Ford government’s move to withdraw support for resettlement of asylum seekers ‘short-sighted,’ says Vaughan
The Ford government’s decision to halt its co-operation with Ottawa on the resettlement of asylum seekers could throw a wrench in the plan to establish an information-sharing system between the province and the federal government that seeks to alleviate pressures on social services. Calling the influx of migrants entering Canada a “mess” that Ottawa is […]
Natural Resources Minister Carr promotes new comms director
Amid a string of recent ministerial communications staff changes, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr has promoted his press secretary, Alexandre Deslongchamps, to take over as director of communications in his office. Until recently, Laurel Munroe had been communications director to Mr. Carr since February 2016; she’s now left the minister’s office. Ms. Munroe had been […]
Political parties busy laying groundwork this summer for 2019 election, Conservatives already ahead
Conservatives are already ahead in recruiting candidates for the 2019 federal election and all the political parties are using these critical summer months to start laying the groundwork for the next national campaign, say political strategists. “This is the last summer before the election. Next summer, we’re pretty well in a writ period, regardless of […]
Some MPs treat staff ‘like cattle,’ others great bosses, say Liberal and Conservative Hill staffers
Some Liberal and Conservative MPs are on a “power trip” and treat their staff “like cattle,” say some staffers, who add that they want fair compensation for their work and standardized employment practices in MPs’ offices. “While some MPs are excellent employers, others, who’ve had not one iota of management experience, treat their staff like […]
Morneau plucks new press secretary straight from the Trade Minister’s Office
Finance Minister Bill Morneau has hired press secretary Pierre-Olivier Herbert straight out of Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s office. Mr. Herbert will soon wrap up his work as press secretary to Mr. Champagne and is set to start in Mr. Morneau’s ministerial office on July 10. The finance minister has been without a press secretary since Chloe Luciani-Girouard […]
Families Minister Duclos poaches another new assistant from the LRB
Families, Children, and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has hired Alan Ning straight out of the Liberal caucus’ research office on the Hill to work as his new senior special assistant for Ontario regional affairs. Until recently, Mr. Ning had been a special assistant for outreach and operations in the Liberal research bureau, or LRB, […]
Last of a dying breed: Liberal Senators to maintain budget as group shrinks
The remaining Senate Liberals won’t have to pinch pennies to finish out the fiscal year, after the Upper Chamber’s Internal Economy Committee agreed to continue funding the “disappearing species” at its current level, despite its declining numbers that would technically bump it down to a lower budget level later this year. On June 21, the […]
Ottawa Diplomatic Association looks to broker friendship with Parliamentarians
The Ottawa Diplomatic Association (ODA) is in talks with Parliamentarians to form a joint group for better access to MPs and Senators, according to a member of the group’s executive. Tariq Azim Khan, high commissioner of Pakistan, said ODA had a “preliminary” meeting with Liberal MPs Fayçal El-Khoury, Greg Fergus, Will Amos, and Steven MacKinnon […]
How the party leaders stack up, as campaign machines rev up for 2019
OTTAWA—Summer is upon us. Members of Parliament have returned to their ridings to kiss babies and shake hands wherever they can. Ottawa will feel a bit like a ghost town between now and mid-September until the elected officials return when they will begin the big push to the 2019 election. Through this session of Parliament […]
I covered the Liberals’ Laurier Club appreciation night, and didn’t even get to keep the lanyard
So there I was—a new(ish) Hill reporter, standing around with five or six other photographers and cameramen on June 18 at the War Museum at the Liberal Party’s Laurier Club Summer Reception and Garden Party. The massive orange media sign—which I’m told is standard procedure, although it was about half the size of a sheet […]
