Chief electoral officer nominee Stéphane Perrault, centre, talks to Conservative MP Scott Reid, left, and NDP MP Nathan Cullen, right, prior to a May 22 Procedure and House Affairs Committee meeting in Centre Block. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opposition MPs demand minister testify to explain ‘odd’ chief electoral officer nomination switch-up
The Liberals' nominee, Stéphane Perrault, didn't have many answers Tuesday as to what happened to Saskatchewan electoral officer Michael Boda's nomination, so Conservative MP Blake Richards is asking for a minister to ex
As bargaining restarts, largest federal union threatens to campaign against Liberals if talks go south
PSAC has set bargaining dates, which extend from late May to mid-July, for groups representing about 90,000 of its 140,000 federal public service members.PMO, PCO should stay out of appointing parliamentary watchdogs: think-tank report
The Liberal appointment process is ‘broken,’ according to a new Public Policy Forum report, but MPs and observers are split on the fix.Politics This Morning
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Fix Indigenous issues, racial discrimination, countries tell Canada in UN human rights review
Many of the recommendations were repeated from the 2013 review, say civil society groups, who want Canada to change its human rights-management approach.Liberals ‘doing themselves real damage’ out west by delaying CPTPP, says analyst
Farm groups are pushing the Liberals to ratify the 11-member deal, but automakers want to pump the brakes until NAFTA is a done deal.Minister Carr tops lobbying list as groups ramp up on environmental assessment, fisheries bills
'I would be surprised if he wasn’t the No. 1 minister being lobbied,' says Navigator consultant Andrew Balfour as energy and environment bills work their way through the House.Conservatives say if Harper’s public engagements start to damage the brand, he’ll ‘back off’
Stephen Harper, who said back in February that he could still "easily" be leader of the Conservative Party but decided not to in order to secure the party's future fortunes, has been generating a number…In the political fight of her life: who’s who on Wynne’s campaign team
The Ontario Liberal campaign team includes David Herle, Deb Matthews, Michele Cadario, Mel Wright, Chad Walsh, Rebecca MacKenzie, Drew Davidson, Bob Lopinski, Zita Astravas, Jamie Kippen, and more.PM Trudeau should declare Elections Modernization Act No. 1 priority if he wants it passed by next month, says Sen. Joyal
‘We will not work on Justin Trudeau’s timeline’ on Bill C-76 or any other piece of legislation, says Conservative Senate Whip Don Plett.‘Quite a few caveats’: Morneau’s vague, B.C.-only ‘indemnity’ arouses questions about a growing federal financial stake, economists say
When asked by reporters on May 16 about his indemnity pledge against costs due to delays caused by B.C., Bill Morneau wouldn’t put a cap on how much federal taxpayer money he's willing to cough up.Chief electoral officer nominee Stéphane Perrault, centre, talks to Conservative MP Scott Reid, left, and NDP MP Nathan Cullen, right, prior to a May 22 Procedure and House Affairs Committee meeting in Centre Block. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opposition MPs demand minister testify to explain ‘odd’ chief electoral officer nomination switch-up
The Liberals' nominee, Stéphane Perrault, didn't have many answers Tuesday as to what happened to Saskatchewan electoral officer Michael Boda's nomination, so Conservative MP Blake Richards is asking for a minister to ex
Conservative leader’s office adds new stakeholder adviser
Plus, an assistant to Liberal MP Gagan Sikand is set to become chief of staff to the British high commissioner.It is time for Canada to have a day to recognize our Patriots
Such recognition would also show our maturity as a country far more than celebrating a foreign-born head of state, or her telegenic grandchildren.Federal Liberals alienating both sides in Kinder Morgan fight
There is a political price to be paid for this disapproval. One third (33%) of Canadians say they are less likely to vote Liberal because of the way they have handled the issue. Just 12% say more likely.
Feds assembling Indigenous advisory team ahead of Indian Act reform
Consultations on how to remove gender discrimination following the passage of Bill S-3 have to begin by June 12.A transparency failure conference, Facebook hijinks and dished-out government ‘info’
OTTAWA—There is no doubt that public mistrust has been heightened by a growing list of government-managed exclusions of ministerial and other records. So it was intriguing to find out that one brainstorming policy idea, found…Senate can’t seriously play its complementary role of ‘sober second thought’ if Sen. Harder pigeonholes its power
PARLIAMENT HILL—The government representative in the Senate, Senator Peter Harder, recently contributed to the ongoing debate on the role of a modern Senate thanks to his discussion paper “Complementarity: The Constitutional Role of the Senate…
At a wedding in Windsor, a more hopeful reality soars
After more than a year of bad actors hogging the global stage, the marriage of a good one to a prince offers joy amid chaos.We don’t need to spend on defence just because Trump tells us to
It’s not worth spending an arbitrary percentage of our GDP to prove our commitment to NATO. The blood and gold we expended in Afghanistan should have more than proven our resolve.Municipal elections a turning point in Tunisia’s democracy, says envoy
Tunisian elections were 'unimaginable' in 2011, says Mohamed Torjemane, who hopes to build stronger relations between Tunisia and Canada.
With eight sitting days before Kinder Morgan’s deadline, no word on pipeline legislation
Expect disabilities legislation to be tabled before summer, but the government to otherwise focus on getting through priority bills already in the House.Who’s lobbying who on the Trans Mountain pipeline?
Kinder Morgan, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, and Canadian Energy Pipeline Association have been lobbying the government to gauge the timeline for getting shovels in the ground.Philpott’s $9-billion Indigenous Services budget triple Bennett’s in new departments’ inaugural year
Indigenous Services has a budget of $9.3-billion compared to $3.1-billion for Crown-Indigenous Relations, according to the main estimates.
B.C. reporter Richard Zussman in Ottawa to launch book on province’s historic 2017 election
Plus, there's a new pool camera for ministers to dodge in the foyer outside Question Period, and the Ottawa Art Gallery has been mentioned in the New York Times.
PMO hires new issues adviser straight out of Finance Minister Morneau’s office
NDP deputy director communications Sarah Andrews is exiting her role at the end of the month.
Friends and former political foes turn out to see Bob Rae get lifetime achievement award
Plus, Andrew Scheer and The Hill Times are hosting upcoming parties for reporters and Hillites.
New staffers for ministers Freeland, Morneau, Sajjan
Plus, Zita Astravas, chief of staff to the defence minister, is on leave from the Hill to help out the Ontario Liberal campaign.Senators want more control in clerk selection, PMO to butt out
Parliament ‘isn’t an instrument of government,’ says Tory Sen. Housakos, who put forward a motion that the next Senate clerk be appointed ‘with the express recommendation of the Senate.’Library of Parliament Committee meeting three years overdue
CP's Washington correspondent Alex Panetta is leaving the wire service for an undisclosed new opportunity, and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh lands a spot on the Young Global Leaders list created by the World Economic Forum.
Penny wise and pound foolish: a cautionary tale about hearing refugee claims
The Immigration and Refugee Board has rightly reversed a decision to close Ottawa hearing rooms in 2014.
Feds must act to protect nuclear workers’ pensions
If not, 3,400 workers will find themselves unable to contribute to their public service pension plans this fall.
Political opportunism one reason for Conservative rejection of carbon pricing
TORONTO—My late great, friend Fraser Mustard, founder of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, would often ask, “why is there such a gap between what we know and what we do?” The British economist, Diane…
Private corporation tax proposals could make financing conditions worse for small business
The government’s proposed measures will discourage the specialized large private corporations from undertaking advisory and financing activities in the small business sector, writes Ian Russell.Myanmar: the perfect opportunity for Canada to show up
Canada already set a global example in accepting Syrians who can’t return home. Now it should take a hands-on role that actually returns Rohingya refugees home in a safe way.
Politics This Morning
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The Trudeau government’s cowardly response to Air Canada’s decision to list Taiwan as part of China could damage Canada’s reputation abroad.
Why is public auto insurance not on the political radar in Ontario, where drivers pay by far the highest premiums in Canada?
CHELSEA, QUE.—This country needs a reconstructed Conservative Party—one that embodies the prudent policy and personal rectitude of a Peter Loughheed, Bill Davis, Joe Clark, or Robert Stanfield, not the extremism, vitriol, and defiant ignorance on…
The bizarre juxtaposition of death and celebration was no accident. Israeli Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Information Gilad Erdan defended the deaths, telling Ynet News: 'We need to go back to targeted killings, and they need to go back to hiding underground and fearing for their lives, not organizing the masses to carry out terror attacks.'
Processes to ensure a fair and impartial hearing for both alleged victims and perpetrators of harassment are crucial to existing Hill harassment policies, as well as the newly tabled federal legislation under Bill C-65.
OTTAWA—It’s hard to know how to hold the media accountable these days. It used to be one could cancel a subscription, or write letters to the editor that would actually be read. Nowadays, fewer people…The Hill Times in print
Politics This Morning: Morneau faces Senate over Trans Mountain, carbon tax plan; Duncan, Duclos, Hajdu talk main estimates
Good Wednesday morning, Here's what happening today: Vice Canada reporter Ben Makuch is headed to the Supreme Court to argue against an RCMP order that demands he turn over documents related to his coverage of…Health minister hires new communications director, Mathieu Filion, from Duclos’ team
Health Minister Ginette Petitpas-Taylor recently scooped up a new director of communications straight out of Families, Children, and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos’ office. Mathieu Filion took over as communications director to Ms. Petitpas-Taylor on…Justice minister gets new chief of staff, Jessica Prince
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould has a new chief of staff in her ministerial office, with former senior policy adviser Jessica Prince having recently returned to take on the top job. Ms. Prince had been a…Talaga win caps off lively Politics & the Pen gala
More than 500 Hillites attended Politics & the Pen, or what some like to call Ottawa’s “nerd prom,” where The Toronto Star reporter Tanya Talaga won the coveted Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. Her book Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and…Tories jet off to fight Liberals in Star Wars spoof, Hann says more to come
In a galaxy far, far away (actually, it was just on Parliament Hill) Conservative MP Erin O’Toole was spotted with a lightsaber in hand ready to board a spacecraft that would take him to fight…Parliamentary Centre celebrates 50 years with 300-person gala
The Parliamentary Centre started out to support the Canadian Parliament. Fifty years later, it's expanded to help 120 legislatures in 45 countries better serve the people they represent. On the evening of April 23, the…Inaugural Women on the Hill shindig draws 500, and MPs from all parties
The inaugural Women on the Hill event, hosted by Earnscliffe Strategy Group's Velma McColl at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building last Monday night, attracted nearly 500 guests who mingled, networked, and celebrated a belated International…G7 can’t exclude U.S., despite disagreements, say envoys
Diplomats representing G7 countries in Canada say the group can't exclude the United States even if most members disagree with it on a growing number of issues, including most recently its decision to pull out…ASEAN trade deal ‘will happen, it is very strong,’ says new Thai envoy
Thailand's new ambassador, Maris Sangiampongsa, says his country’s military-run government will “not stall” ongoing talks toward a possible trade deal between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Canada. In 2015, Mr. Sangiampongsa's predecessor said the Conservative government…Hill reporters will cut a rug this weekend at press gallery dinner
Plus, everyone who works on the Hill is invited to The Hill Times' Party on the Hill on May 23 at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building. Plus, May 28 brings ITK’s A Taste of the Arctic.
Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs joins pipeline supporters and fellow Members of Parliament from Alberta along Wellington Street in Ottawa on May 23 for a Rally4Resources demonstration to push the government to facilitate the completion of the TransMountain pipeline expansion.Annual Features
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