One in, two out for Treasury Board President Murray’s staff team
There are a few staffing moves to report in Treasury Board President Joyce Murray’s office, with two recent departures followed by one new hire, Jonathan Robinson. Previously a member’s assistant to Liberal MP Hedy Fry, who has represented Vancouver Centre, B.C., since 1997, Mr. Robinson recently joined the exempt staff ranks on the Hill, landing […]
Anxious Liberals want Grits to fill all-important national campaign director position soon
With the next election day only six months away and the campaign unofficially underway, the federal Liberals have yet to officially name a national campaign director which is creating some anxiousness among party members eager to get started, say Liberals. “We’re not getting clear directions from the party,” said one long-time Liberal in an interview […]
Crowded field of candidates expected for Liberal nomination in GTA swing riding of Oakville
A crowded field of candidates is expected to seek the Liberal Party’s nomination in the affluent, GTA swing riding of Oakville, which opened up after rookie incumbent Liberal MP John Oliver decided not to seek re-election in the October election. The Liberal Party recently officially opened the contest, but as of last week had not […]
Policy, parliamentary affairs directors named in Minister Bibeau’s office
Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has appointed two new senior staff, directors of parliamentary affairs and policy. Making a return to the agriculture portfolio, Dan Lussier moved over from International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr’s office to run Ms. Bibeau’s policy team at the beginning of April. He had been working as a policy adviser in Mr. […]
PM Trudeau ought to go back to government by cabinet
OTTAWA—Back in 2013, the Liberal Party of Canada was looking for a new executive director. I applied and was on the short list, but not hired. Nonetheless, it was a good experience: I was able to offer my own ideas to the interview board about the way the party and its then-new leader could promote […]
MPs, political insiders question ‘endgame’ of former cabinet ministers Philpott and Wilson-Raybould
Jane Philpott may legitimately feel aggrieved by her and Jody Wilson-Raybould’s expulsions from the Liberal caucus, but both former cabinet ministers should be careful how they pick and choose their future political fights with the Liberal Party because people have already started to raise questions about their endgame, say Liberal MPs and political insiders. “What […]
Indigenous Services Minister O’Regan needs a new comms team after two recent exits
Further staffing changes are in the works in Indigenous Services Minister Seamus O’Regan’s office after the recent departure of two staffers, press secretary Rachel Rappaport and director of issues management and media relations Andrew MacKendrick. Both marked their last day in the minister’s office on April 5. Ms. Rappaport and Mr. MacKendrick both began working […]
Trudeau lawsuit threat ‘gasoline to the Conservative match,’ say strategists
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s choice to threaten legal action against official opposition leader Andrew Scheer was meant to make him look like a strong and decisive leader, the plan has backfired, say political strategists of all stripes. Instead, it’s made him come off as petty, some strategists suggested, with Andrew MacDougall, a former director […]
Foreign minister shuffles policy shop
Justice Minister David Lametti’s office is down one policy adviser, with Benjamin Prud’homme’s recent exit for a new job in Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office, which saw a significant staff reorganization earlier this year. Mr. Prud’homme had been working in the office since late October 2018, having started under then-minister Jody Wilson-Raybould. Before then, […]
‘We don’t know why it’s taken so long’: critics question the wait on federal-provincial housing agreements
Housing critics are questioning why the government is taking so long to finalize the cost-sharing housing agreements with provinces, since it’s been more than a year since the unveiling of the Liberals’ National Housing Strategy. But many of the accords are on the cusp of an announcement, says Liberal MP Adam Vaughan (Spadina–Fort York, Ont.), […]
