Kristallnacht in Canada’s Parliament

 Antisemitism on full display in Parliament courtesy of Jagmeet Singh and the NDP-Liberal Coalition. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana In recent years, Canada has seen a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents, prompting serious concerns about the roots and perpetuation of this

The existential crisis in the Conservative Party

 ABOVE: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Conservative leadership candidates Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, Patrick Brown, Pierre Poilievre, Leslyn Lewis, and Jean Charest. There is an adage that perfectly fits the Conservative Party of Canada today, “‘Do You Want to Be Right . . . or do you want to win.” The answer to that question

Election 2021

 As a candidate in five separate elections, all winning ones, the Hon. Sergio Marchi knows a thing or two about political campaigns. During the 2021 federal election, he contributed a series of articles that analyzed the emerging issues and events. We have assembled them together to make them easier to review. Click on the image

Election 2021: It’s now over to voters

 This is Sergio Marchi’s sixth article, in a weekly series of election analysis. He will provide one more wrap-up piece, reviewing the decision made by Canadians and how the leaders managed the 35 day campaign. Finally, the time has arrived for Canadians to speak — with their votes. But before they do,

Election 2021: Race deadlocked!

 Image Source: Global News This is Sergio Marchi’s fifth article, in a series of weekly election analysis and reflections. One week to go. That’s all the time left for political leaders to make their closing pitches for votes. At the start of week four, Nanos Research had the Liberals back

The five best MPs in the 43rd Canadian Parliament

 On election night in 2019, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals got 156 seats—14 short of the 170 needed for a majority in the 338-seat House of Commons. Canadian voters had decided that Justin Trudeau did not deserve a majority and that the Tories did not deserve to win. The total vote numbers told

A call for a return to civility in Canadian politics

 ABOVE: NDP Leader Jameet Singh, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Background image: Cole Burston) Former Prime Ministers Joe Clark, John Turner (deceased), Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Harper all believed that politics was an honourable profession. They were civil towards

Stab, stab, stab: time to bring out the classics

 As a once-prominent federal Liberal, my DMs this week have been a less-than-fun place. The overall message to Team Trudeau? Welcome to your first real election! Yes, the team ran a solid campaign in 2015 and came from 3rd to win a majority. Props. But they were running against a

Election 2021: Opening salvos

 This is the second column from Sergio Marchi, as he analyzes the current federal election. His articles will appear weekly. The first week of the election is in, and everyone is still standing. Predictably, in the opening days, a consistent public refrain emerged. Namely, ‘why an election now’? This question

Let the games begin

 The Hon. Sergio Marchi was a successful politician, municipally and federally. He was a candidate in five separate elections, all winning ones, so he knows a thing or two about campaigns. During this federal election, Marchi will contribute a series of articles, analyzing the emerging issues and events that will

Hypocrisy, language, and words matter in our relationship with China

 ‘Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones’ op-ed — The House of Commons vote on Monday Feburary 22, 2021 to approve a non-binding motion, brought forward by the opposition Conservatives, to recognize China’s actions in the north-western Xinjiang province as a genocide against Muslim Uighurs was misguided and

Star candidates surface in run-up to next federal election

 Depending on who you talk to, Canada has either navigated the current COVID-19 crisis relatively well or the country is heading towards an economic sinkhole for which we may never recover. The truth is probably somewhere in between. The Trudeau government COVID-19 spending spree is more than worrisome. Parliamentary Budget

The corrosive effect of negative politics

 Illustration by Joe Foster Former Prime Ministers Joe Clark, John Turner, Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper all believed in the merit of public service and that politics was an honourable profession. They were civil towards each other when debating the great issues of the

The best and the worst from last night’s debate

 Last night Canadian’s had the chance to hear the leaders butt heads over many contentious issues. There were some high points and low points for sure but overall the tone and temperament of the evening was respectful and dignified.  Here is Ottawa Life Magazine’s best and worst from last night’s debate.

Federal Election 2019: Canadians will have unprecedented access to the debates

 Photo credit: Canadian Debate Production Partnership Election day is fast approaching and the six federal party leaders are preparing to go toe-to-toe in the federal election debates! An informed voter is the best kind of voter and this year, Canadians will have access to the debate on an unprecedented scale.

The Emperor Has No Clothes  

 The NDP are in freefall. With just ten months until the next election the question for many party members is whether or not they should jettison Jagmeet Singh now and bring back Thomas Mulcair, or recruit Alberta Premier Rachel Notley as the NDP federal leader before the party walks off

Charlie Angus Would Be A Great Prime Minister

 The stakes are high. The choices between tens of thousands of NDP members in the coming days will determine whether or not the NDP will continue in their traditional spot as the third place party in Parliament, or will manage to return to their brief period of glory between 2011