Latest news with #JenniByrne
National Post
4 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Michael Taube: Why Pierre Poilievre should not fire Jenni Byrne
Election night can be a glorious occasion for some political parties and governments, and a dismal outcome for others. It's not unusual for the long knives to come out after a poor result. That's what some people are suggesting is happening right now within the Conservative Party's inner sanctum — and the main target is Jenni Byrne. Article content Article content 'Pressure is mounting on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to fire Jenni Byrne, his national campaign manager,' according to a May 22 CBC News piece, 'whom critics hold responsible for the party's election defeat last month.' Twelve Conservative sources reportedly spoke with Radio-Canada reporter Christian Noel and were 'granted confidentiality to discuss internal party matters.' Article content Many quotes were rather harsh. Article content Article content 'After a loss, heads have to roll,' one Conservative source suggested. 'If Jenni Byrne stays, we won't be able to support Pierre,' said another. 'There's only one head that needs to roll, and that's Jenni's. You don't realize how she treats everyone like garbage,' a third person remarked. Article content Byrne also reportedly exhibits 'toxic and angry' behaviour. She supposedly feels that 'everything is a war' in politics. She was called 'a bully who operates on threats' and 'many MPs are either afraid of her or hate her.' One source even warned, 'Pierre needs to change his negative personality and kick Jenni out. Otherwise, it's the caucus that's going to kick the leader out.' Article content People often talk tough when they can hide behind a cloak of anonymity. They wouldn't dare say these types of things in public. Or to Byrne's face, for that matter. Article content Let's put this rumour to bed. As someone who's been connected to the Conservative party, movement, and circles of interest for decades, I can confidently say there's no 'pressure' on Poilievre to fire Byrne. Are some Conservatives frustrated with the election result and view it as a missed opportunity? Yes, but that's par for the course. There's no inner party revolt brewing, and confidence in Poilievre and Byrne remains strong. Article content Why did the CBC suggest otherwise? While I'm sure that real people were interviewed for Noel's piece, my guess is these Conservative sources were largely left-leaning Red Tories, old Progressive Conservative supporters — or both. These individuals have always had it in for Byrne and others who were born, bred and worked in Reform Party and Canadian Alliance circles. It's a long-standing issue that stems back to the 2003 merger of the Alliance and PCs. In spite of the fact the Reform/Alliance side was the much larger and more dominant group, the Red Tories and PCs grasp at straws and look for opportunities to regain power. That's highly unlikely: their numbers are decreasing, and they're even more irrelevant now than they were before. Article content Not that this would deter the CBC one little bit. Poilievre has long supported defunding the CBC. He told Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley last December that it would happen 'very quick.' Any story that could knock down the Conservative leader a few extra pegs would likely be of some interest. If disgruntled Conservatives also wanted to throw a few stones at him, a slingshot could be provided.
CBC
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Pressure mounting on Poilievre to fire Jenni Byrne: sources
Pressure is mounting on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to fire Jenni Byrne, his national campaign manager, whom critics hold responsible for the party's election defeat last month, sources told Radio-Canada. "After a loss, heads have to roll," said one Conservative. "If Jenni Byrne stays, we won't be able to support Pierre," a second added. "If there's no change between now and January, the caucus will lose patience," said a third. Discontent within the Conservative ranks continues to grow three weeks after the Liberals won a fourth term in government, sources said. Many Conservatives are directly blaming Byrne, the campaign architect and Poilievre's confidante, for the loss. "There's only one head that needs to roll, and that's Jenni's. You don't realize how she treats everyone like garbage," one Conservative source said. Radio-Canada spoke with 12 Conservative sources for this story. They were granted confidentiality to discuss internal party matters. Some complain of Byrne's "toxic and angry" behaviour at campaign headquarters. Others deplore her lack of communication with teams in the field. Still others feel it's her fault that Poilievre's campaign message did not adjust enough in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats. Her detractors point out that she ran the Conservative campaign when Stephen Harper lost to Justin Trudeau in 2015. In their view, it's because of her that relations are strained between Poilievre and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. "When she spent too much time with Stephen Harper, she brought out his bad side," a Conservative source said. "She has the same effect on Pierre Poilievre. She is responsible for his negative tone. Everything is a war for her." Byrne and the Conservative Party did not respond to requests for comment. The Leader of the Opposition's office declined to comment. In Byrne's defence Some Conservatives, however, are keen to defend Byrne and credit her for the gains the party made in the election. The Conservative party won 143 seats, its highest number since Stephen Harper's majority win in 2011. And the party won more than 41 per cent of the popular vote, its highest percentage since Brian Mulroney in 1988. A campaign strategy aimed at winning the union and blue-collar vote in working-class areas, and the ethnic and cultural vote in Toronto's suburbs, helped limit the Liberals to a minority, these Conservatives loyal to Byrne say. At the start of the first Conservative caucus meeting on May 5, the party's first since the election loss, Poilievre seemed to reject the idea of firing Byrne when asked about her. "Excluding people is never the way to expand a team," the Conservative leader told reporters before the meeting. But within that same post-election caucus meeting, which lasted for eight hours, MPs raised the question of Byrne's departure. "It was done respectfully and without aggression," another Conservative source said. The discussion "didn't last too long either. The boss knows very well that it's an irritant," the source added. But the Conservative troops still don't know what fate Poilievre has in store for his campaign manager. A convention ahead of schedule? Recent news that the Conservative convention, scheduled for next spring in Ottawa, could instead take place as early as this autumn in Alberta is rekindling the pressure. Earlier this month, Conservative MPs voted in favour of the Reform Act, which gives them the power to hold a vote of no confidence in the leader at any time. Holding the party's convention this fall, with a vote of confidence put to the entire Conservative base, is seen by some as an attempt to bypass any such caucus efforts. WATCH | Poilievre speaks to reporters for the first time since election loss Poilievre speaks to reporters for the first time since election seat loss 16 days ago Duration 1:44 Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, speaking from Parliament Hill on Tuesday as he was walking to meet with his caucus, is asked what he has learned from the election, which left him without a seat in the House of Commons. "Pierre Poilievre wants to settle the question of his leadership by a vote of the members as soon as possible to get rid of this distraction and not give his detractors time to organize," a Conservative source said. "If members decide to give Pierre their vote of confidence at the convention, it becomes much more difficult for MPs to justify a vote of no confidence afterwards," another source said. "How could MPs then go against the wishes of the rank and file?" The Conservative party executive is due to meet on June 14 to discuss the date and location of the national conference. Fatigue among the troops The caucus, said a Conservative source, is exhausted after three acrimonious leadership races and four general elections in 10 years. "Fatigue has taken over," said the source. "Everyone's just tired of fighting." The more conciliatory tone Poilievre adopted since election night, and the fact that the leader lost his seat and will have to win a by-election in Alberta to return to the Commons in a few months' time, has seemed to help cool down the dissatisfaction. "No one seems ready to make this their hill to die on. If Jenni can acknowledge to key people in the caucus that she has learned from her mistakes, it could help her survive," a Conservative source said. "We'll see where things go," confided a Conservative recently. "We'll give Pierre the summer to get elected and think things over. We'll see in the fall." Despite the fatigue and the internal debates, the desire to see Byrne go remains among a good part of the Conservative movement, according to several sources. "Jenni is a bully who operates on threats. Many MPs are either afraid of her or hate her," one Conservative said. "If Jenni stays, it means they don't get it," said a different source.
CBC
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Poilievre reaches out to Ford in bid to mend fence with Ontario conservatives
Social Sharing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's team has reached out to Ontario Premier Doug Ford's office to arrange a call between the two, an apparent bid to ease tensions after Poilievre's party lost the federal election. The move follows weeks of conflict within Canada's conservative movement, including public criticism from Ford. "I think he's asked everyone across the country for a meeting. I have no problem with that. And I'd be more than happy to talk to anyone and work with anyone. That's just what we do," said Ford on Wednesday. The frosty relationship between Ontario Progressive Conservatives and the federal Conservatives was on display throughout the campaign, culminating in an accusation from the Ontario premier last Wednesday in a news conference in Brampton, Ont. "Last time I checked, Pierre Poilievre never came out in our election. As a matter of fact, him, or one of his lieutenants, told every one of his members, don't you dare go out and help the PCs. Isn't that ironic?" said Ford. When asked to account for the disconnect between the two leaders, Ford said last week that "all they have to do is make a phone call." Ford is one of two Progressive Conservative premiers who have taken issue with Poilievre and his team in recent weeks. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston confirmed tensions between his office and Poilievre's senior adviser, Jenni Byrne, in a news conference last week. "I think after four consecutive losses to the Liberal Party, I think it's time for them to do some soul-searching," said Houston. He said the federal Conservatives have been "great at pushing people away and not so good at pulling people in." A spokesperson for Houston's office, Catherine Klimek, said he has not yet received any post-election correspondence from Poilievre's office. Houston is currently on a trade mission in Spain. Poilievre's outreach comes as he met with the Conservative caucus on Tuesday, where sources say he spoke at length. Two caucus sources said he appeared humbled in his remarks. Earlier that morning, Poilievre spoke to reporters for the first time since election night — and since news broke that he lost in his own Ottawa-area riding. He defended the campaign his party ran, but indicated some changes would be coming. "We have to enlarge our team, grow our support, build on our caucus strengths," he said to reporters on Parliament Hill. Poilievre seeks to keep the Conservative leadership and appears to have the support of caucus. He plans to run in an Alberta byelection which is on track to happen this summer. While Poilievre is outside of the House of Commons, former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer will be taking on the role of interim leader of the Opposition.
National Post
06-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Poilievre defends campaign messaging, wants to convince more people of it
OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre defended his campaign messaging and said his mission is now to find ways to sell it to more people after his party's stinging defeat in last week's election. Article content Article content In a brief address to reporters before a caucus meeting in Ottawa Tuesday, Poilievre said the election result last week was 'disappointing' but argued that his messaging — which focused on affordability, housing, justice and crime — was on the mark. Article content Article content 'You have to acknowledge that it was the generally right message. Not perfect, but the right message, because the Liberals stole multiple elements of that message,' he told reporters with a chuckle. Article content Article content 'We have to broaden our team. We need to find ways to get our message through to a larger audience of people. We also need to show our capacity to include more people and share a message of opportunity,' he said. Article content It was the first public address by the Conservative leader since the Liberals handed him two stinging losses in one shot, defeating the opposition party nationally and Poilievre in his long-time Ottawa-area riding of Carleton. But Poilievre appeared to reject the notion of cutting out any campaign advisors, including campaign manager Jenni Byrne. On Tuesday morning, National Post reported that Conservative MPs and insiders blamed the election loss mostly on operational and internal decisions spearheaded by Byrne. Article content 'Excluding is never the way to broader a team,' he said. 'We are going to broaden our team and get our message through.' Article content He noted that Byrne 'did a lot of hard work' while noting the additional 2.3 million votes and 25 seats the Conservatives won last Monday. Article content Article content 'We have to go further, so we're going to be enlarging our team and that's one of the things we'll be talking about today in our caucus,' he argued, saying his party would be looking for an additional million supporters by next election. Article content Article content 'We have to spend a lot of the summer listening carefully to people in the community's coffee shops and town halls and other events,' he added. Article content Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer said the caucus was going to have discussions on Tuesday and in the weeks and months to come to analyze the results the election, but already said he was confident that Poilievre would be making some 'adjustments.'
Calgary Herald
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Conservatives expected to point fingers at Poilievre's campaign manager during election post-mortem
Jenni Byrne in 2023. Byrne was Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's campaign manager in last month's federal election. Photo by Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press/File OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is expected to hear on Tuesday from caucus members' discontent over mistakes made over the course of the campaign, with fingers pointing to campaign manager Jenni Byrne. 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 Calgary Herald 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 Calgary Herald 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 Conservative MPs and insiders who spoke to National Post did not lay the blame on Poilievre, whom they said was busy crisscrossing the country, but rather the operational and internal decisions spearheaded by Byrne during the campaign. They pointed to messy nominations which they said angered their base, as well as rules against speaking freely to the media and their constituents. Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again They also brought up the campaign's choice not to pivot after Justin Trudeau's departure, Mark Carney's arrival as Liberal leader, and U.S. President Donald Trump's frequent interference in the election. One MP, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely, said it was especially difficult to get anything done with Byrne having the final say on things, and that regional organizers were often left waiting for her approval. 'In terms of the campaign, the game plan was followed. What we didn't like was the lack of flexibility… Everything went through her,' said the MP. Another MP said there were issues with the level of control exerted by party headquarters during the campaign, from advising candidates against participating in local debates to requiring approvals before doing media interviews and engaging on social media. Some campaigns and candidates did eventually attend debates and speak to reporters anyway. 'They had an obsession with control and power consolidation over competency and achieving results,' the MP said. Another issue they raised was how the team of candidates and incumbents the Conservatives ran was 'heavily underutilized.' The first MP agreed the leader should have showcased more of his team or his potential ministers during the campaign, but said it was unclear if that was Poilievre's decision or Byrne's. 'I think caucus and staff in general, pretty much everyone is united behind Pierre, and there is no one that thinks he doesn't deserve to stick around, as far as I can tell,' added a Conservative source, also speaking on a not-for-attribution basis to talk more freely. The source added it was almost inevitable that Byrne would be blamed for some of the issues that arose during the campaign. 'People just know that she was the top dog, and she was the one that was pulling the strings behind the scenes,' said the source. 'So, I think, inevitably, when there's some soul-searching afterwards, she is the one that people are going to talk about first.' On Monday, Poilievre broke his silence for the first time since his party was defeated in the election. In a video on X, he is seen walking with wife Anaida in the rural Alberta riding of Battle River—Crowfoot where he will be running in a soon-to-be-called by-election.
