Saxton Conservative leadership campaign to unveil economic policies later this month
Former MP Andrew Saxton, who’s running for the next Conservative Party leadership and is supported by former political staffers and activists at the riding level, will release his economic policy platform later this month. “Andrew Saxton’s focus is on making sure that we have a policy that’s Conservative and practical, so that when we’re up against Justin Trudeau […]
Ruby Sahota takes on ‘challenging’ role: balancing competing interests within Ontario Liberal caucus
After a little more than a year on the Hill, Liberal MP Ruby Sahota has been a member of a handful of committees and parliamentary groups, and as of last Wednesday, she’s taking her seat at a considerably larger table, as caucus chair for the Liberal Ontario MPs. Ms. Sahota, the rookie MP for Brampton […]
Ousted minister, parliamentary secretaries find new spots on Commons committees
House of Commons committees welcomed some new faces to their meeting tables last week, as the eight Liberal MPs that were shuffled from the parliamentary secretary rosters found new seats on committees, and demoted cabinet minister MaryAnn Mihychuk became chair of the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee. The demoted parliamentary secretaries The Hill Times spoke […]
More needed, fast, to address suicide crisis among indigenous peoples: Bellegarde
Tackling the suicide epidemic among Canada’s indigenous peoples requires long-term investments addressing root causes and while the $8.4-billion in federal funding announced last year was “unprecedented,” delivery needs to be sped up and improved, says Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde. “How are we getting [the federal funding] out in a very effective and […]
Ministers Bennett, Chagger, and Wilson-Raybould see change in communications staff
After almost a year as communications director to Small Business and Tourism Minister Bardish Chagger, who’s also Government House Leader, former Hill reporter James Fitz-Morris officially switched offices last week, and is now doing the same job for Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett. Mr. Fitz-Morris first joined the political staff ranks in Ms. […]
PMO’s new Canada-U.S. relations ‘war room’ unit seen as ‘smart,’ considered unprecedented
The PMO’s unprecedented new Canada-U.S. relations “war room” led by Brian Clow is being lauded by observers as a smart move, created to help coordinate the Trudeau government’s quick response and strategy to U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable new administration. “There’s not been a unit like this set up within the PMO to the best […]
Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson will not seek reappointment
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson will not seek reappointment when her mandate expires later this year, ending months of speculation about her future in the position. Marie-Danielle Vachon, communications and policy director for the commissioner’s office, told The Hill Times on Thursday night that Ms. Dawson would not seek another mandate when her […]
Ministerial mandate changes include a renege on electoral reform, and dropped wording promising to fulfill ‘all’ commitments
The revised mandate letters of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s refreshed cabinet members hit with a thud in Ottawa yesterday, as it quickly became apparent that the government was no longer going to pursue changes to Canada’s electoral system. Written explicitly in the marching orders for new Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould (Burlington, Ont.): “Changing the […]
Calls for appointment reform grow, as ethics chief investigates PM while he weighs her future
Critics are renewing calls for reforms to the appointment process for parliamentary watchdogs, as Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson begins her investigation into the prime minister’s use of a private helicopter in the Bahamas over the holidays, while the Liberal government weighs her future in the position. NDP ethics critic Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, […]
Free Liberal memberships attract thousands of new members ahead of hotly-contested Ottawa-Vanier nomination
With the incentive of free party membership, Liberal Party membership in the riding of Ottawa-Vanier, Ont., has grown eight times over in anticipation of a nomination meeting there, and the 10 candidates running in this safe Liberal riding are focused on getting as many of these members out as possible on voting day. The nomination vote is […]
