Day thirty-two, and we are reaching the phase of the campaign where resources and people are being shifted to ridings that they are most concerned about, and the leaders’ stops will reflect this. There is also talk that the Conservatives are pouring resources into Poilievre’s own riding because it increasingly feels in jeopardy, in part because the Liberal challenger has been working the doors for four years.
Mark Carney was in Victoria, where he gave the BC-centric version of his campaign pitch, before making stops in White Rock, New Westminster, and Surrey, which is a direct play for the NDP seats in the area. Carney will start the day in Port Moody, BC, before heading to Winnipeg.
Pierre Poilievre was in Stoney Creek, Ontario, where he thanked police associations for their endorsement before reiterating his plan to give them new powers to dismantle tent encampments (as though that solves any of the underlying problems that has led to their rise). He then headed to Trenton, Nova Scotia, for a rally. Poilievre will start the day in Halifax before heading to Saskatoon, as he has not yet stopped in Saskatchewan this election.
Jagmeet Singh was in Edmonton to re-announce his “plan” for national rent control, which is exclusive provincial jurisdiction, and to declare that he’s not dead yet, and there are still five days left. He then headed to Winnipeg to shore up their two seats there. Singh participated in an AFN virtual meeting, where he made a tonne of promises he can’t keep. Singh will start his day in Winnipeg before heading to Toronto.
In other campaign news, the after it was pointed out that the Conservatives left out their promise to “fight woke ideology” from their platform document, they said that was a publishing error and put it back in. The Logic has their longread profileof Poilievre. Mélanie Joly has openly called for a majority parliament while Carney has been cagey, so cue the tut-tutting about “arrogance” and so on. The Star fact-checks Carney’s statements last week (and this remains the dumbest possible fact-check methodology).
Poilievre says he doesn't watch TV, but "a little bit of UCF on my YouTube." That…tracks, actually.
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-04-23T14:54:48.403Z
Ukraine Dispatch
A massive missile and drone strike hit Kyiv overnight, killing nine and injuring at least 63. Russian drones killed seven in a strike on the city of Marhanets, while an energy facility in Kherson was destroyed by Russian artillery and drone attacks. A Ukrainian drone strike damaged a Russian drone production site in Tatarstan. President Zelenskyy is rejecting any “peace” proposal that would surrender Crimea to Russia permanently.
https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1915005378225373500
Good reads:
- Mark Carney will not be at the Pope’s funeral because of the election, but is sending Mary Simon and her husband to lead the Canadian delegation.
- Trump was at it again yesterday, not only with the annexation talk, but also threatening to increase auto tariffs again to pressure manufacturers.
- China says they wants to “partner” with Canada to push back against American “bullying,” and yeah, of course they would say that (and we should say no).
- The Ontario Superior Court again agreed to delay striking down the “lost Canadians” immigration clause, until a new Parliament can be summoned.
- Stephanie Carvin assesses the national security portions of the Conservative platform, and finds some good, and some bad.
- Colby Cosh speculates about the forthcoming auction of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s original Charter, and what it could fetch (if Canada wants to pay).
- Justin Ling compares the rallies that Poilievre and Carney are holding, in an attempt to gauge the vibes of the campaign.
- Ling is also impressed with Poilievre’s re-investment tax credit plans (but I suspect his analysis misses the deeper problems with Canada’s managerial class).
- My Xtra column searches the party platforms for LGBTQ+ pledges, and finds very little on offer at a time when the community faces scapegoating and rising hate.
Odds and ends:
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