While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Stuart Benson.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
'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...
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...
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.
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...
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.
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...
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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...
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...
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...
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.
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.
Federal Conservative candidates stay away, but line-up includes swathe of provincial premiers, ex-politicians, and American speakers.
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...
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.)...
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.
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.
The first Indigenous candidate for prime minister says his fellow running mates in the Liberal leadership race can’t afford to become “prisoners of the moment,” running towards the day’s most pressing concern while losing sight of his party’s long-term goals and commitment to reconciliation and fighting climate change.
This week, the Liberals are set to have their best fundraising day of the year as leadership hopefuls submit the first instalment of the contest’s entry fee, which has more than quadrupled since the last race in 2013. Strategists say the increased entry fee will keep any frivolous “tire kickers” watching in the stands, and provide the needed boost to...
The Liberal Party accelerated its digital ad buys last month, catching up and overtaking its Conservative rivals. Yet, with a vastly smaller war chest to fuel its digital messaging machine, political communications strategists say it will be difficult for the Grits to maintain their current momentum or refine their targeting beyond a nationwide “spray-and-pray” strategy.
The federal government’s recognition that it should have acted to “turn off the taps faster” to slow the growth of temporary immigration to Canada is better late than never, says Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe. Yet, a new report by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship says that as the Liberals move to reduce the number of immigrants arriving in Canada...
With work stoppages in two parts of the country and in the House of Commons, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Pascal Chan believes binding arbitration may have been the Liberal government’s only safe port in a perfect storm of labour disruptions costing the Canadian economy over $1-billion every day. But sending the issue to binding arbitration is taking the “weasel...
Vice-President Kamala Harris’ loss in the Nov. 5 American presidential election has thrown cold water on those who had hoped Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would follow President Joe Biden’s example and step aside to give the Liberals a better chance in this country’s next election.
Replacing Jeremy Broadhurst with Andrew Bevan swaps 'one extremely seasoned, experienced, and competent political operator with another,' says former ministerial staffer Olivier Cullen. Charting the Liberal Party’s course in the next election will require a “seasoned, experienced, and competent” political navigator willing to go down with the ship, former Liberal staffers and insiders told The Hill Times. But with the...
Government House Leader Karina Gould says the Bloc Québécois and NDP are “scared of the Conservatives” due to their refusal to help bring an end to the privilege debate that has paralyzed the House of Commons for the past 10 sitting days.
As they put forward back-to-back non-confidence votes, the Conservatives continue to keep their policy plans under wraps, and maintain a wait-and-see posture on what will become of big-ticket programs like dental care, pharmacare, or the National School Food Program if they form government. But with the NDP and Bloc Québécois indicating they won’t necessarily move to bring down the government...
The federal Liberals are hunkering down in Nanaimo, but the party faces a near-total “wipeout” in British Columbia as the rising Conservative tide threatens to breach even the Liberals’ Vancouver bulwark, say pollsters. The Sept. 9-11 caucus retreat aimed to hash out the Liberals’ strategy ahead of Parliament’s return on Sept. 16, and the two byelections in Quebec and Manitoba...
Despite “inflammatory” language in a new United Nations report accusing Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program of being a breeding ground for modern forms of slavery, a recent Senate report made similar findings, accusing the program of failing both workers, and the employers and industries that depend on them.
The Conservative Party raised more than $20.5-million in the first half of 2024, outpacing the governing Liberals’ fundraising by more than $13.6-million so far this year, and its own total by this point last year—a record-smashing four quarters for the official opposition—by more than $4-million. Yet, with nearly $7-million in fundraising this year, and nearly $3-million more in the bank...
The federal government has missed its own July 31 deadline to provide a draft transition plan to British Columbia’s salmon farmers, after it announced last month that those farms would be required to move to entirely land-based operations in the next five years.
As calls mount for ever-stricter bail reforms from the premiers and federal Conservatives, University of Ottawa criminology professor Justin Piché says critics “got what they paid for” by funnelling millions of dollars into policing while neglecting the courts and community support programs. And with another high-profile killing turning up the heat on the feds to take action, a former police...
The departure of Seamus O’Regan from the Liberals’ front bench will only further erode party unity and efforts to quell dissent and dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, say politicos. But whether or not there is a major shakeup in cabinet or even if Trudeau were to leave his post, recent polling by Abacus Data suggests that most Canadians...
Naheed Nenshi’s landslide victory in the Alberta NDP leadership election came with a promise to pursue divorce proceedings with its federal counterpart, but political observers and former staffers say there is still more to gain under a unified banner toward the shared goal of defeating Conservatives. On June 22, the former mayor of Calgary claimed victory as the new leader...