Big gap between Liberal rhetoric and action on veterans issues
Veterans and Canadians better stop holding their breath. Minister of Veterans Affairs Kent Hehr is way behind schedule and doesn’t have the oomph to fulfill his mandate letter. Ultimately, Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government will be charged and condemned for this bungling of veterans’ issues. When broken down, Minister Hehr’s mandate letter listed […]
Politicians should be real
OAKVILLE, ONT.—“Tear down this wall, Mr. Gorbachev.” That line, delivered as part of Ronald Reagan’s famous “Berlin Wall Speech” of 1987, is probably the most memorable phrase ever uttered in the former U.S. president’s long career. And that’s saying something since Reagan’s career was jam-packed with memorable phrases, e.g. “The most terrifying words in the […]
Trudeau’s travel costs to U.S. state dinner are in, Margaret Trudeau expenses excluded
The expenses are in for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s glamorous trip to Washington last March for a state dinner hosted by President Barack Obama, and federal accounts indicate it wasn’t quite the spend fest opposition MPs claimed. The total travel and expense bill for Mr. Trudeau, his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, and an entourage of 49, […]
Staff changes for Ministers McCallum, Brison, and Mihychuk
Immigration Minister John McCallum‘s ministerial staffing roster is in transition, with the recent departure of senior adviser for strategic communications Felix Corriveau, among other changes. Mr. Corriveau exited the minister’s office late last month. Special assistant Francesco Biondi-Morra has for now stepped in as acting press secretary to the minister, but he’s set to also […]
Lobbying activity jumps in September, environment most lobbied subject
Federal lobbying activity surged in September as MPs returned to Ottawa and the environment was the most lobbied subject. Lobbyists filed 1,605 communication reports for contact they had in September with public officers holders—ranging from politicians and their staff to high-level bureaucrats—according to figures on the registry last week. That was up more than 50 per […]
End of honeymoon with labour could force Trudeau to step up game as PM: academic
At least one academic and former journalist says the wrath being directed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau right now by Canada’s biggest public-service union could force him to improve his performance as Canada’s chief decision-maker. Last week, the Public Service Alliance of Canada launched a media campaign with a direct message for the prime minister: […]
Diversity approach should be defended
OTTAWA—Here is a much abbreviated list of the current and former Canadian politicians who believe that when it comes to cultural diversity, Canada should be exporting its live-and-let-live model, not looking for inspiration from countries such as France that have put in place coercive measures to affirm their national identity. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sees […]
Canada’s foreign policy: a year later
Did the seismic shift in Canadian political landscape, a year ago on Oct. 20 with the election of a Liberal government also trigger a shift in Canada’s diplomacy, defence, and development agenda? To a large extent, yes, and, for the most part, for the better. First and foremost, Canada resurfaced loudly and boldly at the […]
Maxime Bernier ahead in leadership poll of Conservative party members
Quebéc MP Maxime Bernier is leading the pack in a national survey of card-carrying Conservatives eligible to vote when the official opposition party selects a new leader next May, a Forum Research poll indicates. Sixteen per cent of Conservatives across the country would select Mr. Bernier as the best person to become the permanent leader […]
Steep fees for Tory leadership race means more candidates will drop by 2017: Clement
Tony Clement was the first Conservative leadership candidate to back out of the race, but he says he won’t be the last. Backing out last week because of fundraising challenges, Mr. Clement told The Hill Times he’s certain others will be forced to do the same when faced with paying the full $100,000 fee due to […]
