“The past is a nice place to visit. You just wouldn’t want to live there.”
In the wake of a gruelling campaign, the problem is, too many political parties unpack their bags and take up residence.
My advice? Keep the trip as short as possible.
The real challenge for political parties isn’t figuring out what went right or wrong. That part’s easy. What’s hard is summoning the discipline to move on from the over-analysis, post-mortems, and endless internal score-settling.
Because if there is one thing that should be clear to all parties it’s that they are not going to find answers for the road ahead by staring in the rearview mirror.
With that in mind, let’s examine three federal parties: where they find themselves now, and what they must do next to succeed.
The NDP: Down, but not out
I don’t think there’s even room left on the bandwagon to be critical of their performance in this election. So, I won’t hop on. But I will say this: those who think a two-horse race between the Liberals and Conservatives will become a permanent fixture are dead wrong. Three essential points.
First, all it takes is one election to turn it around.
In 2015, Justin Trudeau took the federal Liberals from third place and just 36 seats to a commanding majority. Provincially, Bob Rae steered the Ontario NDP from the wilderness to a majority in 1990, and Rachel Notley took Alberta’s NDP from just four seats to a majority government, also in 2015.
Yes, rebuilding after defeat takes time. But it needn’t take a generation.
Second, Canadians are used to multi-party choice. The NDP brand has deep and durable roots. They’ve come back before. They can do it again.
Third, with a strong new leader, everything can change. After his national performance in response to the Trump tariff crisis, Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew looks like the perfect fit for the federal leadership role. Charismatic. Pragmatic. Principled. He could be the all-star the party is waiting for.
The Conservatives: Where’s the ceiling?
My belief in a possible NDP resurgence perfectly defines the problem for the Conservative party.
While the media spotlight is fixated on Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, the real story, the Conservative’s path to victory, has gone overlooked.
To their credit, the Conservatives made impressive gains this cycle by pulling in working-class voters — many disaffected former NDP supporters. That’s a big win — and a sign of momentum.
But if the NDP rebounds — as history suggests they will — the path to a Conservative government narrows dramatically. It hurts the Liberals, yes. But it hurts the Conservatives too, because they don’t have the option of governing with the NDP in a coalition or confidence agreement.
In other words: the ceiling gets lower, fast.
So where do they go? They can’t pivot further right. There are simply no more votes there.
They can’t easily reclaim the centre either, as Carney has commandeered many of their policy positions on fiscal and energy matters.
While this is a dilemma with no perfect answer, the fact remains this new Liberal government is shaky. Its mandate is thin. Its challenges are massive. Translation: the Conservatives will have every opportunity to pounce on a government that has a short leash with Canadians. They need not redefine who they are but only add nuance to their policy pledges to allow more voters to see them as a viable option to govern in these challenging times.
The Liberals: Power on a tightrope
If you thought the Conservatives had a steep climb, look at the terrain ahead for Prime Minister Mark Carney. He’s inherited an enormous policy to-do list — without the majority to make it happen efficiently.
And while his focus must be on Trump, he can’t fully confront the American threat until he delivers at home. Only by advancing his domestic agenda — on trade, growth, and productivity — can Canada begin to rebalance the power dynamic with Washington.
Two of the biggest political mountains Carney must now scale: First, interprovincial trade. He’s promised to dismantle internal trade barriers by Canada Day.
There’s a reason no one has succeeded before. It will require national unity, real sacrifice, and backroom political skill. Provinces will need to compromise, and Carney will need to orchestrate it all flawlessly.
Second, Alberta separatism. It’s rearing its head again — at the worst possible time. Carney must move swiftly to address the legitimate grievances of Western Canadians. But he also needs to confront Premier Danielle Smith directly, and decisively.
Raised in Edmonton, Carney has the personal credibility to make that case. But he must do so with clarity, empathy, and unwavering resolve.
No party has emerged from this election with a clear and easy path forward. This country will need courage, focus, and creativity more than ever.
Let’s hope every party — whether in government or opposition — is ready to deliver.
