In one of the strangest elections in recent Ontario history, voters gave Doug Ford’s Conservatives a resounding victory with an even stronger majority in the Legislature at 83 seats. While the election night results were stunning for the Conservatives, it was a significant setback for the NDP which lost almost a quarter of its caucus (reduced […]
With mere days to spare, the Ford government released the 2022 Ontario Provincial Budget which will serve as the basis of their election platform. While almost all of the big-ticket items were already announced over the last several weeks, the Ford government’s budget lays a path that is intended to differentiate them from the Liberals and […]
When the rules are against you, sometimes the only option is to change the rules. It might take a meeting. It might take a regulatory change. But for some clients, we need to convince a government to create new legislation. It’s a big goal, but if it’s the right strategy, we can make it happen. In […]
As a conservative, it pains me that we aren’t learning from our mistakes Paul Brown Contributed to the Globe and Mail Published February 6, 2022 Paul Brown is a former chief of staff in Brian Mulroney’s government and has worked on numerous provincial and federal Conservative campaigns. He is a principal at Campbell Strategies. I was […]
A Throne Speech kicks off a Parliamentary session. A Throne Speech that follows an election is usually a rehash of the victor’s campaign promises. In that respect, this week’s Throne Speech did not disappoint. The Government (through the Governor General) can huff and puff in every official language and talk about “mandate” and how “the […]
The Genie grants three wishes and warns: “Be careful what you wish for”. Waiting around while central bankers and securities regulators ponder what to do about cryptocurrency and crypto assets, a frustrated Genie finally says: “Let me help out here. I can grant three wishes. Here are your choices: make it all go away (too […]
Ontario’s Finance Minister has released the Province’s Fall Economic Statement (“FES”), which provides an update on the Province’s program spending, as well as Ontario’s economic and fiscal projections for the near term. With less than eight months until the next provincial election (which is on June 2022), Finance Minister Bethlenfalvy’s mini-budget ultimately lays the foundation for […]
Choosing a cabinet is one of the hardest tasks that faces any Prime Minister. One early Canadian Prime Minister facing the inevitable second guessing about (his) choices lamented: “Give me better wood and I will make you a better cabinet.” (Source: parli.ca) The point in dredging up this old saw is not to criticize any particular […]
Ontario’s 2021 Budget focuses on the two big issues: protecting people’s health, and, getting the economy back on track. The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the priorities of every government world-wide, and Ontario is no different. Key conservative philosophies such as balancing the budget, or encouraging business investment through strategic tax cuts, have largely been abandoned in […]
The Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce released its final report today . The report makes a number of recommendations designed to amplify growth and competitiveness in Ontario’s capital markets and to address the decline in new issuers and initial public offerings. The Taskforce aims to reverse this trend and encourage more head offices, more entrepreneurs and more growth investment opportunities in […]