Stuart Benson

Stuart Benson

‘We’re in this for the long haul’: Canada must brace for ‘new reality’ beyond U.S. electoral calendar, says CLC’s Bruske

Although the tariff trade war between the United States and Canada is creating the political tension among the voters who Republicans will need to retain the U.S. Congress in November, this country’s labour leaders are bracing for impacts that will outlast this fall’s American midterms and beyond President Donald Trump’s tenure in office, says Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske...

Stuart Benson

‘Pro-Canada fervour’ puts separatists on the defensive in Quebec as trade war shifts provincial focus, say strategists

The collapse of trade negotiations with the United States has the potential to upend Quebec’s political landscape, shifting voters’ priorities from questions of separatism to who can best shield the province’s economy and culture from President Donald Trump. Pollster David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, told The Hill Times that the breakdown of talks with the Trump administration last month...

Stuart Benson

Media will have to register foreign-backed political messaging, says influence commissioner

Canada’s first foreign influence transparency commissioner says journalists and media organizations will need to register, but that listings will provide legitimacy to already transparent public communications. “It’s not about the profession … it’s about the activity and making it transparent,” Anton Boegman said in an interview with The Hill Times on Aug. 13, nine days after what he described as...

Stuart Benson

Former Liberal minister Alghabra calls Conservative criticisms over his inclusion in the anti-hate council ‘absurd political gamesmanship’

Former Liberal transport minister Omar Alghabra is defending his inclusion on—and the mandate of—the government’s new anti-hate advisory council after renewed criticism over its perceived lack of urgency from opposition critics and American officials. “If people have criticisms of the council, its function, or even [my membership], that’s fine, but to use slander and falsehoods … it’s beneath the office...

Stuart Benson

‘The battle brewing in Canada is generational, and they are country miles apart,’ says pollster Nik Nanos as parties split youth vote

Despite a softening of support, the Liberal government maintains a healthy lead over the opposition Conservatives heading into the second half of the summer recess. But with much of that lead attributable to a significant shift in older voters seeking long-term stability, and a closer split amongst the younger cohorts seeking immediacy and disruption, pollsters say the growing generational divide...

Stuart Benson

Conservatives’ near $100M annual spend speaks to ‘the limits of what money can buy in politics,’ says former Grit pollster

Despite record-breaking fundraising last year, the Conservatives’ $84-million in annual revenue falls over $14-million short of its expenses, as the Liberals' more moderate spending and lower loan balance leaves a rosier financial outlook into 2026. The Conservative Party’s unprecedented spending of nearly $100-million in 2025—roughly one-third of which was shelled out during last year’s general election—may be testing the limits...

Stuart Benson

Build Canada’s AI ‘experiment’ reignites debate over political communication ethics

As AI-generated content becomes cheaper and more realistic, strategists warn disclosure requirements alone won't preserve public trust. As the third-party advocacy group Build Canada becomes the second politically adjacent organization in as many weeks to publicly experiment with artificial intelligence-generated communications, technology experts and digital strategists say the technology’s rapid evolution demands stronger ethical standards as legislation alone is unlikely...

Stuart Benson, Christina Leadlay

RSVPs less forthcoming for U.S. ambassador’s July Fourth bash this year

A confluence of poor timing, cross-border tensions, and competition with the Calgary Stampede could see fewer guests at the 250th anniversary party at the Lornado residence. Attendance at the U.S. Embassy’s upcoming Fourth of July party may not match the expected significance of this year’s 250th anniversary celebrations, as a figurative perfect storm of factors, including the event’s timing and...

Stuart Benson

Diluted clean water bill reveals Liberals’ ‘take it or leave it’ approach to First Nations, say critics

First Nations leaders and parliamentarians say the Liberals’ reintroduced clean water legislation is the latest example of what they describe as a “pick-and-choose” approach to the federal government’s duty to consult—invoking constitutional obligations to delay or dismiss action when it’s convenient, and sidelining them when decisions are already made.

Stuart Benson

Critics say Liberals ‘slow walking’ foreign influence registry leaves Canada vulnerable ahead of referendum

Two years and one general election later, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the long-awaited foreign influence registry is “weeks” away from being operational. Yet, as his department is confident it is “very close to the finish line” after repeated missed deadlines and delays, critics say combatting foreign interference and transnational repression is “clearly not a priority” for the current...

Stuart Benson

‘Good, bad, or ugly’: Tory AI video use previews future of Canadian political communications, say strategists

The Conservative Party’s first official foray into artificially generated political communications content has sparked sustained debate over whether its use is “good, bad, or ugly” since it was released nearly two weeks ago. But strategists say that whatever voters’ opinions are, the video represents a step into new territory for a technology that, for better or worse, is likely to...

Stuart Benson

Caucus management is a matter of survival for Liberal majority government, say observers

Former Liberal staffer Lisa Kirbie says Steven Guilbeault's resignation and organized caucus dissent have exposed simmering progressive concerns that high polling can't keep a lid on forever.

Stuart Benson

Despite digital ad advantage, Tory comms not cutting through Grits’ ‘macro’ messaging: observers

Even amid a more than two-to-one digital advertising deficit and an ongoing six-figure Conservative campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Liberal government are maintaining double-digit polling leads heading into the summer sitting break. Yet while some recent polling suggests Liberal support may be softening ahead of looming trade negotiations with United States President Donald Trump and amid growing tensions...

Stuart Benson

Federal Tories chasing ‘magic in a bottle’ with B.C. land issue that may not translate over the Rockies, say observers

National messaging built around B.C.’s property rights debate risks oversimplifying a complex legal reality, while a failure to communicate has 'ceded the stage to fear and misinformation,' say pundits.

Stuart Benson

‘It’s a matter of respect’: forest and wildland firefighters battling Ottawa over silviculture classification ‘insult’

As Canada prepares for another “challenging” fire season, provincial and private-sector wildland and forest firefighters are intensifying their push for federal recognition and respect for the public safety work they already perform. “We know we’re heading into another very dangerous wildfire season, and these firefighters need to head into it knowing that we’ve got their back,” said NDP MP Gord...

Stuart Benson

‘Desperate need of renewal’: Liberal MP Erskine-Smith sets sights on federal exit, provincial party revival

Grit MP Nate Erskine Smith says he intends to resign 'shortly' after the provincial nomination for Scarborough Southwest, Ont., is called on May 9 as NDP Leader Avi Lewis passes on the impending Beaches–East York vacancy for his own entrance to the House.

Stuart Benson

Beneath an expanded tent, Grits grapple with meaning of ‘Liberal’

As the boundaries of the Liberal Party’s tent continue to expand, supporters and caucus members are grappling with what the outer limits will mean for the values of the prime minister’s government, and what it means to be a Liberal. Those lingering questions follow a major gathering of Liberals in Montreal last week, kicked off by the announcement of the...

Stuart Benson

Conservatives can’t break stride on new $1M ad campaign after premiere overshadowed by latest floor crossing, say strategists

Even though the first few days of the ads' planned six-figure broadcast schedule fall during a 'challenging time' for the party, the new campaign will help keep the Conservatives ‘on the front foot’ and on message, says Harneet Singh. The Conservative Party’s latest $1-million advertising campaign was crowded out at the starting gate by its most recent caucus defector and...

Stuart Benson, Marlo Glass, Riddhi Kachhela, Abbas Rana

‘We’re an open party’: Liberals kick off Montreal convention praising floor crossers and eyeing a majority

Liberal MPs gathering among 4,000-plus party faithful in Montreal say they are “energized” after the latest floor crossing to their “big tent” puts them in majority territory—and a far cry from the pre-2025 election days when Liberals were “headed to nowhere.” Greeted by a clamouring, cheering group of volunteers and conventiongoers in the upper level of the Palais de congrès...

Stuart Benson

Liberal convention expected to be careful with policy amid byelection buzz and further floor-crossing rumours

The policy debate at the Grits' upcoming convention seems intentionally designed to avoid being a distraction from the party’s core messaging as it sits on the cusp of a majority, but it's also not time for a victory lap, say observers. As Liberals from across Canada descend on Montreal this week, observers expect the party’s national convention to be light...

Stuart Benson

Liberals’ ‘historically significant’ Alberta polling holds as first MOU deadline passes, say pollsters

The Liberals have more than 30-per-cent support in the province, but trying to capitalize on those numbers without a good reason for an election would come at a cost, says Liaison Strategies' David Valentin. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals are holding steady in Alberta and enjoying a close and historically significant second place in one of the federal Conservatives’ last...

Stuart Benson

‘Not a PMO incubator’: Young Liberals push national chair candidates to reject government jobs

Ahead of the Liberal Party’s national convention next month, members of its youth wing are urging candidates for national chair of their body to remain independent from government, warning against treating the role as a stepping stone to high-profile Hill jobs. Speaking with The Hill Times on a not-for-attribution basis, supporters of the third-party “Young Liberals for Change” pledge say...

Stuart Benson

Women-centric byelection ballots a sign of progress, but post-writ persistence needed to overcome gender-parity plateau: politicos

The majority-women slate of candidates in the three upcoming federal byelections is an encouraging development for gender equality in politics after a troubling plateau over the past three federal elections, advocates say.

Stuart Benson

Carney’s first year defined by ‘polished’ appeal, but ‘new-government shine’ won’t last forever, say pollsters

Liberals say there's been a '180-degree' shift in discipline, tone, and policy led by the prime minister, but there are warnings against overconfidence as affordability concerns persist. Over the past year, Canada’s 45th prime minister has fundamentally upended federal and international politics, partisan coalitions, the Liberal Party, and even the mood and atmosphere on Parliament Hill, particularly amongst the parliamentarians...

Stuart Benson

Poilievre’s international excursion a chance to challenge Carney, find ‘sea legs’ on global stage amid polling slump: politicos

The Conservative leader’s first international trip last week marked a major shift in his attempts to present himself as a prime minister-in-waiting and promote his brand of free-market “stoicism” to Canada’s allies in Europe, say strategists, who note that whether it signals a messaging pivot or a return to philosophical form, how it’s received by a domestic audience is the...

Stuart Benson

‘Let’s fix this’: IRCC reviewing media rules, reverses decision after refusing comment to independent journalist

A federal department says it has launched a review of its media accreditation process following a now-reversed denial of an independent journalist’s request for comment, partially based on the government’s own criteria for qualified organizations’ eligibility for tax credits. “This isn’t just about my issues getting comments for a story I’m working on, as frustrating as it may be. It’s...

Stuart Benson

Liberals ride wave in federal polls as widening gender, age gaps squeeze Conservatives’ coalition

As the Liberals post their largest lead since Prime Minister Mark Carney was chosen to lead the party, the Conservatives are feeling the pinch from multiple age brackets and a growing chasm among women voters, says Abacus Data CEO David Coletto. The Liberals’ polling fortunes are rising in nearly every demographic and province across the country as a growing gender...

Stuart Benson, Marlo Glass

Former Conservative MP Jeneroux ‘couldn’t sit on the sidelines,’ crosses floor to join Liberals

Three Conservative sources, two of whom are former MPs, say a damning quote is making the rounds in their circles after a third Tory joined the Liberal caucus: 'Pierre Poilievre has become the Justin Trudeau of the Conservative Party,' says one former MP. Alberta MP Matt Jeneroux is now the third Conservative to cross the floor to the Liberals in...

Stuart Benson

Liberal byelection candidates could either burst ‘boys’ club’ bubble or become ‘two more of many’ women on outside of PMO circle: strategists

Recruiting former Ontario NDP deputy leader Doly Begum and doctor Danielle Martin may be 'phenomenal politics,' but more will ride on whether they would get a greater voice at the table if elected. With the selection of two young, progressive women candidates in the upcoming Ontario byelections, strategists say Prime Minister Mark Carney is attempting to signal he hasn’t drifted...

Stuart Benson

Despite early ‘spirit of co-operation’ on some bills, Liberal agenda still failing to launch in Parliament, say politicos

The opening weeks of the winter sitting have offered tentative signs of co-operation from the Conservative Party—rather than blanket opposition—after MPs agreed to pause a log-jammed study of the Liberals’ contentious anti-hate legislation. But with the government only willing to bend so far to secure support for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s (Nepean, Ont.) agenda in a nearly “tie-game” minority Parliament...

Stuart Benson

‘Too weak, too vague, too slow’: PM Carney accused of ‘dragging his feet’ on foreign interference in pursuit of economic reset with China

As the prime minister travels to China this week in a bid to reset the fractured diplomatic and trade relationship, critics and diaspora groups are accusing his government of slow-walking the long-awaited foreign influence registry to prioritize economic concerns over safeguarding Canada’s democratic institutions. “If this government is looking to move forward with expanding trade with China, they need to...

Stuart Benson

‘Year of sport’: SecState van Koeverden pitches Canada as ‘best host nation in the world’ ahead of 2026 World Cup

Athletics 'are a great way to open doors,' says Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden. But although the World Cup excitement is ‘undeniable,’ human rights concerns, and hockey’s ‘reckoning’ in 2025 have left Canadian fans feeling ‘deeply conflicted,’ counters NDP critic Gord Johns.

Stuart Benson

Two ‘Conservative leaders,’ one bank vault, and zero leaks: Poilievre’s gallery dinner surprise

Have you heard the one about the two Pierre Poilevres in the bank vault? While the punchline landed with a double shot of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre (Battle River–Crowfoot, Alta.) at this year’s Press Gallery Dinner on Nov. 29—after the leader skipped out on the last three—the set up began months prior and was executed in less than a week...

Stuart Benson

Party supporters ‘tapped out’ as post-election donation dip deepens with Grits and Tories deadlocked at $4M range in third quarter

As the post-election fundraising slump deepened in the third quarter of 2025, with both the Liberals and Conservatives each raising just over $4-million overall—the weakest quarterly performance for either party since early 2022—strategists say the dollars are following the waning enthusiasm of “tapped-out” supporters. “Money tends to follow enthusiasm, and a lot of people are tapped out,” explained Liberal strategist...

Stuart Benson

Opposition parties can’t afford to call Liberals’ bluff on budget vote, say pollsters

'If the budget falls, it needs to be seen as the fault of the opposition,' but Carney needs to do more to prime Canadians for 'generational' challenges, says Abacus CEO David Coletto. Whether or not the Liberals are bluffing when expressing doubts that next week’s federal budget will pass, no opposition party can risk trying to bring down the government...

Stuart Benson

Lack of foreign interference registry ‘mystifying’ as Canada attempts diplomatic reset with primary culprits, says NDP MP Jenny Kwan

As Prime Minister Mark Carney attempts a diplomatic reset with China and India, his government has yet to name its candidate to oversee the promised foreign interference registry to address the threat of political meddling and transnational repression. But as public attention shifts toward economic concerns over human rights, NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.) says the federal government...

Stuart Benson

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s winning Liberal leadership run cost $3.9M, and posts $1.2M surplus

According to Elections Canada, Carney’s campaign raised just more than $5-million from more than 25,000 donations over the 45-day Liberal leadership race.

Stuart Benson

Conservatives seize on Liberals’ ‘law-and-order vacuum’ as Trump anxiety wanes, but ‘MAGA North’ comparisons still a concern, say strategists

Pierre Poilievre will remain in a difficult spot since the U.S. is touchy for many Canadians while Trump is backed by some Tory supporters, says Matt Chilliack. The Conservative Party is attempting to fill the “law-and-order vacuum” as Canadians’ concerns over the economy and crime begin to overtake the worry about threats from the American president that dominated the last...

Stuart Benson

‘Belonging is a two-way street’: New study examines immigrant retention as Canada loses one in five newcomers

As the debate over immigration intensifies and public sentiment sours, in part, due to a perceived overreliance on temporary foreign workers amid rising unemployment and housing prices, immigration and citizenship advocates argue that Canada’s policies can’t be driven by political considerations over the country’s economic ambitions.

Stuart Benson

Carney cabinet shuffle speculation grows alongside backbench ‘grumbles’ as Grits gather in Edmonton

As Liberals huddle in Edmonton on the heels of last week’s ministerial “planning forum,” the prime minister and his cabinet will have their first chance to hear from caucus after a summer focused on defence, tariffs, and international trade. Yet while confidence in the prime minister among the backbench and general public generally remains high, there is growing discontent among...

Stuart Benson

Foreign influence watchdog needs experience and compassion, not eminence: national security experts

Beyond the requisite knowledge and experience, ensuring the incoming Foreign Influence Registry Commissioner is clear of any appearance of partisanship will be critical, says Canadian Foreign Influence Transparency Registry Coalition spokesperson Gloria Fung.

Stuart Benson

Forest fire travel ban backlash demonstrates lack of investment in trust post-COVID, says public health expert

Wildfires continue to rage across Canada, but the backlash sparked by Nova Scotia and New Brunswick’s forest-hiking bans among civil liberties groups and segments of the public still enflamed over the COVID-19 lockdowns point to the notion that responding to future crises will require extinguishing the embers of public mistrust, says a University of Ottawa epidemiologist.

Stuart Benson

‘Easier to advertise cookies than spinach’: Conservatives outspent the Liberals seven-to-one in 2024 advertising

The Liberals’ $2.3-million in digital-focused ads in 2024 demonstrates the lack of confidence the party had in its previous leader and message, says EOK Consults' Harneet Singh. The federal Conservatives spent more than $16.5-million on advertising in 2024, outgunning the governing Liberals’ $2.3-million by more than seven to one as the governing Grits struggled to gain a foothold against the...

Stuart Benson

New Leaf Liberals want to root out Ontario Liberal shortcomings, not back a particular leader, says co-founder

With the Ontario Liberal Party’s general meeting about six weeks away, Leader Bonnie Crombie is making a case for progress while a growing number of party supporters are looking to turn over a new leaf if she can’t secure more than two-thirds of delegate support this September.

Stuart Benson

Piggybacking changes to privacy laws ‘has nothing to do with affordability,’ say critics of Bill C-4

As the Liberals move to expedite omnibus bills through Parliament before the summer recess, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says the urgency to provide affordability and tax relief to Canadians is no excuse to disrespect opposition parties and the Senate’s ability to study the wide-ranging and—in some cases—incongruous contents.

Stuart Benson

Enlisting Coast Guard to buoy defence spending expected to hit choppy waters, say analysts

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plan to float Canada’s defence spending over its current two per cent of GDP NATO target with the help of the country’s Coast Guard may hit rough waters as it navigates between a resistant public service and service members opposed to becoming what they derisively view as a militarized “junior navy,” defence analysts say...

Stuart Benson

No home on the Hill for half of MPs who may be waiting weeks for office move-in day

More than a month after the election, nearly half of MPs are still waiting for a place to call home on the Hill, and may still need to wait a few weeks before their official office space is ready. And as new MPs scramble for workspaces not already claimed by their more seasoned colleagues, they’ve also been dealing with extended...

Stuart Benson

Don’t mistake new Conservative media tone for policy shift, say Tory pundits

The Conservatives may be more accessible after the election, but don’t bank on them softening their stance on defunding the CBC, says communications strategist Dan Mader. Despite a slate of Conservative MPs returning to the mainstream media airwaves and a less combative tone during interactions with reporters, Conservative communication strategists advise against reading too much into the shift in approach...

Stuart Benson

Bipartisan ‘cooler heads’ have vested interest in lowering the temperature on Alberta separatism: Calgary Liberal Hogan

Ottawa needs a 'calm, thoughtful' approach that recognizes Alberta's contributions to Canada without giving the premier a reason to keep picking fights, says NDP MP Heather McPherson. Politicians in Ottawa can’t fight fiery rhetoric with more of the same if they want to lower the heat on separatist talk in Alberta, says newly elected Liberal Corey Hogan.

Stuart Benson

Trump, tariffs, and the economy ‘crushed’ other election issues that can’t be ignored by the government, say politicos

The environment, climate change, public transit, Indigenous reconciliation, and Big Tech took a back seat during the campaign, but governing will mandate their attention, says NDP strategist Will Shelling.

Stuart Benson

Canada Strong and Free Network looks beyond federal issues as campaign forces national Tories away from conference

Federal Conservative candidates stay away, but line-up includes swathe of provincial premiers, ex-politicians, and American speakers.

Stuart Benson

Conservatives’ tight grip on media access not living up to promise to be ‘most accessible and transparent campaign,’ say reporters

The Conservative leader took 65 questions in broadcast press conferences during the first two weeks of the campaign, compared to the 148 fielded by the Liberal leader, 163 by the Bloc leader, and 208 by the NDP leader. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s national campaign has attempted to keep a tight grip on the media’s access to its candidates—figuratively and literally—in...

Stuart Benson

Major third parties wind down ads in writ period, but organic ‘authenticity’ better than polished spots, say strategists

Political groups like Protecting Canada and Canada Proud previously spent tens of thousands of dollars on Facebook and Instagram, but have since logged off since the election campaign began.

Stuart Benson

Carney’s ‘decisive’ first week as prime minister may determine if he gets to stay post-election, say strategists

Mark Carney's first nine days as prime minister were jam-packed, but he can't keep coasting on the quick and easy decisions or cribbing from the Conservatives, says Tory pundit Andrea Sarkic.

Stuart Benson

Critics say new PM Carney ‘failed to turn the page’ with cabinet picks, but narrative link necessary, say Liberals

The new “leaner” Liberal cabinet is prioritizing continuity over change in the face of the tariff and annexation threats from United States President Donald Trump, says Liberal strategist Greg MacEachern. But Conservative pundits say the lack of new blood, and the exclusion of three provinces from around the cabinet table will make it difficult to convince voters they aren’t just...

Stuart Benson

‘If you’ve got the money, spend it’: three major parties boost digital ad buys to define Prime Minister Carney’s brand

Newly minted Prime Minister Mark Carney’s campaign for Liberal leadership spent just shy of $300,000 on Facebook and Instagram ads to introduce him to the party membership. Yet, while that investment is already providing dividends amongst the general public, the Conservatives and NDP have begun boosting their spending to ensure Carney is defined on their terms.

Stuart Benson

Grits’ grassroots hope Carney keeps ‘eyes and ears open’ for party renewal

Despite renewed hope among Liberal staffers and volunteers, any plans for structural party change will remain secondary priorities until after the next election, says Bluesky Strategy Group's Angelo Bakoulas.

Abbas Rana, Stuart Benson

Former central banker Carney takes Liberal leadership in landslide win on first ballot

Mark Carney dominates the results with 85.9 per cent of the vote ahead of former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland in second place with eight per cent. Rank-and-file Liberal Party members have elected Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, as their new leader. Carney, who will now succeed Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.)...

Stuart Benson

In Trump era, Grits need a bigger gambit than ‘small potato’ temporary tax cuts to woo voters, says pollster

Liberal leadership hopefuls must offer more than the “small potatoes” of temporary tax reductions when they unveil their affordability platforms, says pollster Nik Nanos. Voters are looking for truly transformational economic policies, and Canadians’ concerns are evolving beyond anxiety over groceries to the looming tariff threats from the United States, according to strategists.

Stuart Benson

NDP look to ‘meet the moment’ with Trump response, but fail to shift story from Tories: Holmstrom

NDP MP Matthew Green says a proposal to pass tariff relief through Parliament is about “meeting the moment” for Canadians under threat from the American president’s proposed tariffs, and a lack of confidence in the Liberal government’s ability to do so alone.