Latest news with #Grenier
National Observer
06-08-2025
- Business
- National Observer
NDP donations have cratered, records show — and the finances only get worse
New political fundraising data show despite a dedicated donor base the NDP is struggling to raise funds during the last few elections. If you look at the NDP's fundraising over the last four elections, it reveals a troubling 'downward trend' for a party already in dire financial straits, according to Éric Grenier, longtime polls analyst and author of The Writ, a weekly political newsletter. The NDP raised a total of $11.9 million during the 2015 election (which spanned two quarters). In the most recent election, the NDP didn't even crack $4 million. 'I don't know if it's death spiral territory, because I think there's always some ways for the parties to survive, but it kind of emphasizes how for the NDP, this isn't just business as usual,' Grenier said in a phone interview with Canada's National Observer. 'It's not so much about their competitiveness with the other parties because they've always raised a lot less money, but I mean, if they're in a financial crunch you gotta think that their fundraising is not gonna get better post election,' Grenier said. 'There's a solid base of Canadians that, basically, come hell or high water, is always going to give to the federal NDP,' David McGrane said. 'It's part of their identity. It's part of how the federal NDP has become entrenched in Canadian politics." Along with losing official party status following the last election's sparse votes, the NDP will also miss out on critical campaign expense reimbursements. Elections Canada partially reimburses some costs associated with campaigning if a candidate receives 10 per cent or more of the vote, however, fewer than 50 NDP MPs hit that threshold. Since former leader Jagmeet Singh lost his seat and resigned, the NDP must also pay for a process to elect a new leader. The party recently announced its leadership contest rules, which require candidates pay a $100,000 entry fee — a significant increase from the $30,000 required in 2017. The rules state a quarter of all donations made to leadership contestants will go to the central party. It is expensive to put on a leadership contest, so the NDP would likely be happy to just break even, Grenier said. 'Party fundraising actually goes down quite a bit during leadership races because a lot of that money gets funneled instead to the candidates,' he said. We don't yet know how much the NDP spent on its 2025 election campaign, but in 2021 it spent $30.5 million, Grenier wrote in an article for The Writ. Even though the complete financial picture isn't available yet, the NDP is clearly in a bad way without election reimbursements, David McGrane, a political science professor at the University of Saskatchewan, told Canada's National Observer in a phone interview. '[The federal NDP] does have a solid base of donors, but is that enough to get it out of it all?' McGrane asked. Populist positions typically bear fruit when it comes to fundraising, Grenier said, nodding to democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani's successful campaign in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. 'You can kind of imagine that for the NDP, in terms of raising money, a lot of people don't get overly excited and open up their wallets for moderation and a centrist path,' Grenier said. At the same time, going for a more populist, grassroots approach might help them raise money, but 'if it puts a ceiling on their potential electoral performance that'll be a consideration' for members to decide on, he said. Lucy Watson, national director of the federal NDP told Canada's National Observer in an emailed statement the fact the NDP raised nearly $2 million in the last quarter — despite a 'couple of challenging months' — shows the NDP's 'broad base of support is holding strong.' McGrane said Canada's National Observer 's analysis indicates the NDPs base is stagnant and it hasn't been able to grow or expand that base since the Jack Layton and Tom Mulcair years. 'There's a solid base of Canadians that, basically, come hell or high water, is always going to give to the federal NDP,' McGrane said. 'It's part of their identity. It's part of how the federal NDP has become entrenched in Canadian politics. And this is, I think, part of the reason why the federal NDP isn't going anywhere.' Over the last two quarters, the NDP had the lowest average contribution of any major party at just less than $50, a statistic Watson said is a testament to the party's grassroots strength. The party received nearly 75,700 contributions during the first six months of 2025. That is more than double the average number of individual contributions from the same quarters in the last three years. 'At a time when Mark Carney's anticipated cuts threaten to hurt working families, Canadians need a party that puts them first,' Watson wrote. 'We're not the party of the ultra-rich or well-connected—we're the party of everyday Canadians." This finding was unsurprising to Grenier and McGrane. 'NDP supporters are generally not rich people, so they're not able to give as much money," McGrane said. 'It's a party that represents working people and vulnerable people and low income people … you're going to probably get less in donations.' It's hard to say exactly how many individuals are donating to a given political party — Elections Canada counts 'contributions' so if one person donates three times it counts as three separate contributions. Getting more small donations from many people is a traditional kind of grassroots approach that could have benefits not captured by the Elections Canada data, Grenier added. 'Everybody who donates is going to be a little bit more likely to volunteer or to just be involved in the party in the longer term,' Grenier said. Even if someone only donates $5 or $10, having five of those people is better than having one person donate $50, he said. Last month, the NDP announced a 'review and renewal' process led by Emilie Taman, a former NDP candidate and labour and human rights lawyer, to 'reflect' on the 2025 election campaign and 'help shape a path forward.'
Courier-Mail
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Key Devil Wears Prada cast member not returning for sequel
Don't miss out on the headlines from New Movies. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Devil Wears Prada 2 needs a new grilled cheese server. Adrian Grenier will not be reprising his role as Nate Cooper in the sequel to the 2006 comedy-drama classic, Entertainment Weekly reported on Monday. Meanwhile, original stars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci are confirmed to be returning for the sequel, which started production on Monday. The Post has reached out to Grenier's rep for comment. The Devil Wears Prada sequel is officially in the works, starring Hathaway, Streep and Blunt. In The Devil Wears Prada, Grenier, 48, plays a chef and Andy Sachs' (Anne Hathaway) college boyfriend. But as Andy advances in career at Runway magazine, their relationship falls apart. Nate later chooses a new job as a Boston sous-chef over Andy after she quits Runway. Grenier played Nate, Andy's love interest. In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Grenier opened up about fans labelling Nate the real villain of the film. 'When that whole thing first came out, I couldn't get my head around it. I didn't understand it,' the actor admitted. 'Perhaps it was because I wasn't mature as a man, just as Nate probably could've used a little growing up. I was just as immature as him at the time, so I couldn't see his shortcomings.' 'But,' the Entourage alum added, 'after taking time to reflect and much deliberation online, I can realise the truth in that perspective. Nate hadn't grown up, but Andy had … she needed more out of life, and she was achieving it. ' He couldn't support her like she needed because he was a fragile, wounded boy … on behalf of all the Nates out there: Come on! Step it up!' He won't return for the sequel. Disney's 20th Century Studios confirmed on Monday that The Devil Wears Prada 2 started filming. The studio, as well as Hathaway, 42, and Tucci, 64, announced the news with a teaser clip of two red pump heels. 'The Devil Wears Prada 2. Now in production,' the Instagram caption read. The story picks up in the future, following Miranda's career amid the 'decline of traditional magazine publishing'. Director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna are returning for the sequel, while Kenneth Branagh is reportedly joining the cast as Miranda Priestly's (Streep) husband. The sequel, according to Variety, will follow Miranda 'as she navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing and as she faces off against Blunt's character, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.' The hit 2006 film was loosely based on Lauren Weisberger's book of the same name, written about her experience as an assistant to longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Streep portrayed the Wintour-esque editor of Runway magazine, while Anne Hathaway and Blunt's characters played her overworked assistants. The Devil Wears Prada 2 does not have a release date. This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission. Originally published as Key Devil Wears Prada cast member not returning for sequel
Express Tribune
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Adrian Grenier exits Devil Wears Prada sequel, won't reprise Nate role
Adrian Grenier will not reprise his role as Nate Cooper in the upcoming sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed with two sources familiar with the production. The sequel to the 2006 hit film is currently in production and set for release in 2026. While original cast members Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci are expected to return, Grenier's character — long debated by fans as the 'real villain' for his unsupportive behavior toward Hathaway's Andy Sachs — will not appear in the sequel. The original film, directed by David Frankel and based on Lauren Weisberger's bestselling novel, followed Andy Sachs as she navigated the world of high fashion journalism under the leadership of the fearsome Miranda Priestly. The story culminates in Andy and Nate's strained relationship resolving just as she quits her demanding job and moves to Boston with him. Despite a long-standing debate about Nate's role in the story, Grenier previously acknowledged fan criticism, admitting in a 2021 EW interview that Nate's behavior was immature and selfish. However, sources say his character will not be part of the next chapter. Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna are both returning for the sequel. Plot details remain under wraps, but the production is set to continue through the summer. Entertainment Weekly reached out to representatives for Grenier and parent company Disney, but no official comment has been made at this time. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is slated for release in 2026.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Neuralink implants brain chip in sixth patient who says 'I'm already shocked'
Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain-chip company, has implanted its brain-computer interface (BCI) in a sixth person. The update came from Rob Grenier, who shared his experience on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) earlier this week. "Absolutely amazing what I can do already in under a week with Neuralink!" Grenier posted, along with a video showing him playing a computer game and moving a cursor using only his thoughts. Grenier became quadriplegic after a car accident in December 2022. The incident left him paralyzed from the neck down. 'I can't thank the Neuralink team, the doctors, the surgeons and all of my family and friends' support. It may only look like I'm doing a couple games but it's been under a week and I'm already shocked!' he added in the post. Elon Musk's Neuralink raises $650 million in Series E round The announcement comes as Neuralink raised over $650 million in its Series E funding round, bringing its valuation to $9 billion. The Series E round attracted major investors including ARK Invest, Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, and several others, valuing the company at approximately $9 billion pre-money according to recent reports. Cathie Wood's ARK Invest is among the company's major backers. The funding represented a significant increase from Neuralink's $280 million Series D round in August 2023. Neuralink has launched clinical trials at leading medical institutions across three countries, including Barrow Neurological Institute, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami, University Health Network in Toronto, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. It is now preparing for a human trial of its Blindsight chip in partnership with the UAE's Cleveland Clinic in 2026. Musk had earlier said, 'With Neuralink interfacing directly to the visual cortex, even those who are completely blind will be able to see again.' Alcatel V3 Ultra Unboxing & Hands-on | Dual Display Mode, Sleek Design & More!
CBC
26-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Carney, Singh stage duelling rallies in London as Liberals look to flip NDP stronghold
With only a weekend to go until election day, Liberal Leader Mark Carney and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh shifted their attention to London, Ont., on Friday, ending the campaign's final week with duelling events in ridings that have incumbents from the other's party. Singh's event on Friday evening at London Brewing Co-operative marked his second campaign visit to the core area riding of London Centre, while Carney's rally an hour later at Fanshawe College was his first to London—Fanshawe, the NDP stronghold that polling suggests will be a battleground riding on Monday. "I think it's just really important that we show our support, and we get out there and talk to everybody to make sure that they vote. But I'm still nervous," said London resident Tiffany Hillman, one of several hundred people attending the Carney event, staged in an expansive room in the college's 'C' Building. Carney arrived at the college at about 7:30 p.m. from Cambridge, after stopping in Georgetown and Sault Ste. Marie earlier in the day, and was introduced on the stage by his wife, Diana Fox Carney. "We're at a college, a place of education, excitement, engagement, and ... empowerment. You get a quiz every once in a while, so I have a question," Carney told the crowd. "Who's ready? Who's ready to stand up for Canada with me?" "I feel pretty confident" about Carney's chances, said Alex Harrington, a Western University student and first-time voter, acknowledging that, like Hillman, he's still a bit nervous about Monday. "I know every time I look at the national polls, the lead narrows a little bit. I know [U.S. President Donald] Trump just made some more comments about the whole 51st state stuff, so that tends to help, at least with the Liberals." Liberals targeting NDP ridings As the election campaign nears the finish line, the Liberals have been targeting orange ridings to draw away NDP support and secure a majority. The New Democrats, meanwhile, have been working to shore up support to save existing seats and avoid potentially losing official party status. London—Fanshawe, which has been represented by the NDP for nearly 20 years, appears to be one of the ridings the Liberals believe they have a shot at flipping in their quest for majority status. NDP incumbent Lindsay Mathyssen, who is seeking a third term, won 43 per cent of the vote in 2021. However, recent polling suggests the race this time could be a toss-up between the NDP and Liberals, poll analyst Éric Grenier told CBC Radio's London Morning on Friday. For Grenier, who runs CBC's Poll Tracker, the riding will be one to watch on election night. "Whether it is an NDP vote, a vote for Mathyssen, or is it a vote that's just going to be an anti-Conservative vote, in which case the Liberals might pick it up," he said. "If the NDP is able to hold on, stay to official party status, 12 seats, it's probably because they won a seat like London—Fanshawe." Grenier said he believes the New Democrats still have a good shot of holding the riding, something that can't be said of many other ridings the party holds, he added. As of Friday morning, CBC's Poll Tracker showed the party polling at 8.6 per cent, with victories projected in fewer than 12 seats if an election were held that day. More red Liberal signs have been popping up in the London—Fanshawe neighbourhood of Becky and Mike O'Neil compared with previous years, when it would be mostly orange NDP signs. "It's kind of crazy to think that she wouldn't be the MP there anymore, if, you know, the Liberals do get in. It's kind of nerve-racking," Becky said. "I do really support Lindsay, and I know she's very strong, and she has a lot of our support from our neighbourhood." Singh makes case at rally As the Liberals take aim at London—Fanshawe, Singh's focus on Friday was London Centre, formerly London North Centre, where he arrived after stops in Toronto and Hamilton. Liberal Peter Fragiskatos is looking for re-election there, having represented London North Centre since 2015. "This is the last stretch of this campaign, and so we got to get a couple of things straight. Talk about the elephant in the room. I know a lot of people are wondering about strategic voting," Singh told the crowd. "I get it, you're worried about Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives. We are, too. We don't want them in. Here's the good news. Pierre is not winning this thing." Voting for the NDP, Singh said, was the only way to prevent a Liberal majority and a Conservative opposition, which would be "the worst of Carney and the worst of Conservatives." Singh has claimed the Liberals want to cut upwards of $28 billion in operating spending, money he said could come in part from provincial health transfers. Carney has said he doesn't plan to cut health-care spending, and the Liberal platform mentions maintaining provincial and personal federal transfers. A supporter in every election since 1975, Londoner Susan Smith expressed confidence in the NDP, despite the lagging polls, and brought along her Canadian Dental Care Plan card for Singh to sign. "I turn 70 in a couple of months," she said. "I wouldn't dream of giving my vote to anybody else." For Tari Ajadi, an assistant professor of political science at McGill University in Montreal, the decision by the NDP to hold a rally in London Centre instead of London—Fanshawe was interesting, given that projections from polling aggregator suggest that it's a safe Liberal seat. The New Democrats are firmly in "save the furniture kind of mode" and need to keep the east London riding and others from flipping if they want to maintain official party status, he said. "Perhaps Singh is seeing something in his internal polling that suggests maybe the NDP has a shot in that riding. I'm not really certain, to be honest," Ajadi said. It's unclear why the party held the rally in London Centre, though the brewery is located near the riding's boundary with London—Fanshawe. "Nevertheless, I still think that even if the rally is being held in one riding, the point is that, regionally speaking, a presence of Singh is important," he said.
