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Finding a million more Conservative votes: 'It's about figuring out a way to speak to women'

Finding a million more Conservative votes: 'It's about figuring out a way to speak to women'

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Ben Woodfinden, the 31-year-old former director of communications for Pierre Poilievre, understands the challenges faced by younger Canadians. Ten years of a Liberal-led, no-growth government, Ben laments, 'means they live in a country that doesn't work for them anymore.' They want change.
And there's a flip side, he cynically suggests: Some Canadians are content with the status quo, because it benefits them. They bought houses decades ago that are worth 20 times what they paid for them. It's in their interest, he argues, to encourage unsustainable levels of immigrants to support existing social programs and to constrain investment in the infrastructure needed to re-energize the Canadian economy.

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EDITORIAL: Meeting NATO's 2% target the right move
EDITORIAL: Meeting NATO's 2% target the right move

Toronto Sun

time23 minutes ago

  • Toronto Sun

EDITORIAL: Meeting NATO's 2% target the right move

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney walks as he greets Canadian troops of the 4th Canadian Division as he attends a tour of the Fort York Armoury in Toronto on June 9, 2025 in Toronto. Carney has pledged to meet NATO's 2% spending pledge this year. Photo by Cole Burston / GETTY IMAGES Provided it is done competently, we agree with Prime Minister Mark Carney's announcement Monday that Canada, at long last, will meet its NATO commitment to increase military spending to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in this fiscal year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account That's five years ahead of Carney's previous promise to meet the 2% target by 2030. We're so far behind — Canada currently spends 1.4% of GDP on defence annually — that NATO is already considering a new target for member nations to spend 5% of GDP on defence. Canada's failure to meet the 2% target, set by NATO in 2006, has been a long-standing national embarrassment. It has eaten away at our credibility and our effectiveness on issues of global security and international conflicts. It has justifiably upset many of our NATO allies for not pulling our own weight and, most recently, angered U.S. President Donald Trump who, on this issue, has a valid point. At the end of the Second World War, Canada had the world's fourth-largest navy after the U.S., U.K and former Soviet Union. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. At the end of the Korean War, Canada was spending 7% of GDP on defence. Today, we have members of our military relying on food donations to make ends meet while being sent into armed conflicts — where they continue to serve honourably — with aging and obsolete equipment. This is a national disgrace. Canada's submarines, ships, aircraft, military vehicles and artillery are all in desperate need of upgrading, as is our military presence in the Arctic, given the growing interest in its mineral resources by hostile countries such as Russia and China. No country can claim to be a sovereign nation unless it has the ability to monitor and, where necessary, counter incursions into its territory. Our concern is with Carney's pledge to 'ensure that every dollar is invested wisely, including by prioritizing made-in-Canada manufacturing and supply chains.' Read More That's not because of the intent — we agree with it — but because there are so many examples of military spending that have turned into fiascoes and boondoggles by previous governments. We're also concerned that Carney is making this major announcement on defence spending in advance of this year's federal budget and how the increased spending on defence will impact the government's overall finances. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Olympics Columnists Celebrity Olympics Canada

Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi
Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi

Calgary Herald

time43 minutes ago

  • Calgary Herald

Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi

OTTAWA — A group of Canadian Sikh organizations is calling on members of Parliament to denounce Prime Minister Mark Carney's invitation to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to next week's G7 leaders' meeting. Article content The open letter comes after Carney defended the invitation to Modi last Friday, saying it was important to have India at the table, given that it represents the world's fifth-largest economy, is essential to supply chains, and now boasts the world's largest population. Article content Article content Article content 'Carney's decision is not merely a diplomatic miscalculation,' reads the letter, released Monday. Article content Article content 'It is a direct insult to the Sikh community and a grave threat to the integrity of Canada's institutions.' Article content Signatories included the World Sikh Organization, the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council and Sikh Federation, as well as the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and the Quebec Sikh Council. Article content The statements follows comments on Friday by Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who represents the Surrey, B.C., riding where Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside of a temple in June 2023, that he was concerned by the invitation extended to Modi and planned to raise it with Carney this week. Dhaliwal said he had received dozens of calls and more than 100 emails from constituents expressing concern about Modi's attendance at the summit. Article content Article content The groups cite the statement made by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 that Canada had 'credible allegations' that India's government was involved in the death of Nijjar. Article content That accusation sent shockwaves through Canada and resulted in a souring of relations with India, which denied the allegations. Article content India had regarded Nijjar as a terrorist. He was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which pushes for a separate Sikh state to be created in India's Punjab province. Article content Four Indian nationals have been charged in his death. Article content Last fall, further tension was inserted into the Canada-India relationship when the RCMP went public with a statement that it believed India's government to be involved in violence unfolding in Canada, from murder to criminal gangs.

Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi
Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi

Vancouver Sun

timean hour ago

  • Vancouver Sun

Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi

OTTAWA — A group of Canadian Sikh organizations is calling on members of Parliament to denounce Prime Minister Mark Carney's invitation to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to next week's G7 leaders' meeting. The open letter comes after Carney defended the invitation to Modi last Friday, saying it was important to have India at the table, given that it represents the world's fifth-largest economy, is essential to supply chains, and now boasts the world's largest population. 'Carney's decision is not merely a diplomatic miscalculation,' reads the letter, released Monday. 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. 'It is a direct insult to the Sikh community and a grave threat to the integrity of Canada's institutions.' Signatories included the World Sikh Organization, the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council and Sikh Federation, as well as the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and the Quebec Sikh Council. The statements follows comments on Friday by Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who represents the Surrey, B.C., riding where Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside of a temple in June 2023, that he was concerned by the invitation extended to Modi and planned to raise it with Carney this week. Dhaliwal said he had received dozens of calls and more than 100 emails from constituents expressing concern about Modi's attendance at the summit. The groups cite the statement made by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 that Canada had 'credible allegations' that India's government was involved in the death of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom police say was gunned down outside of a temple in June of that year. That accusation sent shockwaves through Canada and resulted in a souring of relations with India, which denied the allegations. India had regarded Nijjar as a terrorist. He was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which pushes for a separate Sikh state to be created in India's Punjab province. Four Indian nationals have been charged in his death. Last fall, further tension was inserted into the Canada-India relationship when the RCMP went public with a statement that it believed India's government to be involved in violence unfolding in Canada, from murder to criminal gangs. Carney said last Friday that when he and Modi spoke, they agreed to 'l aw enforcement to law enforcement dialogue. He also noted that 'some progress' had been made on 'accountability' issues. Carney declined to comment on the question of whether he believed Modi was involved in Nijjar's death, saying it would be inappropriate of him to comment given the ongoing legal case. In their open letter, the Sikh groups call on MPs to speak out about the invitation to Modi and to 'r eaffirm commitment to holding Indian officials accountable for interference and violence in Canada.' More coming … Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .

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