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Saturday, November 12, 2022
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Tim Powers

A Goofy gaffe on the road to finding an authentic connection

  • In the short term, the Liberals have given the Conservatives more ammunition to make the case that the current government is not just like
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 9, 2022
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland gets marks for her post-Disney Plus apology, but it’s not the first time her attempts to connect with average Canadians have gone amuck, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A Goofy gaffe on the road to finding an authentic connection

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 9, 2022
  • In the short term, the Liberals have given the Conservatives more ammunition to make the case that the current government is not just like

A Goofy gaffe on the road to finding an authentic connection

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 9, 2022
  • In the short term, the Liberals have given the Conservatives more ammunition to make the case that the current government is not just like
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland gets marks for her post-Disney Plus apology, but it’s not the first time her attempts to connect with average Canadians have gone amuck, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is a blue wave headed for the Rock?

  • OTTAWA—Over the last few weeks, I have been home in Newfoundland and Labrador more frequently. No, it is not because I am plotting some
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 2, 2022

Is a blue wave headed for the Rock?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Over the last few weeks, I have been home in Newfoundland and Labrador more frequently. No, it is not because I am plotting some

Is a blue wave headed for the Rock?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Over the last few weeks, I have been home in Newfoundland and Labrador more frequently. No, it is not because I am plotting some

Critics list casts a shadow over Conservatives’ idle hands

  • OTTAWA—A month after being elected Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre appointed his shadow cabinet. Given aspects of my crusty disposition and length of time here
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 19, 2022
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, with wife Anaida Poilievre on Sept. 19, has tasked most of his 118 members with a role, clearly living by the adage that ‘idle hands are the devil’s workshop,’ writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Critics list casts a shadow over Conservatives’ idle hands

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—A month after being elected Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre appointed his shadow cabinet. Given aspects of my crusty disposition and length of time here

Critics list casts a shadow over Conservatives’ idle hands

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—A month after being elected Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre appointed his shadow cabinet. Given aspects of my crusty disposition and length of time here
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, with wife Anaida Poilievre on Sept. 19, has tasked most of his 118 members with a role, clearly living by the adage that ‘idle hands are the devil’s workshop,’ writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Hockey Canada has forgotten that no one is bigger than the game

  • OTTAWA—I hate to write about the trials and tribulations of Hockey Canada again, given I know good people, with good intentions, and of good
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 12, 2022
Hockey Canada announced the departure of president Scott Smith, right, on Oct. 11. For too long, Hockey Canada looked like the only people in the country who just didn’t get it, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Hockey Canada has forgotten that no one is bigger than the game

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—I hate to write about the trials and tribulations of Hockey Canada again, given I know good people, with good intentions, and of good

Hockey Canada has forgotten that no one is bigger than the game

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—I hate to write about the trials and tribulations of Hockey Canada again, given I know good people, with good intentions, and of good
Hockey Canada announced the departure of president Scott Smith, right, on Oct. 11. For too long, Hockey Canada looked like the only people in the country who just didn’t get it, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Continued federal-provincial faceoff not a winning strategy for the country

  • OTTAWA—This week has the potential to be a fascinating and important week in Canadian politics. Why? With a just re-elected Coalition Avenir Québec government
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 5, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are going to have to do some deft stickhandling to manage the challenges coming from Quebec and Alberta, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Continued federal-provincial faceoff not a winning strategy for the country

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—This week has the potential to be a fascinating and important week in Canadian politics. Why? With a just re-elected Coalition Avenir Québec government

Continued federal-provincial faceoff not a winning strategy for the country

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—This week has the potential to be a fascinating and important week in Canadian politics. Why? With a just re-elected Coalition Avenir Québec government
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are going to have to do some deft stickhandling to manage the challenges coming from Quebec and Alberta, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Don’t look to QP for the Tory leader’s biggest waves

  • OTTAWA—While much of the focus over the last week was on the highly anticipated first Question Period encounter between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 28, 2022
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has made some smart moves in his early weeks, including bringing in a respected chief of staff, breaking bread with Brian Mulroney, and meeting with caucus members, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Don’t look to QP for the Tory leader’s biggest waves

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 28, 2022
  • OTTAWA—While much of the focus over the last week was on the highly anticipated first Question Period encounter between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and

Don’t look to QP for the Tory leader’s biggest waves

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 28, 2022
  • OTTAWA—While much of the focus over the last week was on the highly anticipated first Question Period encounter between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has made some smart moves in his early weeks, including bringing in a respected chief of staff, breaking bread with Brian Mulroney, and meeting with caucus members, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Queen represented the last bastion of decency in public service

  • OTTAWA—Queen Elizabeth II has been laid to rest. After a comprehensive 10-day mourning period and a magnificent funeral and committal service, her family, I
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 21, 2022
Regrettably, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre meet during Question Period this week, polite, constructive debate isn’t going to happen, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The Queen represented the last bastion of decency in public service

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Queen Elizabeth II has been laid to rest. After a comprehensive 10-day mourning period and a magnificent funeral and committal service, her family, I

The Queen represented the last bastion of decency in public service

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Queen Elizabeth II has been laid to rest. After a comprehensive 10-day mourning period and a magnificent funeral and committal service, her family, I
Regrettably, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre meet during Question Period this week, polite, constructive debate isn’t going to happen, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The new Conservative king takes his throne

  • OTTAWA—Canada got two new kings last week. Of course, with the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, we now have
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 14, 2022
While Pierre Poilievre can be accused of offering a lot of empty rhetoric, it would be a fool’s errand to discount the connection he has made with different swaths of Canadians, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The new Conservative king takes his throne

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Canada got two new kings last week. Of course, with the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, we now have

The new Conservative king takes his throne

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Canada got two new kings last week. Of course, with the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, we now have
While Pierre Poilievre can be accused of offering a lot of empty rhetoric, it would be a fool’s errand to discount the connection he has made with different swaths of Canadians, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A user’s guide for what comes after the Tory leadership race

  • OTTAWA—The six-month-long Conservative leadership race, barring some unforeseen circumstance, ends this weekend. This time next week, they will have their third “permanent” leader in
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 7, 2022
What the new leader says and how he or she recognizes those they battled with over the last half year will matter to the audience that’s watching them make their first remarks on Saturday, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Samantha Wright Allen

A user’s guide for what comes after the Tory leadership race

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The six-month-long Conservative leadership race, barring some unforeseen circumstance, ends this weekend. This time next week, they will have their third “permanent” leader in

A user’s guide for what comes after the Tory leadership race

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The six-month-long Conservative leadership race, barring some unforeseen circumstance, ends this weekend. This time next week, they will have their third “permanent” leader in
What the new leader says and how he or she recognizes those they battled with over the last half year will matter to the audience that’s watching them make their first remarks on Saturday, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Samantha Wright Allen

How much closer does the health-care crisis have to hit?

  • ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—The challenged and fractured state of the Canadian health-care system was brought home to our family last week. Fortunately, the outcome was
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 31, 2022
For Tim Powers and his family, who you know mattered in terms of access to care, and it shouldn’t. That is not legitimate universal health care for others, he writes. Unsplash photograph by Olga Kononenko

How much closer does the health-care crisis have to hit?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 31, 2022
  • ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—The challenged and fractured state of the Canadian health-care system was brought home to our family last week. Fortunately, the outcome was

How much closer does the health-care crisis have to hit?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 31, 2022
  • ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—The challenged and fractured state of the Canadian health-care system was brought home to our family last week. Fortunately, the outcome was
For Tim Powers and his family, who you know mattered in terms of access to care, and it shouldn’t. That is not legitimate universal health care for others, he writes. Unsplash photograph by Olga Kononenko

Open minds, not dated rhetoric, needed to fix ailing health-care system

  • OTTAWA—Go to any media outlet web page, paper, podcast, radio station, or TV station across Canada and you’ll find an identical story about a
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 17, 2022
Both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his Health Minister Sylvia Jones have said all options need to be on the table when it comes to addressing the broken health-care system, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Open minds, not dated rhetoric, needed to fix ailing health-care system

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Go to any media outlet web page, paper, podcast, radio station, or TV station across Canada and you’ll find an identical story about a

Open minds, not dated rhetoric, needed to fix ailing health-care system

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Go to any media outlet web page, paper, podcast, radio station, or TV station across Canada and you’ll find an identical story about a
Both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his Health Minister Sylvia Jones have said all options need to be on the table when it comes to addressing the broken health-care system, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Future Conservative Party unity hangs on post-victory leadership approach

  • OTTAWA—In recent days, as the Conservative leadership contest draws to a close, more is being written and said about the need for Conservatives to
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 10, 2022
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, left, Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis, former Quebec premier Jean Charest, former Ontario MPP Roman Baber, and Conservative MP Scott Aitchison are running for Conservative leadership. The skills and abilities of the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, along with how they are deployed, will determine whether the CPC remains united, divided, or fragments, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and handouts

Future Conservative Party unity hangs on post-victory leadership approach

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent days, as the Conservative leadership contest draws to a close, more is being written and said about the need for Conservatives to

Future Conservative Party unity hangs on post-victory leadership approach

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent days, as the Conservative leadership contest draws to a close, more is being written and said about the need for Conservatives to
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, left, Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis, former Quebec premier Jean Charest, former Ontario MPP Roman Baber, and Conservative MP Scott Aitchison are running for Conservative leadership. The skills and abilities of the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, along with how they are deployed, will determine whether the CPC remains united, divided, or fragments, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and handouts

Sending Hockey Canada execs to the farm team won’t solve structural issues

  • OTTAWA—It is August; the time of year many parents begin to register their children for fall and winter sports. Among those sports, of course,
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 3, 2022
It’s easy politics to call for Hockey Canada president Scott Smith, pictured right speaking to reporters in Ottawa on July 27, to resign, but it’s not clear blowing up the organization solves the cultural problems that exist in hockey and in other sports, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Sending Hockey Canada execs to the farm team won’t solve structural issues

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It is August; the time of year many parents begin to register their children for fall and winter sports. Among those sports, of course,

Sending Hockey Canada execs to the farm team won’t solve structural issues

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It is August; the time of year many parents begin to register their children for fall and winter sports. Among those sports, of course,
It’s easy politics to call for Hockey Canada president Scott Smith, pictured right speaking to reporters in Ottawa on July 27, to resign, but it’s not clear blowing up the organization solves the cultural problems that exist in hockey and in other sports, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The convoy’s tire tracks are still all over the face of politics

  • OTTAWA—Another week and a couple more stories about high-profile Conservatives engaging with people connected to the Freedom Convoy. The day before Canada Day, it
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | July 6, 2022
Ironically, Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre, left, may have just received an assist from former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall among Conservative voters and others initially uncertain of how to react to the federal MP’s footsie with freedom convoyers, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, file photograph

The convoy’s tire tracks are still all over the face of politics

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Another week and a couple more stories about high-profile Conservatives engaging with people connected to the Freedom Convoy. The day before Canada Day, it

The convoy’s tire tracks are still all over the face of politics

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Another week and a couple more stories about high-profile Conservatives engaging with people connected to the Freedom Convoy. The day before Canada Day, it
Ironically, Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre, left, may have just received an assist from former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall among Conservative voters and others initially uncertain of how to react to the federal MP’s footsie with freedom convoyers, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, file photograph

Let’s recognize our resiliency as we find a way out of the swamp

  • OTTAWA—As Canada Day 2022 comes upon us, hopefully a summer of relief and escape awaits. But such optimism may be misguided. Trust me, I
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 29, 2022
Pedestrians walk past a stack of metal fencing on Parliament Hill on June 27, ahead of Canada Day and the anticipated return of Freedom Convoy supporters. While maybe joy should be found just by the fact we can have mass Canada Day celebrations, stories still circulate about new disease variants and fall waves of the illness, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Let’s recognize our resiliency as we find a way out of the swamp

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 29, 2022
  • OTTAWA—As Canada Day 2022 comes upon us, hopefully a summer of relief and escape awaits. But such optimism may be misguided. Trust me, I

Let’s recognize our resiliency as we find a way out of the swamp

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 29, 2022
  • OTTAWA—As Canada Day 2022 comes upon us, hopefully a summer of relief and escape awaits. But such optimism may be misguided. Trust me, I
Pedestrians walk past a stack of metal fencing on Parliament Hill on June 27, ahead of Canada Day and the anticipated return of Freedom Convoy supporters. While maybe joy should be found just by the fact we can have mass Canada Day celebrations, stories still circulate about new disease variants and fall waves of the illness, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Do the Liberals need to make a few trades to curb pattern of own goals?

  • OTTAWA—Maybe it is a bit of seasonal affective disorder or plain fatigue, but it seems the Justin Trudeau government is in a lag. From
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 22, 2022
From late responses to things like inflation support packages or the relaxing of travel mandates, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government seems adrift, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Do the Liberals need to make a few trades to curb pattern of own goals?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Maybe it is a bit of seasonal affective disorder or plain fatigue, but it seems the Justin Trudeau government is in a lag. From

Do the Liberals need to make a few trades to curb pattern of own goals?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Maybe it is a bit of seasonal affective disorder or plain fatigue, but it seems the Justin Trudeau government is in a lag. From
From late responses to things like inflation support packages or the relaxing of travel mandates, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government seems adrift, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Playing the numbers game

  • OTTAWA—What is in a number? For example, the number 600,000—the unconfirmed and yet-to-be-denied figure that could represent the people who have signed up to
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 8, 2022
Without releasing any numbers, Jean Charest’s team says it has a path to victory. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Playing the numbers game

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 8, 2022
  • OTTAWA—What is in a number? For example, the number 600,000—the unconfirmed and yet-to-be-denied figure that could represent the people who have signed up to

Playing the numbers game

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 8, 2022
  • OTTAWA—What is in a number? For example, the number 600,000—the unconfirmed and yet-to-be-denied figure that could represent the people who have signed up to
Without releasing any numbers, Jean Charest’s team says it has a path to victory. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Partisan bickering over guns doesn’t solve for ‘why’

  • OTTAWA—On May 24, 19 children and two adults were brutally massacred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. As has happened almost every time
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 1, 2022
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino gestures to his Liberal cabinet colleagues, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Justice Minister David Lametti, during a press conference announce new government gun control measures on May 30. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Partisan bickering over guns doesn’t solve for ‘why’

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—On May 24, 19 children and two adults were brutally massacred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. As has happened almost every time

Partisan bickering over guns doesn’t solve for ‘why’

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—On May 24, 19 children and two adults were brutally massacred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. As has happened almost every time
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino gestures to his Liberal cabinet colleagues, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Justice Minister David Lametti, during a press conference announce new government gun control measures on May 30. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Kenney caught in quagmire of his own making

  • OTTAWA—Prior to the pandemic, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was arguably the most powerful and influential conservative leader in Canada. Andrew Scheer, when he was
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 25, 2022
Like competitive sports, if you run the same play repeatedly in politics, its effectiveness declines over time. For Jason Kenney, being the hard-working bulldozer plowing obstacles down worked until it didn’t, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Kenney caught in quagmire of his own making

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Prior to the pandemic, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was arguably the most powerful and influential conservative leader in Canada. Andrew Scheer, when he was

Kenney caught in quagmire of his own making

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Prior to the pandemic, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was arguably the most powerful and influential conservative leader in Canada. Andrew Scheer, when he was
Like competitive sports, if you run the same play repeatedly in politics, its effectiveness declines over time. For Jason Kenney, being the hard-working bulldozer plowing obstacles down worked until it didn’t, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It’s time for Poilievre’s caucus supporters to speak out

  • OTTAWA—Believe you me, I would really like to write about something other than the Conservative leadership race. I can pick any topic I want
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 18, 2022
During the May 11 Conservative leadership debate, perceived frontrunner Pierre Poilievre, left, said he would fire Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem. Tim Powers asks: why aren’t his caucus supporters asking him to reconsider his position? The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

It’s time for Poilievre’s caucus supporters to speak out

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Believe you me, I would really like to write about something other than the Conservative leadership race. I can pick any topic I want

It’s time for Poilievre’s caucus supporters to speak out

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Believe you me, I would really like to write about something other than the Conservative leadership race. I can pick any topic I want
During the May 11 Conservative leadership debate, perceived frontrunner Pierre Poilievre, left, said he would fire Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem. Tim Powers asks: why aren’t his caucus supporters asking him to reconsider his position? The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Time for Tory leadership race to climb out of the sewer

  • OTTAWA—Apologies. Yet another commentator is going to wade into last week’s Conservative leadership debate hosted by the Canada Strong and Free Network, formerly the
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 11, 2022
Uber-partisan fanboys and girls or anger-infused Liberal haters might love it when the apparent leading contender Pierre Poilievre repetitively and rudely went after Jean Charest, but most reasonable people are left scratching their heads about the ability of the Conservative Party to govern, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time for Tory leadership race to climb out of the sewer

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 11, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Apologies. Yet another commentator is going to wade into last week’s Conservative leadership debate hosted by the Canada Strong and Free Network, formerly the

Time for Tory leadership race to climb out of the sewer

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 11, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Apologies. Yet another commentator is going to wade into last week’s Conservative leadership debate hosted by the Canada Strong and Free Network, formerly the
Uber-partisan fanboys and girls or anger-infused Liberal haters might love it when the apparent leading contender Pierre Poilievre repetitively and rudely went after Jean Charest, but most reasonable people are left scratching their heads about the ability of the Conservative Party to govern, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Make-or-break May for Conservative contenders

  • OTTAWA—The Conservative leadership race has gotten real. Wannabe candidates have now fallen out of the competition and six “verified” candidates remain. Just to be
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 4, 2022
Mistakes or missteps this month could be paralyzing to top candidates like Pierre Poilievre, left, Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, and Leslyn Lewis. Similarly for Roman Baber and Scott Aitchison, this is their time of opportunity, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia, file photographs, and photographs courtesy of Twitter and Wikimedia Commons

Make-or-break May for Conservative contenders

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The Conservative leadership race has gotten real. Wannabe candidates have now fallen out of the competition and six “verified” candidates remain. Just to be

Make-or-break May for Conservative contenders

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | May 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The Conservative leadership race has gotten real. Wannabe candidates have now fallen out of the competition and six “verified” candidates remain. Just to be
Mistakes or missteps this month could be paralyzing to top candidates like Pierre Poilievre, left, Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, and Leslyn Lewis. Similarly for Roman Baber and Scott Aitchison, this is their time of opportunity, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia, file photographs, and photographs courtesy of Twitter and Wikimedia Commons

Some hope, amid this merry-go-round of cow dung

  • OTTAWA—One headline cries out that Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca is going to end private long-term care for seniors. Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 27, 2022
Boston Marathon runners, pictured in 2014. For four-and-a-half hours—despite those miles underfoot—it was a blessed escape to see thousands of different people from a multitude of backgrounds working to achieve the same goal: conquering the Boston Marathon, writes Tim Powers. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/JD

Some hope, amid this merry-go-round of cow dung

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—One headline cries out that Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca is going to end private long-term care for seniors. Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk

Some hope, amid this merry-go-round of cow dung

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—One headline cries out that Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca is going to end private long-term care for seniors. Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk
Boston Marathon runners, pictured in 2014. For four-and-a-half hours—despite those miles underfoot—it was a blessed escape to see thousands of different people from a multitude of backgrounds working to achieve the same goal: conquering the Boston Marathon, writes Tim Powers. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/JD

Size doesn’t always matter, unless you know what to do with it

  • OTTAWA—You reap what you sow. I have always loved that statement because it is so absolutely true. Over the years, through good fortune, I
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 13, 2022
Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative leadership campaign team is smart and experienced and they know crowd size is a tool to portray enthusiasm and momentum for candidates or causes, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Size doesn’t always matter, unless you know what to do with it

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—You reap what you sow. I have always loved that statement because it is so absolutely true. Over the years, through good fortune, I

Size doesn’t always matter, unless you know what to do with it

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—You reap what you sow. I have always loved that statement because it is so absolutely true. Over the years, through good fortune, I
Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative leadership campaign team is smart and experienced and they know crowd size is a tool to portray enthusiasm and momentum for candidates or causes, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Feds’ impending Bay du Nord decision one to watch

  • OTTAWA—Bay du Nord? If you don’t know what Bay du Nord is now, you will almost certainly know by next week when the federal
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 6, 2022
After the government’s decision delay was announced, senior N.L. federal cabinet minister Seamus O’Regan, right, appealed for calm and asked that Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault be given some time to reflect, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ impending Bay du Nord decision one to watch

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Bay du Nord? If you don’t know what Bay du Nord is now, you will almost certainly know by next week when the federal

Feds’ impending Bay du Nord decision one to watch

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | April 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Bay du Nord? If you don’t know what Bay du Nord is now, you will almost certainly know by next week when the federal
After the government’s decision delay was announced, senior N.L. federal cabinet minister Seamus O’Regan, right, appealed for calm and asked that Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault be given some time to reflect, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Jason Kenney fights to keep dancing to the tune he composed

  • OTTAWA—Many, many years ago, when I was a young political staffer, I had to travel to Alberta to get then-Progressive Conservative premier Don Getty
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 30, 2022
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney will have some form of reckoning coming after April 9, the day eligible members of the United Conservative Party grade him on his leadership, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Jason Kenney fights to keep dancing to the tune he composed

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 30, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Many, many years ago, when I was a young political staffer, I had to travel to Alberta to get then-Progressive Conservative premier Don Getty

Jason Kenney fights to keep dancing to the tune he composed

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 30, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Many, many years ago, when I was a young political staffer, I had to travel to Alberta to get then-Progressive Conservative premier Don Getty
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney will have some form of reckoning coming after April 9, the day eligible members of the United Conservative Party grade him on his leadership, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will NDP, Liberal dance partners find their rhythm?

  • OTTAWA—The NHL trade deadline came and went this past week with some notable transactions. But nothing topped the deal between the Liberals and New
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 23, 2022
The history of the deal brokered by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in its early stage of being written, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

Will NDP, Liberal dance partners find their rhythm?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 23, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The NHL trade deadline came and went this past week with some notable transactions. But nothing topped the deal between the Liberals and New

Will NDP, Liberal dance partners find their rhythm?

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 23, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The NHL trade deadline came and went this past week with some notable transactions. But nothing topped the deal between the Liberals and New
The history of the deal brokered by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in its early stage of being written, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade
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Conservative purity test for leadership does party no favours

  • OTTAWA—The Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership race is beginning to take full flight. Some key rules for the contest were announced last week, and
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 9, 2022
Former Progressive Conservative leader and Quebec premier Jean Charest, left, and Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre are pictured. At this point in the history of the Conservative Party, it is impossible to see the long-term organizational benefit of one leading contender for the leadership calling out the political purity of the other soon-to-be top competitor, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Conservative purity test for leadership does party no favours

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership race is beginning to take full flight. Some key rules for the contest were announced last week, and

Conservative purity test for leadership does party no favours

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership race is beginning to take full flight. Some key rules for the contest were announced last week, and
Former Progressive Conservative leader and Quebec premier Jean Charest, left, and Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre are pictured. At this point in the history of the Conservative Party, it is impossible to see the long-term organizational benefit of one leading contender for the leadership calling out the political purity of the other soon-to-be top competitor, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Crisis in Ukraine offers politicians an unexpected reprieve

  • OTTAWA—What anxious and challenging times we live in. From the two-year long pandemic, to the recent occupation of Ottawa, to—potentially the most frightening of
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 2, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland arrive at a press conference at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building on Feb. 24. With this natural transition to the opposition of Putin’s imperialist adventures, the mute button has been pushed on more public debate on the Trudeau government’s invocation and revocation of the Emergencies Act less than two weeks ago. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Crisis in Ukraine offers politicians an unexpected reprieve

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—What anxious and challenging times we live in. From the two-year long pandemic, to the recent occupation of Ottawa, to—potentially the most frightening of

Crisis in Ukraine offers politicians an unexpected reprieve

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | March 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—What anxious and challenging times we live in. From the two-year long pandemic, to the recent occupation of Ottawa, to—potentially the most frightening of
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland arrive at a press conference at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building on Feb. 24. With this natural transition to the opposition of Putin’s imperialist adventures, the mute button has been pushed on more public debate on the Trudeau government’s invocation and revocation of the Emergencies Act less than two weeks ago. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Dealing with the not-so-neighbourly branches of the family tree

  • OTTAWA—If you live in Ottawa now, you are emotionally strained, exhausted, and fed up. As we near the end of the third week of
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 16, 2022
By donating to this Ottawa occupation, Tim Powers writes that his cousin Ches Crosbie has helped fund the ‘neighbourly’ behaviour—including people who break the law, harass people, are subject to two court injunctions for noise disturbances—and legitimize it. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Andrew Scheer

Dealing with the not-so-neighbourly branches of the family tree

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 16, 2022
  • OTTAWA—If you live in Ottawa now, you are emotionally strained, exhausted, and fed up. As we near the end of the third week of

Dealing with the not-so-neighbourly branches of the family tree

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 16, 2022
  • OTTAWA—If you live in Ottawa now, you are emotionally strained, exhausted, and fed up. As we near the end of the third week of
By donating to this Ottawa occupation, Tim Powers writes that his cousin Ches Crosbie has helped fund the ‘neighbourly’ behaviour—including people who break the law, harass people, are subject to two court injunctions for noise disturbances—and legitimize it. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Andrew Scheer

Conservatives need a leader who can sit at the grown-ups table

  • OTTAWA—Give credit where credit is due. It is not something that happens much anymore in our political ecosystem, and frankly it should. My preaching
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 9, 2022
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured speaking to media in the West Block on Dec. 1, 2021. As the first to announce his intentions for leadership of the CPC, in what clearly was a calculated effort to 'big foot' others, time will tell if he has grown-up, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives need a leader who can sit at the grown-ups table

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Give credit where credit is due. It is not something that happens much anymore in our political ecosystem, and frankly it should. My preaching

Conservatives need a leader who can sit at the grown-ups table

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Give credit where credit is due. It is not something that happens much anymore in our political ecosystem, and frankly it should. My preaching
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured speaking to media in the West Block on Dec. 1, 2021. As the first to announce his intentions for leadership of the CPC, in what clearly was a calculated effort to 'big foot' others, time will tell if he has grown-up, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Dear Conservatives: smarten up

  • OTTAWA—An open letter to the Conservative caucus: The vast majority of you are well meaning, decent, and enthusiastic public servants. You always do the
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 2, 2022
Without a doubt leadership matters, but whether it is Erin O’Toole or somebody else leading the party in the next election, that alone will not determine the party’s fate, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Dear Conservatives: smarten up

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—An open letter to the Conservative caucus: The vast majority of you are well meaning, decent, and enthusiastic public servants. You always do the

Dear Conservatives: smarten up

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | February 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—An open letter to the Conservative caucus: The vast majority of you are well meaning, decent, and enthusiastic public servants. You always do the
Without a doubt leadership matters, but whether it is Erin O’Toole or somebody else leading the party in the next election, that alone will not determine the party’s fate, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Big issues at play as the parliamentary games begin

  • OTTAWA—Parliament returns on Jan. 31 for what could prove to be an eventful sitting. As we all work to slog through winter, our federal
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 26, 2022
Fascinating subplots will also be in Justin Trudeau’s flourishing 'will he or won’t he stay or go' dance and Erin O’Toole’s ongoing game of Survivor, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Big issues at play as the parliamentary games begin

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 26, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliament returns on Jan. 31 for what could prove to be an eventful sitting. As we all work to slog through winter, our federal

Big issues at play as the parliamentary games begin

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 26, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliament returns on Jan. 31 for what could prove to be an eventful sitting. As we all work to slog through winter, our federal
Fascinating subplots will also be in Justin Trudeau’s flourishing 'will he or won’t he stay or go' dance and Erin O’Toole’s ongoing game of Survivor, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Take a look in the social media mirror before casting the first snowball

  • OTTAWA—Doug Ford fascinates me. Maybe I am a COVID long hauler, and I am suffering some sort of pandemic-induced delusion. Maybe my Atlantic-Canadian, Red
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 19, 2022
While there clearly was some showcasing for political benefit in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Jan. 17 Good Samaritan gig, there was also some authenticity in it, too, writes Tim Powers. Screenshot courtesy of CityNews

Take a look in the social media mirror before casting the first snowball

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Doug Ford fascinates me. Maybe I am a COVID long hauler, and I am suffering some sort of pandemic-induced delusion. Maybe my Atlantic-Canadian, Red

Take a look in the social media mirror before casting the first snowball

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Doug Ford fascinates me. Maybe I am a COVID long hauler, and I am suffering some sort of pandemic-induced delusion. Maybe my Atlantic-Canadian, Red
While there clearly was some showcasing for political benefit in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Jan. 17 Good Samaritan gig, there was also some authenticity in it, too, writes Tim Powers. Screenshot courtesy of CityNews

The end goal? Getting to the finish line with few political hurdles

  • OTTAWA—It is 2022. For now, optimism is taking a back seat to Omicron. Frustration rules among many of us. If there is light at
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 12, 2022
After nearly two years of ever-changing conditions and rules, all citizens seek is one key outcome—the endemic. No politician—whether governing like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or opposing like Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole—can realistically promise and deliver on that, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The end goal? Getting to the finish line with few political hurdles

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It is 2022. For now, optimism is taking a back seat to Omicron. Frustration rules among many of us. If there is light at

The end goal? Getting to the finish line with few political hurdles

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | January 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It is 2022. For now, optimism is taking a back seat to Omicron. Frustration rules among many of us. If there is light at
After nearly two years of ever-changing conditions and rules, all citizens seek is one key outcome—the endemic. No politician—whether governing like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or opposing like Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole—can realistically promise and deliver on that, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

COVID, not diplomatic boycott, is the real threat to Beijing games

  • OTTAWA—Last week, the federal government announced it would join other nations like Great Britain, the United States, and Australia in participating in a diplomatic
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 15, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge, and Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden in the West Block on Dec. 8. The greatest immediate threat to Beijing is not the posturing of other nations, it is the prevalence of the Omicron variant, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID, not diplomatic boycott, is the real threat to Beijing games

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 15, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, the federal government announced it would join other nations like Great Britain, the United States, and Australia in participating in a diplomatic

COVID, not diplomatic boycott, is the real threat to Beijing games

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 15, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, the federal government announced it would join other nations like Great Britain, the United States, and Australia in participating in a diplomatic
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge, and Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden in the West Block on Dec. 8. The greatest immediate threat to Beijing is not the posturing of other nations, it is the prevalence of the Omicron variant, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The good, the bad, and the PPC

  • OTTAWA—Last week, both the extraordinarily encouraging and the deeply discouraging were on display in our federal political system. The brightness of unanimous parliamentary consent
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 8, 2021
People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier is pictured leaving the West Block on April 15. It would be foolhardy to entirely dismiss PPC supporters as knuckle-dragging moon-howlers. The sense of dislocation that Bernier thrives on, preys on, generates fear about, needs to be responsibly addressed or it could grow, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The good, the bad, and the PPC

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, both the extraordinarily encouraging and the deeply discouraging were on display in our federal political system. The brightness of unanimous parliamentary consent

The good, the bad, and the PPC

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, both the extraordinarily encouraging and the deeply discouraging were on display in our federal political system. The brightness of unanimous parliamentary consent
People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier is pictured leaving the West Block on April 15. It would be foolhardy to entirely dismiss PPC supporters as knuckle-dragging moon-howlers. The sense of dislocation that Bernier thrives on, preys on, generates fear about, needs to be responsibly addressed or it could grow, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Waiting to exhale

  • OTTAWA—Didn’t it feel like a gut punch last week when news broke about the omicron variant of COVID-19 circulating globally? While there is no
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 1, 2021
According to medical experts, it is likely going to be weeks until we know what the omicron variant of COVID-19 will mean in terms of impact on our national and global health systems, writes Tim Powers. Unsplash photograph by Parastoo Maleki

Waiting to exhale

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Didn’t it feel like a gut punch last week when news broke about the omicron variant of COVID-19 circulating globally? While there is no

Waiting to exhale

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | December 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Didn’t it feel like a gut punch last week when news broke about the omicron variant of COVID-19 circulating globally? While there is no
According to medical experts, it is likely going to be weeks until we know what the omicron variant of COVID-19 will mean in terms of impact on our national and global health systems, writes Tim Powers. Unsplash photograph by Parastoo Maleki

Into the unknowns of the 44th Parliament

  • OTTAWA—After a five-month absence, the House of Commons has begun sitting again and MPs are back to work in Ottawa. With a Speaker now
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 24, 2021
Some of the issues to watch during this parliamentary session are how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, co-operates with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and dodges attacks from Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s party. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Into the unknowns of the 44th Parliament

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—After a five-month absence, the House of Commons has begun sitting again and MPs are back to work in Ottawa. With a Speaker now

Into the unknowns of the 44th Parliament

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—After a five-month absence, the House of Commons has begun sitting again and MPs are back to work in Ottawa. With a Speaker now
Some of the issues to watch during this parliamentary session are how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, co-operates with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and dodges attacks from Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s party. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Memo to Conservatives: get your act together

  • OTTAWA—Now I have some sense of what it felt like to be a columnist—and I use that term loosely—in the early 2000s, the last
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 17, 2021
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, pictured at a post-election Conservative caucus meeting at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building on Oct. 5. Given the current pace at which things are happening in Conservative circles, both the leader and the party could be a withered, weakened body crippled by their own hands when next a writ is dropped, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Memo to Conservatives: get your act together

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Now I have some sense of what it felt like to be a columnist—and I use that term loosely—in the early 2000s, the last

Memo to Conservatives: get your act together

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Now I have some sense of what it felt like to be a columnist—and I use that term loosely—in the early 2000s, the last
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, pictured at a post-election Conservative caucus meeting at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building on Oct. 5. Given the current pace at which things are happening in Conservative circles, both the leader and the party could be a withered, weakened body crippled by their own hands when next a writ is dropped, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Conservatives at risk of jumping the shark

  • OTTAWA—Breaking news! No, it is not the supposed deal between the NDP and Liberals to sign a three-year parliamentary non-aggression pact. After lengthy weekend
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 10, 2021
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, left, and MPs Marilyn Gladu and Leslyn Lewis, right. At some point, if the Conservative Party brand continues to burn because of the weird science caucus, O’Toole will have to abandon his strategy of accommodation and remove them, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

Conservatives at risk of jumping the shark

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 10, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Breaking news! No, it is not the supposed deal between the NDP and Liberals to sign a three-year parliamentary non-aggression pact. After lengthy weekend

Conservatives at risk of jumping the shark

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 10, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Breaking news! No, it is not the supposed deal between the NDP and Liberals to sign a three-year parliamentary non-aggression pact. After lengthy weekend
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, left, and MPs Marilyn Gladu and Leslyn Lewis, right. At some point, if the Conservative Party brand continues to burn because of the weird science caucus, O’Toole will have to abandon his strategy of accommodation and remove them, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

You never know who’s listening when the old guard speaks

  • OTTAWA—It has been a busy two weeks on multiple political fronts. Over the past 14 days, we have seen two successful former prime ministers
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 3, 2021
Not every former prime minister who offers public commentary causes a party’s leadership concern. But in the case of both Jean Chrétien and Brian Mulroney, they remain deeply connected to their tribal politics, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

You never know who’s listening when the old guard speaks

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It has been a busy two weeks on multiple political fronts. Over the past 14 days, we have seen two successful former prime ministers

You never know who’s listening when the old guard speaks

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | November 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It has been a busy two weeks on multiple political fronts. Over the past 14 days, we have seen two successful former prime ministers
Not every former prime minister who offers public commentary causes a party’s leadership concern. But in the case of both Jean Chrétien and Brian Mulroney, they remain deeply connected to their tribal politics, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Cabinet chips have fallen, with symbolism in the settling

  • OTTAWA—So, how did you make out in that cabinet speculation game we played last week? Did you make enough money to retire? The cabinet
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 27, 2021
Finance Minister and Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland, left, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault are the big winners in this new cabinet, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

Cabinet chips have fallen, with symbolism in the settling

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 27, 2021
  • OTTAWA—So, how did you make out in that cabinet speculation game we played last week? Did you make enough money to retire? The cabinet

Cabinet chips have fallen, with symbolism in the settling

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 27, 2021
  • OTTAWA—So, how did you make out in that cabinet speculation game we played last week? Did you make enough money to retire? The cabinet
Finance Minister and Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland, left, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault are the big winners in this new cabinet, writes Tim Powers. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

Cast your lots on cabinet making

  • OTTAWA—One of Ottawa’s favourite games is cabinet making. The one person who decides membership in cabinet is the prime minister. But for now, let
Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 20, 2021
Tim Powers ponders whether new cabinet roles be in the future for Liberals like Marc Miller, left, Steven Guilbeault, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, and Randy Boissonnault. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Jake Wright

Cast your lots on cabinet making

Opinion | BY TIM POWERS | October 20, 2021