Latest news with #federalelection
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Over 200 candidates sign up for Poilievre's byelection — doubling previous record
More than 200 candidates, mostly associated with a group of electoral reform advocates, have signed up to run in an upcoming federal byelection next month. The number more than doubles the previous record on a single ballot. Former Alberta MP Damien Kurek vacated his seat in Battle River-Crowfoot to give Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre a chance to rejoin the House of Commons. Poilievre lost his longtime Carleton riding in April's general election. A group known as the Longest Ballot Committee has been organizing candidates to run in byelections in recent years in an effort to push for electoral reform. The committee's organizers want to put a citizens' assembly in charge of electoral reform and say political parties are too reluctant to make government more representative of the electorate. "We hope MPs hear our message loud and clear and do the right thing: recuse themselves and pass decisions on election law to an independent, permanent, non-partisan body, such as a citizens' assembly to decide," organizers said in a statement on Sunday. As of Sunday evening, 209 candidates had registered to run in Battle River-Crowfoot, exceeding the committee's goal of 200. That's more than double the previous record of 91 which has occurred twice in the past year: during a byelection in LaSalle-Emard-Verdun last September and Carleton during the last general election. That number of candidates resulted in a ballot roughly a metre long. The massive ballots have resulted in delays in vote counting and have confounded some voters. Elections Canada told CBC News on Wednesday that it will finalize ways to minimize disruptions from the long ballots. "We are looking at ways to [simplify] things based on recent experiences with elections involving a higher-than-usual number of candidates. We will finalize our plans after the deadline for candidate nominations," spokesperson Matthew McKenna said in an email. Elections Canada has already had to make changes to accommodate the mammoth-sized ballots — mostly through early counting and bringing in extra workers. Although the Longest Ballot Committee has organized in two elections where Poilievre is running, the group has also targeted Liberal strongholds such as Toronto-St. Paul's and LaSalle-Émard-Verdun in 2024. But the advocates' efforts to push the limits of a ballot have sparked calls for changes, most recently from Poilievre himself who has called the protests a "scam." The Conservative leader wrote a letter to government House leader Steven MacKinnon last week calling for legislation to change Canada's election rules in an effort to curb the long ballot protests. A spokesperson for MacKinnon's office said the Liberals share those concerns and are open to changes. MPs were debating legislation last Parliamentary session that could have implemented some of Poilievre's proposed changes — specifically to limit electors to only signing one nomination form. The advocates have voters sign multiple forms. Elections Canada head Stéphane Perrault himself made the suggestion in front of a committee of MPs that was studying a bill to amend the Canada Elections Act before Parliament was prorogued. Perrault argued that "certain penalties" should be imposed on individuals who sign — or encourage others to sign — multiple nomination papers in an effort to get as many candidates on a ballot as possible, though he didn't say what those penalties should be. The deadline to register as a candidate in Battle River-Crowfoot is Monday. Voters head to the polls on Aug. 18.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Over 200 candidates sign up for Poilievre's byelection — doubling previous record
More than 200 candidates, mostly associated with a group of electoral reform advocates, have signed up to run in an upcoming federal byelection next month. The number more than doubles the previous record on a single ballot. Former Alberta MP Damien Kurek vacated his seat in Battle River-Crowfoot to give Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre a chance to rejoin the House of Commons. Poilievre lost his longtime Carleton riding in April's general election. A group known as the Longest Ballot Committee has been organizing candidates to run in byelections in recent years in an effort to push for electoral reform. The committee's organizers want to put a citizens' assembly in charge of electoral reform and say political parties are too reluctant to make government more representative of the electorate. "We hope MPs hear our message loud and clear and do the right thing: recuse themselves and pass decisions on election law to an independent, permanent, non-partisan body, such as a citizens' assembly to decide," organizers said in a statement on Sunday. As of Sunday evening, 209 candidates had registered to run in Battle River-Crowfoot, exceeding the committee's goal of 200. That's more than double the previous record of 91 which has occurred twice in the past year: during a byelection in LaSalle-Emard-Verdun last September and Carleton during the last general election. That number of candidates resulted in a ballot roughly a metre long. The massive ballots have resulted in delays in vote counting and have confounded some voters. Elections Canada told CBC News on Wednesday that it will finalize ways to minimize disruptions from the long ballots. "We are looking at ways to [simplify] things based on recent experiences with elections involving a higher-than-usual number of candidates. We will finalize our plans after the deadline for candidate nominations," spokesperson Matthew McKenna said in an email. Elections Canada has already had to make changes to accommodate the mammoth-sized ballots — mostly through early counting and bringing in extra workers. Although the Longest Ballot Committee has organized in two elections where Poilievre is running, the group has also targeted Liberal strongholds such as Toronto-St. Paul's and LaSalle-Émard-Verdun in 2024. But the advocates' efforts to push the limits of a ballot have sparked calls for changes, most recently from Poilievre himself who has called the protests a "scam." The Conservative leader wrote a letter to government House leader Steven MacKinnon last week calling for legislation to change Canada's election rules in an effort to curb the long ballot protests. A spokesperson for MacKinnon's office said the Liberals share those concerns and are open to changes. MPs were debating legislation last Parliamentary session that could have implemented some of Poilievre's proposed changes — specifically to limit electors to only signing one nomination form. The advocates have voters sign multiple forms. Elections Canada head Stéphane Perrault himself made the suggestion in front of a committee of MPs that was studying a bill to amend the Canada Elections Act before Parliament was prorogued. Perrault argued that "certain penalties" should be imposed on individuals who sign — or encourage others to sign — multiple nomination papers in an effort to get as many candidates on a ballot as possible, though he didn't say what those penalties should be. The deadline to register as a candidate in Battle River-Crowfoot is Monday. Voters head to the polls on Aug. 18.
Daily Mail
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Awkward moment live TV interview goes off the rails after Ally Langdon praises senator for bringing her baby boy to parliament
An interview with senator Corinne Mulholland has been derailed live on air after Ally Langdon praised the politician for taking her baby boy into the chamber with her. Mulholland halted her chat with Langdon on A Current Affair on Thursday after realising she needed to 'go and vote' immediately despite being mid-way through the interview. The senator later returned to finish off the chat in which Langdon grilled the politician on her decision to bring her baby son Augie with her while addressing parliament for the first time on Wednesday. Mulholland was elected as a Labor senator for Queensland in this year's May federal election and brought her son with her to highlight the struggles of working parents. Speaking parliament, she said: 'I stand here tonight, holding my young son, as you can see, with his bedtime fast approaching. 'I am praying that Augie and I make it through this speech unscathed, so God speed. 'Augie is here not as a symbol, but as a powerful reminder of why I am here. I'm a wife and a mum from the outer suburbs of Queensland.' Langdon asked the senator to explain further about why her baby boy was a 'powerful reminder' to her colleagues in parliament. Mulholland replied: 'The job of the politician is not dissimilar to many other working mums out there where we need to work around the clock and we need to make it work.' In the background, a bell could be heard ringing out, which Mulholland explained was a reminder that she needed to go and vote. 'There was a moment when you handed [Augie] over to a colleague last night, and I loved the message that it sent that it takes a village,' Langdon continued. 'But there was a part of me watching Augie in parliament where I thought, won't it be great when this doesn't make news, when it's not unusual?' The senator agreed and said what drives her is working towards helping other mums have flexibility in the workplace. She then cut off the Nine News presenter and explained she had to interrupt the interview to vote immediately. Mulholland asked Langdon to wait on standby while she voted. The news presenter awkwardly looked at her watch as she waited for the politician to return. A short while later, Mulholland resumed the interview with her baby boy as Langdon jokingly asked: 'How did Auggie vote on that one?' 'He let me vote this time, he let me proxy for him,' the senator replied. The news presenter pointed out Augie's appearance in parliament marks progress after Victorian MP Kirsty Marshall was asked to leave state parliament for breastfeeding her 11-day-old daughter back in 2003. Senator Sarah Hanson-Young's two-year-old was also kicked out of the senate in 2009.
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
As Joyce and McCormack attack net zero and rejoice in not being ‘gelded', Ley's big challenge is now crystal clear
If there was any doubt Sussan Ley faced an impossible challenge keeping the Coalition together, proof arrived before breakfast on Wednesday. Ley was yet to even step up to her first question time opposite Anthony Albanese when she was badly undermined by the Nationals MPs Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack on the question of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The former leadership rivals put down their weapons in an interview with The Australian, declaring they would push for the junior Coalition partner to ditch net zero, locking in a fight with the Liberals on policies ahead of the 2028 federal election. Both men have been all over the map on the issue. It was Joyce who signed the Nationals up to Scott Morrison's policy back in 2021, in exchange for an extra seat in cabinet, and McCormack has previously advocated for the need for net zero plans to limit the damage from climate change. But, even as the Liberals and the Nationals both start policy reviews on this very question, the pair said net zero was bad for regional communities and had to go. Sign up: AU Breaking News email McCormack will vote for Joyce's private member's bill to reverse Australia's net zero stance, if it ever comes up for a vote in federal parliament. He insisted Wednesday's declaration was not about weakening David Littleproud as Nationals leader, despite conceding to Sky News he still has a bit of political fight left in him. 'We're not gelded, we're not emasculated,' he said. 'We're very much virile and out there.' For Joyce, animated as he explained developments to the Canberra press gallery, none of this is new at all. He has called net zero 'treacherous' to Australia's security, hit out at the 'lunatic crusade' to cut carbon emissions. 'People feel that the process has been obfuscated, people are furious,' he said. 'You get to understand the sort of fury that [they have] in regional areas. We have in meetings people crying, we have in meetings people feeling bullied. They believe the government is just running roughshod over them.' The Nationals senators Matt Canavan and Ross Cadell are leading the party's review of net zero, commissioning new economic modelling and preparing for a series of debates with colleagues. One Nationals insider told Guardian Australia this week a vote on ditching net zero would likely have two to one support. That's all downside for Ley. After the thumping the Coalition received on 3 May, Ley fought to bring the Nationals back to the Coalition and promised all policies would be carefully reconsidered. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Opposition from the Nationals is likely to crash head-on with calls by moderate Liberals for the Coalition to stick with net zero, part of efforts to win back metropolitan voters concerned about the warming climate. Privately, some Liberals say Joyce is hurting their chances again, despite Labor being comfortably in power for at least six years, when the renewables transition will be significantly further advanced. That means the latest push just reinforces with voters why they rejected the Coalition earlier this year, undermining Ley's position even more. Liberal elders Nick Minchin and Pru Goward had front row seats for the drama at Parliament House on Wednesday. Ley's handpicked chairs for the postmortem election review, their recommendations will feed into the impossible choice facing the Coalition in the months to come. It's all upside for Labor. The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, couldn't conceal his delight. 'Even Peter Dutton backed net zero,' he said in question time. 'While the world moves forward on climate action, the Coalition still wants to take the country backwards.' Tom McIlroy is Guardian Australia's chief political correspondent
The Australian
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Australian
Sussan Ley vows to hold ‘government to account' as parliament returns
With a pre-parliament mass done and dusted, Sussan Ley has vowed to hold Anthony Albanese and his government to account as MPs and senators flood Parliament House for the first sitting fortnight since the federal election. The Opposition leader was among the parliamentarians that attended a morning mass at Canberra's Wesley Uniting Church, sitting on the front pew with the Prime Minister. Speaking to reporters after Tuesday morning's service, Ms Ley said it offered 'sober reflection' but wasted no time in getting down to brass tacks. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have attended a mass ahead of parliament reopening. Picture: Martin Ollman / NewsWire Ms Ley and Mr Albanese shared a pew at Canberra's Wesley Uniting Church. Picture: Martin Ollman / NewsWire 'I and my team will always put the interests of the Australian people front and centre as we get very busy in the building just over here in just a few short hours,' she said. 'We will be constructive where we can be.' She pointed to childcare safety laws as an example of where she was keen to work with Labor. 'We're happy to be constructive with the government, but I and my team will be critical where we need to be, and we won't hesitate to hold the government to account, and that includes for the promises that it has made.' After the service, attendees made their way up to Parliament House where a Welcome to Country kicked off a series of ceremonies set to run throughout the day. 'To walk on Ngunnawal country is to accept responsibilities,' Ngunnawal elder Aunty Violet Sheridan said during remarks in Parliament's Great Hall. 'It is not just about being here -- it is about caring for this land, the waters and all living things as my ancestors have done for thousands of generations. 'When we care for country, we pay respect for those who came before us and ensure that their legacy continues. 'Ngunnawal country is alive. It lives in our stories, our ceremonies, our language and our connections to this land.' She wished for their 'journey on Ngunnawal country be of understanding, respect and shared purpose, guided by the values of care, connection and community'. 'In keeping in the spirit of friendship and reconciliation, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all here once again to Ngunnawal country,' Aunty Violet said. More to come. Read related topics: Anthony Albanese
