Liberals, NDP poised to receive millions through candidate-rebate system
The federal Liberals and the NDP are poised to rake in millions of dollars this year by withholding 60 per cent of rebates that local candidates are to receive for their campaign expenses from last year’s election. Both parties signed written agreements with their candidates before the 2015 election that allow party offices to receive all rebates […]
McCallum’s chief of staff joins Sohi amid senior staff shakeup
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum recently said goodbye to his chief of staff, Mathieu Bélanger, who last week joined Infrastructure and Communities Minister Amarjeet Sohi’s office as director of policy. Mr. Sohi’s ministerial office has not had an official director of policy since the Liberals government came to power last fall, although Gurpreet Vinning, […]
Groundwork being laid for ‘inevitable’ deepening of Canada-China relations
The Liberal government has been laying the groundwork, during its recent weeklong trip to China, for a deeper Canada-China relationship that is “inevitable,” given that country’s fast-growing economy and importance in the geopolitical pecking order. “[China is] the second-largest economy in the world, there’s just no way that we’re not going to have to pay attention to it, and […]
Immigration Minister McCallum hires constituency aide as cases director
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister John McCallum has hired his longtime constituency aide, Lisa Cheskes, to work as a political aide as part of his ministerial staff team, but she’ll continue to put the expertise she’s developed over years as an assistant in his Toronto-area constituency office to use in her new role. Ms. Cheskes […]
Former Citizen bureau chief Kennedy scooped by PMO
Former Ottawa Citizen parliamentary bureau chief Mark Kennedy has joined the communications team in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, and has been quietly finding his feet on the other side of the Hill divide for about a month. He’s now as a communications adviser for parliamentary affairs and democratic reform. His first official day in Langevin Block […]
Little Liberals everywhere as two MPs have babies
There seems to be somewhat of a Liberal baby boom happening, with at least two Liberal MPs (that we know of) bringing new people into the world in recent days. Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith became a father for the first time last week as his wife Amy Symington gave birth to Mackinlay Erskine Symington-Smith. The […]
Commons witness casts doubt on his own study of ranked ballot system
An Alberta political scientist cast doubt on the findings of a study he published stating the Liberals would have gained ground in the 2015 election from the ranked ballot electoral system favoured by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during a meeting of the House Electoral Reform Committee. University of Lethbridge professor Harold Jansen, whose essay published last […]
Former Liberal MP LeBlanc, communications consultant Fortier expected to vie for Bélanger’s riding
With the untimely death of veteran Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger last week, several prominent Liberals, including former Nova Scotia Liberal MP Francis LeBlanc and communications consultant Mona Fortier, are expected to enter the Liberal nomination contest in Ottawa-Vanier, Ont., one of the safest Liberal ridings in the country. In June, the riding’s provincial MPP and […]
Indigenous Affairs Minister Bennett hires Queen’s Park aide as new policy adviser
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett was busy last week with responsibilities that included delivering a formal apology on behalf of the federal government to the Sayisi Dene First Nation in Manitoba, which likely also meant a busy transition into the office for her new policy and regional affairs adviser. Jessica Hayden joined Ms. Bennett’s ministerial staff […]
Public sentiment, unfulfilled goals up for discussion at Liberal retreat this week
Liberal MPs are holding their summer caucus retreat this week and will be sharing information on the public sentiment they’ve picked up from their constituents in recent months and plot how they’re going to tackle issues such as electoral reform, immigration, marijuana legalization, and indigenous reconciliation when Parliament resumes in September. The two-day retreat will take […]
