Summer jobs program anti-abortion clause is a crock of Liberal nonsense
OTTAWA—When Justin Trudeau’s government was elected in late 2015, one of the things the then incoming prime minister signalled was there would be a change in tone and approach: a lot less smash-mouth wedge-type politics that typified the Harper era. So it has taken many by surprise to see the Canada Summer Jobs program become […]
Federal fiscal policies ‘sustainable’ over long term, says new PBO report
Parliament’s fiscal watchdog is giving a major vote of confidence in the Trudeau government’s spending and taxation plans. In a new report released Tuesday, the Parliamentary Budget Officer Jean-Denis Fréchette concluded that current federal fiscal policies are “sustainable” over the long term, pointing to new projections showing the deficit plummeting from 30 per cent of […]
Issues director exits Government House Leader Chagger’s Office
Government House Leader Bardish Chagger, who is also the minister responsible for Small Business and Tourism, is down one political aide, following director of issues management Chad Mariage’s recent exit. After a little more than a year, Mr. Mariage left the minister’s office on Jan. 12, according to filings on the conflict of interest and […]
Watchdog petitions Federal Court to kill new appointments for lobbying, ethics commissioners
An ethics watchdog is suing the Trudeau government for the way it handled appointments for the lobbying and ethics commissioners, saying the Liberals failed to honour legislative requirements mandating consultations with all parties recognized in the House of Commons. Democracy Watch announced on Jan. 18 that it had filed lawsuits in Federal Court challenging the appointments […]
Policy director to Natural Resources Minister Carr re-joins department
Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr’s in need of a new director of policy, with Michael Rau having recently left the minister’s office to return to work for the department. Mr. Rau is now acting director of the international energy branch at Natural Resources Canada, under the energy sector of deputy minister Christyne Tremblay’s office. In […]
Hold the last rites, Scheer’s got a pulse
OTTAWA—Compared to our southern neighbours, we are blessed these days to have predictable patterns in our national politics. One of those familiar routines is to have columnists and others write the obituary of the opposition leader of the day. If the Conservatives lead the official Opposition, it is almost certain such pronouncements will appear not […]
Conservatives surge to within three points of Liberals in newest Nanos poll, though may be too early to decipher trend
The governing Liberals are ceding ground to their rivals in the House in the wake of a series of ethics controversies involving the prime minister and finance minister, with the opposition Conservatives now sitting only three points off first place, according to the latest weekly poll from Nanos Research. In the tracking survey for the […]
Calls for reset continue as MMIW national inquiry requests more funding, time
With less than a year to go, calls for a reset of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women continue, and while some are concerned that a reset could be the inquiry’s doom, Indigenous activist Ellen Gabriel says as it stands, it’s “failing anyway.” “The TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission] got reset twice, […]
Tommy Desfossés leaves post as EA to Prime Minister Trudeau, Philip Proulx steps into job
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently said goodbye to his executive assistant for the last two years, Tommy Desfossés. After nine years working for Mr. Trudeau overall, Mr. Desfossés departed the Hill at the beginning of January and is said to be currently taking some time off. No doubt much-needed after a busy last two years. […]
Trudeau holds cabinet retreat in London, Ont., as Liberals seek further gains in 2019
The federal cabinet is in London, Ont., on Thursday for the start of its traditional winter retreat, hinting that the Liberals are eyeing further gains in southwestern Ontario’s largest city come 2019. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) and the Liberal front bench will spend today and tomorrow in the Forest City, where the party […]
