TweetTwenty-one years ago, in a federal election that reshaped the Canadian political landscape, the Liberals swept Edmonton, electing Members of Parliament in four of the city’s six federal ridings. That year was a high-water mark for the federal party, which last elected an MP in Edmonton in 2004 and has not come close
Continue readingTag: Toronto Centre
Chris Tindal: Some quick thoughts on Toronto Centre by-election results
Overall, Wells’s first rule — that “for any given situation, Canadian politics will tend toward the least exciting possible outcome” — held up. This is the result you might have predicted, and that most of us did predict. Folks in Toronto Centre are used to voting Liberal, and changing habits
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Wheat Kings
Trudeau was so confident in the wake of the Forum poll, that he started waving “Vote PC” signs on the campaign trail. On the surface, nothing really happened last night. The Liberals held two safe seats and the Conservatives held two safe seats. Yes, they were counting ballots until late
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: By-elections give Liberals more hope – and a lot more hard work
Hope and Hard Work has become the oft-repeated Liberal mantra under Justin Trudeau. And it can also be used to describe where the Liberals find themselves after Monday’s by-elections: with a little more hope, and a lot more hard work ahead of them. The hope: with significant gains in vote
Continue readingAlberta Diary: He haunts us still: ‘Welcome to the 1980s’
Welcome to the 1980s, everybody. Above, Pierre Trudeau, saying just that. Below: Justin Trudeau, embracing victorious Liberal candidate Emmanuel Douburg last night in Montreal’s Bourassa riding. (Montreal Gazette photo.) “Well, welcome to the 1980s!” He haunts us still. I don’t know about you, but I could almost hear Pierre Trudeau’s
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Paul Wells and Dan Lett offer roundups of today’s federal by-elections, while Chantal Hebert offers some advice to the candidates (whether or not they’re elected to Parliament today). And Murray Dobbin explains why there’s only one true progressive choice in Toronto Centre in
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Forum Polling Updated (in 2 ridings) for the byelections on Monday
Consider this a continuation of last blogpost, where I said I’d update the post if Forum came out with 1 last quickie update. I figured it just was better to post the new numbers here: In brief: Toronto-Centre and Brandon were re-polled today. Bourassa and Provencher were not – their
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Another Test For Forum Research & Its Polling Methods (in byelections anyhow)
For a minute, let’s forget what partisan side of the fence we’re all on, and turn into poll analysts. Forum Research is the only pollster doing any poll tracking of the four byelections, which are to commence tomorrow. Forum’s probably last poll of the cycle before Monday lists the following
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Byelection observations: Keep an eye on Brandon later today.
I say that because PM Harper is in Winnipeg this (last) evening at the Jets game. It will be extremely interesting to see whether he pops in to Brandon-Souris tomorrow to personally campaign or not for the local Conservative candidate. The fact a personalized brochure was mailed out from the
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: "Stephen Harper’s climate-change record can’t be ignored anymore" – because it’s putting Canadian jobs and our economy at risk
Worthwhile article from Chantal Hebert here. She’s not the first to link Harper’s gutting of environmental regulations, skeptical attitude towards climate change and attacks on the environmental movement to other countries (particularly our major trading partner south of the border) reluctance to embrace Canada’s natural resources, but in just two
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Sean McElwee discusses the crucial distinction between wealth and merit – while recognizing which actually serves to improve the condition of those around a particular individual: Because the wealthy are no longer willing to use their wealth for good, they have decided to
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
Assorted content for your Sunday reading. – Chris Dillow discusses how a shredded social safety net may turn into a vicious cycle – as voters are more prepared to cast ballots based on resentment when their own livelihood is less secure: Marko Pitesa and Stefan Thau first manipulated subjects’ perceptions
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Why not a McQuaig vs. Mulcair debate on natural resource development?
As I predicted back in September, the Mulcair NDP has wasted no time in demonstrating that the “Love is better than anger” NDP is long gone, as Mulcair candidates in the by-elections (particularly Toronto Centre) have spared no opportunity in launching angry attacks on the third-party Liberals. Mulcair’s candidate in
Continue readingDriving The Porcelain Bus: Toronto Centre By-election: Could Be A Tight Race With Support For Linda McQuaig, NDP, Rising
In the latest poll, Liberal candidate Crystia Freeland leads with 46% support, and the NDP candidate Linda McQuaig is second with 35% support.Looking at only those numbers, it seems like the election is a sure thing for the Liberals. However, when we l…
Continue readingDriving The Porcelain Bus: Toronto Centre By-election: Could Be A Tight Race With Support For Linda McQuaig, NDP, Rising
In the latest poll, Liberal candidate Crystia Freeland leads with 46% support, and the NDP candidate Linda McQuaig is second with 35% support. Looking at only those numbers, it seems like the election is a sure thing for the Liberals. However, when we look at the way the numbers are
Continue readingDriving The Porcelain Bus: Toronto Centre By-election: Could Be A Tight Race With Support For Linda McQuaig, NDP, Rising
In the latest poll, Liberal candidate Crystia Freeland leads with 46% support, and the NDP candidate Linda McQuaig is second with 35% support. Looking at only those numbers, it seems like the election is a sure thing for the Liberals. However, when we look at the way the numbers are
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – John Ivison makes the case for more discussion of government spending rather than corruption and scandal. But it’s PressProgress leading the way in actually reporting on that front – featuring revelations that multiple resource-related ministers’ office have received massive spending boosts, while program
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Some NDP hypocrisy on oil pipelines
I want to remark on an online/social media phenomenon I’ve seen, (mostly on Twitter) the past couple of days, where NDP activists, particularly ones who are active in the Toronto Centre by-election, are going after Justin Trudeau on his spoken support at a US conference (attended by ex-Australian PM Julia
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: What would Jack Layton say about Linda McQuaig’s push for a two-person debate?
Four federal by-elections have been called for Nov. 25th, including in Toronto Centre. While a new poll shows the Liberals comfortably ahead, I think it’s going to be a real battle. And so does NDP candidate Linda McQuaig, judging by the gambit she launched this weekend. McQuaig is challenging Liberal
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Nadir Khan interviews Linda McQuaig about her choice to run for the NDP in Toronto Centre – and confirms that McQuaig’s commitment to progressive politics fits neatly with her participation in a caucus: NK : You mention that you’ve been outspoken and taken
Continue reading