Newsroom Ready: NDP request for official party status denied
Liberal House leader Steven Mackinnon says the Parliament of Canada Act requires a party to have 12 seats to be granted official party status and that requirement won't be waived for the NDP, which only won seven seats in the last election. Interim NDP Leader Don Davies says even with only seven seats the party holds the balance of power in the minority Parliament and should have the tools it needs to fulfil that function.(May 26, 2025)
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Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
EDITORIAL: The quiet dignity of stable government
As Canada basks in the afterglow of a flying Royal visit, now's a good time to assess the merits of the constitutional monarchy. The colourful pomp and ceremony that accompanied the opening of Parliament and the speech from the throne underscored that, as Canadians, we change governments with quiet dignity. The ancient rituals, though, remind us of the sometimes difficult path which has led us to a stable and democratic country. Even before King Charles III delivered the throne speech, the newly elected Speaker of the House of Commons was dragged to his chair. This symbolizes a time when the Speaker reported to the King — and was occasionally executed for delivering bad news. Journalists always sit behind the Speaker so he can't influence their reporting. The doors to the House of Commons are slammed before the Usher of the Black Rod can lead MPs to the Senate for the King's speech. Parliamentary theatre, sure. But an important reminder that our rights and privileges aren't a given. Sometimes you have to fight for them. The visit by Charles and Queen Camilla made news around the world. It served to emphasize this country's strong connections to the U.K. and other nations of the Commonwealth, an organization of two billion people worldwide, of which we are a senior member. Importantly, it sent a message to our neighbours to the south that we don't bow to threats. President Donald Trump's petulant response was to post that we can have access to his 'Golden Dome' for $61 billion — or for free as a U.S. state. Thanks, but no. In an 1865 speech to Parliament, Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, outlined the need for a strong Canada. Of the U.S., he said, '… the president, during his term of office, is in great measure a despot, a one-man power, with the command of the naval and military forces, with a large amount of patronage … and with veto power … perfectly uncontrolled by responsible advisers.' Canada, meanwhile, has the stability of a constitutional monarchy, where the king is head of state and the prime minister is head of government. That fine balance served us well last week and sent a message that Canada is strong and resilient. And it's not alone in the world.
Hamilton Spectator
12 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Hunt for new NDP leader raises tension before race even begins
OTTAWA—On the heels of a devastating election campaign, the New Democratic Party's road to recovery is off to a tense start as party insiders and grassroots activists tilt behind the scenes over the party's next big challenge: Who will replace Jagmeet Singh? Potential high-profile candidates have signalled a lack of interest and the process of even deciding how to orchestrate a leadership contest is already divisive. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante was being strongly pushed to launch a bid for the job and was widely seen as a big name that can unite the party, but is no longer considering a run. On a recent podcast, Plante, who's term as Montreal mayor ends in November, was asked if she was ready to announce her candidacy for NDP leader, and joked in French that she 'can announce that I won't be the leader of the NDP.' A source close to Plante, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, said she was not ruling out an entrance to federal politics in the future, but needed a break from politics after eight years as mayor. The NDP's federal council is expected to discuss and decide the rules of that race in late June, according to an email from NDP national director Lucy Watson sent to party members Wednesday and obtained by the Star. But questions over the timeline of the race, the entry fee, and how much power each vote should hold have been a source of contention among New Democrats. A letter circulating among party members, started by a group of local EDAs, is urging federal council not to rush the process to decide the rules, to have an admission fee that does not 'preclude working class people from entering the race,' to allow a membership sign-up deadline of more than five months during the race, and to commit to a 'one-member-one-vote' principle. It came after media reports that quoted party insiders suggesting a short race with an entry fee five times higher than the $30,000 required in the 2017 race. Already, the process to select interim leader Don Davies has caused some divisions in the party. 'We cannot have a coronation happen. We cannot have a process where internal party movers and shakers, the consulting class, define the terms, create barriers and effectively squeeze out the ability for a very robust process,' said Matthew Green, the former Hamilton Centre MP, as he echoed some of the calls in the letter. 'If this process lacks legitimacy, I think the party puts itself at risk.' All this politicking comes as the race to replace Singh shrinks. It's a highly-anticipated contest that some have said will be a battle for 'the soul of the party.' Aside from Plante, former MP Charlie Angus, another big name in New Democratic circles and the runner-up in 2017, declared recently he had no plans to enter the race. As did former Toronto city councillor Mike Layton and Public Service Alliance of Canada vice-president Alex Silas when reached by the Star. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and B.C. Premier David Eby have also thrown cold water on any speculation they were interested in the job, though none of those three high-profile New Democrats were ever considered likely contenders. Former Alberta NDP premier Rachel Notley has not expressed any interest in returning to politics and campaigned for Edmonton MP Heather McPherson, who is widely expected to run for leader, during her successful re-election bid. Notley did not return a request for comment. Another name in the rumour mill is Green, who told the Star Thursday he is not ruling anything out and is willing to support the 'right candidate.' But the former MP also dampened expectations among some New Democrats after telling this newspaper recently he believes the next leader should be a 'strong woman.' Some New Democrats see that as an endorsement of Winnipeg MP Leah Gazan, one of the remaining seven New Democrats in Parliament and an influential voice on the left-wing of the party who has not ruled out a run. 'It matters less to me who the next leader is, if the next leader is simply going to duplicate all the past mistakes and personnel of the status quo that got us here in the first place,' Green said Thursday. 'The leadership talk is premature, absent of a really serious discussion around party renewal to ensure that there's a party to run.' Aside from Green, McPherson, Gazan and longtime activist and filmmaker Avi Lewis appear to be the most likely candidates as of now, though no one has made an official announcement and it's typical for other candidates to emerge. 'It's shaping up to be a battle between an establishment candidate and a left-wing candidate, and everybody is wondering who the left-wing candidate is gonna be,' said one NDP source, who the Star agreed not to name so they could speak freely about the party. 'The field is thinning, but I don't think it's going to end there.' Lewis, a two-time NDP candidate who's the grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis and son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, was an author of the Leap Manifesto, a 2015 policy document pushing for aggressive climate action and other left-wing priorities that led to contentious debates in the NDP. He has also publicly warned against 'former staffers, consultants, former provincial cabinet ministers,' he accused of trying to shape the race before it starts. 'This is a battle for the soul of the party that has made Canada different from the US,' Lewis said in a recent social media post. 'This is a party that was born of the 99%, and will start winning when it belongs to all of us once again.' McPherson told the Star Thursday that suggestions she is 'the establishment candidate' are 'absurd.' She has yet to commit to running for leader, but said she is being encouraged to run and needs to see what the race looks like before making a decision. 'I'm a New Democrat, but I am a New Democrat from Alberta,' McPherson said. 'I'm more interested in policies that candidates bring forward.' Asked about the leadership race rules, McPherson said she won't interfere because it's up to the federal council, not MPs, to decide. George Soule, a longtime New Democrat strategist, said he understands arguments for a longer, less costly race, but noted the Liberal party had a successful three-month race in electing leader Mark Carney. 'Other parties make money off their leaders' races, we lose money,' Soule said. 'I don't know what that balanced number is.' Watson, the NDP's national director, provided few details about what comes next for the party in its hunt for a new leader, saying, 'We look forward to a dynamic race with an exchange of ideas between candidates and party members about the NDP's path forward.' David Lewis was the former federal NDP leader and Stephen Lewis is the former Ontario NDP leader. A previous version of this story mistakenly swapped the leadership titles of the two.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
KINSELLA: Politicians hate each other until they don't
I'll let you in on a little secret: they're lot friendlier than you know. Members of Parliament, that is. Partisan differences notwithstanding, durable friendships persist behind the scenes. And evidence of that crept into full public view, this week, as King Charles alighted on Canadian soil to read the Liberal Platform Speech from the Throne. Ministers, MPs, Senators and staffers gathered on the Hill for the historic event, and things previously unseen became seen. Conservative and Liberal partisans were astounded, for example, by the widely-circulated photo of former Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau, clearly enjoying each others' company. Harper was smiling, and Trudeau was seemingly convulsed with laughter. (Harper, unbeknownst to many, is a very, very funny guy.) Some readers, who apparently actually believe Question Period is real life, were astounded and appalled. 'Two-faced!' said 'Macaw' over on a Reddit thread, although it is uncertain which leader he/she was referring to. Trudeau 'behaved like a child!' pronounced 'Ask Revolutionary1517.' And: 'Weak men in suits!' declared 'Basedregular1917.' And so on, and so on. Knowledgeable commenters thought the Trudeau-Harper exchange wasn't all that unusual – it was nice, even – but the uninformed still don't seem to understand that Ottawa will always, always be our Hollywood for ugly people. It's like pro wrestling, but without the sparkly wrestling singlets. The hate is fake. Another example: Trudeau's footwear. Several conservative members of the commentariat were positively in a lather that the former Liberal leader would have the effrontery to show up in running shoes. CBC (natch) even spent time researching the provenance of the Prime Ministerial sneakers: Trudeau was wearing a pair of Adidas Gazelle shoes, reported an agog CBC journalist — who (natch) was paid by you, the taxpayer, to find out. The shoes cost about $150 over on the Adidas website, and Trudeau-haters were in a spit-flecked fury about the indignity of it all. Dimitri Soudas, who was one of Harper's PR fart-catchers, declared: 'I don't know what to say.' (That's a first.) Some Trudeau critics even consulted Debretts, the style guide for British etiquette: 'Those invited to royal events usually want to do their best to be correct. Specific dress codes, such as black tie, should be adhered to. It is generally best to err on the more conservative side.' Well, Trudeau didn't. The world didn't end, no one died. Perhaps the best response to Adidas-gate came from a longtime conservative, and a former Harper diplomatic appointee, no less: Vivian Bercovici, our former ambassador to Israel. Said Bercovici (who, full disclosure, is a smart and good friend): 'I think it was brilliant. Somebody made a point of telling staffers that he hates brown shoes. Justin always had a thing for brown dress shoes. This is the cleverest response.' Pierre Poilievre, no longer a Member of Parliament, showed up as a guest to listen to the King read the Speech from the Throne. Some, like The Beaverton, were a tad uncharitable: 'Pierre Poilievre attends Speech From The Throne with face pressed against Senate window,' they headlined their satirical report. 'The unemployed Conservative Party leader began the royal visit following the throngs of well wishers along Wellington Street where the King and Queen traveled in their ceremonial horse-drawn carriage. Poilievre followed the procession as he ran behind the crowd, occasionally jumping up so he could be seen, calling the King's name,' chortled The Beaverton. In reality, no one gave Poilievre a hard time for being in a spot typically reserved for elected Members. Quite a few extended friendly greetings, in fact. The day was like that. When word came that former Prime Minister Jean Chretien was not present because of minor heart surgery, my inbox was flooded with Conservatives extending best wishes. I passed them along to my former boss, who is fine and resting comfortably at home. Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, was spotted wearing the larger of his Officer of the Order of Canada medals — which, not only is he permitted to, he is actually required to do when in the presence of the King. Notwithstanding that, conservative complainers carped about it. One commented on my X feed: 'I'm surprised there has been zero commentary about our rather grand PM wearing a giant medal to the throne speech.' KINSELLA: Vast majority of antisemitism coming from far-left, report finds KINSELLA: Walk With Israel attracts huge crowd for peaceful march in Toronto 'A giant medal.' Good Lord. He's not dressing up as Flavor Flav, folks. My response: 'He's a member of the Order of Canada. It's allowed. Try and keep up.' And that, perhaps, is the best advice of all: don't believe everything you see and hear, folks. Ottawa is a lot like a hockey game: everyone plays hard, everyone gets their elbows up. And then, when the game is over, the jerseys come off and everyone gets together for a beer. It's Ottawa, after all: a few square acres surrounded by reality.
