CTV National News: Poilievre courts Alberta voters ahead of federal by-election
Colton Praill reports on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's pitch to Alberta voters and how he's navigating a race in a riding he doesn't represent.
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CBC
24 minutes ago
- CBC
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad faces criticism from several sides amid review
Dave Sharkey still remembers how he felt about the future of the Conservative Party of B.C. when he was part of the delegation that marched in the 2022 Aldergrove Christmas Light Up Parade. "There were only four of us," Sharkey said. "Two of us were holding the banner, and the other two were handing out candy canes. But the reception was actually surprisingly positive, and it was a kind of experience that led me to believe that in terms of our political ambitions, we were on the right track." Sharkey, a party member since 2017 and a former provincial candidate for the Libertarian Party, now thinks the Conservatives are on the wrong track. His conclusion comes despite the B.C. Conservatives coming within a whisker of forming government in October 2024 when 912,000 residents voted for the party that had just under 36,000 votes in the 2020 election. Sharkey said he blames the same man others credit for reviving a party that once polled at two per cent: Opposition Leader John Rustad. The party's direction and identity are at the heart of a dispute that set off the departure of three members of the legislature and arguments among riding associations. Should it be populist or moderate? Big tent or small? It also comes as party members review Rustad's leadership in accordance with the party's constitution. Rustad became the leader a month after joining the party in March 2023. He had been with the B.C. Liberals since 2005, but was kicked out in 2022 by then-leader Kevin Falcon. WATCH | Rustad faces scheduled leadership review: B.C. Conservative leader to face scheduled leadership review amid infighting 13 days ago Duration 3:05 Relations between the rivals then reversed in August 2024, when Falcon suspended the election campaign of his party, rebranded as B.C. United, following the defections of members to the Conservatives. Now, Sharkey said, the Conservatives have become a rebranded version of Rustad's old party. There was no appetite from the members to be that big-tent party, he said. "There is an appetite from the members to remain a grassroots party, and if Mr. Rustad wants to be a big tent, start a big-tent party." Sharkey, who considers himself the riding association president in Abbotsford-Mission, said he believes Rustad's changes cost the Conservatives the election win. The party's executive director, Angelo Isidorou, said in a statement Monday that Sharkey is neither a member nor a riding association president. Domenic Cinalli describes himself as an early supporter and one-time close confidant of Rustad, but said he doesn't like the direction Rustad has taken the party. "He has abandoned what we all stood for," Cinalli said. "He's abandoned the strong stances that we had, and it wasn't just John who brought us there. It was all the volunteers and the people who were out there fighting tooth and nail." Cinalli said he's disappointed that the party changed directions on reconciliation with First Nations and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity programming. "They have gone more mediocre, more to the middle," said Cinalli, who is no longer a party member. But for others, the Conservative tent isn't big enough. Ryan Beedie, a prominent Vancouver businessman, said in a social media post last month that the Conservatives will need to "rebrand to something more inclusive" if they wish to appeal to "centrist voters" just as the Social Credit Party or the B.C. Liberals did in the past. A months-long leadership review is underway amid allegations from Rustad that three former Conservative MLAs — Tara Armstrong, Dallas Brodie and Jordan Kealy — "blackmailed" Conservative staff. Rustad first made the allegation in a letter to his caucus without naming the MLAs directly. All three have denied the claims and have instead accused Rustad of using the allegations to distract from questions about his leadership. While Rustad has since expressed regret for using the term blackmail, his critics have seized on it. Beedie said Rustad's allegations raise questions about his leadership, and the party should use the review to move toward the middle. WATCH | B.C. Conservative leader's letter alleges blackmail: B.C. Conservative leader's letter alleges blackmail by ex-members 20 days ago Duration 10:04 In a letter leaked to media on Monday, B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad alleges that a group of legislators who left his party are threatening to release texts and messages to intimidate members of his caucus. It comes after two Conservative defectors formed the OneBC party. Tim Thielmann, the chief of staff for the OneBC leader, called the allegations a desperate attempt by Rustad to cling to power. "Hopefully, this [review] is a positive step toward the B.C. Conservatives getting their house in order and shifting their political strategy to a more centrist approach. They will need to do so, or the B.C. NDP will be staying in power for the foreseeable future." UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest said the Conservatives consist of a "populist" wing and a moderate wing, and the current riding-by-riding leadership vote could make for a "messy summer" with Rustad facing pressure from both sides. "We are already hearing rumblings of challenges from both camps, so I don't know if it is an either-or situation," Prest said, when asked which faction was more likely to challenge Rustad for leadership. A central source of criticism concerns the handling of the party's last annual general meeting held in March. The "Team Rustad" slate swept elections for the party's board of directors. Delegates also approved amendments to the party's constitution as proposed by Rustad. But not everybody has accepted the results, including Armstrong, Brodie and Kealy. In May, they alleged Rustad and his team "rigged" the meeting that endorsed the board, claiming it was stacked with South Asian supporters paid "to vote the way Mr. Rustad wanted." Brodie and Armstrong have since gone on to form their own party, One B.C. Its chief of staff is Tim Thielmann, a former Conservative candidate in Victoria-Beacon Hill. The allegations surrounding the AGM received another airing last month when 50-plus signatories describing themselves as "executive members or former executive members" of riding associations called on Estey to launch an external audit of the AGM. Rustad has denied any wrongdoing at the meeting. "I have been advised by our legal counsel and experts, who were present to scrutinize the voting process, that our AGM was 100 per cent in line with this party's 2024-2025 constitution," he said in the letter containing the blackmail allegations against the three former Conservative MLAs. Rustad said in an interview last month that critics like Sharkey and others "want this party to be something that it is not." "I have said this all the way through the campaign, and I don't know why people haven't heard it — it's not about being Conservative or Liberal, or NDP, or Green. It's just standing for what's right and fighting for the average everyday people. That is the party that we have built," Rustad said. Gavin Dew, B.C. Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission, said the current party "has had incredible success in building a new voter coalition" that includes many more young voters and more voters from different cultural communities. "We have made incredible strides with blue-collar voters," Dew added. "We do incredibly well with suburban voters. So, we have made all this progress, but it is clear that we still need to win over those incremental voters, which I would say is that middle-of-the-road voter." If the party holds its current coalition together and adds more "economically oriented voters" from the middle of the spectrum to this coalition, Conservatives can hold government for "multiple terms," Dew said in an interview. Prest is more skeptical. While strong poll numbers now and victory down the line might entice both wings of the Conservatives to put aside their differences, "there isn't really a stable policy compromise that would make both of those sides happy" in the long term, he said. "In some really important ways, the divides between populist and more middle-of-the-road Conservatives are deeper than the divides between middle-of-the-road Conservatives and NDP, " Prest said.
National Post
24 minutes ago
- National Post
Finance minister directs cabinet colleagues to find billions in spending cuts
OTTAWA – After several big government 'investments,' it's time for cuts: Canada's Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has directed his cabinet colleagues to find ways to cut spending by billions of dollars as he prepares to present his first budget in October. Article content In two letters sent Monday to all his cabinet colleagues — including secretaries of state who sit outside cabinet as junior ministers — Champagne stated his intention to reduce program spending by 7.5 per cent for the 2026–27 fiscal year, by 10 per cent in the second year, and 15 per cent in 2028–29. Article content Article content Article content National Post did not see the confidential letters, but several high-ranking sources confirmed their contents, as initially reported by La Presse. Article content Article content 'As part of this ambitious review, each minister must examine the programs and activities in their portfolio to determine which (of them): achieve their objectives, are essential to the federal mandate and complement rather than duplicate what is offered elsewhere by the federal government or by other levels of government,' the letter states, a senior government source said. Article content Champagne also asked ministers for 'three priority proposals that can be funded by the reallocation of existing funds, following a spending review' by the end of the summer. Article content Liberal government insiders indicated that a first wave of budget cuts could be felt in the next budget, with 'initial savings.' Article content 'It is a long-term transformation of government,' said Champagne's spokesperson, Audrey Milette. She also confirmed that department cuts will be 'a curve over a certain period of time.' Article content Article content In a written statement to this newspaper, Public Service Alliance of Canada president Sharon DeSousa said that the union supports Prime Minister Mark Carney's efforts at building a strong economy, but doesn't support cutting public services in the name of 'efficiency.' Article content Article content 'Canada's public service workers power this country, and we need a strong, stable public service to make that vision a reality,' she said. Article content 'We expect to meet with Treasury Board and the Prime Minister's Office as soon as possible for a full briefing on the expenditure review and its potential impact on workers and public services.' Article content A senior government source said the idea isn't to 'hurt' the public sector, but to implement long-term changes in how the government operates, including reorganizing staff. As an example, the source said staffers could hypothetically be reassigned from the Immigration Department to National Defence or Housing. Article content This initiative is being led by the Department of Finance and the Treasury Board at the request of Carney, who often repeated 'invest more, spend less' throughout his recent federal election campaign.
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Alberta, Ontario premiers want 'several' oil pipelines built under Carney government
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith hold a news conference in Calgary on Monday, July 7, 2025. Photo by Dean Pilling/Postmedia OTTAWA — The premiers of Alberta and Ontario both said at a meeting Monday that they are cautiously optimistic that Prime Minister Mark Carney will successfully get a new oil pipeline built in Canada. But Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the planning should not be limited to just one. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. 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 Meeting with her Ontario counterpart in Calgary, Smith said Alberta crude oil should have access to a 'growing share' of pipelines. 'I'm of the view there's probably room for more than one pipeline, probably several.' Smith has been pushing for a pipeline that would bring crude oil from Alberta to the Port of Prince Rupert, B.C. So far, B.C. Premier David Eby said that is unlikely to happen. Your guide to the world of Canadian politics. (Subscriber exclusive on Saturdays) By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he agrees on the need for several pipelines to create more wealth, saying he has been 'promoting building pipelines west, east, north and south.' 'We need to unleash the opportunities, no matter if it's the great oil here in Alberta or the critical minerals of the energy that we have in Ontario, that's what we need to do. The door is open. We need to go through that door and tell the world Canada is open for business.' In an interview with the Calgary Herald on the weekend, Carney said it is 'highly likely' a pipeline will make its way on his government's list of nation-building projects for accelerated approval under the swiftly passed Bill C-5's Building Canada Act. However, he said he couldn't guarantee it because such a proposal needs to come from the private sector. 'I would think, given the scale of the economic opportunity, the resources we have, the expertise we have, that it is highly, highly likely that we will have an oil pipeline that is a proposal for one of these projects of national interest,' he said. 'The private sector is going to drive it . . . We've got legislation, but we've also got the people in place at the federal level who can get things done,' he added. The new act, which received royal assent in late June, allows cabinet to approve major projects deemed in the national interest by bypassing federal laws, such as environmental rules, if needed. The race is now on for proponents to get their projects on the list of approved plans. Carney and his Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson have strongly suggested their teams are working behind the scenes to make a new pipeline to the West Coast a reality. Hodgson said last week there has been 'lots of discussions with various folks' around that project and that it is 'something that's being worked on actively.' This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'When there's a transaction, we'll let everybody know, but you should assume that everyone is focused on trying to figure out how to make that happen,' he said. Smith said she would like to see a pipeline on Carney's list of approved projects by fall. Asked if Carney is all talk and no action on getting new pipelines built, she said 'there'll be a moment when the rubber hits the road.' 'You can only talk the talk for so long before you start putting some real action around it.' Ford, who was in Calgary to sign memorandums of understanding to support new energy corridors and increase interprovincial trade between his province and Alberta said he is giving Carney 'the benefit of the doubt' on project development and it's 'so far, so good.' 'Well, let's give Prime Minister Carney an opportunity. And there's going to be a time that either we're fully in or we aren't,' he said. Ford went on to say how Carney's Liberal government is much better than under previous prime minister Justin Trudeau. 'I'll tell you one thing: Prime Minister Carney is no Justin Trudeau. He's a business mind. He's run massive, multi-billion dollar businesses, and he's bringing the business approach to the federal government that hasn't had that approach in the last 10 years,' he said. 'I have all the confidence that he's going to listen to the premiers and straighten out the federal government once and for all, and get rid of the red tape and regulations, and let's see what happens there.' Ford said the provinces are trying to make Canada's economy more resilient in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. 'The days of relying on the United States 100 per cent, they're done, they're gone,' he said. Smith, who has been running into Carney and federal ministers during the Calgary Stampede, said she is glad that they are hearing direct feedback about how frustrated the energy industry has been for the past decade under Trudeau's government. Smith said she also had the opportunity to speak directly with Carney, specifically about his Stampede pancake-flipping technique which she said 'needs a little work.' National Post calevesque@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here.
