Tag Archives: Pierre Poilievre

Liberals’ climate wing backs Carney for leader

By John Woodside, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The climate wing of the Liberal Party is rallying around Mark Carney, offering the former central banker credibility on a file the Grits see as their competitive advantage over Conservatives.

This week Carney picked up endorsements from Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson (who previously served as environment minister), and MP Ryan Turnbull, a major proponent of sustainable finance who served as the Parliamentary Secretary under former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

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Pierre Poilievre promises patriotism but stays vague about U.S. tariff threat

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On the eve of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s meeting with premiers to tackle the threat of looming U.S. tariffs, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was on the West Coast hosting a packed “axe the tax” rally. 

Poilievre’s speech Tuesday night to the large crowd at Dwight Hall in Powell River was heavy with patriotism but didn’t address how he’d tackle incoming U.S. president Donald Trump’s promise to impose a 25-per-cent tariff on Canadian goods. 

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Pierre Poilievre aims to turn B.C. coast blue at NDP’s expense

Editor’s opinion: Prior to NDP candidate Rachel Blaney’s election in 2015, our area (North Island-Powell River) was a Conservative stronghold for 7 years. Blaney won 40.2% of the popular vote, as opposed to the Conservatives 26.2%. Since then, the Conservatives have slowly been increasing their numbers in North Island-Powell River. They lost by 5.3% in 2019 and only 3.5% in 2021. Now that Blaney has decided not to run in the next election, the Conservatives have a chance to retake the riding. As of this morning, 338Canada’s projections show the Conservative Party of Canada taking as many as 5 of Vancouver Island’s 7 seats and the most likely riding to switch is North Island-Powell River.

(This is by no means certain and any swing to the right would most likely have less momentum in the Cortes, Quadra and the other Discovery Islands – which tend to lean more to the left than Campbell River.)  

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Long before the next election, Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre is setting his sights on winning seats on Vancouver Island, despite the NDP’s domination over the past decade. 

The NDP holds six of the region’s seven ridings, with the exception of Green Party Leader Elizabeth May’s Saanich-Gulf Island riding. 

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Challenge to federal law that poses ‘existential threat’ to Alberta goes to Supreme Court

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Supreme Court of Canada this week will examine whether the federal law that evaluates the impacts of proposed resource projects is unconstitutional.

The Impact Assessment Act (IAA) looks into the environmental, health and economic impacts of proposed resource projects — like pipelines and mines — and came into force in 2019 when the federal government passed Bill C-69.

Soon after, the Alberta government brought a legal challenge against the law and its regulations, arguing it was federal overreach encroaching on provincial jurisdiction. The Alberta Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the provincial government in May 2022, calling the IAA an “existential threat” to the provincial right to control and develop resources.

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Pierre Poilievre preaches small government, appoints big shadow cabinet

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s hefty 71-member shadow cabinet includes both former leadership rivals and loyal followers, along with several new roles, including shadow minister of red tape reduction.

Leslyn Lewis and Scott Aitchison, both candidates in this year’s leadership race, are on the list. The former will oversee infrastructure and communities, while Aitchison will take on housing, diversity and inclusion.

This is a typical strategy to ensure supporters of past leadership hopefuls don’t undermine the current leader, said Alex Marland, professor and head of the department of political science at Memorial University.

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