Candice Bergen calls on Liberals to extend ‘olive branch’ to trucker convoy
Global News
The Conservative caucus elected the Manitoba MP and former deputy party leader on Wednesday to serve as interim head after a majority of MPs ousted Erin O'Toole from the top job.
Candice Bergen says her goal as interim leader of Canada’s Official Opposition will be to strengthen the conservative movement and leave the next leader with a party that’s ready to win.
The Conservative caucus elected the Manitoba MP and former deputy party leader on Wednesday to serve as interim head after a majority of MPs ousted Erin O’Toole from the top job.
Bergen faces a caucus that has spent weeks divided and angry over O’Toole’s leadership since last year’s federal election loss.
She also takes on the role at a time when anti-vaccine mandate protesters have jammed downtown Ottawa, honking into all hours of the night and forcing the closure of many businesses and services.
Some Conservative MPs accused O’Toole of failing to take a clear stance on the protest, while Bergen has offered her full support to the group and dismissed reports of racism and harassment among the demonstrators as the actions of a small few.
Bergen’s Tory colleagues greeted her with a standing ovation in the House of Commons Thursday as she made her debut as interim leader during question period, where she took aim at the Trudeau government for refusing to extend an “olive branch” to the demonstrators.
“Can the prime minister please tell Canadians what role he thinks the government can play and what they can do to solve the impasse?” Bergen asked.
The protesters have clogged the capital for nearly a week and say they won’t leave until vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions are abolished. Some have flown Nazi and Confederate flags, desecrated monuments including the National War Memorial, and been accused of harassing homeless shelter staff and masked residents on the street.
Nova Scotia fiddler Ashley MacIsaac said the summary falsely asserted he had been convicted of a series of offences, including sexual assault and internet luring.
The Bank of Canada says it's staying 'cautious' heading into 2026 as uncertainty remains high with the global trade war, tariffs and a trade deal with the U.S. set for review.
First responders found two unconscious occupants inside an apartment building in Regina on Friday due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Nova Scotia RCMP criminal operations officer Dan Morrow said in an interview with Global News that he hasn't seen a case quite like this in his 33 years of policing.
The government announced it was putting Dalhousie University in charge of a $30-million program that will see a call for onshore natural gas exploration issued in the new year.
Multiple media reports say the program was uploaded to StackTV, Global's streaming platform, though it is no longer available to watch.
Deepak Paradkar, a lawyer who has ties to Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding, was granted bail as he awaits an extradition hearing.
Some alcohol prices in Ontario could rise in the new year, with several changes to the alcohol marketplace set to take effect.
The BeTheChangeYYC street outreach group says its current building is being closed by the City of Calgary, forcing the organization to search for a new headquarters.
B.C. Conservatives' interim leader Trevor Halford says he believes the party's leadership race will unify its members and give the party a new vision.
Elections Alberta has approved the proposed referendum question, 'Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?'
Quebec's police watchdog says Nunavik officers exchanged gunshots with an individual outside a home after they were called about a person who allegedly posed a danger to others.
Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation said it's planning to open an experience centre in the new year for fans to get a behind-the-scenes look at Scotia Place.