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Friday June 14, 2024

June 14, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday June 14, 2024

*Animated making-of-clip, with hi-fi sound here.

Pierre Poilievre’s Wilful Ignorance is a Betrayal of Leadership

June 7, 2024

Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Party leader, has refused to access a classified national security and intelligence report on foreign interference, making him the sole federal leader to do so. This decision is not just baffling; it is a dereliction of duty. Leadership is about confronting uncomfortable truths and making informed decisions for the nation’s welfare. Poilievre’s choice to remain in the dark is a display of wilful ignorance that raises serious concerns about his suitability to lead the country.

Perhaps Poilievre is scared of finding out? If members of his party are involved in foreign interference, he would be expected to act decisively. By avoiding the briefing, Poilievre can continue his blissful ignorance and place all the blame on the Liberals. Indeed, the Liberals have much to answer for, having been slow to address foreign interference, but this does not absolve Poilievre from his responsibilities. As the Official Loyal Opposition, it is his job to scrutinize and act upon such crucial matters. His refusal to do so is a failure in his role, raising questions about whether he would similarly decline to see national security reports if he became Prime Minister.

Analysis: A ‘cloud of suspicion’ hangs over Parliament — and no one knows what to do about it

May 5, 2023

Poilievre’s actions demonstrate an unwillingness to genuinely understand the issues at hand. The Conservatives have multiple members on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) that reviewed the intelligence and wrote the report. If his party is implicated, it is up to him to confront this head-on and take necessary actions. Instead, he chooses to criticize the Liberals without taking proactive steps to address potential threats within his own ranks.

Running for Prime Minister of Canada means dealing with classified information. Access to such reports has not prevented other leaders from advocating for truth and accountability. Canada’s allies in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance routinely manage to balance secrecy with public accountability. Poilievre should follow their example, showing that he can handle sensitive information responsibly while still taking decisive action.

March 17, 2023

For the sake of our country, this is an opportunity for Poilievre to lead where Trudeau has failed. Poilievre could go on camera and declare, “If anyone in the party is helping a foreign power, it will be dealt with decisively. I will not allow it on my watch.” This would demonstrate real leadership and reassure Canadians that he prioritizes national security over partisan politics. Yet, his refusal to engage with the classified report suggests he prefers plausible deniability, especially considering the report includes information on two Conservative leadership races, one of which he won. This behaviour suggests he fears what he might find.

Poilievre’s actions reveal a preference for obfuscation and partisan attacks rather than responsible governance. This is a matter of national security with hints of possible treason. As a citizen and taxpayer, I want to know who is responsible, regardless of their party affiliation. Poilievre should want to know that too if he genuinely aspires to lead the country.

Video: Poilievre ‘deeply irresponsible’ for not reading foreign interference report: NDP leader

April 26, 2024

It is stunning that a leader of the opposition, and a likely next governing party leader, would refuse to view highly sensitive documents crucial to national security. By doing so, Poilievre fails to show the leadership required during times of geopolitical upheaval. Elizabeth May, despite leading a party with only two seats, has shown more seriousness and responsibility on this issue than Poilievre.

While he slams Trudeau for being soft on foreign interference, he refuses to take the opportunity to show what responsible leadership looks like. This was his moment to rise above partisan politics and he chose to stay in the shadows. Canadians deserve leaders who are willing to face the truth and act decisively for the good of the country. Poilievre’s refusal to engage with the classified report is not just disappointing; it is a dangerous abdication of responsibility. In times of national security threats, Canadians need leaders who will confront the issues head-on, not hide from them. Poilievre’s wilful ignorance is a betrayal of the leadership he aspires to. (AI)

Tuesday December 6, 2022

December 6, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 6, 2022

Pierre Poilievre’s self-imposed media vacuum is about to face its first test

October 20, 2022

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre believes the voters whose support he needs to lead his party to government in the next federal election will not be reached via the mainstream media.

His strategy is about to be tested.

On Dec. 12, the voters of the GTA riding of Mississauga-Lakeshore will be going to the polls to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Liberal MP Sven Spengemann last spring.

Wednesday November 4, 2015

November 3, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

$By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday November 4, 2015 Eight hopefuls seek Tory interim leadership: Analysis Down, but not out. Two weeks after Stephen Harper lost his majority government, eight Conservative MPs have jumped into the fray to become interim leader and take on Justin TrudeauÕs new Liberal government. ThatÕs interim, as in temporary. ItÕs not the big job of stepping into HarperÕs dance shoes, reshaping the party and swinging it into the next election. No oneÕs announced interest in that yet. Interim leader gets the immediate, but critical job of leading a Conservative parliamentary caucus of 99 MPs Ñ 33 of them rookies Ñ and 47 senators through the next year or two until a new leader is chosen. Eight Tories want that job. The interim leader will be the lead foot soldier in holding the Liberals to account in Parliament, boosting morale in a caucus thrust into Opposition without the all the resources of government, and stabilizing a party once fractured along east-west, progressive-reform and French-English lines Ñ one that could find itself divided again once the leadership contest kicks off in earnest. Four women and four men, including two people who want to share the job, have thrown their hats into the ring. They are: Diane Finley, Rob Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Erin OÕToole, Mike Lake, Rona Ambrose, plus Michelle Rempel and Denis Lebel, who announced on the weekend they are running as a package deal. None are household names. Some have a bit of profile in media or political circles, but most Canadians would be hard-pressed to identify any of them on the street. Among the eight are a couple of women Ñ Ambrose and Rempel Ñ and possibly one man Ñ OÕToole Ñ who observers believe were interested in the bigger long-term job. A failed interim bid doesnÕt exclude them from that. Only an interim leader is barred, under Conservative party rules, from competing for the top job. Of the contenders to win caucus sup$

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 4, 2015

Eight hopefuls seek Tory interim leadership: Analysis

Down, but not out. Two weeks after Stephen Harper lost his majority government, eight Conservative MPs have jumped into the fray to become interim leader and take on Justin Trudeau’s new Liberal government.

That’s interim, as in temporary. It’s not the big job of stepping into Harper’s dance shoes, reshaping the party and swinging it into the next election.

No one’s announced interest in that yet.

Interim leader gets the immediate, but critical job of leading a Conservative parliamentary caucus of 99 MPs — 33 of them rookies — and 47 senators through the next year or two until a new leader is chosen.

Eight Tories want that job.

Liberal Interim leadership 2011

The interim leader will be the lead foot soldier in holding the Liberals to account in Parliament, boosting morale in a caucus thrust into Opposition without the all the resources of government, and stabilizing a party once fractured along east-west, progressive-reform and French-English lines — one that could find itself divided again once the leadership contest kicks off in earnest.

Four women and four men, including two people who want to share the job, have thrown their hats into the ring. They are: Diane Finley, Rob Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Erin O’Toole, Mike Lake, Rona Ambrose, plus Michelle Rempel and Denis Lebel, who announced on the weekend they are running as a package deal.

None are household names. Some have a bit of profile in media or political circles, but most Canadians would be hard-pressed to identify any of them on the street.

Among the eight are a couple of women — Ambrose and Rempel — and possibly one man — O’Toole — who observers believe were interested in the bigger long-term job. A failed interim bid doesn’t exclude them from that. Only an interim leader is barred, under Conservative party rules, from competing for the top job.

Liberal Interim leadership days 2006

Of the contenders to win caucus support on Thursday, none has spectacularly shone or, for that matter, completely messed up in jobs under the Harper government. All but one, Mike Lake, have sat at the cabinet table at a senior or junior level.

Only three speak French fluently, though there are varying degrees of competency among the rest. All pledge to tap into the resources of the party’s record harvest of Quebec seats — 11 in all. (Continued: Toronto Star)

Saturday May 9, 2015

May 8, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday May 9, 2015

Conservative MP Patrick Brown ahead in Tory leadership vote in Hamilton, says party official

As the Progressive Conservative party holds its second vote for its members May 7 on who will be their next leader, in Hamilton, Conservative MP Patrick Brown appears to be in the lead, say party sources.

After the May 3 vote, Brown collected 67 per cent of the votes in all four of Hamilton’s ridings: Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, Ancaster-Flamborough-Dundas-Westdale, Hamilton Mountain, and Hamilton Centre.

Party sources say Brown, who represents Barrie in the House of Commons, is also leading “across the province” after the first ballot over Whitby-Oshawa MPP Christine Elliott.

Brown’s campaign officials stated in a May 3 release they’re “expectations were exceeded” with the “thousands” of people who turned out to vote for Brown.

When asked to comment on Brown’s lead, Elliott’s spokesperson, Marie Prentice referred to Elliott’s statement May 3 referring to the “tens of thousands of Elliott supporters (that) came out to the polls in every riding and put Elliott on the path to victory.”

Elliott cited a recent poll of party members who are eligible to vote revealing 58 per cent of them would vote for her as leader.

Brown’s campaign reported in March that they had sold over 40,000 party memberships, doubling the number of Elliott’s memberships that were sold. Elliott has said she has “wide support” across the province. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Thursday October 18, 2012

October 18, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 18, 2012

Draft McGuinty Movement Underway

Dalton McGuinty pushes draft campaign to distract from prorogation

Less than a day after Dalton McGuinty made the shock announcement he was quitting as Ontario Premier, a campaign is building to send the Ottawa South MPP to Parliament Hill.

With Monday’s resignation McGuinty is suddenly free to run for the federal Liberal leadership, and if he does, he’ll have a ready-made campaign team all set to go.

For the past month, a draft campaign has been in the works to persuade McGuinty to jump into the federal fray.

Some of his closest campaign advisers have been involved, including brother Brendan McGuinty — who was on hand for McGuinty’s news conference Monday — and Don Guy, campaign director for each of McGuinty’s three winning provincial campaigns.

Deputy chief of staff Dave Gene, former chief of staff Chris Morley and former operations director Charlie Angelakos are also part of the group.

Sources say a leadership campaign road map has already been sketched out.

“The core nucleus of the team that he’s been able to build around him, that took him through three election campaigns, is a proven team … It would be a ready-made team that would be able to focus on this (leadership) as well,” said one insider close to McGuinty.

McGuinty has not yet decided whether to take the plunge, those close to him insist, but he is feeling the pressure.

“I don’t think he’s changed his mind yet,” said one close associate. “But I can tell you that some of this is getting to him.” (Source: National Post)