It’s show time: fall sitting critical for Trudeau to start delivering results, say political players
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet will have to try to achieve all their top agenda items between now and the next federal budget, after which the unofficial pre-electoral activities will start and everything the government does will be seen through the prism of political opportunism, say Liberal insiders. “Starting next February, they’re going […]
Chief of staff shuffle follows cabinet changes
Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains has scooped up a new chief of staff, Gianluca Cairo, from the Public Services minister’s office. Before joining Mr. Bains’ office at the beginning of last week, Mr. Cairo had been chief of staff to the Public Services and Procurement minister since late 2015, largely under then […]
The girls (and boys) are back in town
OTTAWA—On the heels of a cool, wet summer break, things are about to heat up inside the political precinct and, as entertaining as that may be, it will also set the path to Canada’s 43rd general election and, by extension, the makeup of the 43rd Parliament. There will be plenty of legislative protein in the […]
Trade minister boosts policy team by two, including ex-China consul general
He may not be leading NAFTA renegotiations for the government, but International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne has two new policy advisers to help out on another priority file: trade with Asia. As Canada and China explore opening negotiations toward a joint trade deal, Mr. Champagne has hired Philippe Rheault, who was until recently Canada’s first consul general […]
INAC split a ‘game-changer,’ Bellegarde calls for an independent national treaty commissioner
The splitting up of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada is being called a “game-changer” for Indigenous relations in Canada, but former deputy minister Scott Serson says the government should first issue a royal proclamation to define its new relationship with Indigenous peoples. “They’re saying this is a reflection of an RCAP [Royal Commission on Aboriginal […]
Morneau’s handling of tax reform will be a make or break issue for government
OTTAWA—Summer caucuses are always hot. And when you combine heated politics with a sunny West Coast location, the temperature often rises. After more than two months away from the Ottawa cocoon, Members of Parliament are eager to repeat the views they have heard in their ridings. Sad to say, most people don’t make appointments with […]
Liberals are making a big mistake on this tax reform stuff
TORONTO—Dear Messrs. Trudeau and Morneau: So, small businesses. Almost 12 years ago, I started one. It was quite a thing. Before that, I’d been special assistant to Jean Chrétien on the Hill. I’d been a partner at a Bay Street law firm. I’d been a vice-president at a Vancouver ad agency. I’d been a reporter […]
Liberals want input from MPs on nomination challenges, Mendès says most want ‘outright protection’
Liberal MPs say the party brass is seeking input from them on nomination rules for held ridings for the 2019 election, and have asked them to provide concrete proposals by scheduling in-person or teleconference meetings with top Grit officials. At last week’s two-day Liberal caucus retreat in Kelowna, B.C., top party officials, including president Anna […]
After cabinet shuffle, new Veterans Affairs Minister O’Regan hires a chief of staff
PARLIAMENT HILL—New Veterans Affairs and Associate Defence Minister Seamus O’Regan has a new chief of staff running his first-ever ministerial office. Cyndi Jenkins moved over from her role in the Prime Minister’s Office to take on the job. Until recently, Ms. Jenkins had been an Atlantic regional desk adviser in the PMO’s operations branch since the beginning […]
Tax reform the first true test for Trudeau
OTTAWA—Is Justin Trudeau’s government truly vulnerable for the first time? Failure to deliver on electoral reform, a badly broken deficit promise, and even a $10-million payout to Omar Khadr have had to date no real impact on his team. But what looks like an ill-conceived tax-reform package—potentially drafted by officials who have never actually run […]
