Distraction season is here—but Trump still demands attention

Political leaders would be smart to keep their message focused on U.S. President Donald Trump or risk losing the plot with Canadians.
Message discipline will be critical for Prime Minister Carney, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and interim NDP Leader Don Davies, writes Michelle Johnston. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
Opinion
BY MICHELLE JOHNSTON
August 27, 2025

This summer has been anything but sleepy inside the Ottawa bubble. United States tariffs—and Canada’s response—have dominated headlines. But in partisan politics, the curtain hasn’t yet risen.

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