Small Business Minister Chagger hires Vidah as senior adviser, press secretary
Small Business and Tourism Minister Bardish Chagger has hired former MAtv producer and host Vahid Vidah as a senior policy adviser and press secretary for her ministerial office. Until recently, Mr. Vidah was working for MAtv as host of its English-language show, Living 2 Gether, a public access show exploring the “social fabric” of Montreal […]
Budget adds to immediate NDP woes but potential for rebound remains
VANCOUVER—The first Liberal federal budget has twisted the Trudeau knife further in the wounded New Democratic Party. The first budget of the new government is a big hit with elite centre left voters, a moderate success with populist or struggling groups, and leaves conservative groups infuriated. As a result, the Liberals are up, the NDP […]
Majority of Canadians support physician-assisted death: Forum Research poll
Canadian electors have overwhelmingly lined up in support of the Supreme Court of Canada ruling on the right to assisted dying as the Liberal government prepares to table legislation next week implementing the landmark decision, a Forum Research poll has found. Canadian Press this week reported this week that the cabinet has decided to keep […]
Minister of transport missing in action
The world is becoming increasingly competitive and Canada needs responsive transportation policies in order to compete. Yet, since taking office, this Liberal government and minister of Transport have yet to take a single policy decision that will improve the transportation of people, goods, and services across Canada and abroad. In June 2014, then minister of […]
Wernick planning to stick around PCO for a while, push on for ‘nimbleness and agility’ in PS
Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick says he’s in no rush to help establish a process for picking his successor since he doesn’t expect to be leaving the job any time soon. In January, Mr. Wernick was announced as the new clerk in a press release from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.), which highlighted, as […]
Veterans Minister Hehr hires retired Lt.-Col. Cyr as D. Comms
Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr has hired Norbert Cyr, a retired lieutenant-colonel with the Canadian Armed Forces and a former public servant and spokesperson to then chief of defence staff Walter Natynczyk, as his director of communications and issues management. Mr. Cyr marked his first day on the job in Mr. Hehr’s office on March […]
Politics This Morning: NDP must re-establish itself as driver of political debate in federal politics, says Broadbent
The Liberal Party won the October 2015 election because it went left of the political spectrum, and it did so because the NDP’s popular support is strong, says Ed Broadbent, who will make opening remarks at the Broadbent Institute’s Progress Summit today. “There can be no doubt that for New Democrats the election results were […]
Trudeau government face of present political reality, not past
A recent column penned by the Globe and Mail’s Margaret Wente raises some interesting questions—and makes some questionable points—about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the state of the progressive movement in Canada. Of particular note is her claim that Trudeau and his policies represent “the face of the past.” According to Wente, the progressive movement—which […]
Natural change occurring in ‘Ottawa ecosystem,’ as PM shuffles DMs
Recent changes to the top ranks of the federal public service represent a natural evolution of government operations and are not surprising given the recent election of a new Liberal government and the age of many senior public servants. In two separate announcements this month, the Prime Minister’s Office outlined changes to 11 different senior […]
Liberals pack Sir John A., others flock to the Métropolitain for budget night
New traditions were formed last Tuesday evening. Red is the new black and post-budget soirées have a new home, or two. Just a few hours after Finance Minister Bill Morneau tabled the 2016 budget in the House, Liberal MPs and Hill staffers who weren’t on the media circuit made their way into the Sir John A. […]
