Raisa Patel

Raisa Patel

Hands off our candidates: Grassroots Tories push back against party brass in a struggle over who chooses who runs

Frustrated grassroots Conservatives are mounting efforts to wrest control of candidate nominations away from senior party officials, as members prepare for a national convention where Pierre Poilievre is set to face a critical test of his leadership. The Conservative party’s national convention will be held at the end of January in Calgary, near the rural riding where Poilievre clinched his...

Raisa Patel

Tory MPs denounce DEI and ‘Liberal racism’ during Jamil Jivani event

On a Tuesday night, on the eighth floor of a building bordering Ottawa’s Parliamentary Precinct, Conservative MP Jamil Jivani stood before a small crowd to denounce “Liberal racism” — a form of “discrimination” he believes is eroding meritocracy, eradicating diversity of thought and tearing Canadians apart. About 50 people filled the nondescript room, where bottles of Bud Light — a...

Alex Ballingall, Raisa Patel

Senior Tory accuses Liberals of fuelling ‘harassment’ of Conservative MPs amid floor-crossing rumours

Conservative MPs facing questions about party loyalty are enduring unfair “harassment” fuelled by rumours and Liberal attempts to earn a majority in the House of Commons through convincing opposition members to defect to the government, a senior Tory claims. In an interview with the Star, Conservative whip Chris Warkentin bemoaned how MPs in his caucus are being repeatedly asked whether...

Raisa Patel, Tonda MacCharles, Mark Ramzy

Poilievre’s Conservatives struggling to stay united, source says, as Carney government survives a second budget vote

Mark Carney’s minority Liberals survived a second budget-related confidence vote on Friday, the day after easily defeating an earlier Conservative attempt to reject the budget as the Pierre Poilievre-led party grappled with another looming caucus departure from their ranks. The House of Commons voted 307 to 30 to defeat a Bloc Québécois motion that called on MPs to reject a...

Tonda MacCharles, Raisa Patel, Althia Raj

As Carney government scrambles to lure support for budget, Poilievre’s Conservatives struggle to define the opposition narrative

Canada’s chaotic minority Parliament is at a critical juncture as Mark Carney’s Liberals scramble to lure more Opposition floor-crossers to secure support for the budget’s passage, and the Conservatives, reeling at Tuesday’s loss of an MP, struggle to frame themselves as the government-in-waiting. Political tribalism and parliamentary shenanigans were on display all day, starting first thing Wednesday morning when a...

Raisa Patel

Majority of Canadians no longer see America as a friend, study finds

New research suggests that a minority of Canadians now consider the United States to be the country’s friend, except for Conservative party supporters, more than half of whom still view the U.S. as Canada’s friend. Data from the Environics Institute shared exclusively with the Star shows that 36 per cent of Canadians currently view the United States as a friend...

Alex Ballingall, Raisa Patel

‘Pressure will mount in the coming days’ for Pierre Poilievre as signs of discontent emerge within the party following his RCMP claims

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre denied Wednesday that he recently suggested former prime minister Justin Trudeau should be jailed, but defended his claim that leadership of Canada’s national police force is “despicable” for allegedly covering up for the Liberal government. His comments come as signs of discontent inside the party emerged in the fallout of those claims, even as several Conservative...

Tonda MacCharles, Raisa Patel

Conservatives urged to soften stance after Poilievre’s comments on ‘despicable’ RCMP face backlash

The Opposition leader’s office instructed Conservative MPs on Monday to reinforce a more positive message about the nation’s police force. Under fire over Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s criticism of the RCMP senior leadership as “despicable,” the Opposition leader’s office instructed Conservative MPs on Monday to reinforce a more positive message about the nation’s police force. Talking points sent to Conservative...

Alex Ballingall, Raisa Patel

Mark Carney’s austerity budget raising fears gender equality programs will end

Advocates and community groups are raising fears that federal funding for gender equality is on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s chopping block, with signs of approaching “austerity” and a shift in priorities from the Justin Trudeau era, when outspoken feminism was a core part of the government’s image.

Raisa Patel

Tories primed to attack ‘contradictions’ in Liberal policies when Parliament resumes

Pierre Poilievre is ready to double down on domestic issues as he returns to the House of Commons. Mark Carney is not Justin Trudeau. He’s also not Pierre Poilievre.

Raisa Patel

Mark Carney’s top trade negotiator says talks with Donald Trump face challenges but ’I don’t see a dead end yet’

Negotiations with the White House to secure a reprieve for key sectors hammered by strategic tariffs are not at an impasse, says Prime Minister Mark Carney’s point-person on Canada-U.S. trade. “The conversations have been focused on trying to get relief for those Canadian sectors that are the most integrated of other trading partners,” said Dominic LeBlanc, Carney’s cabinet lead on...

Josh Rubin, Raisa Patel

Donald Trump’s next target could be deal that shields most Canadian imports from tariffs, experts warn

Canada’s biggest shield against U.S. tariffs is still intact after Donald Trump’s latest trade deadline, but that could change by next year, experts warn, as Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares for a new round of talks with the mercurial American president. While Trump raised the tariff on Canadian goods to 35 per cent in an executive order Thursday night, an...

Raisa Patel

Canadians feeling better about how Ottawa and the provinces work together, survey suggests

Ahead of a meeting between the prime minister and premiers this week, a survey has found “significant improvements” in the way Canadians feel about how well Ottawa and the provinces work together. According to a report on the state of Canada’s federation from the Environics Institute and five other organizations, 52 per cent of Canadians feel like their governments work...

Raisa Patel

Mark Carney’s minority government has an unexpected partner in the Conservatives — for now

There’s a new coalition in town. If the last Parliament was dominated by the Conservatives’ insistence that the Liberal-NDP alliance had spun the country into an irreversible state of disarray, the opening weeks of the latest session has put a new pact on the map.

Raisa Patel

Very proud to be Canadian? That’s less likely now for supporters of one party, survey suggests

With U.S President Donald Trump making economic and expansionist threats against his northern neighbours, a new survey suggests that pride in being Canadian has increased among supporters of all federal parties – except Conservatives.

Raisa Patel

Carney government balancing AI regulation against the promise to unlock its potential

Prime Minister Mark Carney believes artificial intelligence is key to unlocking Canada’s economic potential. He carved out a specific ministry for the file, installing former broadcaster Evan Solomon as the country’s first-ever minister of AI.

Raisa Patel

Conservative insiders say they need to sell Pierre Poilievre’s ‘softer side’ to voters next time

Nearly two weeks after a bitter election defeat, the Conservative party has turned its sights to its next chapter: rolling out tone shifts, a renewed media strategy, and the reintroduction of its leader to start courting voters who turned elsewhere at the ballot box. Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives — for supporters have, at least publicly, united around him — are keen...

Raisa Patel, Alex Ballingall

‘It’s an unmitigated disaster’: Conservative insiders debate Pierre Poilievre’s future as leader after election defeat

There are plenty of questions the party will need to address including how he can lead the party from outside Parliament. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not the prime minister. As of Tuesday morning, he was not even an MP. At the nexus of those two outcomes, which just months ago would have been nearly unthinkable, is a maelstrom of...

Raisa Patel

Conservatives won’t axe billions in federal agreements supporting automakers, battery plants, Poilievre says

A Pierre Poilievre-led government would maintain all existing government agreements for the auto sector, the Conservative leader said Thursday. “We will honour all agreements for the auto sector that the government has made, but we will not force Canadians to pay a $20,000 tax on automobiles,” Poilievre said at a news conference in Halifax, referencing the Trudeau government’s target that...

Raisa Patel, Tonda MacCharles, Robert Benzie, Althia Raj

Conservatives pour resources into Pierre Poilievre’s riding amid fears of a tight race

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...

Raisa Patel

Welcome to the ‘torture chamber’: Internal document offers window into Conservatives’ strategy for parliamentary committees

An internal Conservative party strategy document viewed by the Star shows how the party uses parliamentary committee meetings to maximize social media exposure and advance its political narratives. A “torture chamber” for the government. “Social media content generators.”

Raisa Patel

Unpacking Pierre Poilievre’s plan to tackle opioid abuse and government-funded ‘drug dens’

On Sunday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre unveiled a bold plan: he wanted to save 50,000 lives that could be lost to Canada’s toxic drug and overdose crisis, and he was ready to explain how. He chose that number because it was close to 50,928 — the number of people who have died in Canada between 2016 and 2024 due to opioid abuse.

Tonda MacCharles, Alex Ballingall, Raisa Patel

Mark Carney claps back at Donald Trump’s claim he changed Canada’s political landscape

Canadians will decide their next government, Carney said at a Friday news conference, adding any trade talks will only come after the U.S. president shows respect for Canada’s sovereignty.

Alex Ballingall, Raisa Patel

Pierre Poilievre blasted over pledge to fast-track Ring of Fire permits

The grand chief of a group of northern Ontario First Nations is blasting Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over his promise to fast-track approvals and pump money into the Ring of Fire mineral region. Poilievre made the pre-campaign pledge Wednesday in Sudbury, promising to green light all federal assessments for the area within six months if his Conservatives form the next...

Raisa Patel

Pierre Poilievre calls on Ottawa to send troops to the Canada-U.S. border

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called for the federal government to send Canadian soldiers to bolster the Canada-U.S. border, hours after Mexico staved off U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff plans Monday by agreeing to deploy thousands of troops to its own shared border. Poilievre first issued the demand on social media, posting on X that to “take back control of the...

Raisa Patel, Ryan Tumilty

Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland are targets of abuse and conspiracy theories, report says

The high-stakes race for the job of Liberal leader and prime minister has prompted a deluge of misinformation online about the contest’s two front-runners. A new report illustrating that finding comes as the race to crown Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s successor now has a pared-back field of five candidates, many of whom spent the past week unveiling their campaigns in...

Raisa Patel

Mark Carney viewed more positively than Chrystia Freeland in Liberal leadership race, survey suggests

Liberal leadership hopeful Mark Carney is viewed more favourably than fellow front-runner Chrystia Freeland, new polling data shows, while the party itself appears to be reaping some benefits from its race to replace outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. New numbers from Abacus Data show that 33 per cent of respondents view the former Bank of Canada governor positively, compared to...

Raisa Patel

Justin Trudeau’s departure hasn’t boosted Liberals’ electoral prospects, poll suggests

New polling shows that Justin Trudeau’s impending resignation has done little to immediately reverse the Liberals’ sliding electoral fortunes, as the Conservatives enjoy one of their most sizable leads despite the exit of their chief political target. The latest numbers from Abacus Data shared with the Star come from a survey conducted between the evening of Jan. 6 — the...

Tonda MacCharles, Mark Ramzy, Raisa Patel, Ryan Tumilty, Alex Ballingall

Inside Chrystia Freeland’s surprising resignation — and the fallout that has Justin Trudeau fighting for his political life

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is fighting once again for his political life, behind closed doors. At an emergency meeting Monday evening — called after Chrystia Freeland, Trudeau’s now former top deputy and one-time “minister of everything” quit as finance minister — the prime minister came face to face with Freeland along with an angry and bewildered caucus before he planned...

Ryan Tumilty, Raisa Patel, Alex Ballingall

Liberal MP says he was threatened with ‘consequences’ for opposing $250 cheque proposal

A Liberal MP said he was threatened with unspecified “consequences” if he votes against the government’s proposed $250 cheques, an affordability measure that continues to face an uncertain path through the House of Commons. Hamilton MP Chad Collins said earlier this week that he would vote against the government’s cash rebates because they leave out seniors and people with disabilities...

Raisa Patel

NDP MP cautioned for wearing pin supporting Palestinians in the House of Commons

A New Democrat MP was warned Monday that her decision to don a watermelon pin — a symbol of the Palestinian cause — could be construed as a political “prop” that has no place in the House of Commons. During question period, Edmonton-Strathcona MP Heather McPherson took to the floor of the lower chamber to castigate Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government...

Raisa Patel

Pierre Poilievre vows to blacklist CTV journalists after he was misrepresented in broadcast

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on Tuesday vowed to blacklist all journalists belonging to one of the country’s largest news networks after an incident in which his remarks were manipulated. The editing of the CTV news broadcast item created the erroneous impression that Poilievre wanted to introduce a motion declaring lost confidence in Justin Trudeau’s minority government because the Opposition leader...

Raisa Patel

Why the stakes are the highest they’ve ever been for Jagmeet Singh: ‘The moment that makes or breaks his political career’

Inside the world of Jagmeet Singh, things are looking pretty swell. The NDP leader prematurely withdrew from his increasingly perilous alliance with Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberals — after extracting almost everything he wanted from him.

Raisa Patel

These byelections could be a referendum on Justin Trudeau and his rivals. Here’s what you need to know

A pair of byelections on Monday are poised to serve as a referendum on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — and his chief opposition leaders. One will see the Liberals fighting to spare a Montreal fortress from the fate that befell Toronto—St. Paul’s: a surprise byelection loss in a longtime stronghold.

Raisa Patel, Mark Ramzy

Here’s where Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh travelled this summer — and what that says about their priorities

An incumbent facing tough questions. A governing partner who exited an alliance with him. And everyone’s firebrand rival. The stakes are getting higher for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre at the start of this fall’s parliamentary session, as an election campaign could now be triggered any time under a minority Liberal government...

Raisa Patel

‘You cannot take us for granted’: Muslim voters mobilize as Jagmeet Singh’s polarizing Gaza stance will get tested in this byelection

The front window of the NDP’s campaign office in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun features a small selection of flags. Some represent countries, like Ukraine and Sudan, that are currently mired in conflict. Others represent Indigenous rights and LGBTQ2+ causes.

Raisa Patel

Jagmeet Singh won’t say whether he’ll help topple ‘selfish’ Justin Trudeau’s government

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is refusing to say whether he will trigger the downfall of Justin Trudeau’s minority government at his first opportunity, despite delivering a searing assessment of a Liberal leader he says is too “weak,” “selfish” and beholden to corporate interests to serve Canadians.

Raisa Patel

These Canadians don’t care much about politics. Here’s why a growing number feel democracy isn’t working for them

On the face of it, Ahnaf Zahin and Taylor Stuart don’t have much in common. Zahin, who arrived in Canada from Bangladesh when he was a child, just turned 20 and is about to start his third year as a neuroscience and physiology major at the University of Toronto. Stuart is 37, grew up in Kamloops, B.C., and is an...

Raisa Patel

‘Extremely bad news’: Canadians are encountering fewer legitimate news sources on social media, study finds

Meta launched its Canadian news ban one year ago today — and a new report offers a bleak picture of its impact on the country’s journalism sector. A grim report has found that news organizations in Canada have lost nearly half of their online engagement in the year since Meta launched its news ban for Canadian users of Facebook and...

Alex Ballingall, Raisa Patel

With no sign of Justin Trudeau leaving, some Liberal MPs want major changes in his cabinet: ‘Clearly, what’s happening is not working’

Last week’s tiny cabinet change did nothing to appease those in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s caucus who think a broader shuffle of key government ministers would help save the Liberal party from electoral defeat. Several MPs who spoke to the Star in recent days said they still want to see a cabinet shuffle before Parliament returns for the fall session...

Tonda MacCharles, Raisa Patel

Pierre Poilievre worries about threats against his family — but says there’s no need to tone down political criticism

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he is concerned about threats against his family and at one point sought increased security which they received, but rejected any notion Monday that politicians should tone down criticism of their rivals. Poilievre was among Canadian leaders who condemned political violence in the wake of the weekend shooting at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania...

Raisa Patel

Justin Trudeau claims Pierre Poilievre built just six affordable homes when he was housing minister. Here’s what actually happened

When it comes to housing, finding it — and affording it — is one of the most pressing issues facing Canadians today. That’s probably why the subject has become the focus of much political mudslinging in the House of Commons, with party leaders each trying to stake their claim as the person best suited to tackle the crisis.

Tonda MacCharles, Alex Ballingall, Raisa Patel

Justin Trudeau personally reaches out to Liberal MPs amid pressure on him to step down

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been working the phones to tamp down any caucus discontent, as his team convened a call Tuesday with national caucus representatives, following a week of pressure on him to relinquish the Liberal leadership. Senior government officials expressed optimism that, after a long weekend in which Trudeau told the CBC is he “committed” to his job...

Raisa Patel, Alex Boyd

New Divorce Party? Naheed Nenshi’s to-do list as Alberta’s new NDP leader includes breaking up with Jagmeet Singh’s federal party

In some ways, the relationship between the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh and newly elected Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi is starting to feel a little one-sided. Nenshi, the former Calgary mayor who on Saturday succeeded Rachel Notley to take the party’s helm, ran his campaign, in part, on his desire to divorce his party from its federal roots.

Raisa Patel

Dental groups reject Liberal claim that Conservatives are fuelling opposition to new plan — instead claiming it’s Ottawa spreading misinformation

The heads of several dental groups are rejecting a Liberal minister’s framing that the federal Conservatives are to blame for oral health providers’ opposition to aspects of Ottawa’s dental care plan. The dismissal of Health Minister Mark Holland’s comments, which were made earlier this week, are the latest source of friction between Canada’s dental associations and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s...

Raisa Patel

The Liberals and Conservatives are fighting over CBC’s NHL playoffs coverage. Here’s what’s actually going on

It’s an inevitability that is perhaps even more certain than the Edmonton Oilers’ fate against the Florida Panthers: when it comes to Canada’s public broadcaster, the Liberals and Conservatives will always be at odds. So when the Oilers emerged as the sole Canadian team left standing in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs — and then clinched their place in the...

Raisa Patel

These two party leaders say they’ll consider naming the MPs accused of aiding foreign governments

It’s possible that the clearest path to identifying the unknown MPs a recent report alleges covertly worked with foreign governments could begin with the leaders of the Green Party and the NDP. The New Democrats’ Jagmeet Singh told reporters Monday that once he receives a briefing that could reveal those names, he would immediately eject any member of his caucus...

Raisa Patel, Nicholas Keung

Trudeau government will give foreign caregivers permanent residence in Canada

The Liberal government is set to announce two new pathways that would give caregivers from abroad permanent residence upon arriving in Canada, a step intended to update and replace existing pilot programs that will wind down later this month. Immigration Minister Marc Miller will announce two new pilot programs on Monday afternoon as part of the federal government’s efforts to...

Raisa Patel

Reality check: Pierre Poilievre says Justin Trudeau legalized hard drugs in British Columbia. Is that true?

You’ve probably heard him say it: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre claims Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government “legalized hard drugs” in British Columbia, a move he believes will unleash “chaos and carnage” across Canada. He’s referring to B.C.’s three-year pilot program, which attempts to tackle the province’s drug toxicity crisis by decriminalizing the use of small amounts of certain illegal drugs to...

Raisa Patel

Justin Trudeau says Benjamin Netanyahu is blocking two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of impeding progress toward a two-state solution between Israel and a Palestinian state, saying Canada “fundamentally” disagrees with his government’s position on achieving peace.

Raisa Patel

Liberals, NDP blast Conservatives for missing bulk of parliamentary trip studying drug crisis

The Liberals and New Democrats are slamming the federal Conservatives for failing to show up for most of a cross-country study of Canada’s toxic drug crisis, an issue leader Pierre Poilievre has heavily politicized in recent weeks. MPs from all major political parties embarked on a weeklong, three-province, multi-city tour last week as part of the House of Commons health...

Raisa Patel

New federal ridings will create big changes in the GTA. Here’s where the drama will be

It’s something every federal party knows: the GTA is one of the most seat-rich parts of Canada, and if you win it, you might just win the election, too. It’s also a region campaign strategists are scrutinizing closely after a years-long effort to redraw Canada’s riding boundaries officially came into effect this week.

Raisa Patel, Tonda MacCharles

China’s alleged targeting of Michael Chong is contempt of Parliament: report

A House of Commons committee has ruled that an “intimidation campaign” targeting Ontario MP Michael Chong “unequivocally” constitutes a contempt of Parliament — and called for changes to ensure Canada’s spy agency is more forthcoming about its foreign meddling intelligence. “In carrying out their parliamentary duties and functions, no member is to be threatened, challenged, intimidated, or otherwise obstructed. Such...

Raisa Patel

Liberals’ elections law reforms could yield generous pensions for dozens of MPs

Proposed changes to Canada’s election law could see the country’s next federal contest pushed back by one week — meaning dozens of MPs could access tens of thousands of dollars in annual pension payments if Justin Trudeau’s minority government lasts that long. Under the Canada Elections Act, federal elections — if not triggered earlier — must be held on the...

Raisa Patel

Justin Trudeau's caucus divided over vote to recognize Palestinian statehood

Political tensions were high on Parliament Hill Monday as weekend talks to adapt a controversial NDP resolution to recognize Palestinian statehood carried on in the final hours before a key vote Monday evening. Despite proposed changes to the resolution, it was unclear at midday whether the Liberal government — or a big chunk of its backbench MPs — would back...

Raisa Patel

'Government gone overboard': Experts concerned by Ottawa's attempts to rein in hate speech

Some of the Liberal government’s proposed efforts to crack down on hate speech and hateful conduct has some experts wondering whether Ottawa has gone too far in introducing legislation that was initially meant to address dangerous content on social media. Last week, Justice Minister Arif Virani introduced Bill C-63, a sweeping piece of legislation largely aimed at regulating how social...

Raisa Patel, Alex Ballingall

NDP insiders say pharmacare battle was the closest they've ever come to abandoning Justin Trudeau's Liberals

It was January, and it was the closest the New Democrats had ever come to ditching the deal that keeps Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government alive. It had been just a few weeks since the NDP had agreed to extend the deadline for a core priority of the parliamentary accord: a long-sought plan to establish a universal, national drug...

Raisa Patel

Justin Trudeau claims eight out of 10 Canadian households get more back from rebates than they pay in carbon pricing. Is that true?

In the lead-up to the next federal election, the Star is taking a look at the leaders of Canada’s major federal parties and fact checking some of their most common political slogans and talking points. Today, the Star is diving into a claim often touted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: that eight out of 10 Canadian households get more money...

Raisa Patel

Pierre Poilievre claims 40 offenders were arrested 6,000 times in Vancouver in a year. Is that actually true?

In the lead-up to the next federal election, the Star is taking a look at the leaders of Canada’s major federal parties and fact checking some of their most common political slogans and talking points. Today, the Star is analyzing a claim Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has made multiple times over the past year: that 40 offenders in Vancouver were...

Raisa Patel

Jagmeet Singh on his new baby's name and why he regrets biking with Doug Ford: 5 things we learned at TMU’s Democracy Forum

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh made his second appearance at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Democracy Forum on Friday, speaking to Star columnist and TMU Senior Fellow Martin Regg Cohn about the state of federal politics today. Here are five things the New Democratic leader revealed during the discussion.