The Jane and Jody show gets picked up for another season and it’s going to be worth watching
OTTAWA—The Jody and Jane show lives on. Earlier this week, former Liberal cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott announced they would in fact be running as Independents in this fall’s federal election. More power to them, as winning a seat as an unaffiliated candidate in the Canadian Parliament is damn hard. According to CBC’s […]
‘Don’t mention the war’: what message are the government, military delivering?
OTTAWA—Over the weekend, I was riding my bike beside the Rideau Canal and I passed a troop of young soldiers. As I passed, I thanked them for their service. Others said nothing. It is disappointing, but not surprising. Our men and women in the military don’t get much recognition beyond Remembrance Day, or when the […]
Staff join senior ranks in offices of Ministers Lebouthillier, Bibeau
There are a couple of staff promotions of note in National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier’s office, with the naming of a new director of operations and a new director of parliamentary affairs and issues management. Caitlin Szymberski has been promoted to the rank of director of operations in the minister’s office. She first joined Ms. […]
Liberal MPs want Finance Minister Morneau to revisit mortgage stress test
Liberal MPs from Greater Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area are calling on Finance Minister Bill Morneau to either remove or alter the mortgage stress test, saying it’s negatively affecting middle class jobs and restricting their constituents’ ability to buy a house in all major urban centres. “I’m hearing a lot of concerns,” said Liberal […]
Wilson-Raybould running in Vancouver Granville, but not for the Liberals
TORONTO—“A new nation-to-nation process,” they said. “We will renew the relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples. It is time for Canada to have a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples, based on recognition, rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership,” they said. “This is both the right thing to do and a sure path to economic growth.” […]
Justice Minister Lametti makes policy staff changes
Three policy staffers are on the move in and out of Justice Minister David Lametti’s office, including senior adviser Farzin Yousefian, who recently returned to his old post as litigation counsel with the Ontario ministry of the attorney general. Mr. Yousefian spent roughly nine months in all working for the Trudeau Liberal government in Ottawa […]
B.C. ‘incredibly competitive’ battleground in upcoming campaign, Liberals can’t afford to lose seats in province: pollsters
In the topsy-turvy and tumultuous political environment in which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are dropping in the polls, British Columbia’s 42 seats will be a critical battleground in the upcoming campaign, pollsters say. If the Liberals want to form government next time, they will have to make some gains in the country’s western-most province, […]
New regional advisers for ministers Sajjan, Duncan
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Science and Sport Minister Kirsty Duncan both have new regional affairs advisers in their respective offices. Mr. Sajjan recently named Simon Gilbert to take over as his new special assistant for Quebec regional affairs, filling a role vacated by Anthony Di Carlo in March. Mr. Gilbert has been working in […]
Changes in PMO, including a promotion and Ben Chin joins the team
The Prime Minister’s Office has a new senior adviser on staff. Ben Chin moved over from his post as chief of staff to Finance Minister Bill Morneau on May 17. A former broadcast journalist, Mr. Chin has been working on the Hill since October 2017, first as a senior adviser to Mr. Morneau. Roughly one year ago, […]
‘They should be nervous’: Liberals now focusing ‘completely’ on election readiness in regional, national caucus meetings
With only four months left before the fall election call and 75 per cent of the Grit caucus consisting of rookie MPs facing re-election for the first time, the Liberals have decided to focus “completely” on election readiness in all their weekly regional and national meetings until the House adjourns on June 21, MPs say. […]
