Conservatives, NDP dealing with internal feuds, upbeat Trudeau Liberals ‘excited’ for fall sitting
While the Conservatives and the NDP deal with internal unity issues, the federal Liberals say they’re “excited” to start the fall sitting and are ready to face the electorate in October 2019 or even earlier, despite major policy issues and challenges, including signing a new NAFTA deal and building the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. “We’re […]
Trudeau Liberals to target NDP-held riding in northern Saskatchewan in 2019, hoping to win ‘several’ more in province: Goodale
SASKATOON—The federal Liberals have been winning only one seat in Saskatchewan in every federal election since 2004, but now are bullish about their prospects of winning “several” in 2019. In an interview with The Hill Times at the Liberal caucus retreat in Saskatoon, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale (Regina-Wascana, Sask.) said that his party has a […]
LeBlanc ‘accepts’ ruling on his conflict-of-interest breach, but dodges further questions
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc ducked questions on his party’s familiarity with federal ethics rules in the wake of the ethics commissioner’s ruling on Wednesday that he was in a conflict of interest over his decision to award a lucrative contract to his wife’s first cousin. Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion said in a report on Wednesday […]
Three years in, a government can’t blame the last guys for its problems
Every politician likes to use humour to warm up a crowd; most like to use it to skewer their opponents. One of my former bosses used to flout convention by telling stories that were self-deprecating or provided insights into the ironic side of politics. One such story we referred to as the “three envelopes joke.” […]
New advance hired in PMO, as policy adviser exits for Liberal Research Bureau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently welcomed a new advance aide to his office, while policy adviser Tyler Meredith has left the top office for a senior role in the Liberal caucus’ research bureau. Mr. Meredith left the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) late last month and started as a senior policy adviser to the Liberal caucus, […]
It’s not the economy, stupid: Quebec’s counterintuitive election
The Saint-Tite Western Festival is to the Calgary Stampede what Atlantic City is to Vegas: smaller in scale, shorter on high rollers, and a little rougher around the edges. But like its western counterpart, Quebec’s eastern rodeo is a required stop on the province’s summer political calendar, especially during election years. Which is why incumbent premier Philippe […]
Liberal MPs congregating in Saskatoon to plot strategy for the fall sitting of Parliament, 2019 federal election
With the federal Liberals entering the last year of their mandate, the 183-member federal Liberal caucus is hunkering down for three days in Saskatoon this week to plot strategy for the fall sitting of Parliament and for the 2019 election. “We’re within a year of [the next federal election],” said Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg […]
Transport Minister Garneau scoops up Simard as new communications director
Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau has hired a new director of communications for his ministerial office, recently scooping up Emilie Simard straight from the heritage minister’s office. Ms. Simard marked her first day as communications director to Mr. Garneau on Aug. 20. Until then, she’d been working away as director of communications to the Canadian […]
‘Kind of an asinine comment’: opponents react to Poilievre’s claims of ‘zero’ Phoenix pay problems under Conservatives
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre’s recent newsletter sent to his constituents, in which he states twice that there were zero “public servants with Phoenix pay system problems under the Conservative government,” has attracted some negative criticism. “First, thousands of public servants have had pay problems, since Justin Trudeau implemented the Phoenix pay system four months after […]
Liberal government spent $11.9-million on public opinion research within last year, slight drop from previous year, Health Canada posted highest bill
The Liberal government spent $11.9-million on public opinion research within the last year, a slight drop from the previous year, according to a recent report posted on the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s website. Though the figure has dipped from the previous fiscal year, from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017, when it spent […]
