NDP kicks off its national convention Friday at a downtown convention centre overlooking the slushy Rideau Canal. Among a host of policy resolutions slated […]

Feb 12 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — Three former Green party employees who accused Elizabeth May of workplace bullying are demanding a “truly independent” investigation of their allegations, stating in a joint letter that they have no confidence in the process launched by the party last month. Rob Rainer, Diana Nunes and Vanessa Brustolin wrote to Green Party President Ken Melamed on […]

Feb 11 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — Say you’re a backroom strategist, charged with charting the New Democratic Party’s plan for electoral victory. You have this flashy new leader, a 39-year-old who professes the requisite leftist ideals, yet does so with flair and an attitude that seems linked to a generational shift. He talks of “vibes” and calls things “fire,” and though […]

Feb 5 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — Elizabeth May is asking Green party members to help cover the “new and unexpected” cost of a workplace bullying investigation into her own alleged behaviour — an investigation that she called for herself in the face of accusations from former staffers last week. In an email to party members Monday, the longtime Green leader said […]

Jan 27 2018 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — Three former Green Party staffers are accusing longtime leader Elizabeth May of workplace bullying, alleging she has created a toxic work environment with conduct that includes yelling at employees and putting them down in front of their colleagues. Rob Rainer, a manager of six non-profit organizations before he served as the party’s interim executive director […]

Dec 31 2017 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — A few floors down from the office that Jagmeet Singh uses when he’s on the Hill, the daily thrust and parry of question period plays out. It’s Parliament’s last sitting day before Christmas, and the NDP leader is explaining why his party is better off if he’s on the road, meeting Canadians, instead of challenging […]

Dec 28 2017 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — Twenty-two years ago, the Canadian government made a commitment. Every piece of legislation, and all new policies and programs, would be treated to what is called a “gender-based analysis.” This bureaucratic procedure, while arcane, was meant to do something momentous: bring the experience of women to the nerve-centre of political decision-making. A government that does […]

Dec 27 2017 — Alex Ballingall — Toronto Star — It’s too cold for kids hockey on the government’s $5.6-million ice rink on Parliament Hill. In the midst of a cold snap across much of the country, the Canadian winter has forced the cancellation of some of the only hockey games allowed on the outdoor rink, where pucks and sticks are banned during public skating […]