Category: Politics/Liberals

Chrétien endorses former NDP MP now running for Wynne's Liberals in Sudbury

Jean Chretien
Canada’s former Prime Minister Jean Chretien laughs during an interview with Reuters in Ottawa November 15, 2011. Chretien today endorsed the New Democrat who beat one of his former ministers in Sudbury as the Ontario Liberal candidate in a provincial beyelection. (REUTERS/Blair Gable)

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien and his wife Aline today endorsed Glenn Thibeault, running for the Ontario Liberals in the provincial byelection in Sudbury. Thibeault deserted Thomas Mulcair’s NDP caucus to run for Wynne’s Liberals. Chrétien provided the endorsement even though it was Thibeault who knocked off former Chrétien cabinet minister Diane Marleau in the 2008 general election, becoming the first New Democrat to win in Sudbury since 1968.

Meanwhile, the United Steelworkers are running a radio ad in Sudbury, endorsing the NDP and taking direct aim at the “dirty politics” of Thibeault.

 

Here’s the release from the Ontario Liberals about the Chrétien endorsement: Continue reading Chrétien endorses former NDP MP now running for Wynne's Liberals in Sudbury

Justin Trudeau's partisan brain trust on foreign affairs

Za'atri Refugee Camp in Jordan
Your correspondent meets Syrian child refugees at Za’atri Refugee Camp in Jordan while covering Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit there earlier this year. Harper’s approach to the Middle East — aligning Canada much more strongly with Israel than previous Liberal prime ministers, for example — would be one of the defining characteristics of his foreign policy. Liberals recently opposed the combat mission against ISIL in Iraq.  (Look closely to find PostMedia’s Mark Kennedy among the kids there).

Today, the Liberal Party of Canada has announced a council  of “non-partisan” experts to provide advice and be a sounding board for leader Justin Trudeau on international affairs issues, from military procurement to international aid to global security threats.  The professional qualifications and accomplishments of the members of this council are impressive but it cannot be accurate to brand this group as “non-partisan”.

Indeed,  this council is made up of 14 individuals, 11 of whom are Liberals MPs, current or former Liberal candidates, or Liberal donors.  No one should be confused: This council does not believe that the way Stephen Harper has positioned Canada on the world stage is a good thing. And eight of them – the current or hope-to-be Liberal MPs — would have voted with their leader against the current combat mission against ISIL in Iraq. Nothing wrong with that. But let’s avoid the marketing sheen of “non-partisan.” Continue reading Justin Trudeau's partisan brain trust on foreign affairs

Trudeau would undo any Harper income-splitting scheme

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The picture here was taken by Adam Scotti, Trudeau’s official photographer, on Oct. 17, 2014 during a visit by Trudeau to Ste. Adèle, QC. You can find Scotti’s work at Trudeau’s Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/justintrudeau

Two ‘ifs’: IF The Harper government brings in a scheme to allow couples with children under the age of 18 to transfer up to $50,000 of taxable income to the other spouse for purposes of income splitting at tax time and IF Justin Trudeau forms a government next fall; Trudeau will undo Harper’s income splitting scheme. Statement just out from Trudeau spox Kate Purchase: Continue reading Trudeau would undo any Harper income-splitting scheme

Cardinal to Trudeau: Be "the king's good servant, but God's first"

Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto
ROME – Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, speaks to reporters on March 10, 2013 ahead of participating in the College of Cardinals which would elect Pope Francis. (DAVID AKIN/QMI Agency)

Last week, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said that any Liberal candidate who is not already a sitting MP must be pro-choice. This week, Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, sent Trudeau the following letter, a copy of which was distributed to the Parliamentary Press Gallery:

Mr. Justin Trudeau, MP
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
House of Commons, Ottawa

May 14, 2014
Dear Mr. Trudeau,

I am deeply concerned about your decision that citizens who, in conscience, seek to assure the protection of the most vulnerable among us are not acceptable as candidates in your party. Continue reading Cardinal to Trudeau: Be "the king's good servant, but God's first"

Potential Liberal candidate quits: "Justin Trudeau broke a key promise…"

Zach Paikin had planned to seek the Liberal nomination in a Hamilton, Ont.-are riding ahead of the 2015 general election. No longer.

Dear friends;

Last week, Justin Trudeau broke a key promise to hold open nominations in every riding by blocking the candidacy of Christine Innes in downtown Toronto.

I cannot, in good conscience, campaign to be a part of a team of candidates if others seeking to join that team are prevented from doing so if their ideas or ambitions run contrary to the party leader’s interest. Therefore, after spending the weekend consulting with friends and family, I am taking what I believe to be a principled decision by withdrawing my candidacy for the Liberal nomination in Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas as a sign of protest. Continue reading Potential Liberal candidate quits: "Justin Trudeau broke a key promise…"

The Trudeau 2013 Christmas Card

Trudeau Christmas Card - Front

Earlier I’d posted the official Christmas Card from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his family.

This week, the official Christmas Card from Leader of the Liberal Party, Justin Trudeau and his family arrived in our office. Here is the front, back and inside. Thank you, Trudeaus — and a very merry Christmas to all of you! Continue reading The Trudeau 2013 Christmas Card

Yo! You Liberal Ladies! Give us your cash and we give you JT!

Ladies

The ad above is not made up. It’s lifted straight from the Liberal Party of Canada web site. It’s for a fundraiser to be held Thursday night..

Michelle Rempel is a) a woman b) a cabinet minister c) a political opponent. She saw this and tweeted: Continue reading Yo! You Liberal Ladies! Give us your cash and we give you JT!

The good news and bad news about federal Liberal fundraising

The federal Liberals are circulating the following to their membership.  The leader Justin Trudeau says the lastest fundraising numbers have some good news and bad news:

The Conservatives just posted their 2nd quarter fundraising numbers – and despite one of our strongest showings ever, we got out-raised by nearly $2-million.Take a look and see for yourself:

NDP Liberals Conservatives
Amount Fundraised: $1.37M $2.99M $4.88M
No. of Contributors: 18,846  38,014  30,437

That means that between April and June, every minute of every day a Conservative supporter donated 37 dollars and 27 cents. In the 10 seconds it’s taken you to read this, Conservatives donated $5 more – the same amount you could give right now to even the playing field.

But while the Conservatives out-raised us last quarter, we’ve got one number on our side – 38,014. That’s how many Canadians donated to be part of the change, and it’s 7,577 more than gave to the Conservatives.

This is exactly the spirit of the movement we’re building together – thousands on thousands of Canadians, each pitching in what they can, working together to build a better Canada through hope and hard work.

The Conservatives aren’t letting up. Neither can we. And I can’t do this without you.

Please donate now to help us keep up the momentum – and keep working harder:

https://www.liberal.ca/help-us-close-the-gap/

Thank you for being part of the change.

Justin

 

Monday could be a day the Liberals haven't seen for a decade

Tomorrow, voters in the riding of Labrador will go the polls. According to three polls of voters there, the Liberal candidate, Yvonne Jones appears to be the prohibitive favourite.

If she wins, it will be the first time the federal Liberal caucus will have grown as the result of an electoral event* in nearly a decade.

Here is the list of electoral events going back to the last electoral event which saw the number of seats held by the Liberals in the House of Commons increase: Continue reading Monday could be a day the Liberals haven't seen for a decade