Conservative activists set impossible standards for politicians and abandon them when they're not met
For more than three decades, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been one of the leading political figures in Canada’s conservative movement. The 53-year-old headed the Canadian Taxpayers Federation in the 1990s and has been a strong advocate for low taxes, limited government and fiscal responsibility ever since. He served as a Reform Party, Canadian Alliance…
He wants to broaden the party’s base – not narrow it
The Conservative Party of Canada has formally approved six candidates for its Sept. 10 leadership vote: Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis and Pierre Poilievre. The clear frontrunner is Poilievre – by a country mile in most polls. The 42-year-old longtime member of Parliament and former cabinet minister has captured the…
Conventional wisdom holds he may win the leadership but not a general election
Pierre Poilievre is making waves. Virtually all of the buzz in the federal Conservative leadership race revolves around him. He’s pulling in crowds, generating headlines and tossing out ideas that intrigue some and unnerve others. Excitement isn’t a word normally associated with Canadian conservatism. But, for better or worse, Poilievre stirs it up. And some…
On the occasion of his 2012 departure from Quebec provincial politics, I wrote a column asking: Is it au revoir Jean Charest? Although Charest was relatively young (54) and had spent most of his adult life in politics, it was hard to see a future for him. Now he’s back. And he’s running for the…
The Conservative leadership hopeful is attempting to rewrite history
Jean Charest joined the federal Conservative leadership race on Mar. 10. His campaign team immediately began to tout his experience as a former Progressive Conservative leader and cabinet minister, and former Quebec Liberal premier. That’s a predictable strategy. What’s also predictable is that Charest and his team initiated the long, arduous process of attempting to…
Under Trudeau, the federal government isn’t expected to balance the books until 2070
Balanced budgets mean less government debt for Canadian kids and grandkids to pay back, less money wasted on interest charges and fewer tax hikes. At best, the last Conservative Party leader paid lip service to balancing the budget. The next Conservative leader needs to make balancing the budget and bringing Canada back to financial sanity…
Time to condemn the actions of neo-fascist protesters
The trucker convoy to Ottawa has placed Canada under the international spotlight. I wonder what the world is thinking. We hear people shouting “freedom,” but I sincerely question whether they know the meaning of the word. I’ve talked to friends and family who’ve lived in countries where people aren’t free, and we’re scratching our heads.…
Here’s a free tip for all Conservative Party leadership candidates: don’t break your promise to fight carbon taxes. Former Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole lied to taxpayers about the carbon tax. And he paid the price. The next leader of the Official Opposition needs to hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accountable for rising tax bills.…
The iffy position of the Conservatives was one of my takeaways from last year’s federal election. Not only had they lost ground electorally, but there was also “an ominous speck on the horizon.” Specifically, the first signs of base alienation were evident. With a five per cent vote share – twice that of the Greens…
Conservatives must ensure that core values remain permanent components of their ideology
Erin O’Toole was elected Conservative Party leader on Aug. 24, 2020. Less than 18 months later, it’s over. After a disappointing showing in last September’s federal election, the relationship between O’Toole and his Conservative caucus had become strained. Some wanted him to resign immediately. Others, like Sen. Denise Batters, preferred to hold a referendum on…
For more than three decades, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been one of the leading political figures in Canada’s conservative movement. The 53-year-old headed the Canadian Taxpayers Federation in the 1990s and has been a strong advocate for low taxes, limited government and fiscal responsibility ever since. He served as a Reform Party, Canadian Alliance…
