Pierre Poilievre may be done

The Conservative leader has shown no inclination or ability to temper his highly polarized style, which makes his chances in the next election appear unpropitious.
Poilievre and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week

The Conservatives did everything the wrong way in dealing with Chris d’Entremont’s floor crossing, handing their political opponents a win.
Liberals’ ‘quiet confidence’ the best move as budget ‘dominoes’ fall with the Conservative caucus count, say politicos

‘If you’re the Liberals, you let this play out,’ and don’t get in the way of any opposition mistakes that may ultimately ease the passage of the budget, says Summa Strategies’ Tim Powers.
Can anyone in Canada capitalize on the Mamdani effect?

The NDP and Conservatives both seem to be lacking the political acumen needed to cash in on voters desperate for a response to the cost-of-living crisis.
Potential PCO intelligence cuts ‘counterintuitive and risky,’ say national security experts

The government’s effort to find savings by scrapping duplication risks undermining the country’s limited analytical capacity, says Stephanie Carvin.
A true conservative party fought its last election 25 years ago

Any society needs both moderate conservatism and moderate liberalism to develop in a balanced way.
MPs to vote on $10.8-billion spending boost in new estimates

The Canadian Dental Care Plan will receive the largest portion of the funds at $1.6-billion, with Indigenous Services, Crown-Indigenous Relations, and National Defence each requesting over $1-billion.
Proposed collective bargaining changes could ‘influence the opinions of arbitrators’ to consider feds’ fiscal situation: lawyer

The budget outlines plans to update the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act, which federal unions are criticizing as ‘vague’ and ‘concerning’ for its potential to infringe on workers’ rights.
The unintended consequences of stricter rules on public policy engagement

The 2023 changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct around event sponsorship risk undermining public trust in our democratic institutions.
A look at Seniors Secretary McLean’s four-person shop

Plus, Hill Climbers has an update on Defence Minister David McGuinty’s office, which includes policy director Radey Barrack and senior adviser Renée Filiatrault.