Jan 28 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — Polling data in the wake of the 2019 election indicated a Conservative brand that is in trouble. “Out of date”, “bigoted”, “narrow-minded” and “skeptical” were the words most commonly associated with the party in one Abacus Data survey. The responses helped explain why the number of Canadians who would consider voting Conservative fell to a […]
Jan 27 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — The cash-strapped Trudeau Liberals have been casting around for election campaign commitments that don’t cost much money to deliver and the pledge to reduce cell phone prices by 25 per cent fits the bill. As the House of Commons returns, wireless prices are likely to feature prominently. But while fulfilling the promise may not cost […]
Jan 27 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — When Justin Trudeau was looking for an opponent to fight in a charity boxing match, he approached then defence minister, Peter MacKay, who quickly assessed that he had more to lose than he could possibly gain and promptly turned him down. Nine years later, MacKay is a Conservative leadership candidate, with aspirations to take on […]
Jan 23 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — Conservatives are often concerned about the unintended consequences arising from tight regulations. It seems the rigid rules governing their own leadership campaign may be having some unexpected results. Pierre Poilievre is the third prospective candidate in three days to drop a bombshell announcement around supper-time, withdrawing from a race in which he was considered one […]
Jan 22 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — Rona Ambrose is out and she wasn’t even in. The former Conservative minister ended weeks of speculation about whether she would run for the party’s leadership by saying that she is going to pass and “focus on making a difference through the private sector”. She said she struggled with the decision of whether or not […]
Jan 21 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — You could tell the Liberal rookies after the 2015 election – there was a kind of new car smell and puppy dog naiveté about them. One veteran MP shook his head as he recalled how the new government allowed its opponents to control the agenda. “Once we got elected, people thought it would be just […]
Jan 17 2020 — John Ivison — Postmedia — When new ambassadors arrive in Ottawa they are obliged to troop along to Rideau Hall, where they are officially welcomed by the Governor General, as the Queen’s representative in Canada. The presentation of credentials ceremony is normally a formality carried out by the dignified branch of government – perfunctory and uneventful, if done right. Yet […]
Jan 16 2020 — John Ivison — Postmedia — He haunts the Conservative Party still. The news that Stephen Harper has resigned from the board of the Conservative Fund, which is responsible for the party’s finances, was trending on social media on Wednesday afternoon, overshadowing speculation about candidates running in the party’s leadership race.
Jan 14 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — “Clear your throat, sound confident and assertive and not at all nervous and key the mic…. ‘Tehran Air Defence, good evening…’.” The social media post by the pilot of an international airline flying into the Iranian capital just hours before a Ukrainian passenger jet was blasted out of the sky by a missile reveals the […]
Jan 10 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — Political leaders can’t change the cards they are dealt but they can control how they play their hand. The bombshell revelation by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752 was in all likelihood shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile was an important moment in his political leadership. He has been caught […]
Jan 9 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — When the Conservative leadership last fell vacant in 2015, Peter MacKay had only been out of federal politics for five months. He was building a private sector career with law firm Baker McKenzie, had two young children and his mother was fighting cancer. He considered taking a run but ultimately decided to pass. Four years […]
Jan 8 2020 — John Ivison — Postmedia — Former Quebec premier Jean Charest is keeping his powder dry but those who have spoken to him are under no illusions – he is in as a contender for the federal Conservative leadership, with his official announcement expected later this month. His wife of 40 years, Michèle Dionne, and his three grown children are onside […]
Jan 7 2020 — John Ivison — National Post — We don’t have any polling data on whether Canadians would support joining the United States if it comes to war against Iran – but we can take an educated guess. In 2003, polls suggested nearly three quarters of Canadians opposed George W. Bush’s ill-fated invasion of Iraq and, as it descended into a quagmire, many […]
Dec 23 2019 — John Ivison — National Post — No political race can be considered complete these days unless a reality TV star is running. Fortunately for the Conservative Party, Dragon’s Den investor Vincenzo Guzzo is seriously considering becoming a candidate. The Montreal-based entrepreneur, aka Mr. Sunshine on account of his proclivity for wearing yellow, says he is in “reflective mode”. He has been […]
Dec 19 2019 — John Ivison — National Post — When David Cameron became leader of the British Conservative Party in 2005, satirical magazine Private Eye took the opportunity to have some fun at his expense, running pictures of the youthful Cameron and then prime minister Tony Blair side by side under the headline: “World’s first face transplant a success.” Cameron rejoiced in the tag […]