Astravas at helm of Emergency Preparedness Minister Blair’s new team
Now minister of emergency preparedness and president of the Queen’s Privy Council, Bill Blair has brought over his chief of staff of the last two years and counting, Zita Astravas, to run his new office. Astravas was chief of staff to Blair through his time as public safety minister, starting in December 2019. A former […]
Winter House sitting will be like ‘political hunger games’ between O’Toole and Trudeau, say pollsters
With both the Conservatives and Liberals running neck and neck in public opinion polls and the NDP making significant gains, this winter House session is expected to be a tough one as the two national parties try to regain their lost momentum, say pollsters. “This upcoming Parliament is going to be a political hunger games […]
Fraser hires a new chief of staff after Mendicino scoops up Mike Jones
There’s a new chief at the helm of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser’s office, after Mike Jones was recently scooped up to head Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino’s team. As reported by Hill Climbers in November, Jones initially stayed on in the immigration office, where he’d been since December 2019, as chief of […]
Cabinet’s communications and chiefs of staff list, 2022
Minister Portfolio Chief of Staff D. Comms Press Secretary Main Office # Trudeau, Justin Prime Minister Katie Telford Cameron Ahmad Ann-Clara Vaillancourt, Cecely Roy 613-957-5555 Freeland, Chrystia Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Leslie Church Alex Lawrence Adrienne Vaupshas 613-369-5696 Alghabra, Omar Transport Mike Maka Valérie Glazer Laurel Lennox 613-991-0700 Anand, Anita National Defence Mike Power Sabrina […]
O’Toole attack on Guilbeault an appeal to blue collar class, says strategists
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s mid-January video criticizing the Liberal’s climate change policy was derided by some commentators for misquoting Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and blurring the truth, but strategists note it was a pointed appeal by the Conservatives to “entire classes” of Canadians who depend on the energy economy. It’s an approach that may win […]
Big issues at play as the parliamentary games begin
OTTAWA—Parliament returns on Jan. 31 for what could prove to be an eventful sitting. As we all work to slog through winter, our federal legislative Chamber will be focused on the pandemic, inflation, and, in these early days, potential war in Ukraine. Fascinating subplots will also be in Justin Trudeau’s flourishing “will he or won’t […]
Rural Economic Development Minister Hutchings’ firms up 13-member team
Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings has finalized her new office, with 13 staff in place, including Kendra Wilcox as director of policy and operations and Danielle Moriarty as head of parliamentary affairs. As previously reported, Alex Howell is chief of staff to the first-time minister from Newfoundland and Labrador. Wilcox is well familiar with […]
Upcoming carbon price increase to ‘pose some of the greatest challenges to the Trudeau government yet,’ argues Angus Reid’s Kurl
The federal carbon price is rising for a third time this April, reaching $50 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions, but amid high inflation and affordability anxiety one pollster suggests it may prove a challenge, and a test, for the Trudeau government to sell to Canadians. “The timing and amount of the upcoming federal carbon […]
Liberal leadership speculation a distraction, Trudeau should shut it down firmly, say Liberal MPs, political insiders, and pollsters
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is definitely planning to lead his party in the next election, he should put an end to the speculation about the leadership election, or it could become a serious distraction for the government at a time when the country is dealing with the serious health and economic challenges of COVID, […]
Agriculture Minister Bibeau has a new acting chief of staff, Jérémy Gauthier
Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, who has held her portfolio since 2019, has kicked off the new Parliament with some changes to her ministerial office, where Jérémy Gauthier has stepped in as acting chief of staff. Gauthier took over the reins from Alison Porter, who’s now on maternity leave, in December. Porter was among the first […]
