Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Nov. 20, 2019, shortly after his new cabinet was sworn in. The prime minister's office has appointed chiefs of staff in 26 cabinet ministers' offices. Still, 10 are waiting for their top political aides. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
PMO completes hiring chiefs of staff to 26 cabinet ministers, 10 ministers still waiting to recruit their top aides
The Prime Minister's Office selected new chiefs of staff from CVs sent to PMO chief of staff Katie Telford; PMO director of administration Brett Thalmann; and cabinet ministers directly, a senior Liberal source told The Hill Times.
‘Very close to a point of no return’: urgency of climate crisis top of mind for Canadian delegation heading to UN conference
Climate change played a prominent role in the Speech from the Throne last week, as Governor General Julie Payette says the government's promise to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 is 'ambitious, but necessary.'‘Competence’ of Scheer in doubt, says ex-Tory Senator Segal, while progressive Conservatives eye the future
The party won’t split, and risk letting Grits win ‘just by showing up,’ say moderate Conservatives. Politics This Morning
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Some defeated Conservatives want to back Scheer for their own ‘survival’ as future candidates
Andrew Scheer ‘needs to demonstrate very quickly that he can garner the overwhelming backing of the party to move forward, or for the good of the party, he should step down,’ a Conservative MP told The Hill Times. No exit timeline for NATO training mission strengthening Iraq military, says outgoing commander
Long-term NATO mission will lead to greater chances of success stabilizing Iraqi security forces, says foreign policy experts. Veteran Senate staff get walking papers; leaders split over giving extra cash to keep PSG afloat
The leaders of the Senate agreed to give the upstart Canadian Senators Group cash to operate in the coming months, but were divided over floating the Progressive Senate Group after it lost official status. Rookie PSPC minister a ‘calculated risk’ as a cabinet pick, say observers
Canada's new procurement minister Anita Anand 'ticks a lot of the boxes,' says one political observer of the first Hindu to be appointed into cabinet on a federal level.In Speech from the Throne, a nod to Western alienation, promise to enshrine Indigenous rights
'The government has heard Canadians’ concerns that the world is increasingly uncertain, and that the economy is changing,' the Throne Speech read. 'And in this context, regional needs and differences really matter.'Throne Speech steeped in British parliamentary tradition dating back to at least the 16th century
Queen Elizabeth, on her first royal visit to Canada in 1957, delivered John Diefenbaker's first Throne Speech. In 1977, she delivered Pierre Trudeau's Throne Speech as well in Canada. Liberals’ Anthony Rota elected Speaker of the House
MPs used a ranked-ballot voting system to elect the new House Speaker. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Nov. 20, 2019, shortly after his new cabinet was sworn in. The prime minister's office has appointed chiefs of staff in 26 cabinet ministers' offices. Still, 10 are waiting for their top political aides. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
PMO completes hiring chiefs of staff to 26 cabinet ministers, 10 ministers still waiting to recruit their top aides
The Prime Minister's Office selected new chiefs of staff from CVs sent to PMO chief of staff Katie Telford; PMO director of administration Brett Thalmann; and cabinet ministers directly, a senior Liberal source told The Hill Times.
Will parties face a cash crunch in 2020?
Canada’s main federal parties are going to find fundraising to be an extremely difficult challenge next year.Ranked preferential ballot is the way to go if we want to elect a government supported by majority of Canadians
The method of choosing the Speaker is of little interest to the broad Canadian public. That’s a pity because the ranked preferential ballot could fix one of the major problems in Canada’s modern, fragmented democracy. Who will do the heavy lifting on trade policy and strategy? Is that Ng’s job or Freeland’s?
How does Canada respond in a world of growing protectionism and intensifying competition? Can we work with allies to sustain and reform the world trading system? 
Liberals passing the buck on weapons ban
If the Liberal government truly believes that the legal availability of assault weapons puts the public at risk, then why not enact measures that are available to them right now, while they are still in power?Trudeau’s legislative record unlikely to motivate voters in the fall, with a few exceptions: pollsters
Many achievements and blunders enshrined in legislation are ancient history in the minds of voters, who cast their ballots based on the next thing you can do for them, say politicos and pollsters.Will the Senate respect democracy and First Nations rights?
Three important pieces of legislation sit in the Senate today, subject to the whim of a small group of Senators, which is a gross undermining of the democratic process.
We need to combat terrorism on a number of fronts, but it’s unclear if terrorist entity listings are necessary
One tangible thing Public Safety Canada does do is maintain what is known as the ‘list of terrorist entities.'French envoy defends Macron’s NATO comments as ‘brave’
French ambassador Kareen Rispal says the 29-member alliance is in the midst of a political crisis and her president was recognizing that fact.Trump’s military pardons doing a disservice to the institution he claims to champion
Soldiers know the difference between heroic acts and criminal acts. Donald Trump, apparently, has the two confused.
CIJA, Dairy Farmers lead last lobbyist push before election call
Lobbyists filed 772 reports last month, down from 972 in July, and from the 1,478 reports filed in June.
Despite majority support for a Canadian handgun ban, the politics of doing so may remain insurmountable
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals promised in 2015 to take handguns and assault weapons ‘off our streets,’ but have made only limited progress in the face of strong opposition.Tale as old as time: Liberal ethics breach proves politics still about comforting the comfortable
The SNC-Lavalin affair is about a political system that is rife for abuse, and those responsible for the recent abuses are seeking re-election on a platform of open and transparent government. 
Nine of 26 cabinet ministers’ chiefs of staff confirmed so far are former PMO aides
Plus, there have been a few recent staff departures from the Prime Minister’s Office.
A jaw-dropping moment: CBC’s Chris Rands’ careful ear ignites international reaction
Plus, an orientation session for new MPs to meet Supreme Court chief justice, Privy Council clerk, and others, and Scott Brison named new Dalhousie chancellor.
Red Christmas: Guilbeault to kick off holiday season
Plus, Trudeau's plane in the repair shop, and Mark Carney named UN's envoy for climate finance. New minister, same chief in environment portfolio
Plus, Adam Carroll has moved over to Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna's office as chief of staff. Parliament security labour standoff nearing end of the road
Long-awaited collective agreements are finally being settled with the unions representing Parliament’s security officers, just in time for a new round of talks.
Diversity, inclusion minister should act as ‘catalyst’ with cross-ministerial power, say advocates
'It is a weird irony that integration is being isolated this way,' says Anita Singh, while others say there’s an opportunity for the diversity, inclusion, and youth file to play a larger role in government.
‘Small but mighty’: New Democrats say they’re up to the task as MPs pile on critic jobs
The 24-member team is Jagmeet Singh’s ‘first caucus,’ says MP Don Davies, and the group is ‘starting with a clean slate.’
The electrification pathway has some unanswered questions
Moving to electricity will see a significant devaluation of the retail infrastructure for gasoline and natural gas. Will those companies be compensated for their stranded costs? How much are those stranded costs?
Canada’s energy narrative needs an urgent reboot
Industry leaders, policy-makers, and academics need to embark on a fundamental re-think of the entire architecture of our energy system to respond to changing circumstances.Indigenous participation in energy sector an exercise in Indigenous self-determination, economic development
When candidates during the campaign declared that they will kill the Trans-Mountain pipeline expansion project, did they consider the impact that would have on the 43 First Nation communities along the proposed route?
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Politics This Morning: Canadian delegation heads to Madrid for COP25
Plus, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney comes face to face with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 
Larry Fink is no doubt pleased as he contemplates the wildly lucrative new opportunities in Canadian infrastructure. And well he should be. It is not Larry Fink—but rather Canadian taxpayers—who will be ponying up.
To meet our climate targets, it’s essential for the incoming government to link permanent transit infrastructure funding to a commitment for municipalities to plan smart, compact communities.
The Ford government’s decision to reform the province’s business support programs is well-rooted in evidence and experience. Now it must focus on improving the province’s overall competitiveness. 
Mark Carney’s appointment as the UN's envoy for climate finance will draw the global financial sector’s attention to the dangers of underestimating climate-change risk in the global financial system.
The question for NATO isn’t ‘Who’s the enemy?’ It’s ‘How do we respond?’
Mark Carney, who is leaving the Bank of England for a new role with the United Nations, has been pushing the financial community to wake up to the implications of global warming. 
Lessons not learned: Canadian troops should get out of Iraq, now
It would seem that we have learned nothing from our 12-year fiasco in Afghanistan. We should get the hell out of Iraq now, because Canada had no stake in this conflict in the first place.Vancouver Granville race a ‘toss-up,’ as Wilson-Raybould’s rivals urge voters not to pick someone ‘on the outside’
In Vancouver Granville, the race is heating up between Independent incumbent Jody Wilson-Raybould and her Liberal challenger, who's raising the spectre of a Conservative government to draw votes.
Politics This Morning
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McNair set to exit as PMO policy head, Surkes tapped to take over
Plus, Marc Roy will be staying on as chief of staff to Transport Minister Marc Garneau. ‘We’re in a bit of a rebuilding phase’: NDP adjusting to life as fourth party
Plus, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has dropped his chief of staff and director of communications. A Napoleonic honour: Serge Joyal to get Légion d’Honneur promotion
Plus, Justin Trudeau to mark 70 years of NATO, and controversial former MP and Nova Scotia premier Gerald Regan dies at 91. ‘It’s feeling a lot like 1990’: Manitoba MPs celebrate Winnipeg’s long-awaited Grey Cup win
Plus, Tony Clement launches a podcast, and Trudeau shares fatherly advice in new book. Public servants, feds inch closer to contracts with tentative agreements before election
The Public Service Alliance of Canada remains at an impasse with the federal government however, with national president Chris Aylward saying they won’t take an ‘inferior’ deal just to get it done before the election. SAP Canada pitches NextGen plan to standardize human resources processes
When processes are 'standardized, the collective input into a payroll system becomes a lot simpler,' says Robert Conlin, SAP Canada's vice-president of the public sector.U.S. Embassy brings bayou to Bytown for Fourth of July
Though U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft was in Calgary, the U.S. Embassy's Fourth of July party was still filled with food and fun. Hill media descend on 24 Sussex for annual garden party
The prime minister opened up his backyard for one last shindig before politicians and journalists gear up for what's going to be a busy summer. Diplomatic association plans black-tie bash on tight timeline
The ODA's new executive is moving quickly to plan its 10th anniversary gala on Valentine's Day 2020, the only annual black-tie diplomatic event in the capital. The ‘lost’ opportunity of the PM’s India trip, and other observations from India’s exiting envoy
Exiting Indian envoy Vikas Swarup talks Kashmir, the prime minister's infamous India visit, trade, and future relations between the two countries.Kenney to address Canadian Club of Ottawa
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, pictured May 2, 2019, in Ottawa, will be at the Canadian Club of Ottawa on Dec. 9, 2019, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the ballroom at the Chateau Laurier Hotel and is scheduled to deliver a speech. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
With Centre Block undergoing a decade's worth of renovations, not all MPs were able to watch the Speech from the Throne in person. Small groups of MPs boarded buses bound for the Senate of Canada Building, where Governor General Julie Payette delivered the speech for the first time. 
