Jared Wesley
@jaredwesley.ca
#UAlberta political scientist | Black Faculty Collective | Lead: Common Ground (@cgroundpolitics.bsky.social) | jaredwesley.ca | drjaredwesley.substack.com | co-author: partyloyalty.ca
Pinned
Jared Wesley
@jaredwesley.ca
· Nov 15
Jared Wesley
Political culture & public opinion.
Knowledge & practice.
Politics & policy.
jaredwesley.ca
New to my feed? Welcome! Here, you'll find commentary based on my research on (Western) Canadian politics. Learn more about my work at jaredwesley.ca.
Funny you should ask, @aaronwherry.bsky.social.
Check out our brand new book on the topic: partyloyalty.ca
Check out our brand new book on the topic: partyloyalty.ca
November 11, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Funny you should ask, @aaronwherry.bsky.social.
Check out our brand new book on the topic: partyloyalty.ca
Check out our brand new book on the topic: partyloyalty.ca
Reposted by Jared Wesley
🧵1/ Chris D’Entremont made headlines this week for leaving the Conservatives to join the Liberals — not over policy, but leadership.
He described the party’s culture as “a frat house,” and said he disagreed with its leadership style.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
That’s more common than you think 👇
He described the party’s culture as “a frat house,” and said he disagreed with its leadership style.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
That’s more common than you think 👇
Barging into office, yelling from Conservative leadership 'sealed the deal' on defection: d'Entremont | CBC News
Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont says the barging into his office and yelling from Conservative Party leadership 'sealed the deal' on his choice to cross the floor to the Liberals earlier this week.
www.cbc.ca
November 10, 2025 at 8:11 PM
🧵1/ Chris D’Entremont made headlines this week for leaving the Conservatives to join the Liberals — not over policy, but leadership.
He described the party’s culture as “a frat house,” and said he disagreed with its leadership style.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
That’s more common than you think 👇
He described the party’s culture as “a frat house,” and said he disagreed with its leadership style.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
That’s more common than you think 👇
Reposted by Jared Wesley
American politics makes a lot more sense when you realize that the GOP is afraid of pissing off the GOP base, and the Dems are afraid of pissing off the GOP base, but neither party is afraid of pissing off the Dem base.
March 14, 2025 at 10:24 PM
American politics makes a lot more sense when you realize that the GOP is afraid of pissing off the GOP base, and the Dems are afraid of pissing off the GOP base, but neither party is afraid of pissing off the Dem base.
Reposted by Jared Wesley
The Toronto Star is running a lengthy excerpt from our latest book today.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
Read an excerpt of our new book, No I in Team: Party Loyalty in Canadian Politics, in today's Toronto Star. (Gift link in comments.)
www.thestar.com/news/insight...
www.thestar.com/news/insight...
‘Would you like to be a cabinet minister?’ The delicate, secretive business of politicians crossing the floor
Partisan actors often notice when a member of a different caucus seems umcomfortable, and possibly amenable to recruiting. But the next steps are tricky, a new book explains.
www.thestar.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:54 PM
The Toronto Star is running a lengthy excerpt from our latest book today.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
By using s33 pre-emptively, the UCP is not simply admitting that their laws are breaching Charter rights. (Governments have done that before.)
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
November 10, 2025 at 2:32 AM
By using s33 pre-emptively, the UCP is not simply admitting that their laws are breaching Charter rights. (Governments have done that before.)
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Like me, many Albertans are caught in the middle between those who defend and oppose the government at all costs.
Fortunately, Peter Lougheed provided us with guidelines for how to approach these issues.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Fortunately, Peter Lougheed provided us with guidelines for how to approach these issues.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
November 10, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Like me, many Albertans are caught in the middle between those who defend and oppose the government at all costs.
Fortunately, Peter Lougheed provided us with guidelines for how to approach these issues.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Fortunately, Peter Lougheed provided us with guidelines for how to approach these issues.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
The UCP’s excuses for using the notwithstanding clause — “because we can,” “because we have to,” and “because we say so” — do not meet Lougheed's standards.
My latest.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
My latest.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Defying the Lougheed Doctrine
The UCP's repeated use of the notwithstanding is fundamentally unconservative (and un-Albertan).
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:38 PM
The UCP’s excuses for using the notwithstanding clause — “because we can,” “because we have to,” and “because we say so” — do not meet Lougheed's standards.
My latest.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
My latest.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
The Toronto Star is running a lengthy excerpt from our latest book today.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
Read an excerpt of our new book, No I in Team: Party Loyalty in Canadian Politics, in today's Toronto Star. (Gift link in comments.)
www.thestar.com/news/insight...
www.thestar.com/news/insight...
‘Would you like to be a cabinet minister?’ The delicate, secretive business of politicians crossing the floor
Partisan actors often notice when a member of a different caucus seems umcomfortable, and possibly amenable to recruiting. But the next steps are tricky, a new book explains.
www.thestar.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:54 PM
The Toronto Star is running a lengthy excerpt from our latest book today.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
We go behind the scenes of hundreds of party defections and expulsions, revealing the anatomy of party (dis)loyalty in Canada.
Reposted by Jared Wesley
Rumors. Secret meetings. Threats. Second thoughts. Regrets. Face-saving.
Intrigue.
Stories like d'Entrmont and Jeneroux aren't as rare as you might think.
We document hundreds of similar cases of party defection in our latest book.
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
Intrigue.
Stories like d'Entrmont and Jeneroux aren't as rare as you might think.
We document hundreds of similar cases of party defection in our latest book.
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
Poilievre’s Conservatives struggling to stay united, source says, as Carney government survives a second budget vote
The House of Commons voted 307 to 30 to defeat a Bloc Québécois motion that called on MPs to reject the Liberal budget
www.thestar.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Rumors. Secret meetings. Threats. Second thoughts. Regrets. Face-saving.
Intrigue.
Stories like d'Entrmont and Jeneroux aren't as rare as you might think.
We document hundreds of similar cases of party defection in our latest book.
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
Intrigue.
Stories like d'Entrmont and Jeneroux aren't as rare as you might think.
We document hundreds of similar cases of party defection in our latest book.
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
We studied over 300 party defections in Canada since 1980 for our new book (partyloyalty.ca).
I reviewed a lot of resignation letters.
Between the lines, a few read a lot like this one.
I reviewed a lot of resignation letters.
Between the lines, a few read a lot like this one.
November 8, 2025 at 3:29 AM
We studied over 300 party defections in Canada since 1980 for our new book (partyloyalty.ca).
I reviewed a lot of resignation letters.
Between the lines, a few read a lot like this one.
I reviewed a lot of resignation letters.
Between the lines, a few read a lot like this one.
Smith will chair yet another task force.
No topic is beyond her reach and expertise.
No minister is worth her trust.
No topic is beyond her reach and expertise.
No minister is worth her trust.
Teachers left off Alberta's class size and complexity task force
edmontonsun.com/news/local-n...
edmontonsun.com/news/local-n...
Teachers left off Alberta's class size and complexity task force
"We want to be able to put a cabinet committee structure in place that is going to be able to make decisions over multiple years."
edmontonsun.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Smith will chair yet another task force.
No topic is beyond her reach and expertise.
No minister is worth her trust.
No topic is beyond her reach and expertise.
No minister is worth her trust.
Reposted by Jared Wesley
For those keeping score, the premier:
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
November 7, 2025 at 2:00 AM
For those keeping score, the premier:
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
For those keeping score, the premier:
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
November 7, 2025 at 2:00 AM
For those keeping score, the premier:
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws).
🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify).
⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).
Just a thought:
If UCP MLAs put half as much public effort into asking the premier's office hard questions about Bill 2 as they're putting into tone-policing critics of their own use of the notwithstanding clause, we wouldn't be in this spot in the first place.
If UCP MLAs put half as much public effort into asking the premier's office hard questions about Bill 2 as they're putting into tone-policing critics of their own use of the notwithstanding clause, we wouldn't be in this spot in the first place.
November 6, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Just a thought:
If UCP MLAs put half as much public effort into asking the premier's office hard questions about Bill 2 as they're putting into tone-policing critics of their own use of the notwithstanding clause, we wouldn't be in this spot in the first place.
If UCP MLAs put half as much public effort into asking the premier's office hard questions about Bill 2 as they're putting into tone-policing critics of their own use of the notwithstanding clause, we wouldn't be in this spot in the first place.
Two things can be true:
1️⃣ Threats have no place in politics.
2️⃣ People are angry about their rights being taken away.
They are calling their MLAs.
And their MLAs are taking note of the opposition.
www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Alberta...
1️⃣ Threats have no place in politics.
2️⃣ People are angry about their rights being taken away.
They are calling their MLAs.
And their MLAs are taking note of the opposition.
www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Alberta...
Teachers challenge Alberta law using notwithstanding clause to end strike - Alberta News
Alberta teachers say they are taking Premier Danielle Smith’s government to court for overriding their Charter rights to end their strike while some members of her caucus say public outrage toward the...
www.castanetkamloops.net
November 6, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Two things can be true:
1️⃣ Threats have no place in politics.
2️⃣ People are angry about their rights being taken away.
They are calling their MLAs.
And their MLAs are taking note of the opposition.
www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Alberta...
1️⃣ Threats have no place in politics.
2️⃣ People are angry about their rights being taken away.
They are calling their MLAs.
And their MLAs are taking note of the opposition.
www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Alberta...
Can we add interference with the AER to that list? www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/70a7e73...
November 6, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Can we add interference with the AER to that list? www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/70a7e73...
Reposted by Jared Wesley
For me, this is at the crux of the UCP's use of the notwithstanding clause.
By using the notwithstanding clause pre-emptively - which, again, they *can* but *need not* do - the UCP is not simply admitting that their laws are breaching Charter rights and bypassing the courts.
They are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a free and democratic society.
They are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a free and democratic society.
November 6, 2025 at 7:45 PM
For me, this is at the crux of the UCP's use of the notwithstanding clause.
As we ready for the UCP's 2nd pre-emptice use of the notwithstanding clause in as many weeks, let's clarify what this means.
1️⃣ The move is constitutional. They *can* invoke it.
2️⃣ The UCP is not *required* to do this. There are other means to pass the law.
3️⃣ They should not use it, in my view.🧵
1️⃣ The move is constitutional. They *can* invoke it.
2️⃣ The UCP is not *required* to do this. There are other means to pass the law.
3️⃣ They should not use it, in my view.🧵
November 6, 2025 at 3:45 PM
As we ready for the UCP's 2nd pre-emptice use of the notwithstanding clause in as many weeks, let's clarify what this means.
1️⃣ The move is constitutional. They *can* invoke it.
2️⃣ The UCP is not *required* to do this. There are other means to pass the law.
3️⃣ They should not use it, in my view.🧵
1️⃣ The move is constitutional. They *can* invoke it.
2️⃣ The UCP is not *required* to do this. There are other means to pass the law.
3️⃣ They should not use it, in my view.🧵
Reposted by Jared Wesley
Party defections are seldom isolated events. In many instances, one departure sets off a chain of events resulting in rumours, more exits, expulsions, and turmoil surrounding the leader.
Read more: partyloyalty.ca.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Read more: partyloyalty.ca.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont resigns from Conservative caucus to join the Liberals | CBC News
Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont resigned from the Conservative caucus Tuesday. He told CBC News he will join the Liberals.
www.cbc.ca
November 5, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Party defections are seldom isolated events. In many instances, one departure sets off a chain of events resulting in rumours, more exits, expulsions, and turmoil surrounding the leader.
Read more: partyloyalty.ca.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Read more: partyloyalty.ca.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
I know! We interviewed dozens of them -- and dozens of their provincial counterparts -- for our latest book: No I in Team.
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.ctvnews.ca/politics/art...
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.ctvnews.ca/politics/art...
More than 300 MPs have crossed the floor in Parliament since Confederation
While switching parties between elections — a practice known as floor crossing referring to physically crossing the floor of the House of Commons to sit with a different caucus — is a controversial pr...
www.ctvnews.ca
November 6, 2025 at 12:58 AM
I know! We interviewed dozens of them -- and dozens of their provincial counterparts -- for our latest book: No I in Team.
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.ctvnews.ca/politics/art...
🛒 partyloyalty.ca
www.ctvnews.ca/politics/art...
"Our results found [Average Joe Albertan] isn’t... a separatist, but he is separatist-curious. He wants Alberta to remain in Canada and make it work, but life has been harder lately, and he wonders if things would be better if Alberta went it alone.": @samgoertz.bsky.social
thetyee.ca
November 5, 2025 at 10:17 PM
"Our results found [Average Joe Albertan] isn’t... a separatist, but he is separatist-curious. He wants Alberta to remain in Canada and make it work, but life has been harder lately, and he wonders if things would be better if Alberta went it alone.": @samgoertz.bsky.social
D'Entremont's comments are typical of floor crossers: nodding to personal conviction, constituents' interests, and the common good.
The next few hours will be a struggle between the Liberals and Conservatives to control the narrative.
Learn more in our latest book: partyloyalty.ca.
The next few hours will be a struggle between the Liberals and Conservatives to control the narrative.
Learn more in our latest book: partyloyalty.ca.
November 4, 2025 at 11:56 PM
D'Entremont's comments are typical of floor crossers: nodding to personal conviction, constituents' interests, and the common good.
The next few hours will be a struggle between the Liberals and Conservatives to control the narrative.
Learn more in our latest book: partyloyalty.ca.
The next few hours will be a struggle between the Liberals and Conservatives to control the narrative.
Learn more in our latest book: partyloyalty.ca.
Reposted by Jared Wesley
November 4, 2025 at 11:06 PM