Canadian Crossing

2025 Canadian politics preview

Editor's note: We didn't expect things to move this quickly. The Justin Trudeau resignation opens up a Liberal Party leadership race. The Foreign Interference report comes out January 31. Parliament is prorogued until March 24.

We imagine how well the Trudeau Government would have fared without having to fight the orange toddler from 2017-2021 and soon 2025-???. We also imagine what might have happened to Canada under an Andrew Scheer, Erin O'Toole, and Pierre Poilievre government.

Depending on when the 2025 Canada federal election will happen (between now and October 20), we will not be able to put in our usual energy into covering the campaign. I am as disappointed as anyone over this but real life is throwing punches I have to defend.

Parliament returns on January 27, the day after my birthday. We rarely offer political advice but Trudeau should take a page from the Stephen Harper handbook, who used prorogation in 2008 and 2009 to keep minority governments afloat. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart even explored this occurrence.

Harper was in worse shape and somehow didn't politically suffer from taking such action. 

We have been absolutely appalled by the push for mainstream Canadian journalism, including CBC News, for Justin Trudeau to resign. Stephen Harper had done way worse in 2015 and there wasn't such a push.

If the U.S. election had gone the other way (and there is concern that it really did), a lot of what happened politically happened in Canada would not have occurred.

Let's start with the huge influx of provincial elections from 2024.

British Columbia might be going back to NDP and the Greens

Liberals win New Brunswick election; Susan Holt to be province's first female premier

Saskatchewan Party makes it 5 majority governments but a smaller majority

Progressive Conservatives get a supermajority in Nova Scotia

Canada only has 10 provinces. Ontario has threatened an early election but that would be this year, not in 2024. The first 3 stories were from provinces that were required to have elections. All of them around the time of the Windsor International Film Festival. Nova Scotia had the gall to call a very unnecessary election during said film festival.

British Columbia is back to somewhat familiar territory in that the difference is close. New Brunswick picked a more rational approach to high school students, abortion, and overall health care. Saskatchewan picked MLAs to keep the mean policy against some high school students but with a small majority. The Progressive Conservatives of Nova Scotia took a light gamble and got a stronger majority.

When 2024 started, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia had never elected a female premier. Susan Holt reversed that in New Brunswick. Saskatchewan had a decent chance but fell short. Nova Scotia didn't come close. Alberta, of all place, has 3 elected female premiers.

Reflecting on the complete legacy of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney

Speaking of British Columbia, former premier John Horgan died in November at 65. Horgan served as premier from 2017-2022. He stepped down to focus on his health. Horgan was diagnosed with cancer for the third time this June. He had been serving as Canada's ambassador to Germany.

The other major political death was former Progressive Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney back in February. Though I knew of Pierre Trudeau when I was a child, Brian Mulroney's reign was when I took Canadian politics courses at university.

The fact that some provincial premiers talked about dropping Mexico from a form of NAFTA: Mulroney pushed for free trade between the United States and Canada and that existed years before NAFTA. One of many legacies for Mulroney.

British Columbia fine tunes decriminalizing drug policy

Canada finally takes the leap for a national school lunch program

Everybody says they love democracy. Unfortunately, more progressive policies are subject to harsher criticism when elections are coming up. British Columbia made significant changes under the pressure of the 2024 provincial election. The school lunch program will be in great danger if the federal house shifts to the opposition party.

Some elements of government should have more freedom to pursue needed improvement without the threat of a hostile takeover.

Canadian politics notebook: Very little of Canada in latest CPC ad

Doug Ford puts beer access in Ontario over more pressing concerns

The attention span of constituents on this continent are legendarily short, especially where conservatives are involved. Hoping the CPC ad from this past summer comes up during the 2025 election cycle. Somehow, that was magically not get mentioned.

The Canadian journalism scene is salivating to get Trudeau out and Poilievre in. They hid this story as well as they could. Some of us were paying attention.

Doug Ford's list of ways to funnel money into the pockets of his friends is longer than Santa's naughty list. Yet Ford skates by with little to no resistance. The threat of an early election in 2025 is a reality: will one of the female party leaders rise up to produce a clear path to a new government at Queen's Park?

Dear Donald, Thanks for including us in your deranged Christmas message. Being Canadian means free health care and limiting access to assault weapons. In your 51st state our kids would get shot at in school and CEOs would be shot for denying health care. So no. Now piss off. Your northern neighbour

[image or embed]

— Charlie Angus (@charlieangus104.bsky.social) December 25, 2024 at 3:55 PM

Election Day 2024 in the United States: What is on the line for Canada?

We are legitimately frightened for what will happen in the U.S.-Canada relationship as of January 20. The idea of a worse U.S. Ambassador to Canada than Kelly Knight Craft is a disturbing thought. Pete Hoekstra is more encouraging but we are wary for good reason. David L. Cohen hasn't impressed us too much but seems like James Blanchard or Bruce Heyman by comparison compared to Craft.

Our anxieties and depression were exacerbated by covering the monster from 2017-2021. Our coverage can't be as elaborate as what we did before. The Three Amigos concept feels like a pipe dream. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will have his hands full if he had as many hands as the Hindu goddess Durga has. Of course, that relationship could theoretically change in October, or before.

Canadian journalism notebook: Pierre Poilievre overreacting to a CTV News mistake

Pierre Poilievre also wants to defund the CBC

We don't think Poilievre is bluffing, like Scheer or O'Toole might have done. We've seen CBC News capitulate to him. We saw the attack he railed on CTV News. We've seen the disrespect he gives to journalists, especially female journalists. Poilievre is a jerk but hasn't had to pay the price for his behaviour.

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

Here are the tentative election dates for the provinces (and country) in 2025:

• Canada — October 20
• Newfoundland and Labrador — November 24

Here is the list of the provinces and the year of their last provincial election.

Nova Scotia — 2024
British Columbia — 2024
New Brunswick — 2024
Saskatchewan — 2024
Alberta — 2023
Manitoba — 2023
Prince Edward Island — 2023
Ontario — 2022
Quebec — 2022
Newfoundland and Labrador — 2021

We were a bit surprised that each of the 3 scheduled provincial elections in 2024 (British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan) kept their dates so close together. The timing of those elections around the Windsor International Film Festival is awful for your humble narrator. Not looking forward to 2028, especially with Nova Scotia calling a snap election on that trip.

Ontario is a candidate for a snap election in 2025; the province is required to have one by 2026. Of course, there will be a federal election in 2025. We mildly predict that Newfoundland and Labrador will keep on that schedule for a November election.

The Canada Elections Act requires the federal election to be held on the third Monday in October, which is October 20. There is a proposal to delay that call until October 27 to work around Diwali and Alberta municipal elections. There is the very real possibility that Pierre Poilievre can have his dream of an early election.

Fixed election dates are relatively new in Canada. Traditionally, they had to be done within 4 years but not tied to a specific day or date. There will be a federal election in 2025.

2024 Canadian politics preview

2023 Canadian politics preview

2022 Canadian politics preview

2021 Canadian politics preview

2020 Canadian politics preview

2019 Canadian politics preview

2018 Canadian politics preview

Some fun prime minister trivia. Charles Tupper, John Turner, and Kim Campbell were prime ministers to never sit in Parliament while prime minister. Kim Campbell (1947) and Stephen Harper (1959) are the only Baby Boomers to be prime minister. This is a sharp contrast to American federal leadership.

Justin Trudeau (1971) is the first Gen X person to be prime minister. Trudeau turned 53 on Christmas Day. The other major party leaders are also in Gen X: Poilievre (1979), Jagmeet Singh of the NDP (1979) and Yves-François Blanchet of the Bloc Quebecois (1965).

Elizabeth May (1954) of the Green Party is the only Baby Boomer with a shot at the top spot. May would be the second PM to be born outside Canada. John Turner was born in England while May was born in the United States.

2017 Canadian politics preview

2016 Canadian politics preview

2015 Canadian politics preview

Canada is losing female premiers: Politics or sexism?

I write with mixed feelings to announce that today I will be sending a letter to the Speaker of the Alberta Legislative Assembly, advising of my intent to resign my position as the MLA for Edmonton Strathcona, effective December 30, 2024.

It was last January this year when I… pic.twitter.com/jPRsmTEkRo

— Rachel Notley (@RachelNotley) December 12, 2024

We knew Rachel Notley was going to leave the leadership of the NDP in Alberta. Notley was succeeded by former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi. Still sad that Notley left the assembly.

We are mildly curious if Notley will run for federal office in 2025. That is not speculation; just a curious guess.

Canada has 2 female premiers in its provinces: Susan Holt became New Brunswick's first female premier in 2024 and Danielle Smith (Alberta) got elected in 2023.

Carla Beck is the leader of the opposition in Saskatchewan and the NDP leader since 2022. Beck ran a good race in 2024. Claudia Chender is the new opposition leader in Nova Scotia, the first female elected to that post in the province. Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia are the only 2 Canadian provinces to have never had a female premier.

Marit Stiles is the Ontario NDP leader and provincial opposition leader. Bonnie Crombie is the Ontario Liberal Party leader. Stiles and Crombie need to make a distinction to fight back against the damage Doug Ford is doing in Ontario.

Manon Massé (Québec solidaire) is a female leader of a provincial party with legislative members. Sonia Furstenau (British Columbia Green Party) is the leader but lost her seat in the BC election in October.

photo credit: CTV News
BlueSky capture: Charlie Angus
Twitter capture: @RachelNotley

Happy New Year 2025

CANADA IS... pic.twitter.com/biazACVHgB

— Brittlestar (@brittlestar) June 2, 2023

Welcome to 2025. As you may imagine on the surface, this is a volatile year in Canada. That should require extra diligence from a blog that covers Canada.

Unfortunately, real life is crashing around your humble narrator. Mental health is so important and that is an area where I am deficient.

In years past, we would have a NHL monthly January update. No more regular updates. We might even talk about World Juniors. Parliament is dark until January 27, so that will give a temporary reprieve on the insanity.

We struggled to finish our politics and travel previews that we normally run early in January.

We may limit our posts to Canadian film and Canadian television. There will be no rhyme or reason. TIFF Top Ten and the Oscar nominations are guaranteed stories. We apologize in advance for the gaps in this blog. We will shift this if we can.

We normally pride ourselves in coverage of Canadian elections, especially the federal one. I don't think that will happen unless somehow the election is in the fall. Any time short of that and I may not be able to give an early election the diligence Canadians deserve. As much as we rely on CBC News, not even they are at their usual standard.

We have category listings to the right for you to explore elements of Canadian society that appeal to you. We invite you to check them out.

Thank you for your patience. Don't be afraid to get mental health help, even if that isn't easy.

2025 CBC television winter preview

Happy Holidays 2024 comes at a less optimistic time for Canada

Canadian film review: Sugarcane

Universal Language is first Canadian film in 8 years to make the Oscars shortlist

TFCA presents the top 6 nominated Canadian films of 2024

TIFF postpones the announcement of the 2024 Top Ten Canadian films until 2025

For those frustrated with Twitter, we do post Canadian things and more personal observations at times to BlueSky. If you find overall Twitter to be harsh, especially these days, you can go straight to our Twitter page and just see lovely things about Canada. We may be harsh on behaviour and actions but we don't attack people for the sake of attacking. We enjoy conversation and learning more about Canada and Canadians.

Twitter capture: @brittlestar
photo credit: me

Happy Holidays 2024 comes at a less optimistic time for Canada

To our Phriends and Phamily in the 🇺🇸, season three of @runtheburbs is streaming now on @hulu! #runtheburbs pic.twitter.com/G3qSg1HTXY

— Andrew Phung (@andrewphung) December 12, 2024

This is about as good as a holiday present gets on the U.S. side, outside of new Letterkenny episodes. We had some qualms of lost faith that Hulu would pick up Season 3 of Run the Burbs. We don't have new Letterkenny episodes on either side of the border any more.

Run the Burbs only had 3 seasons so at least those on the U.S. side can get the full series. Canadians can watch all 3 seasons via CBC Gem.

There are 38 episodes of the show: Season 1 (12) as well as Season 2 (13) and Season 3 (13).

The CBC winter schedule preview will run on December 27. Barring emergencies, that will be the last story we run in 2024.

Loss of 'Run the Burbs' a death knell for Canadian TV (Toronto Star)

Canadian TV notebook: Run the Burbs done after 3 seasons

The end of 2024 doesn't feel too happy. No new Letterkenny episodes to distract us from reality. Insanity aimed at Canada from the very immature, angry one. Immature threats to bring down the federal government in Canada from an opposition leader who still won't get a security clearance.

The resignation of Chrystia Freeland as finance minister. I had thoughts that someday Freeland could be the next female prime minister of Canada.

The state of Canadian television. The state of Canadian journalism. The state of Ontario under Doug Ford (well, Ontario is a province). The threats to the CBC and the public broadcaster bending over backwards to appease the Conservatives. The beyond childish attacks on Canada from the angry orange one. The Canada post strike, which came to an end this week (we are pro-worker).

There is a GST/HST holiday on the federal level for 2 months.

I’m not sure how new this is since I don’t handle cash much anymore, but I got my first Loonie with the King on it today pic.twitter.com/Qei1GsUbBy

— Bryan Passifiume (@BryanPassifiume) November 7, 2024

ESPN's 30 for 30 showcases amazing life of Terry Fox

Canadians can now transact with the new $10 bill featuring Viola Desmond

Viola Desmond to be first Canadian woman on the face of Canadian money

The faces of Canadian money are in transition. The first coins with King Charles III instead of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, are out in the marketplace. The transformation has begun though the $20 bill won't change as quickly as the loonie and twoonie.

We have known for a couple of years that the $5 bill will get a makeover from Wilfrid Laurier, who has been displayed on the Canadian $5 note since 1972. The consensus in our minds is Terry Fox.

The Canadian government will put Terry Fox on the $5 bill to honour his Marathon of Hope and his efforts to raise money for cancer research. While Canadians know Fox's story, here is the Wikipedia page to help educate most Americans about his amazing story.

Former Liberal prime minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier is currently on the $5 bill and will get moved to the next version of the $50 bill. Your humble narrator didn't know who was on the $50 bill until I was in Windsor in November. I got a $50 from the ABM (ATM in the States). Former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King is on the $50 bill. You might remember King as the prime minister featured in Matthew Rankin's debut film The Twentieth Century (2019).

The other 7 Canadians on the Bank of Canada shortlist were Pitseolak Ashoona (1904/1908-1983); Robertine Barry (1863-1910); Binaaswi aka Francis Pegahmagabow (1888-1952); Won Alexander Cumyow (1861-1955); Lotta Hitschmanova (1909-1990); Isapo-muxika (1830-1890); and Onondeyoh aka Frederick Ogilvie Loft (1861-1934).

Happy Holidays 2023 includes the final Letterkenny season

Happy Holidays 2022 includes Season 11 of Letterkenny

Happy Holidays 2021 includes Season 10 of Letterkenny

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences aka the Oscars gave us some good news on Tuesday with Universal Language and Sugarcane making shortlists.

We have a few Canadian film updates, including a delay for the TIFF Top 10 Canadian films of 2024. Some news is better than no news or negative news.

Universal Language is first Canadian film in 8 years to make the Oscars shortlist

Canadian film review: Sugarcane

TFCA presents the top 6 nominated Canadian films of 2024

TIFF postpones the announcement of the 2024 Top Ten Canadian films until 2025

Canadian film notebook: 2025 Independent Spirit Awards and Golden Globes nominations

Canadian film notebook: Upcoming TIFF Top 10 and TFCA finalists

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

We have some good options if you need some Canadian films to get through the holiday period.

Hockey Canada announces 32 players that have received invites to #WorldJuniors selection camp. 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/uYTb2cguik

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 2, 2024

The 2025 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships will be in Ottawa and nearby Kanata. The tournament gets underway on Boxing Day (December 26, 2024) and run through January 5. Ottawa hosts the tournament for the first time since 2009.

The Canadian Tire Centre (NHL Ottawa Senators home) and TD Place (OHL Ottawa 67's and PWHL Ottawa Charge) will host the games.

Canada is in Group A along with the United States, Finland, Latvia, and Germany and will play their games in Kanata. TSN will have the coverage in Canada and the NHL Network will take the TSN feed except when the United States is involved.

Gord Miller and Bryan Mudryk will be on the call for the World Juniors. Mudryk's absence from the Habs telecasts means play-by-play (PBP) opportunities for Victor Findlay (Habs radio) or Kenzie Lalonde (Habs host and Sens PBP). Matt Cullen (Sens PBP) would be a contender but the Senators are on a road trip because their home arena is in use. The same will be in effect when Mudryk calls curling later this winter.

This level of hockey is easier to watch than the NHL in terms of violence and cheap hits. If you don't get along too well with your family, hockey could be a needed distraction.

The NHL takes off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. The NBA has 10 teams playing on Christmas Day. The Toronto Raptors are not considered cool enough to play on the holiday.

NHL notebook: Kenzie Lalonde is the first female play by play person for TSN

Whatever holiday you celebrate or don't — Boxing Day is for everyone — have a festive holiday season.

Twitter captures: @andrewphung; @BryanPassifiume; @TSN_Sports
photo credits: Bank of Canada via Global News; Universal Language

Progressive Conservatives get a supermajority in Nova Scotia

Tim Houston and the Progressive Conservatives couldn't have dreamed of a better scenario in calling a snap election in Nova Scotia. The party won re-election last night with 42 ridings (at press time) of the 55-seat legislature in Halifax. That is significantly higher that the 31 seats won in 2021 and 34 seats when the writ was dropped.

Claudia Chender and the New Democratic Party had a good evening, mostly at the expense of the Liberal Party. The NDP went from 6 seats to 9 seats and will form the official opposition. The NDP was in charge of the government from 2009-2013 with Darrell Dexter as premier and in opposition from 2003-2009.

The Liberals won 27 seats in 2017 and formed government. The party had a rough night, going from 17 seats (2021 election) to 14 seats (writ drop) to 3 seats. A party needs 2 seats to be an officially recognized party. Zach Churchill, the Liberal leader, lost his own riding in Yarmouth. "In life, you can lose, and the most important thing is you get back up, and how you get back up," Churchill said in his post-election speech.

Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin made Nova Scotia history being the first MLA to be elected twice as an independent. McCrossin started out with the PCs when first elected in 2007.

The Progressive Conservatives now have a supermajority with more than 37 seats. This will make passing legislation even easier.

Nova Scotia politics are crazy. Provincial liberals used to be a power house and are reduced to rubble. The province also loves to throw out a government, so watch the same thing happen to the PCs next election.

— Eric Bell (@eric_bellMB) November 27, 2024

The trend had theoretically been change. British Columbia still has the NDP but without a significant majority. New Brunswick flipped to the Liberals but mostly due to self-inflicted wounds by then-premier Blaine Higgs.

The NDP made gains in Saskatchewan but not nearly enough to take power. Nova Scotia — despite problems with food costs, health care, housing, and the problems all Canadians have — decided to give the Progressive Conservatives more power.

Ontario is ruminating about a snap election of its own.

4 women, reporting live from NDP HQ for the Nova Scotia election. #vote pic.twitter.com/g79VpxUbxU

— Blair Rhodes (@CBCBlairRhodes) November 26, 2024

Iain Rankin won the Timberlea-Prospect riding for the Liberals last night, 1 of 2-3 Liberals seats in the legislature. Rankin was premier in Nova Scotia from February 23 to August 31 in 2021 and opposition leader from August 31, 2021 until July 9, 2022.

Rankin has been in the Nova Scotia legislature since 2013. Usually, a premier, even one as a caretaker, disappears from the political landscape once out of power. Churchill became Liberal leader in 2022, succeeding Rankin.

Rankin is 41 and still around in Halifax. The party needs a new leader, mostly because Churchill doesn't have a seat. Will be curious as to the direction of the Liberal Party in Nova Scotia.

2024 Nova Scotia election preview

Nova Scotia goes Progressive Conservative for the first time since 2009

CanadianCrossing.com Nova Scotia coverage

Early voting was down compared to 2021. Elections Nova Scotia said 64,000 votes were cast compared to 75,367 at the same point in 2021. The Canada Post strike could be one factor. 

2024 Canadian politics preview

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

Snap elections usually work out well for the incumbent government. They do pay a price often in the following election. When we revisit Nova Scotia in 2028, if the opposition parties have strong enough leadership, we will be curious about the new direction in this Atlantic Canada province.

photo credit: CBC News
Twitter captures: @eric_bellMB; @CBCBlairRhodes

Election Day 2024 in the United States: What is on the line for Canada?

Montreal - the town to henceforth be known as, "Wherever my parents' job took us."

— Alexander Panetta (@Alex_Panetta) August 23, 2024

Welcome to Election Day in the United States. The idea of endorsements is a ridiculous notion since journalists cover the whole spectrum from a reasonably neutral standpoint. David Sedaris said what needed to be said better than any of us could imagine.

If Kamala Harris is elected to be the next president of the United States, she would be a chief executive who doesn't view Canada as being too foreign. The idea of a U.S. president who lived in a city where the current prime minister of Canada (Justin Trudeau) represents in the House of Commons (Papineau riding east of downtown Montréal).

Of course, we can't talk about Harris' time in La Belle Province, at least on the American side. That is a third rail in American politics.

We were encouraged a bit with Joe Biden and his initial focus on Canada. The choice of David L. Cohen as U.S. Ambassador to Canada is a nice contrast to the 2017-2021 years but Cohen has been rather invisible. Bruce Heyman, former U.S. Ambassador to Canada under President Barack Obama, has been an excellent de facto ambassador and worth following on Twitter, even if you don't like Twitter these days.

We would love for a potential Harris Administration to appoint a diplomat with a background with Canada. We would love a renegotiation of CUSMA and/or enhanced trade negotiations. The dream of the Three Amigos appears to be lost.

This doesn't factor in the Canadian federal election of 2025. The first foreign trip under a new administration should be to Canada and involving at least one night's lodging on Canadian soil. A Harris-Trudeau meeting at a back table at Schwartz's would be apropos (though Trudeau preferred the smoked meat at The Main, across St. Laurent Boulevard).

Harris and Trudeau did meet earlier this year in Philadelphia. Harris is already up to speed should she and Tim Walz win the 2024 election.

A message to Canadians about the whole Joe Biden situation

Joe Biden's visit to Canada as president shouldn't be his last

The impact of the Joe Biden presidency on Canada

The less said about the alternative in the United States, the better. Canada hasn't recovered from the trade disaster and things would only get worse, regardless of whom the prime minister of Canada will be in 2025 and beyond.

I will legalize recreational marijuana, break down unjust legal barriers, and create opportunities for all Americans to succeed in this new industry. pic.twitter.com/MuzCIpr3oP

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 3, 2024

Harris could certainly pick Trudeau's brain in taking on this challenge. The United States has an advantage, given the considerable number of states where recreational marijuana is already legal. Your humble narrator can tell you that shopping for marijuana is more enjoyable in Canada than the United States in part because of the federal legality.

The financial advantages of collecting federal taxes on marijuana would be a selling point. The difference between Canada and the United States is that Trudeau could easily pass legislation where Harris needs Dem votes in the House and Senate.

Politics aside, Trudeau helped Canada become the second country (behind Uruguay) to legalize marijuana. Shocking that he and his government has been shut out by the Canadian media in terms of positive political coverage to get that done.

CanadianCrossing.com marijuana coverage

Kamala Harris, Jackie Robinson, and their association with Montreal

Joe Biden's visit to Canada as president shouldn't be his last

Shouts of "Boomer" (I am Gen X) might abound in caring about foreign policy. We didn't even have a debate on foreign policy in the 2024 U.S. presidential race. Even when foreign policy was discussed, Canada wasn't one of the topics. Usually, countries with oil (Canada has oil) and/or countries involved in war.

Trade matters. Foreign policy matters. How the United States treats or mistreats its friends is really important, even if it isn't on TikTok.

Looking back at when Joe Biden was in Canada

Tucker Carlson shows ignorance of Canada by mispronouncing Ottawa

CanadianCrossing.com trade coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

CanadianCrossing.com U.S. politics coverage

“I’m proud that a woman who spent her adolescence in Montreal is on the threshold of the presidency” https://t.co/tzsiVT2Ye8

— Cult MTL (@cultmtl) August 23, 2024

U.S. citizens living in Canada (and elsewhere) are eligible to vote for the U.S. president. Living in the United States is not a requirement for voting. We know that Stephen Harper made that an issue when he was the prime minister of Canada, an undemocratic rule. The confusion in 2015 for Canadians who weren't sure if they could vote for prime minister still rattles around in my head.

Be a citizen of whichever country where you have citizenship and do your sworn duty as a citizen to make a difference. The only thing that really makes politicians think is a large turnout.

Twitter captures: @Alex_Panetta; @KamalaHarris; @cultmtl
photo credit: CTV News

2024 Nova Scotia election preview

Calling a snap election is an option for a sitting government. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, who has been in power since 2021, has used that option. The upcoming election will be on November 26. The election was scheduled for July 15, 2025.

Tim Houston's Progressive Conservatives won 31 seats in the 2021 election and currently have 34 seats in the 55-seat legislature in Halifax. Zach Churchill is the opposition leader with the Liberals, winning 17 seats in 2021 and holding 14 seats. Claudia Chender is the New Democratic Party leader, winning 6 seats in 2021, the same number the party currently holds.

There is a single independent MLA.

Churchill and Chender are in their first campaign as party leaders. Both came into power in the summer of 2022. Houston has been his party leader since October 27, 2018 and only served this past government as premier.

Nova Scotia is rather rare in that all 3 major parties have recently been in charge of the government. The Liberals were in power from 2013-2021 and the NDP was in charge from 2009-2013.

Churchill has an extra challenge with 2 candidates leaving the party this year. Both MLAs are running for the PCs in 2024.

Health care, followed by health care and health care. This is the main issue in a Nova Scotia election. Twice as many people are without a family practice as compared to when Houston took office in 2021.

This was a major concern in the 2021 election and the question will be whether the PCs have done enough so far on access to health care, especially in rural areas.

Sharp rent increases, especially in the last 3 years, are a major concern, even outside of Halifax.

Food prices and food sovereignty are concerns even in good times but especially lately.

Of course, the lost revenue will have to come from somewhere, so Nova Scotians aren't going to come out ahead in the end. With this obvious vote-buying scheme, those of you who don't use the bridges will now be paying for them, and for anything else those tolls paid for.#nspoli https://t.co/lg6tmMwcfC

— Audric Moses 🇨🇦 (@audricmoses) October 29, 2024

Nova Scotia goes Progressive Conservative for the first time since 2009

2021 Nova Scotia election preview

We had rumours for some time about a snap election in Nova Scotia (and Ontario). The timing could be to assure a conservative government given how right-wing parties did in provincial elections this fall.

The "fear" of having a provincial election in the same year as the federal election is a red herring at best. Newfoundland and Labrador is now the only province scheduled to have a 2025 election, scheduled on or before November 24. That would be after a federal election.

We have noted in recent coverage of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan elections that Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia are now the only Canadian provinces to have never elected a female premier. Alberta has had 3 elected female premiers.  

Claudia Chender is an obvious contender in Nova Scotia though 6 seats with the New Democratic Party makes that unlikely unless a lot of blue and some red goes orange.

CanadianCrossing.com Nova Scotia coverage

2024 Canadian politics preview

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

We will also keep an eye out for bad weather later in the month if that interferes with early voting and/or Election Day. This is what you might get with a November snap election. Lower turnout generally helps conservative leaders.

photo credit and video credit: CBC News
Twitter capture: @audricmoses

Canadian journalism notebook: Pierre Poilievre overreacting to a CTV News mistake

As @stphnmaher writes in today’s @TorontoStar, the CTV/Poilievre edit wasn’t a malicious plot, it was fuck up, the kind that almost inevitably happens when you strip newsrooms of experienced staff https://t.co/pXqNx1kuzM pic.twitter.com/tPUArXipqz

— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) September 28, 2024

The mistake was rather obvious. No one believes Pierre Poilievre is pushing for a federal election over the new dental care program. Carbon tax. If the federal opposition leader did get that election and won, the dental care program is pretty much as good as gone or underfunded or not as good as it should be. Poilievre won't address the issue of whether the Conservatives would keep the new dental care program.

The opposition leader has said no one is getting help with dental care when that definitely isn't true.

CTV News' Omar Sachedina had previously aired a statement apologizing to Poilievre and the party: "Last night, in a report on this broadcast, we presented a comment by the official opposition leader Pierre Poilievre that was taken out of context. It left viewers with the impression the conservative non-confidence motion was to defeat the Liberals dental care program. In fact, the Conservatives have made it clear the motion is based on a long list of issues with the Liberal government including the carbon tax. A misunderstanding during the editing process resulted in this misrepresentation. We unreservedly apologize to Mr. Poilievre and the Conservative party of Canada. We regret this report went to air in the manner it did."

CTV apologized for the mistake. CTV threw 2 people under the bus for said mistake, firing them from their jobs. That is way more than most people get in retribution for a journalism mistake. That's the reality.

Struck by how terrified CTV sounds in these statements. Not just regretful, but quite abject. As if they fear … retribution. https://t.co/NaI3N6dubJ

— Andrew Coyne 🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@acoyne) September 26, 2024

Pierre Poilievre has made journalists out to be the bad people in the world. They cover Poilievre like they are scared of him. We've written extensively about Bell Media journalism cuts.

Jesse Brown and Rahim Mohamed shared thoughts on this for Canadaland. The original idea came from an episode of Question Period from CTV. Question Period host Vassy Kapelos is not known for being kind to non-conservative politicians. Mohamed backs that up. The episode they question was about the dental care program. The theory is that the dental care program was the impetus for the story that ran on CTV on the Sunday night newscast in question.

This doesn't excuse a mistake, a definite mistake. The idea that there was a deliberate attempt by CTV or any other news outlet to mix that up — it's too obvious to not get caught.

Great point by former NDP MP Françoise Boivin. Should @PierrePoilievre really be rejoicing in @bell stock being downgraded by moodys?

Should a potential Prime Minister to actually celebrate the demise of a Canadian company that employs so many Canadians? #Cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/pRop5dFets

— Jaro Giesbrecht (@JaroGiesbrecht) September 25, 2024

Poilievre was happy that Bell Media's stock has tumbled. This is part of a larger strategy to get really great coverage, which apart from this incident, Poilievre gets. Cheering for a prominent Canadian company when they are down financially. Poilievre already wants the defund the CBC.

Interesting how Poilievre would never go after Postmedia in a negative fashion. We may hate it but the tactics work. Justin Trudeau is very positive about things in Canada; Pierre Poilievre isn't. Consistently. Again, this is not about politics. This is about approach and beliefs.

Short Cuts: Who Framed Pierre Poilievre? (Canadaland)

CanadianCrossing.com journalism coverage

Canadians should ask if Poilievre becomes prime minister as to whether or not he will be accountable to Canadian journalists. Well, the few that are left. Politics aside, this isn't good for journalism or democracy.

I sent this in and got the call. My last cartoon, I think, in the Chronicle Herald. It's not published yet. pic.twitter.com/Wg82rwTnyr

— Michael de Adder (@deAdder) October 8, 2024

If you go back far enough, I want to be a catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, like Johnny Bench. A most reasonable life dream would be as an editorial cartoonist. My lack of drawing ability did me in for that career.

Michael de Adder is a very talented editorial cartoonist. The ideas. The drawings. You have to tell a lot in a small space. de Adder happens to be Canadian. While his work can be found in a lot of places, his base has been The Chronicle Herald in Halifax.

Postmedia, owned by American hedge funds who are definitely pro-toddler, took over the SaltWire publications in Atlantic Canada. Besides firing de Adder, Postmedia also fired long-time columnist Ralph Surette for, well, doing their jobs well.

Whatever we might have thought about SaltWire's ownership, Postmedia has been way worse and it hasn't been in charge for long.

You can follow @deadder on Twitter and his other platforms. With all of these bailouts for Canadian journalism, Postmedia pockets a lot of that money and not using that money to save local journalism.

pic.twitter.com/0g1njaAcoU

— Michael de Adder (@deAdder) October 16, 2024

Bell Media making deep cuts to W5, CTV local newscasts

W5 returns in October as Avery Haines leads Canada’s top investigative team, debuting on all platforms, including https://t.co/1kZunfYtgi, CTV News App, CTV News Channel and CTV National News. pic.twitter.com/CVKKcSDehW

— CTV W5 (@CTVW5) September 11, 2024

This is the first tweet that @CTVW5 has sent in months. Bell Media ended the show in February, on since 1966 (not a typo) as part of cost-cutting. Bell Media kept the name and concept in house to use on CTV News platforms, just without the legitimacy the show established for decades.

Canadian viewers are getting microdoses of something that looks like W5. Narco Jungle: The Death Train. We also get related occasional documentaries under the title W5: Avery Haines Investigates.

Feels like a stylized W5 to be more flashy than relevant. The W5 name without what made the W5 name significant in Canadian journalism.

Keeping the W5 name within its newscasts keeps others from stealing the ideas and even personnel. Bell Media wants the credit for W5 just not to spend the money needed for strong journalism.

It is a shocking failure of editorial judgment to give a foreign agent airtime to attack the credibility of Canada’s government after it expelled him for playing a role in the murder of Canadians on Canadian soil. https://t.co/HXAIGk2Sw4

— Andrew Tumilty (@AndrewTumilty) October 20, 2024

Bell Media and CTV is spending money on Question Period, a show making questionable bookings such as this one. Vassy Kapelos interviewed India High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, a person allegedly linked to the murders of Canadians on Canadian soil. 

The timing is awkward because of alleged ties between India and Pierre Poilievre in terms of foreign pressure on the last Conservative Party leadership race.

Kapelos could be seen as helping Poilievre and hurting Trudeau as well as Canada in airing this interview. Does that tie back to Poilievre's criticism of CTV News? Not much more of a stretch than Poilievre used against CTV News and Bell Media.

We aren't trying to pick on CTV and Bell Media. A coincidence that all of these stories are hitting around this time. Speaking of Bell Media, here is one more journalism story.

SHE’S BACK 🤩@saraorlesky is in the host’s chair for all #NHLJets home games on @TSN_Sports this season! pic.twitter.com/l2kcNpH9TJ

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) October 11, 2024

Everyone loves Sara Orlesky so why is it a big deal for Orlesky to host the Winnipeg Jets home games on TSN3? Orlesky is an employee of the Winnipeg Jets and not TSN. That is why this is a big deal that Orlesky (employee of the team) is replacing John Lu (employee of TSN).

We aren't that the Jets did this. The inclination is that TSN might have done this to save a few bucks, even if they are paying John Lu to cover the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.

Sports teams aren't suppose to have a conflict of interest of this magnitude. I like Sara Orlesky but this looks and smells bad.

photo credit: CTV News
Twitter captures: @richardwarnica; @acoyne; @JaroGiesbrecht; @deAdder; @CTVW5; @AndrewTumilty; @NHLJets

Saskatchewan Party makes it 5 majority governments but a smaller majority

The Saskatchewan Party remains in power in Saskatchewan. That party took 35 seats, 4 more than it needed for a majority of the 61-seat assembly. Scott Moe won his riding in Rosthern-Shellbrook and will be back as premier.

The NDP won at least 26 seats. NDP leader Carla Beck won her Regina Lakeview riding and will remain the opposition leader.

The last 5 majority government streak came under Tommy Douglas and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1944-1961. The Saskatchewan Party has been in charge of the province since 2007.

"I've heard the message that was delivered here this evening and the Saskatchewan Party will be a government that works for all of the people of Saskatchewan," Moe said in his victory speech. That may not apply to trans kids unless there is a significant change. Winning doesn't usually mean a change. Perhaps the NDP push came because of the hurtful policies of the government in power.

Moe did say late in the campaign that the first order of action, if re-elected, is more hurtful policies against trans kids. Food prices, housing, health care would be more important to people who live in Saskatchewan.

"We might not have crossed the finish line first tonight but, my friends, we have changed the landscape in this province," Beck said in her speech. 

Like New Brunswick, Saskatchewan had a chance to elect its first female premier. That will have to wait, like until 2028. Nova Scotia has also never elected a female premier.

The province has a few smaller parties. None of them came close to winning a seat: Saskatchewan United Party, Buffalo Party, Progressive Conservatives, Saskatchewan Progress Party, and the Green Party.

Here's the story of the Saskatchewan election - the NDP made remarkable gains in the two big cities in the province but couldn't break through anywhere else.

It's a trend we're seeing across the country as urban/rural divides are growing more and more extreme. pic.twitter.com/ipxObgeXCm

— Alex Kohut (@KohutAlex) October 29, 2024

The NDP strengthened its seat count in the 2 major cities: Regina and Saskatoon. Depending on recounts, the NDP took 11 of 12 Regina ridings and all but 2 seats in Saskatoon.

The Saskatchewan Party dominated in the rural areas and did well in smaller cities such as Prince Albert and Moose Jaw.

Tomorrow it's time to remove number 4 of 5. #skpoli pic.twitter.com/Zj0xfVfssf

— Theresa (@TheresaLubowitz) October 27, 2024

The Saskatchewan Party win could be seen as holding back the non-conservatives. The BC NDP win could be seen as holding back the conservatives. New Brunswick was about kicking out the premier, regardless of party. Nova Scotia and, possibly, Ontario are in the on deck circle waiting to see how that might turn out. Sometimes provincial elections are just that, provincial.

BREAKING: Sask. Party MLA Gary Grewal has been found guilty. He broke the law & personally profited off government contracts. He jacked up motel room rates for government clients, swindling taxpayers for $731,000. This is exactly why voters are looking for change. #skpoli pic.twitter.com/LhBeIQtXRC

— Saskatchewan New Democrats (@Sask_NDP) October 22, 2024

2024 Saskatchewan election preview

Saskatchewan Party wins a fourth straight majority government

British Columbia Saturday, Saskatchewan on Monday: Election results likely to be delayed

2020 Saskatchewan election preview

We would never suggest for or against a government based on how well it supports the film industry. New productions are coming to Saskatchewan, which is good news, but there is a crew shortage in part because of past policies.

The Saskatchewan Party government eliminated the film tax credit in 2012 (been in power since 2007). So productions and local crew people left. There is a new production grant from Creative Saskatchewan but rebuilding the infrastructure takes time.

Even conservative governments should see the positive aspects of film and TV production, especially in a province that doesn't get too many tourists.

If you are going to draw attention to an election, go to where the people are. You can see the Elections Saskatchewan logo at the bottom left of the screen. Helps if the Saskatchewan Roughriders were winning big over the BC Lions. The teams match up in Regina on Saturday in the CFL West Division semifinal.

Speaking of the CFL, Canadian Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Gene Makowsky, who played 17 years for the Roughriders, lost his seat. NDP candidate Sally Housser won the redistributed riding of Regina University over Makowsky.

Makowsky had been in the assembly for the Saskatchewan Party since 2011 in the Regina Dewdney riding immediately following the end of his final CFL season. He won re-election in the Regina Gardner Park riding in 2016 and 2020.

Elections Saskatchewan reported that over 273,000 people cast early ballots during the 56 hours of early voting. Overall turnout is about 53%, a miserable figure by Canadian standards.

Fifth straight majority government for Conservative Saskatchewan Party.
Big gains for NDP in two biggest cities, furthering urban/rural divide.
Only 53% of eligible voters voted.
Official results to be released Nov 9. https://t.co/b1Y56auG7Y

— Armine Yalnizyan (@ArmineYalnizyan) October 29, 2024

CanadianCrossing.com Saskatchewan coverage

2024 Canadian politics preview

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

We will post a Nova Scotia election preview soon. We are only human.

photo credits: CBC News; TSN/CFL
Twitter captures: @KohutAlex; @TheresaLubowitz; @Sask_NDP; @ArmineYalnizyan

Liberals win New Brunswick election; Susan Holt to be province's first female premier

Susan Holt will be the first female premier in the history of New Brunswick. Holt's Liberals finished with 31 seats up from 16 at the start of this election. Holt won her seat in her new riding of Fredericton South-Silverwood.

Holt thanked the women who came before her in the New Brunswick legislature.

The Progressive Conservatives had 25 MLAs at the start of the election and fell to 16 seats. Blaine Higgs lost his seat in the Quispamsis riding to Aaron Kennedy (Liberals). Higgs tried for a 3rd straight government but was defeated. The PCs were in power since 2018.

The Green Party went from 3 MLAs to 2 in the 2024 election. Party leader David Coon won in his new riding of Fredericton-Lincoln. Coon has been in charge of the NB Greens since September 22, 2012. There was a very loud cheer at Coon's speech when he noted that Blaine Higgs will no longer be the premier.

We normally don't note when a party doesn't win a seat but notable that the right-wing Party People's Alliance didn't come close to winning a seat.

Brian Gallant was the last Liberal premier in New Brunswick, serving as premier from 2014-2018. Gallant was sworn in as premier at the age of 32.

You wouldn't have to strain yourself to see this election as a reaction to the extreme changes to Policy 713 of not allowing children under 16 to use preferred names and pronouns of students without parental consent. Housing, health care, and food prices with the influx of people int the province will be key issues for the new Holt Government.

We hope — not just for our Balance of Food colleagues — that Holt promised free school breakfasts in the province, a promise Higgs did not keep in 2020.

Higgs bragged during the campaign that his government has had 6 consecutive budget surpluses. The influx of new residents might mean some long-term spending to ease the burden on the province.

🚨BREAKING: Blaine Higgs has declined the October 9th leaders’ debate hosted by Rogers. Is he afraid of losing another debate to @susanholt ?

— Liberal Party of NB | Parti Libéral du N.-B. (@NBLA_ALNB) October 2, 2024

There were 2 debates. Higgs blew off the second debate. He attended the first debate.

There was certanly fire within the Progressive Conservatives at a possible leadership race. A few cabinet members resigned over Higgs' leadership style.

We were startled, but not surprised, to see that Higgs' concession speech was only in English in the only official bilingual province in Canada. Holt and Coon had plenty of French in their speeches.

Sherry Wilson of the Progressive Conservatives won her riding despite terrible comments over residential schools.

2024 New Brunswick election preview

Why New Brunswick is mostly absent from Canadian film landscape

Canadian politics notebook: Russell Brown steps down as Supreme Court justice

Blaine Higgs wins a majority government for Progressive Conservatives in New Brunswick

New Brunswick is calling a provincial election in a pandemic

Over 130,000 cast early ballots. Voter turnout in the last two elections has been around 66-67%.

CanadianCrossing.com New Brunswick coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

Holt is the premier-designate and will be New Brunswick's first female premier. Danielle Smith (Alberta) is the other current female premier. There is the Saskatchewan race next week, which could change that dynamic. Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia are the only 2 provinces that have never elected a female premier. 

photo credits: CBC News (x2); @MarchellC

British Columbia might be going back to NDP and the Greens

The most contentious British Columbia election might bring us to back to recent elections. 2017 where the New Democratic Party formed a government with the 3 Green Party MLAs or 2013 where Christy Clark led a comeback for the BC Liberals yet lost her own seat.

There is a lot we don't know about the 2024 British Columbia election as the results are too close to call. We know that Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau lost the seat she was running for in the Victoria-Beacon Hill riding. Furstenau had represented the Cowichan Valley riding in Victoria.

The Greens won 2 seats: Rob Botterell won in Saanich North and Jeremy Valeriote took the West Vancouver-Sea to Sky riding. Botterell ran in the riding where the Greens had an incumbent, Adam Olsen, who chose not to run in 2024.

Pending recounts, the NDP under David Eby had 46 seats while the BC Conservative Party under John Rustad had 45 seats. The BC Green Party had 2 ridings. The seat count went up from 87 to 93 seats for the 2024 election.

There is also the tricky part (one I don't know) because Furstenau would negotiate a potential agreement with one of the other 2 parties. While Furstenau is the party leader, she won't have a seat in Victoria once the legislature is back in session. 

BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau has lost her race for re-election in the B.C. election — but her party may still elect two candidates. #bcelxn #bcpoli #bcelection

READ MORE: https://t.co/WIb5HmgJrghttps://t.co/WIb5HmgJrg

— Global BC (@GlobalBC) October 20, 2024

2024 British Columbia election preview

British Columbia fine tunes decriminalizing drug policy

British Columbia decriminalizes some drugs but at a really low threshold

Rustad vowed in his election night speech to try to bring down a minority government if his party wasn't involved.

Eby had been premier since 2022 and this was his first election as leader. The NDP was going to lose seats but may have been surprised as how bad the loss would be. Rustad came in very right of centre yet the Conservatives won in areas that had been NDP strongholds.

Brent Chapman is not "controversial" - he is a residential school denialist who, in the lead up to Orange Shirt Day, said on a podcast that "the residential school business" has been exposed as a "massive fraud." He is also now an MLA, having won in Surrey South handily. Wild. https://t.co/ew8TOrHb4E

— Sean Carleton (@SeanCarleton) October 20, 2024

There are people behind these parties. Someone such as this changes the tone of relationships with the Indigenous people of the province.

Rustad compared COVID-19 public health measures to "Nuremberg 2.0," how Nazi leaders were prosecuted after World War II. Later, Rustad said he "misunderstood the question."

In the televised debate, Rustad told a story about a "fatal overdose" that changed many times over time.

Rustad also told an anti-vax group that he regretted getting the "so-called" COVID-19 vaccination and accused Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer at the British Columbia Ministry of Health of using it for "control on the population."

This might seem unfair on one level to point out these matters from the BC Conservative Party. Some say we left out many more examples. Some could argue we aren't saying that about the NDP. This is to give a flavour of what is to come in the assembly in Victoria.

Yesterday 171,381 voters voted on the first day of advance voting. This is the most votes ever on an advance voting day in a BC election, beating the previous record of 126,491 in 2017. More details here https://t.co/Ztg2vaUDL4 #bcpoli

— Elections BC (@ElectionsBC) October 11, 2024

One positive from this election was a high voter turnout before Election Day. Elections BC says 1,001,331 people voted in advance, more than 28% of all registered electors. This was a record number of British Columbians for early voting.

About 223,000 people voted on the final day of advance voting, which was on Wednesday. The previous record came in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with a mark of 670,000.

The irony came with flooding in areas around Vancouver on Election Day, which is a gentle reminder for vote early.

Despite the early election enthusiasm, the preliminary voter turnout is 57.39%. As a contrast, that mark is about in the middle of the 2020 election (53.86%) and 2017 election (61.18%). The 2017 and 2013 elections prove that every vote matters.

For the first time ever, there are more women than men in the legislature. 

David Eby to replace John Horgan as British Columbia premier

British Columbia looks like a NDP majority government

British Columbia Saturday, Saskatchewan on Monday: Election results likely to be delayed

2020 British Columbia election preview

British “Colombia” #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/RALSmr5Qv1

— Joseph Planta (@Planta) October 19, 2024

You would imagine people who live in British Columbia would be sensitive about this particular misspelling of the name of the province. It's always the same mistake. Copy editors should be valuable people in a time of Grammarly and AI.

CanadianCrossing.com British Columbia coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

The NDP decriminalizing drug policy affected a tiny portion of British Columbia residents. Like Bill 21 in Quebec, politics can be used to scare people on a policy where they have little to no contact. If the decriminalization is cut back even further or eliminated, there will be lost lives. Those lives won't get as much notice in the news. They will die quietly. If Rustad does get power, soon or later, will his party be accountable for a lack of policy on fentanyl and opioids in British Columbia.

This isn't and shouldn't be about politics. This is a health crisis. As we have noted countless times, the provinces are in charge of this.

Kevin Falcon may not be doing interviews but we are really curious as to how Falcon feels about the 2024 election, once we get the recounts. Falcon imploded his BC United Party, leaving Rustad, whom Falcon kicked out of the BC United Party, to join the then fledgling BC Conservative Party. That party is no longer fledgling.

photo credit: CBC News
Twitter captures: @GlobalBC; @SeanCarleton; @ElectionsBC; @Planta