Politics This Morning: Early election call speculation stoked
Good Thursday morning to you. The early election call speculation in Ottawa is getting poked, stoked, and fired up. The Hill Times first reported last year that Prime Minister Stephen Harper could pull the trigger early, but speculation has been ramping up in recent weeks. The Huffington Post Canada reported yesterday that the election magic could […]
Clive Veroni On NDP’s ‘Enough’ Ad
What do you think of the NDP’s ad? “Overall, I think this is a good ad for the NDP. It pokes the Conservatives where they are most sensitive right now: on the subject of ethics. This ad also has the potential to build its impact over time, as the Duffy trial resumes later in the […]
Del Mastro saga casts shadow as new candidates look to repair riding’s reputation
As Peterborough residents are divided over the footage last month of former Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro in handcuffs and shackles after being sentenced to a month in jail for overspending on his 2008 campaign, the riding’s candidates are campaigning on accountability and providing an independent voice in Ottawa. The image of Mr. Del Mastro’s […]
Harper could be trying to deplete NDP, Libs to benefit Conservatives after election, say Hill sources
If Prime Minister Stephen Harper launches the election campaign early in order to outspend opponents over a longer writ period, he may be looking beyond Oct. 19 to the leverage that depleting the other parties’ finances would provide in a minority government. There are various signs that Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) will […]
Wells plots TV leaders’ debate that will be more ‘hike’ than ‘square dance’
Paul Wells has been spending his summer watching old election debates. His bosses at Rogers are busy finding actors that look like political party leaders. Mr. Wells, the political editor for Maclean’s, is one of the country’s best-known columnists but he admits he’s “not a broadcast guy.” That’s part of the reason he’s being fastidious […]
NDP ‘Enough’ ad produced entirely by party staff, whole ‘new level of internal sophistication’
The NDP’s hard-hitting, anti-Conservative ad ‘Enough,’ which has so far attracted more than 500,000 hits on YouTube and lots of free media attention, was produced and edited entirely by internal NDP staff, and experts say it’s an “effective” ad, and part of a new era of online, self-produced political ads. “There’s a recognition in all […]
Close election race provides fuel for lobbyists during House’s long down period
With MPs on the hustings and the federal bureaucracy “in maintenance mode,” lobbyists are staying busy by providing clients with strategic advice on the campaign and how things could look in Ottawa on Oct. 20. The long lead-up to the Oct. 19 election and the possibility that a new Parliament won’t return until December or […]
Assembly of First Nations’ list of influential ridings among aboriginal population
At a recent Assembly of First Nations general assembly meeting, National Chief Perry Bellegarde said aboriginal voters could make a difference in 51 ridings. "We are heading into a federal election on Oct. 19," he said, noting that mobilizing the indigenous vote is crucial. "I am committed to doing all that I can to influence […]
Battle for left will define election campaign this fall, say pollsters
With polls showing more than half of voters undecided and little room for the Conservatives to grow, the battle on the left is getting more intense as the NDP and Liberals fight to establish themselves as the “true” progressive agents of change before the official campaign begins. Past Conservative voters are the ones most likely […]
Parties remain committed to balanced budget as Canada may fall into deficit
Canada’s three leading political parties remain committed to a balanced federal budget even as the economic slowdown could put the government’s books into a deficit this year. The impacts of low oil prices and economic contraction are putting into jeopardy Canada’s projected $1.4-billion surplus for 2015-2016. Whether to balance the books or go further into […]
