Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion found Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in breach of ethics laws in an Aug. 14 report. The House Ethics Committee will meet Aug. 21 to discuss bringing Mr. Dion in to discuss his scathing report. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Time for ethics commissioner to wield sharper sword, say opposition MPs in wake of Trudeau report
While opposition MPs say the ‘naming and shaming’ approach is no longer enough, others say political accountability should remain with Parliament and the public.
Liberals on Ethics Committee kibosh motion for hearing with commissioner
Liberal MP Steve MacKinnon, who spoke for all but one Liberal on the committee, says a comprehensive account on the affair is already in the public record, pointing to 13 hours of committee testimony and the commissionerPSAC head says avoiding Conservative government ‘No. 1’ election issue
A number of unions have registered as third party advertisers in the lead up to the October election, but PSAC, PIPSC and CUPW, all big spenders in 2015, haven't locked down their exact spending goals yet. Politics This Morning
Your email has been added. An email has been sent to your address, please click the link inside of it to confirm your subscription.
Early Manitoba election call bad news for Trudeau Liberals: observers
The Manitoba Progressive Conservatives are projected to win another majority government, which would be a boon to the federal Conservative campaign. ‘Tread on Bill 21 waters very, very lightly’ Green Party warns Quebec candidates
'We have a lot of candidates running in rural ridings, and we know that in certain areas there is big support for Bill 21,' says deputy leader Daniel Green.OECD praise of ‘model’ skilled labour track system a rejection of anti-immigrant stereotypes, says Kwan
The Conservatives are trying to maintain 'the greatest level of flexibility' they can by avoiding outlining specific immigration targets leading up to the election, says pollster Nik Nanos. Opposition MPs hopeful Liberal-majority committee will give ethics watchdog green light to testify on SNC-Lavalin affair
Opposition MPs are hopeful that Liberals on the House Ethics Committee will agree to have the ethics commissioner testify on his latest report.Liberal nomination in Pierrefonds-Dollard expected to be multi-ballot, nail-biter contest, say candidates
At least seven candidates are seeking the Liberal nomination in the safe Liberal riding of Pierrefonds-Dollard, Que. and have signed up more than 6,000 riding association members.‘Fundraiser-in-chief’: Trudeau tops list of big-ticket political fundraisers
Cabinet ministers with a national profile and influential portfolios are typically in demand, say political observers.Anti-abortion group RightNow on cross-country tour to recruit volunteers for anti-abortion candidates
RightNow, an anti-abortion group formed in 2016, says it is looking to flip 50 seats to anti-abortion candidates. Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion found Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in breach of ethics laws in an Aug. 14 report. The House Ethics Committee will meet Aug. 21 to discuss bringing Mr. Dion in to discuss his scathing report. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Time for ethics commissioner to wield sharper sword, say opposition MPs in wake of Trudeau report
While opposition MPs say the ‘naming and shaming’ approach is no longer enough, others say political accountability should remain with Parliament and the public.
Youth more likely to talk politics than older generations, Samara survey suggests
A new report on youth political engagement in Canada suggests, based on several measures, younger voters may be more engaged than their older cohorts.
Voters have their minds made up on SNC, with or without Dion’s report
Most Canadians have tuned out, and things are still looking up for the Liberals in Quebec. Ethics report puts onus on Canadians to punish abuse of power
The fate of Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott in this election will tell us whether speaking truth to power is a greater force in our public life than the abuse of power.
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.
Philadelphia story: an early lesson in the new politics
Political scandals can now be charted on a graph from detonation to amplification to stoking to fallout. There was one in 2008 that took a different turn. Buttigieg’s candidacy, like Robinson’s in ’90s, paves way for queer politicians in future
Several queer MPs have gone on to serve in the House of Commons since Svend Robinson took the brave step of announcing his sexuality. If Robinson succeeds in his political comeback this fall, he will join them in the HouGlobal infrastructure gap the opportunity Canada has been waiting for
Canadians and Canadian companies have the skills, knowledge, and experience to capture a real share of the much-needed infrastructure projects around the world in the coming years.
Last chance to lobby MPs sees June numbers shrink, with influencers eyeing the campaign season
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business led in groups lobbying MPs as June’s 1,446 reported communications halved the total reported in May.Majority of Canadians may support TMX, but the project remains an electoral risk for Liberals: pollsters
It’s up to the prime minister to decide if he ‘wants to go into the next election arresting Indigenous communities and leaders,’ says the Squamish Nation council’s Dustin Rivers.Controversial addition to Château Laurier hotel could mean a ‘jettison’ of its history, opponents say, as MPs take note
Current and former Hillites against plans for the Château Laurier Hotel include Liberal Senators Serge Joyal and Jim Munson, staffer Penny Collenette, former cabinet minister David Collenette, and Maureen McTeer.
Mike Pompeo to visit Trudeau, Freeland in Ottawa on Aug. 22; Venezuela, China will be on agenda
Plus, life jackets get partisan, and Quebec provides $5-million for media company as five newspapers on brink of bankruptcy.
Political aides exit offices of ministers Freeland, Carr
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is down a deputy director, while Trade Minister Jim Carr is down a press secretary.
New Army Commander Wayne Eyre to be promoted in Parliament Hill ceremony
Plus, Liberal MP Adam Vaughan is in hot water again over tweets, and APTN will launch a French-language national news program.
No national leaders at Capital Pride Parade, but 10 Liberal MPs will attend
Plus, the People's Party leader is ruled out of debates by commission, for now; and former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair to write for Postmedia Sun newspapers.Health Minister’s director of communications exits for private sector
A couple of staff departures have taken place in the Prime Minister’s Office, including the exit of special assistant for policy Mark Calderaro.Fed’s chief information officer steps down, says new CIO should aim for ‘quick, small’ wins in government reform
Alex Benay says digital has changed everything and is going to continue changing everything—'so why wouldn’t it change the civil service role as well?'
Canada’s child care ‘crisis’ should be ballot box issue, say advocates, economists
'It’s a crisis situation in many, many jurisdictions and provinces,' says Liberal MP Wayne Long.
‘In-depth’ understanding of Congress, Capitol Hill outreach to be part of MacNaughton’s D.C. legacy, say experts
David MacNaughton 'made it a priority' to understand who the key U.S. influencers were and which Canadian would be best to deliver the message, says former PMO Canada-U.S. war room staffer Diamond Isinger.
As eco-fascism takes hold, Canada’s leaders have yet to prove they’re up to the fight
Continued silence on environmental justice will leave space for eco-fascist views to take hold, virtually erasing any efforts made on reconciliation and equity to date.
The new Rasputins
As we gear up for elections on both sides of the border, the new must-have campaign accessory is your very own ‘crap Rasputin.’Liberal lip service to peacekeeping didn’t live up to election pledge
After a four-year term, Canada under the Liberals will be back to contributing zilch to the UN, while we continue to deploy considerable forces on U.S.- or NATO-led military adventures.Annual Features
Contact list
Politics This Morning: Trudeau, Freeland to meet with Pompeo
Forbidding members from displaying symbolic tattoos will prevent future embarrassment for the institution, but it does not remove the criminals or white supremacists from the military.
The problem for Justin Trudeau is this pattern of behaviour plays into the Liberal Party of Canada’s greatest vulnerability with the electorate: the sense that Liberals act in their own self-interest. Rules be damned.
Like so many issues in modern Canada, what is important in rural communities takes a back seat to the big cities’ priorities. 
Botttom-line thinking demands a bottom-line solution, ideally one that doesn't deface the Chateau's architecture.
Ethics aside, the evidence that the prime minister broke the law is weak. 
The next government needs to develop oral health-care guidelines for long-term care and home-care settings, as well as oral-care supports for low-income seniors.Thunberg presents climate emergency with freshness and force, as if we hear of it for the first time
Greta Thunberg's speeches are collected in this book, No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference, her first in English, at age 15 and 16, and like other great leaders, she denies she’s up to the task history has set her. World Trade Organization should abolish fisheries subsidies, stop crisis
Daniel Pauly talks about his recently released book, Vanishing Fish: Shifting Baselines and the Future of Global Fisheries. 
Politics This Morning
Your email has been added. An email has been sent to your address, please click the link inside of it to confirm your subscription.
Directors depart offices of Minister Sohi and Minister Hajdu
Plus, Marjorie Michel, who only recently took over as chief of staff to Families Minister Duclos, has taken leave to serve as the Liberal Party’s Quebec campaign director. PMO down a regional adviser for the Prairies after recent staff exit
Plus, Hill Climbers takes another look at where a number of former political staffers landed after leaving Parliament Hill. Ivison launches his Trudeau chronicle at the Métropolitain
Plus, The Globe and Mail adds two to Hill bureau, and Mark Critch gets hitched to Melissa Royle. Conservative dean Deepak Obhrai dies at 69, MPs honour his service to Canada
Plus, Veteran Liberal MP Denis Paradis won't seek re-election, and Trudeau, Singh, May walk in the Vancouver Pride Parade, while Scheer is absent.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. Sri Lankan envoy reflects on ‘very challenging’ first year handling ‘sensitive’ files
‘This is what we can’t accept’: A unanimous House motion in June called on the UN to investigate ‘allegations of genocide’ against the country’s minority Tamils, a term the South Asian nation categorically rejects.
U.S. Ambassador Craft in ‘departure mode’ with ‘unconventional’ Fourth of July, say former diplomats
The outgoing U.S. ambassador was big on relationships and will be remembered for key Trump ties that proved useful during NAFTA renegotiations, says Liberal MP Wayne Easter.Lunch-hour discussion to toast Conservative Party women on the ballot on Aug. 27
Toronto-area Conservative Party candidates Yvonne Robertson, Nadirah Nazeer, and Jasveen Rattan will be panellists at a Toronto luncheon and panel discussion celebrating the Tories’ slate of female candidates in the fall federal election on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Twitter and CPC campaign photographs
Lt.-General Wayne Eyre, pictured, takes the reins of the Canadian Army during a change of command ceremony from Marc Lanthier on Aug. 20, on Parliament Hill. 
Comedian Rick Mercer and then-Reform Party MP Deb Grey, pictured in the late 1990s on Parliament Hill doing a shoot for CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes, which Mr. Mercer hosted at the time. The Hill Times photograph by Terry McDonald 
