Mixed grades for party leaders’ responses to SNC-Lavalin scandal
OTTAWA—The ongoing saga of the Trudeau government’s self-made mess around SNC-Lavalin’s quest for a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) and its aftermath has provided some insight into the three main federal party leaders. Specifically, how they have performed when the spotlight has turned their way. The results are mixed. Let’s start with the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh. […]
Ministers Duclos, Goodale, and Bains add to political staff teams
Families, Children, and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has a new senior adviser in his office, Jean-Luc Lavoie. A former Quebec Liberal staffer, Mr. Lavoie started on the job in Mr. Duclos’ office on Feb. 25. He previously spent a number of years working for Quebec Liberal Member of the National Assembly Sébastien Proulx, starting […]
The not-so-great reformer: PM Trudeau tone deaf and disconnected in handling of SNC-Lavalin kerfuffle
OTTAWA—To state the Liberal government is chasing its tail in figuring out how to respond to Jody Wilson-Raybould’s masterful performance at the Justice Committee would be understating it. The Trudeau Liberals have a tough job to do if they hope to lighten the impact of the former attorney general’s admission of feeling sustained pressure to […]
The real crime in the SNC-Lavalin affair is Canada’s role in Libya’s destruction
OTTAWA—In the wake of astonishing testimony by Jody Wilson-Raybould at the Feb. 27 House Justice Committee hearing, there has been plenty of finger pointing and howls of indignation leveled at the prime minister and his senior officials. As a result of the increased scrutiny, we are now aware of many of the more sordid details […]
Ministers Sohi, Gould nab two aides from MacAulay
Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay’s office is down two after Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi and Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould both recently poached staff from his team. Geordie Summers-Lubar marked his last day as a special assistant in Mr. MacAulay’s office on Feb. 8 and two days later started on the job as a special […]
Byelection results offer glimpse into October storylines, but no clear crystal-ball gaze
OTTAWA—Canada has three new Members of Parliament. What lessons can we learn from the federal byelections that ushered them into power in Burnaby South, B.C., York–Simcoe, Ont., and Outremont, Que.? First, the NDP has a pulse—albeit a weak one. The closest race of the three fought on Monday night was in British Columbia, where Jagmeet […]
Minister LeBlanc nabs policy aide from Minister Duclos’s team
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc recently added a new senior policy adviser to his political staff team, plucking Shannon Zimmerman from Families, Children, and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos’s office. She marked her first day working for Mr. LeBlanc on Jan. 28, and in the minister’s office joins fellow senior policy adviser Samuel Yorke and […]
Secret deals preventing access to prime ministerial papers
Secret multi-million-dollar deals are being made with former prime ministers (or their executors) to obtain their papers for archival purposes, and to pay for such expenses as office renovations and private researchers. The deals, made with Library and Archives Canada, also determine how long the papers are to be kept out of the public eye. […]
Historica, Conservatives both come out okay in Heritage Minute dust-up
You could be forgiven if those old Heritage Minutes, seen most often on that dated medium of television, had slipped into the recesses of your mind. Not unlike the vintage National Film Board vignettes, my personal favourite being The Log Driver’s Waltz, these stories generate some warmth in a sentimental Canadian heart. Now, they are […]
Tories need to find a better use for their Twitter fingers
Who would have thought that trying to be a viral edgelord on the internet might have a few drawbacks when you want to be taken seriously? The Conservative Party of Canada is working to position itself as the alternative to a second Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government when voters go the polls in October. Someone should […]
