Canada’s inglorious return to mediocrity
After Justin Trudeau and the Liberals surprised the country with a majority government, Trudeau uttered those famous and dubious words: “We’re back.” The significance and meaning of these words becomes a little more apparent every day he and his government underperforms. A veritable litany of broken promises, misplaced priorities, reckless spending, and scandals are becoming more reality than […]
More regional political staff hired in Winnipeg, Montreal, Charlottetown
Four more political staffers have been hired to work in various ministers’ regional offices across Canada as part of recent efforts to beef up the 16 offices with political staff. Barry Hicken has left his post as a special assistant in Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay’s office in Ottawa and is now a special assistant for […]
Making Madeleine Meilleur languages commissioner hurts Trudeau’s ‘merit-based’ brand
Madeleine Meilleur has a stellar resumé. She helped to save the French-speaking Montfort Hospital in Ottawa’s east end. She held several cabinet posts in the Ontario government, including covering francophone affairs from 2003 to 2016, making her one of the longest-serving ministers in that post. During that time, she set a five per cent target […]
Roughly $53,000 spent for cabinet chiefs to attend January retreat, expense disclosures show
It cost more than $53,000 for the various cabinet chiefs of staff to attend the Liberal government’s most recent retreat in Calgary in late January, as indicated by online travel and hospitality expense disclosures for the first quarter of the year. The most recent quarterly disclosure reports, which are posted online by the department, cover […]
Gould expected to introduce political financing bill, but critics say it won’t stop cash-for-access
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould is expected to introduce the government’s political financing bill in the next few weeks, but critics are casting doubt on whether the legislation will adequately address the Liberals’ cash-for-access fundraising problem. “What has been suggested so far is putting lipstick on a pig, essentially. It’s still a pig, and it’s still cash-for-access,” […]
Provincial Liberals have a leader that suits Ontario
Re: “Ontario premier’s resignation not only option,” (The Hill Times, May 1, p. 22). I’ve got a seven-year history of election campaign volunteer canvassing provincially for Dalton McGuinty, John Fraser, Nathalie Des Rosiers, as well as federally for Mauril Bélanger and Mona Fortier. I think the provincial Liberals have a leader that suits Ontario. A […]
Foreign aid minister scoops up Chagger’s press secretary
International Development and La Francophonie Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has expanded her ministerial communications team, hiring Marie-Emmanuelle Cadieux to serve as her new press secretary. Ms. Cadieux started on the job in Ms. Bibeau’s office on April 18, and before then had been press secretary to Government House Leader Bardish Chagger in her capacity as small business […]
Liberals spent more than $16,000 on Snapchat filters since coming to power
The Liberal government spent more than $16,000 on developing and placing Snapchat filters in both Canada and the United States to promote the federal government during special events, since its cabinet was sworn in on Nov. 4, 2015. Seven federal departments, agencies, and Crown corporations reported developing specialized filters for Snapchat—a popular social media platform that allows […]
Hilary Leftick named new PMO appointments director, Natacha Engel made her deputy
Hilary Leftick has officially been named the new director of public appointments in the Prime Minister’s Office, along with a number of other staff changes in the Langevin Block. Ms. Leftick, who has been acting in the role since mid-February, was first hired to work as a youth affairs adviser in the PMO in April 2016. She was […]
Liberals’ low fundraising numbers should ‘set off alarm bells,’ say some political players
The Conservative Party’s commanding lead in fundraising in the first quarter of this year should set off alarm bells in the Liberal Party, say some political players. “If the Conservatives raised more money than us in the second quarter, I would describe that as fundraising recession, and it’s serious,” a former senior Liberal said comparing it […]
