Poilievre is leaving Trudeau in the dust — here's how to keep it that way
It was a banner year for the federal Conservatives and leader Pierre Poilievre. They amassed a commanding lead at the polls, thanks in part to a prime minister who is past his best before date. But surfing a wave of discontent is one thing; slogging it out for a year until the next election...
Les libéraux misent tout sur leur campagne contre... Donald Trump
C’est la semaine de retraite pour deux des trois principaux partis politiques du Canada. Le cabinet libéral est retranché à Montréal et parle de logement, du coût de la vie et de Donald Trump. Le caucus du NPD s’est réuni à Edmonton pour élaborer une stratégie sur la manière d’intégrer ses propres priorités dans...
Liberals put all their bets on campaigning against ... Donald Trump
It’s retreat week for two of Canada’s top three political parties. The Liberal cabinet is hunkered down in Montreal, talking housing, cost of living, and Donald Trump. The NDP caucus is assembled in Edmonton, strategizing on how to squeeze their priorities into the Liberals’ upcoming spring budget. And the Conservatives? They’re just sitting pretty...
Si Trudeau se souciait vraiment de la CIJ, il se joindrait au tribunal d'Israël
Alors que le cas de l’Afrique du Sud accusant Israël d’avoir commis un génocide à Gaza est porté devant la Cour internationale de Justice (CIJ), de nombreux pays se sont joints à la mêlée. L’Arabie saoudite, l’Iran, le Pakistan et le Maroc ont exprimé leur soutien aux accusations, tout comme la Malaisie, la Turquie,...
If Trudeau really cared about the ICJ, he'd join Israel's side in court
As South Africa’s case accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza comes before the International Court of Justice, many nations have joined the fray. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, and Morocco have voiced support for the charges, as have Malaysia, Turkey, Jordan, Bolivia, The Maldives, Namibia, Pakistan, Colombia and Brazil. Some nations, like Ireland, say…
Les politiques d’immigration agressives et aveugles des libéraux nuisent à l’économie
Les politiques d’immigration du Canada nuisent à l’économie. C’est la conclusion des meilleurs économistes des grandes banques du Canada, qui ont lancé un sérieux avertissement au gouvernement fédéral. En admettant 455 000 nouveaux résidents permanents et plus de 800 000 résidents non permanents l’année dernière, le Canada est au bord d’une récession, ou pire....
Liberals blind as aggressive immigration damages economy
Canada’s immigration policies are damaging the economy. That’s the finding of Canada’s top bank economists, who issued a dire warning to the federal government. By admitting 455,000 new permanent residents and more than 800,000 non-permanent residents last year, Canada is on the brink of a recession, or worse. “I’ll put it bluntly: We’ve fallen…
Des apparences d’élitisme et des vacances de luxe hantent les libéraux jusqu’en 2024
Installez-vous confortablement, électeurs du Canada: les prochaines élections fédérales n’auront probablement pas lieu avant 2025. C’est dans une éternité en termes politiques, et tout – littéralement tout – peut arriver durant cette période. Si vous aviez dit en janvier 2023 qu’un an plus tard, le Moyen-Orient serait une zone de guerre, que le gouvernement…
Shadows of elitism, luxury vacations haunt Liberals into 2024
Settle in, voters of Canada: the next federal election likely won’t be until 2025. That’s an eon away in political terms, and anything — literally anything — can happen in that time. If you had said in January 2023 that one year later, the Middle East would be a warzone, the federal government would...
Nouvelle année, mêmes problèmes, même leadership incompétent de la part de Justin Trudeau
L’année débute à peine et pourtant, nous avons l’impression d’être coincés en 2023. La Russie reste en guerre contre l’Ukraine. Le Hamas est toujours en guerre contre Israël. La Chine s’immisce dans les élections à Taiwan. L’intelligence artificielle mange nos emplois. Les réseaux sociaux regorgent de commentaires coléreux contre l’inflation, la Palestine, les droits...
New year, same problems, same inept leadership from Justin Trudeau
The year is only a few days old, yet it feels like we’re stuck in 2023. Russia remains at war with Ukraine. Hamas is still at war with Israel. China is meddling in Taiwan’s election. Artificial intelligence is eating our jobs. Social media is filled with rage about inflation, Palestine, trans rights and Donald...
Anti-Israel propaganda is everywhere and the Liberals are benefitting
What happened to Canadian youth’s love-in with the Conservative Party? Last month, Gen Z couldn’t get enough of the Tories: an Abacus poll taken in late November found that 36 per cent of voters aged 18-29 would vote Conservative, compared to 24 per cent who would vote Liberal. This month, the bloom is off the rose: the latest Abacus poll shows Conservative voters bleeding to the Liberals in all age categories, but most noticeably among 18-29 year olds. Today, only 24 per cent of them would vote Conservative, compared to 32 per cent who would vote Liberal, a near total reversal.One poll an election does not make, but the numbers are still concerning for the Opposition. Overall, the Tories are now at 37 per cent of the popular vote, down five per cent, while the Liberals garner 27 per cent, up by four per cent. Momentum matters, and there is fear in Conservative circles that the party could peak too early. Thanks to the NDP propping up the minority Liberal government, the election could still be a year away — and in a year, anything can happen.But why the sudden slide?
Legault wants to kill Quebec's English universities. He must be stopped
Let’s not mince words: Quebec Premier François Legault wants to kill Montreal’s English universities. On Thursday the Quebec government announced that it will hike tuition for mostly English-speaking out-of-province students by 33 per cent and require that 80 per cent of students at McGill and Concordia become proficient in French at a “Level 5”, or the schools will lose funding. For most non-Francophone students, that will require the equivalent of another semester of study — a sure-fire reason not to apply.Applications have already dropped by 20 per cent overall at McGill and by 33 per cent for international students at Concordia since the government floated the idea of doubling tuition in October. At the time, Legault said, “The number of English-speaking students threatens the survival of French.” Not exactly the best way to lay out the welcome mat
Speaker Greg Fergus knew better, he should resign
Some columns you just hate to write. This is one of those columns. But I’m writing it anyway, because if I didn’t, I would be committing the same error as my subject: letting personal bias cloud my judgement on a question of political importance.That is what House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus stands accused of doing, after he recorded a personal tribute to outgoing Ontario Liberal leader John Fraser that was shown at the party’s recent leadership convention. Fergus made the video in his office, in full speaker’s regalia, even though his role demands strict neutrality. He claims the video was to be shown at a private gathering, not to thousands of people, but the transgression was identical: making a partisan statement from a neutral perch.I’ve known Greg Fergus since we were teenagers, on the Montreal high school and college debate circuit, and later as young politicos. Greg was universally described as smart, funny, dedicated, and a really nice guy. Which is why this drama hurts, because good character is rare in politics these days.But politics demands more than good character, it demands good judgment
Another sham inquiry into foreign interference
Is Judge Marie-Josée Hogue the new David Johnston? The Quebec Court of Appeals judge was appointed in early September to head the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, months after “special rapporteur” Johnston had concluded that an inquiry wasn’t necessary.Sadly, Hogue now seems determined to follow in Johnston’s tarnished footsteps, using accusations of partisanship to deny standing in the first phase of the inquiry to both the Conservative party and the NDP, preventing them from questioning witnesses or seeing all the evidence presented.How did Hogue justify this limited engagement?