Conservative Party

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government prepares to hike the federal carbon tax another ten dollars per tonne of emissions on Friday, the leading Conservative leadership candidates all agree on one thing — it’s the wrong move.

But that’s where their consensus ends. Questions about what Canada should do with carbon pricing, financial offsets to consumers and the broader fight against climate change are still very much up for debate among Conservative leadership candidates. In many cases, the candidates’ master plans are still being written.

Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre promised Friday a government led by him would take a hard line on what he calls “polluting dictatorships” by dramatically curbing foreign oil imports from countries like Saudi Arabia while boosting Canadian production to make up the shortfall.

Oil imports have moved to the forefront of the political agenda since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine last month. In response to that violent incursion, many Western democracies have signalled they’ll boycott Russian energy products to cut off a crucial source of foreign currency for Putin and his regime.

How about declaring energy a matter of national security and building pipelines?

The possibility of having the next Conservative leader serve up to three years on the opposition benches before the next general election presents opportunities as well as challenges for leadership hopefuls, according to strategists.

With a Liberal-NDP deal in place until 2025, Conservative leadership contenders Pierre Poilievre and Jean Charest, in particular, might want to think twice before claiming they are “running for prime minister” or that they are “built to win” a majority government.

Three in 10 Canadians say they would never vote Conservative: Nanos survey

Recent polling from Nanos Research shows Canadians believe a more socially progressive and economically centrist Conservative Party would make it more appealing.

According to the latest poll, commissioned by CTV News, when asked what would be the best path forward for the Conservative Party to make it a more appealing voting choice, 29 per cent of respondents said “be socially progressive and more centrist on economic issues.”

Meanwhile, 30 per cent said they would never vote Conservative.

It would appear the CPC braintrust is ahead of the curve in their quest to be the Liberal party.

It is not given to the mind of mortal man to understand the internal dynamics of the Conservative party. It is a monster of its own peculiar logic, and as to its nature or purpose in any given period, well, that is as elusive as the mysteries and paradoxes of quantum mechanics, and as unsearchable as the continued airing of television’s “The View.”

Despite the evident inclination by the usual suspects to favour Charest Poilievre really isn’t much different, certainly not different than the last two CPC leaders. It will be the CPC 2.0 regardless of who wins.

He’s a great wingman.

Former Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders will run as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the upcoming provincial election.

The party announced Saunders as its candidate for Don Valley West in a news release issued on Tuesday morning.

The riding is currently represented by Liberal Kathleen Wynne, however the former premier will not be seeking re-election in June.

Charest has the edge in Ontario over Conservative leadership rival Poilievre, poll suggests

A new poll released today suggests former Quebec premier Jean Charest has the advantage in the all-important electoral battleground of Ontario over Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, his primary adversary in the Conservative leadership race.

The Angus Reid Institute poll, which surveyed 5,105 Canadians from March 10-15, also found Charest is the favoured candidate among people who’ve voted Liberal in the past.

MONTREAL—If you are not a Conservative supporter and are nevertheless cheering on Ontario MP Pierre Poilievre in his leadership bid because you believe the party will either implode or at least never make it to government on his watch, you may want to have a chat with Paul Martin’s former palace guard,

Over Martin’s abbreviated tenure as leader and prime minister, the notion that Stephen Harper’s presence at the helm of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) was a prescription for repeat Conservative defeats was widespread within Liberal ranks.

After all, Harper hailed from the Reform side of the conservative movement — a faction that had over its existence failed to find much traction among progressive centre-right voters east of Manitoba.

HMA

Seems the braintrust has lined up behind Charest.

Conservative leadership candidate Patrick Brown launched an attack Monday on his opponent Pierre Poilievre, accusing the Conservative MP of supporting “discriminatory policies” that target immigrants.

Poilievre, the MP for the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton considered the front-runner in the race, pitched new policies Monday that he said will make it easier for skilled immigrants to practice their professions in Canada. He vowed to take on what he called “money-grabbing gatekeepers” who determine whether an immigrant is qualified to work in Canada.

I wonder if the CPC will see a sizable increase in Muslim members thanks to Patrick. Maybe it’s a good thing he wins. The CPC will never recover.

The opening days of Pierre Poilievre’s official run for the Conservative leadership have been like one of those noir films in which everything is black and white, a sense of foreboding permeates the atmosphere and malevolence lurks in the background. We can’t be sure what’s coming but we know it’s not likely to be pretty.

Patrick Brown attacks Pierre Poilievre for backing ‘barbaric cultural practices’ policy

“Pierre has no credibility announcing any sort of policy which largely impacts minority communities, such as immigration, because he’s never publicly stood against policies that disproportionately impact them, like the niqab ban, the (barbaric cultural practices) tip line, or Bill 21,” read Brown’s press release on Monday morning.

Well he’s secured the Barbaric Muslim vote.

The race to become the next Conservative leader is officially on, with several declared candidates and a formal set of rules to guide the campaign.

So far, Pierre Poilievre, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis and Roman Baber are in the race, which culminates in a winner being announced on Sept. 10. More Conservatives, such as Patrick Brown and Scott Aitchison are expected to launch their own bids, the former on Sunday. Other prominent Conservatives, most recently Peter MacKay and earlier this week MP Michael Chong, have said they won’t be joining the fray.