A few weeks back, I posted on the ridings where the Liberals exceeded retrospective expectations in the 2008 elections (how’s that for a Rumsfeldian opening sentence?). Click on the link for a fuller explanation, but the short of it is these were ridings where the Liberal candidate did a lot better than you’d expect them […]

Are you an embattled Canadian political party leader? Well…it could be worse: Outgoing ADQ Leader Gilles Taillon claims he was the victim of a plot organized by the party establishment and federal Quebec Tories that led to his political downfall only three weeks after winning the leadership.

With today’s “McKenna keeps door ajar” headline sure to generate some buzz, perhaps it’s time for a stroll down memory lane. 1989: Ontario Premier David Peterson interrupted a brief vacation with Frank McKenna Tuesday to suggest that the New Brunswick premier should run for the federal Liberal leadership. 1990: Whispers about McKenna’s interest in replacing […]

When the Tories balk at putting up an MP to discuss the gun registry on Question Period yesterday, CTV lets Craig Chandler speak on behalf of the Tories. Safe to say, this will be the last time the Tories refuse a media request from QP.

Ontario’s Deputy Premier will be making a run for the Toronto mayoralty: After months of speculation, George Smitherman is making the move to municipal politics. Ontario’s deputy premier and energy minister confirmed in an interview Sunday that he is leaving Dalton McGuinty’s cabinet to run for Toronto’s mayoralty in November 2010. So far, it sounds […]

The private members bill to abolish the gun registry passed last night by a 164-137 vote. However, it may not be time to stick a fork in the registry quite yet . From second reading it will go to the Public Safety and National Security Committee, which, if I’m reading parl.gc.ca right, has the following […]

Ahhh…the gun registry debate. A chance for civilized debate free of hyperbole. Ha ha. Just kidding of course. Nothing gets people fired up – on both sides of the divide – quite like it. In a light hearted article last week about how U of O convocation ceremonies are dealing with H1N1, the first dozen […]

Michael Byers has an interesting proposal in today’s Toronto Star, getting a bit of attention. Here are the key points: There is only one surefire way to prevent a Harper majority [ED NOTE: …other than, you know, the opposition parties getting their act together]. The Liberals and NDP should agree to not run candidates against […]

The new OLO Chief of Staff, from two weeks ago: In addition to his Vancouver speech, Mr. Ignatieff this week will go campaigning in the riding of New Westminster-Coquitlam, where there will be a by-election on Nov. 9, before heading off to Regina to meet high-school students and then to Thunder Bay. “They’re all essential […]

Under growing criticism for spending more money on self congratulatory and overtly partisan stimulus advertising than on informing Canadians about the H1N1 virus, the Harper Conservatives announced a new 40 million dollar H1N1 awareness advertising campaign today (no link yet, just got the government press release in my inbox moments ago). The campaign will feature […]