‘Fomenting misunderstanding for partisan reasons,’ Green Leader May slams ‘horrific’ Conservative response to Khadr’s $10.5-million settlement
While the Conservatives have rallied to criticize the Liberal government’s $10.5-million settlement with former Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Khadr, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says the Conservatives’ response has been “horrific” and that it’s “fomenting misunderstanding for partisan reasons.” “It’s horrific. There’s a complete disconnect from the reasons that the apology and some level of […]
Immigration Minister Hussen, Innovation Minister Bains see staff changes
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen recently hired two new ministerial staffers. Sebastian Clarke joined the minister’s political staff team last month as a new special assistant for operations. Mr. Clarke has been a director for the federal Liberal Markham-Stouffville, Ont. electoral district association, a riding represented by Health Minister and Liberal MP Jane Philpott […]
Comms directors to McKenna, Foote depart
Summertime on the Hill means plenty of staff changes while the House of Commons is on break, and two directors of communications have recently left their respective ministerial offices. Frédérique Tsai-Klassen has exited her role as director of communications to Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, and a listing on the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner’s […]
Liberals played Omar Khadr story pretty well
OTTAWA—The news that Omar Khadr received $10.5-million and an apology from the government of Canada has left many with a sick feeling in their stomachs. Regardless of the fact that the rule of law, based on a previous Supreme Court decision, was with Khadr, it still seemed wrong on an emotional and common-sense level that […]
Secretive House board poised to go public, remains to be seen how open it will be
The House Board of Internal Economy’s next meeting, set for this fall, is expected to be its first ever open to the public, with legislation requiring this now passed. But it remains unclear just how open the board will be going forward and how the new setup will shake out. While there are provisions for […]
A few more staff depart Conservative leader’s office, including chief Keller
A few more Conservative staffers bade farewell to new leader Andrew Scheer’s office at the start of the summer break, bringing the total of departed—or departing—staff up to 16 in all to date since Mr. Scheer’s transition began. More than 40 staffers remain listed in the Conservative leader’s office, and intertwined research bureau, on the […]
Principle or power? The NDP’s eternal struggle
When it comes to opining about New Democrats or the Liberal Party, The Globe and Mail can usually be relied on to be snarky to one or the other. Their lead editorial on May 31, 2017, managed to offend both. “Kathleen Wynne is a great NDP premier” was their sneering response to the Liberal government’s […]
Religion still influential in Canadian politics, presents challenge to Conservative politicians: book authors
Much of Canadian society today is secularized, with only a slim portion of the population viewing religion as very important to their lives. But it nonetheless remains influential in the politics of this country, as seen federally of late with the Conservative Party, according to a new book, Religion & Canadian Party Politics. The book, […]
The Liberal Party at 150: the centre still holds
Even as Canada was being born, diversity was recognized as our pre-eminent distinguishing characteristic. Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, a member of Parti Rouge, and subsequently the first Liberal to become premier of Quebec, recognized, too, in his celebrated metaphor that rainbows were fragile—“an image without substance”—and that Confederation would be far from solid without constant […]
It’s time for summertime political predictions
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that summer is officially upon us, and the political world is a little more relaxed, it’s a good time to have some fun. And what’s more fun than playing a game of speculation, where we make wild guesses about future political tactics and strategy? Okay, admittedly lots of things are more fun, but […]
