Finding a million more Conservative votes: 'It's about figuring out a way to speak to women'
Article content
Talk of the new kind of conservative coalition that's emerging animates Ben; his faint British accent (he moved to Canada as a teenager) becomes noticeably more pronounced as his enthusiasm builds.
Article content
'What group do you suggest could be added to this coalition?' I ask. 'Female voters' is Ben's unequivocal answer. 'We did very well with younger men,' he explains, 'and I think there are a lot of women, younger women … who face the same problems as young men … making it harder for them to achieve the things they want to achieve in life.'
Article content
Article content
While I agree wholeheartedly with Ben's aspiration to engage women, it's no secret the Conservative messaging didn't land well with female voters in the federal campaign. We both wince recalling the backlash to Poilievre's observations about biological clocks early in the campaign.
Article content
'So I think it's going to be about figuring out a way to speak to women … on issues that affect them,' Ben reflects, in ways that don't alienate other people. But, he admits, it's a challenge to thread that needle.
Article content
There are many divides bubbling up in Canada's political landscape — generational, regional, rural versus urban, education levels. And now gender. 'The parties of the right are increasingly male-dominated,' Ben notes, and the 'parties of the left are increasingly female-dominated.' It's an unhealthy social divide, he adds, 'a trend that's happening independent of any specific leader or any specific party, and I think that's part of why we didn't do as well with younger female voters.'
Article content
These trends, Ben explains, are happening all over the Western world, all over advanced democracies. 'So you can accelerate them and you can minimize them, but you can't necessarily avoid them.'
Article content
In an effort to turn the conversation in a more positive direction, I ask Ben about Poilievre's decision to run for election in Alberta. 'There's a touch of destiny about this,' Ben answers thoughtfully, 'I think he's going to be an important voice in the next few years, simultaneously speaking to those (western) frustrations and what needs to change, but also articulating a slightly different but more expansive vision, a more inclusive vision, of what it means to be Canadian.
Article content
'I think the centre of political gravity is slowing shifting west in Canada,' Ben continues, 'just following population trends and demographics.' And our vision of what it means to be Canadian needs to be updated, which he acknowledges is a big project and 'not something you can impose from the top down.'
Article content
The ubiquitous symbol of Canada is the maple leaf, Ben explains, 'but you don't get maple trees west of Manitoba.' (He means sugar maples, as seen on the flag.) There are shared values across the country — he's lived in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary, since immigrating to Canada — but, he observes, 'it's very much an eastern-centric Laurentian vision of what this country means, and I still think the future of Canada is very much out west … If people move within Canada, people go east to west, not west to east.'
Article content
Article content
The resurgent wave of patriotism, triggered by Donald Trump's threats, is an opportunity to create a slightly different vision of what it means to be Canadian, Ben suggests, one that speaks to a Canada of 2025 and not a Canada of 1991.
Article content
The last election was about change, Ben concludes, and that desire for change is not going to go anywhere. 'Some people think it will just bubble down, and I think it will just bubble up even more.'
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
Justice department cutting up to 264 jobs as it faces ‘budgetary pressures'
The Canadian flag flies on the Peace Tower of Parliament Hill as pedestrians make their way along Sparks Street Mall in Ottawa on Nov. 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA — The federal department of justice is set to lay off up to 264 employees as it navigates what it calls 'significant budgetary pressures.' Ian McLeod, a spokesperson for the department, says in an email that the department is taking 'difficult but necessary' steps to manage available resources, given ongoing budget pressures that 'can no longer be sustained.' He says 264 positions in the department 'may no longer be required' and that the employees in those roles were notified this week. McLeod says the department has implemented 'several measures' aimed at addressing budgetary pressures over the past year, including staffing restrictions. The number of federal public service jobs dropped by almost 10,000 in the last year, marking the first decrease since 2015. As of March 31, 357,965 people were working for the Government of Canada, down from 367,772 in 2024. Between 2024 and 2025, the justice department lost 29 workers, going from 5,637 to 5,608 employees. Hundreds of workers in other federal organizations — like the Canada Revenue Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — also have been laid off recently. Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed to cap, not cut, the federal public service. He also has promised to launch a 'comprehensive' review of government spending with the aim of increasing its productivity. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2026. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Winnipeg council approves sweeping housing zoning reforms
Winnipeg city council approved a package of sweeping housing zoning reforms overnight after days of debate. Council members proposed dozens of amendments in a hearing that went late into the night Thursday, but the reforms council approved did not change substantially from what city staff had recommended. Property owners can now build up to four units on all housing lots in the city, and buildings up to four storeys can be constructed within 800 metres of frequent transit, without the need for a public hearing, as long as they meet certain design standards. Critics of the changes say they take away the right of people to have a say on developments in their neighbourhoods. But Mayor Scott Gillingham said the city needed to make these changes to qualify for $450 million in federal housing funding from a number of different programs, including the housing accelerator fund. The mayor and other supporters say the new rules will lead to more homes being built faster, which will lower the cost of housing. In a news release, Gillingham said the changes will allow for a greater variety of housing in more neighbourhoods, making it easier for young workers, families and older adults to find a place to live. The city began the process of making these reforms in November 2023, when it agreed to implement zoning changes in exchange for receiving $122.4 million from the federal housing accelerator fund, which is intended to speed up housing construction. Other programs, like the Canada housing infrastructure fund and the Canada public transit fund, also made the money conditional on municipal governments making it easier to build housing.
Cision Canada
an hour ago
- Cision Canada
Government of Canada introduces legislation to build One Canadian Economy
OTTAWA, ON, June 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, introduced new legislation to build a stronger, more competitive, and more resilient Canadian economy. One Canadian Economy: An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, will remove federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility, and advance nation-building projects crucial for driving Canadian productivity growth, energy security, and economic competitiveness. Advancing Major Projects The proposed legislation will accelerate the realization of major, nation-building projects that will help Canada become the strongest economy in the G7, deepen our trade relationships with reliable partners, and create good Canadian jobs. The federal government will determine whether a major project is in the national interest based on consultations with provinces, territories and Indigenous Peoples. Projects will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria: Strengthen Canada's autonomy, resilience and security; Provide economic or other benefits to Canada; Have a high likelihood of successful execution; Advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples; and Contribute to clean growth and to Canada's objectives with respect to climate change. Projects will only be designated following full consultation with affected Indigenous Peoples. When a project is designated, it is conditionally approved upfront. The project will go through existing review processes, with a focus on "how" the project will be built as opposed to "whether" it can be. The federal major projects office will coordinate and expedite these reviews. The results, along with consultation with Indigenous Peoples, will inform a single set of binding federal conditions for the project. These conditions would include mitigation and accommodation measures to protect the environment and to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The federal major projects office will include an Indigenous Advisory Council with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis representatives. The federal government will also allocate capacity funding to strengthen Indigenous Peoples' participation in this process. This legislation aligns with the Government of Canada's commitment to a 'one project, one review' approach, which means realizing a single assessment for projects and better coordination of permitting processes with the provinces and territories. The ultimate objective is to reduce decision timelines on major projects from five years down to two years. Canada will uphold its constitutional obligations to consult Indigenous groups to ensure projects proceed in ways that respect and protect Indigenous rights. We are committed to working in a way that respects our commitments to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the principles of reconciliation, including economic reconciliation. Removing Internal Trade and Labour Mobility Barriers This new legislation builds one economy out of thirteen. It removes federal barriers to free trade within our borders while protecting workers, the environment and the health and safety of all Canadians. In cases where there is a federal barrier, the legislation will allow a good or service that meets comparable provincial or territorial rules to be considered to have met federal requirements for internal trade. For Canadian businesses, this will make it easier to buy, sell and transport goods and services across the country. On labour mobility, the new legislation will provide a framework to recognize provincial and territorial licenses and certifications for workers. This means that a worker authorized in provincial or territorial jurisdiction can more quickly and easily work in the same occupation in federal jurisdiction. This new legislation will make it easier to do business across Canada by removing regulatory duplication and cutting federal red tape. It will also reduce costs or delays for Canadian businesses who follow comparable provincial and territorial rules. Quotes "Canada's new government is building one Canadian economy. Today's legislation will remove federal barriers to internal trade, unleash Canada's economic potential, and get major, nation-building projects built faster across the country. It's time to build big, build bold, and build now." —The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada "Our country thrives when we unite around a common purpose. In response to the evolving global trade landscape, the Government of Canada is taking decisive action to strengthen Canada's economy for generations to come. Through this legislation, we are giving ourselves the means to lift obstacles to economic growth and productivity, realize nation-building projects, create jobs and allow businesses to expand. Together with provinces and territories and Indigenous communities, we will make Canada the strongest economy in the G7." —The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy "Trade within Canada is an essential driver of the Canadian economy, creating jobs, helping businesses expand, and enhancing consumer choice. Every year, more than $530 billion worth of goods and services move across provincial and territorial borders. This is equal to almost 20% of Canada's gross domestic product. That is with internal barriers holding us back. Imagine what we could achieve if people and goods flowed freely across borders in a truly unified Canadian market." —The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade "This new legislation is about building a stronger, more connected Canada—by making it easier to trade, faster to build big projects, and better at creating good opportunities for people, businesses, and Indigenous communities from coast to coast to coast. Energy and natural resources are Canada's power, and we will deliver projects that leverage these assets in order to strengthen our security, sovereignty, and economy." Associated Links Internal Trade Clean Growth Office First Ministers' statement on building a strong Canadian economy and advancing major projects Prime Minister Carney meets with premiers and shares his plan to build one strong Canadian economy Stay Connected SOURCE President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy Contact : For more information (media only), please contact: Gabriel Brunet, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, 819-665-6527, [email protected]; Laura Scaffidi, Office of the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, 613-993-0055, [email protected]; Carolyn Svonkin, Office of the Honourable Tim Hodgson, 343-597-1725, [email protected]; Media Relations, Privy Council Office, 613-957-5420, [email protected]
