Trudeau Liberals’ approach to politics is what West needs
It has been fashionable so far to deride the Trudeau government as being one that is unable to keep its campaign promises. In particular, many would cite the size of the upcoming deficit—significantly larger than the $10-billion promised on the hustings—as proof of this supposed Liberal deception of the electorate. The size of the budgetary […]
Sports Minister Qualtrough hires director of parliamentary affairs, issues, policy
Sports and Persons with Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough recently hired Jude Welch as director of parliamentary affairs and issues management. Mr. Welch, until recently, was manager of policy and programs at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and before that worked briefly as a senior committee adviser for the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada in Ottawa. […]
Liberal MP Vaughan accuses airline, government-relations firm of improper lobbying, charge appears unwarranted
In the House of Commons last week, a Liberal MP accused an airline and government-relations firm of improper lobbying, though information that appeared on the federal lobbyists’ registry after the fact, along with claims by the airline in question, suggest otherwise. During debate on a motion moved by Conservative MP Kelly Block (Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek, […]
Some House committees in ‘chaos,’ says NDP MP Julian
The Liberals promised to strengthen Commons committees, but some have gone “from censorship,” under prime minister Stephen Harper’s time in power, “to a chaotic structure” under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau so far, says New Democrat House Leader Peter Julian. Mr. Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby, B.C.) said that under the Conservatives in the previous Parliaments, House committees under […]
Power shift among federal lobbyists biggest since Chrétien won power in 1993: lobbyists
[email_link] Much has changed as a result of last year’s election that brought in a majority Liberal government and marked the first change in government in almost 10 years, and the federal lobbying sector is one of those things, as seen with this year’s Top 100 Lobbyists list. Robin Sears, a principal at Earnscliffe Strategy […]
Secrecy happenings and transparency hopes, Ottawa needs to open up
OTTAWA—It’s a sure sign that it’s still secrecy as usual in Ottawa when Treasury Board wants six months to respond to an access request for records about Trudeau government’s transparency work. That’s before applying policy advice and Cabinet confidences to the records. But it’s far from the only example. Take the case of the request […]
Timing unknown on Liberal commitments to reform Internal Economy Board, PBO
There’s no indication yet for when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government will act on campaign commitments to open up the secretive Commons Board of Internal Economy and strengthen the Office of Parliamentary Budget Officer, as reiterated in Government House Leader Dominic LeBlanc’s mandate letter, but NDP MP Peter Julian said these are “important” changes the public wants to […]
Minister Lebouthillier hires directors, Fitz-Morris now D. Comms to Chagger
National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier is building up her ministerial team and has hired a director of parliamentary affairs and a director of policy. Cédrick Beauregard has returned to the Hill to help guide Ms. Lebouthillier through complicated parliamentary procedure and her work in the House of Commons, Hill Climbers has learned. In recent years, […]
Liberals fundraise on Trudeau’s visit to Washington
The Liberal Party is highlighting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trip to Washington, D.C., next week as the first Canadian prime minister invited to a White House state dinner since 1997 in a new fundraising twist. The Liberal fundraising arm is inviting supporters to enter a draw for a $5,000 trip four-day trip to Washington at […]
LeBlanc changes strategy on assisted-suicide vote after ‘listening to colleagues in caucus and elsewhere’
Government House Leader Dominic LeBlanc, who recently backed away from whipping the House vote on doctor-assisted suicide saying it’s too early to determine how the vote will go without seeing the bill first, said he did so after “listening to colleagues in caucus and elsewhere,” but several Liberal MPs say he hasn’t explained the change of […]
