Why have Liberals and Conservatives lost candidates 10 days into the campaign?
Liberal candidate Paul Chiang withdrew from the race after suggesting people claim a bounty on a Conservative candidate from the Chinese government. Conservative candidates Mark McKenzie and Stefan Marquis are dropped by the party for past comments and social media posts. The Power Panel discusses how party leaders are dealing with problematic candidates.
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Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Doug Ford won't be the only one feeling the heat this summer
Ontario's long, hot summer of 2025 just got hotter. And longer. Not just for Doug Ford. The premier's political rivals will also be facing the heat, each in their own way. MPPs headed home this week with a surprise: Ford's Tories told them to stay away until Oct. 20. That's a sweet summer break lasting nearly 20 weeks for provincial politicians who sat in their legislative seats for only six weeks this year. Another seven weeks of work awaits them upon their return, after which they're back home for the Christmas break. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Total time at work in the legislature: 13 weeks out of 52 for the whole year. The ready excuse? Ford's Tories argue they've produced so much 'ambitious' legislation to date that they need more time to recharge. The real explanation? The premier has provoked so much antagonism to his controversial plan for 'special economic zones' — a new law to dilute old laws — that he's better off lying low. Ford's mishandling of the issue sparked warnings from Indigenous leaders that protests will flare over the summer. Away from the daily question period in the legislature, Ford can talk about standing up to Donald Trump instead of taking questions about trampling on rights of First Nations. All that said, if tensions rise, it could complicate Ford's plans to host his fellow premiers in Muskoka at their annual summit meeting in mid-July. Instead of the usual banter, there could be blockades pitting protesters against politicians — and cottagers. Ford won't be the only one on the firing line. Any highway blockades would also put Ontario's opposition leaders on the spot, forcing them to pick a lane — or, more precisely, restate their stance when the stakes are high. New Democratic Party Leader Marit Stiles and Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, choosing their words carefully, have said they won't side with civil disobedience on the highways. Not when motorists are fuming under the baking sun. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW As Ontario's populist premier has noted, blockades rarely win public support. Either way, Ford will spend much of the summer watching his rivals face the heat while he cools off at his cottage. With or without the drumbeat of First Nations protests, both Stiles and Crombie will be facing the music in leadership reviews mandated by their parties after every election. New Democrats will meet on Sept. 20 in Niagara Falls — Canada's honeymoon capital — to vote on the post-honeymoon future of Stiles after the Feb. 27 loss to Ford. Despite losing seats and stature in the election — her party stumbled and tumbled in the popular vote — Stiles seems sure to prevail. Most activists understand their party was predestined to decline in an election called early by Ford to capitalize on anti-American animus. Provincially as federally, New Democrats suffered from a political squeeze play as polarized voters opted for a binary choice between Tories and Liberals to cope with economic uncertainty. In the aftermath, the NDP fell from a competitive 23.7 per cent of the popular vote in the 2022 election to a dismal 18.6 per cent this time. The only saving grace was the final seat count. While New Democrats dropped to 27 seats from 31, the Liberals came third with only 14 seats — despite winning a far higher 30 per cent of the popular vote (up from 23.9 per cent in 2022). For Crombie, the failure to win her own riding — or any seats — in her home base of Mississauga, where she once served as mayor, proved an embarrassment. In truth, Stiles was dragged down by the declining fortunes of the federal NDP under former leader Jagmeet Singh. So too, Crombie was lifted up by the remarkable popularity of Carney's federal Liberals. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW While federal-provincial crossover is a constant in Ontario politics, Crombie's Mississauga shutout leaves her with a lot of explaining to do. Now, she too faces a party leadership review in September — and a long, hot summer of reaching out to provincial Liberals who are wondering who does what next. Yet her future depends less on past performance than on future prospects. The problem for both Stiles and Crombie is that if another election were held now, Ford would do even better. A key difference is that Crombie's Liberals are positioned to fare better than the New Democrats under Stiles. The latest Leger poll shows Ford's Tories preferred by 45 per cent of respondents (up from 43 per cent in the February vote). That compares to 32 per cent for the Liberals (up from 30 per cent), versus 15 per cent for the NDP (down from 18.6 per cent in the election). You can do the math. Crombie's Liberals are more than twice as popular as the New Democrats, and Ford's Tories are precisely three times more popular. Which explains why Ford will be sitting pretty this summer while Stiles and Crombie will be stuck in their respective hot seats, looking over their shoulders. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? 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Calgary Herald
6 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
'They're worried': Liberal MP plans to raise concerns about Modi visit to Carney
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP says he intends to raise concerns to Prime Minister Mark Carney about the decision to invite India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada as part of a meeting of G7 leaders later this month. Article content Sukh Dhaliwal represents the Surrey, B.C., riding that was home to Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom Canada said in 2023 was killed by agents acting on behalf of the Indian government. Nijjar was gunned down outside a temple in June 2023. Article content Article content Article content India has denied the accusation but had considered Nijjar to be a terrorist. Nijjar was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which has pushed to establish a separate Sikh state in India's Punjab province. Article content Article content The accusation from former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 sparked a wave of tension in the Canada-India relationship, including last fall when the RCMP said it believed Modi's government was linked to violence unfolding in Canada, including organized crime and murders. Article content 'They're worried. They're worried about their safety, they're concerned about the justice in Mr. Nijjar's case, as well,' he told National Post in an interview late Friday. Article content Article content Dhaliwal said he has heard from other Liberal MPs also expressing concern, but said he would not divulge details to protect their privacy. Article content Article content He said he intends to raise the concerns he has been hearing from constituents with Carney or members of his team, and will be in Ottawa next week for the ongoing sitting of Parliament. Article content 'He's willing to talk,' Dhaliwal said of the prime minister. Article content 'He's willing to listen to his MPs, that's what he has promised because he has always said that he's interested in the voice from the grassroots, not the message coming from the top to the grassroots.' Article content 'I will certainly raise this with him or his team.' Article content A statement from Carney's office in response to questions from National Post didn't directly address Dhaliwal's concerns, but said 'Canada's sovereignty and national security is paramount.'
Vancouver Sun
6 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
'They're worried': Liberal MP plans to raise concerns about Modi visit to Carney
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP says he intends to raise concerns to Prime Minister Mark Carney about the decision to invite India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada as part of a meeting of G7 leaders later this month. Sukh Dhaliwal represents the Surrey, B.C., riding that was home to Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom Canada said in 2023 was killed by agents acting on behalf of the Indian government. Nijjar was gunned down outside a temple in June 2023. India has denied the accusation but had considered Nijjar to be a terrorist. Nijjar was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which has pushed to establish a separate Sikh state in India's Punjab province. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The accusation from former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 sparked a wave of tension in the Canada-India relationship, including last fall when the RCMP said it believed Modi's government was linked to violence unfolding in Canada, including organized crime and murders. A breakthrough appeared on Friday when Modi confirmed he would be attending the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, at Carney's invitation. Since then, Dhaliwal says he has received dozens of calls and more than 100 emails from constituents expressing concern. 'They're worried. They're worried about their safety, they're concerned about the justice in Mr. Nijjar's case, as well,' he told National Post in an interview late Friday. Dhaliwal said he has heard from other Liberal MPs also expressing concern, but said he would not divulge details to protect their privacy. He said he intends to raise the concerns he has been hearing from constituents with Carney or members of his team, and will be in Ottawa next week for the ongoing sitting of Parliament. 'He's willing to talk,' Dhaliwal said of the prime minister. 'He's willing to listen to his MPs, that's what he has promised because he has always said that he's interested in the voice from the grassroots, not the message coming from the top to the grassroots.' 'I will certainly raise this with him or his team.' A statement from Carney's office in response to questions from National Post didn't directly address Dhaliwal's concerns, but said 'Canada's sovereignty and national security is paramount.' 'As Prime Minister of the fifth largest economy and the world's most populous country, Prime Minister Modi was invited to participate in these critical discussions,' the statement reads. The prime minister also defended his decision to invite Modi to the G7 at a Friday press conference earlier in the day. He said it was a matter he discussed with other G7 countries and, given that the group plans to discuss issues ranging from energy security to critical minerals and infrastructure, 'there are certain countries that should be at the table for those discussions.' Carney said India is central to a number of supply chains and has the fifth largest economy in the world and the largest population. 'So it makes sense.' Modi said in a statement on social media that 'I ndia and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests.' Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre backed the decision for Modi to attend, saying Canada needs to work with India on security and trade. Meanwhile, the World Sikh Organization, which advocates for Sikh Canadians, denounced the decision, with its legal counsel, Balpreet Singh, saying it amounts to a 'betrayal.' Carney declined to say on Friday whether he believed Modi was involved in Nijjar's assassination, saying it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the matter given the fact that legal proceedings were underway. Four Indian nationals have been charged in his death. Dhaliwal said he does not support the decision to have Modi in Canada, but said he should offer a 'commitment that his government or his agents of India, will never, ever intervene into the lives of Canadians.' India's prime minister should also agree to 'full cooperation' in the investigation into Niijar's death. Last fall, Canada and India expelled each other's diplomats after it cited RCMP evidence linking Indian government agents to crimes in Canada. Canada had requested that India waive diplomatic immunity to allow police to investigate, which the federal government said did not happen. Carney said on Friday that he and Modi in their discussion agreed to 'law enforcement to law enforcement dialogue. He also noted that 'some progress' had been made on issues of 'accountability.' Dhaliwal said the RCMP has been clear in its concerns about the links between the Indian government and violent crimes taking place in Canada. He also pointed to Justice Marie-Josée Hogue's report into foreign interference that named India as one of the top countries attempting to meddle in Canada's democratic process. The invitation to Modi touches on issues of the rule of law and fundamental rights, he added. 'We cannot sacrifice those values.' National Post staylor@ Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what's really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here . Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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