Time for Trudeau to emulate Chrétien and slay the deficit
OTTAWA—There was quite a party a couple weeks ago in Ottawa: longtime Liberals celebrated the 25th anniversary of the election of Jean Chrétien’s government, and the launch of the former prime minister’s book, My Stories, My Times. Although I couldn’t make it, I know many ministers and MPs were there, along with Prime Minister Justin […]
Gould hires new comms director, Monsef names press secretary
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould has a new director of communications in her office. Amy Butcher has moved over from the Public Health Agency of Canada to take over the job. Until recently, Ms. Butcher had been busy as a senior adviser in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s partnerships and strategies division. She first began […]
Conservatives bullish to win back Etobicoke Centre in 2019 after Liberal MP Wrzesnewskyj’s announcement not to seek re-election
Four-term Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj won the GTA riding of Etobicoke Centre by a comfortable double-digit margin in 2015, but his recent announcement that he won’t seek re-election in 2019 has made Conservatives bullish about their prospects of winning, with former one-term MP Ted Opitz as their candidate. “Ted Opitz of course represented the riding […]
Questions remain over political party data practices after recent testimony, says expert Colin Bennett
Little has been learned and questions remains after the recent and unprecedented House committee appearance by representatives from Canada’s major political parties, who spoke about and took questions on parties’ collection, use, and protection of personal data, says University of Victoria professor and privacy expert Colin Bennett. “A lot of it [the testimony] was expected. […]
New policy adviser, Ontario desk among recent staff hires in the Prime Minister’s Office
There are a few new faces in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, including former McKinsey & Company manager Bud Sambasivam. Mr. Sambasivam is now busy at work as a policy adviser in the PMO, after joining the top office in early October. Before then, he was a manager with McKinsey & Company in Calgary. Born […]
‘Recreational marijuana is now officially legal in Canada. What do you think of the roll-out so far?’
Cameron Ahmad Liberal strategist “Consumption rates of recreational marijuana among Canadian youth are among the highest in the developed world. Every year, billions of dollars pour into the pockets of organized crime due to the failed policy of prohibition. Experts agreed that the government should develop a new system to protect young people and our […]
Ethics commissioner opens probe into Grit MP Vandenbeld’s decision to robocall for husband’s municipal council candidacy
Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld is now facing an ethics probe over the decision to use her position to campaign for her husband, according to the federal ethics commissioner’s office. A spokesperson at Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion’s office confirmed to The Hill Times that an “inquiry” has been launched on whether Ms. Vandenbeld (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) […]
More than half of Liberal MPs nominated for 2019; Wayne Easter unsure he’ll run
More than 100 Liberal MPs have been nominated for the 2019 election after meeting thresholds the party set for incumbents to go forward uncontested, edging the party closer to the Conservative lead for official candidates. Of the 182 Grit MPs, “well over a hundred” have received a letter from the party confirming their nomination, said […]
Why the Conservatives are whining about the media
OTTAWA—It is that time in the pre-election season when the framing for the next vote kicks into high gear. None of it is original but that doesn’t matter because, like the first snowfall, it seems to be all new, as if it never happened before. For a couple of weeks now, both the prime minister […]
Ministers Duclos, Joly hire; McKenna loses senior aide
Families, Children, and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos recently scooped up Jessica Eritou to fill the role of information manager and special assistant to the minister’s chief of staff, Olivier Duchesneau. Ms. Eritou arrives straight from Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan’s office where she’s spent the past year as executive assistant to the minister. Before […]
