Trudeau takes another wrong turn in the SNC-Lavalin affair
OTTAWA—The Trudeau government continues to try to clean up its self-made mess around the SNC-Lavalin affair. The prime minister continues to spout his theory that it was all about different interpretations of conversations and nothing illegal was done. Well, those different interpretations have brought Canadians their fourth Treasury Board president since January, seen the clerk […]
New faces join PMO, Liberal research bureau
There’ve been a few recent changes in both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Liberal caucus’ research bureau, among other offices, including a new communications manager for the bureau. Lindsey Staples has joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office as a new correspondence assistant. She enters a team led by correspondence manager Jean-Luc Marion, which also […]
NDP ‘under the gun’ to name candidates, say politicos, as they trail Grits, Tories on campaign slate
The NDP has 12 per cent of its candidates confirmed for the 2019 election, far behind the 61.5 per cent nominated under the Conservative banner and 50 per cent for the Liberals. It puts the New Democrats in a tough spot, say some analysts, but the party’s ex-national director said isn’t yet a problem. The […]
Observers eager to see bills on Indigenous languages, child services passed, but legislative time-crunch a cause for concern
Ten weeks remain before Parliament rises, and two long-awaited bills on Indigenous languages and child welfare remain in the early stages of the legislative process, with many observers eager to see them passed and others concerned a late-stage rush could mean less openness to broader changes being called for. Loss of language, familial disconnect, and […]
Veterans Minister MacAulay brings chief of staff Gallant to new office
In any minister’s office there’s arguably no working relationship more crucial than the one between the minister and their chief of staff, and in turn, recently-named Veterans Affairs and Associate Defence Minister Lawrence MacAulay has brought his over to his new office. Guy Gallant took over as chief of staff to Mr. MacAulay as the […]
Prime Minister Trudeau has his eyes wide shut
As Members of Parliament, elected officials are entitled to a variety of health-care benefits. This includes a drug plan, hearing aids, hospital benefits, dental care, and—importantly—vision. Perhaps Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in need of availing himself of the latter. Because when everyone else is seeing something differently than you do, it may be time […]
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 […]
Justice Minister Lametti hires director of litigation
Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti has named a new director of litigation in his office, with Jim Kapches moving over from National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office to take on the role as of Feb. 25. Until recently, Mr. Kapches had been working away as a policy adviser to Mr. Sajjan since January […]
Take off the kid gloves, prime minister
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally came out of the bushes to respond to a month-long barrage of accusations, communication and misunderstanding were at the root of the prime minister’s messaging. It was the repeat of the kid-gloves treatment he used when dealing with the initial resignations of Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott. They are […]
Under fire over SNC-Lavalin crisis, Trudeau still has ‘credibility’ to rebound, say strategists
Though the loss of two high-profile ministers threatens to undercut the Liberal Party’s pitch for a new style of politics, their decision to remain in caucus appears to send a signal that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can salvage the situation and still has the credibility to recover from this crisis, according to political observers. At […]
