PMO changes: MacKendrick exits for health minister’s team
Staff have been on the move in and out of the Prime Minister’s Office of late, including Andrew MacKendrick, who recently left his post as a communications planner in the top office to become deputy director of communications to Health Minister Patty Hajdu. Mr. MacKendrick marked his first day in Ms. Hajdu’s office on July […]
Public Safety Minister Blair hires Madeleine Gomery as new press secretary
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair has a new press secretary. Madeleine Gomery recently moved over from Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna’s team to take on the post. Ms. Gomery started out as an assistant to Ms. McKenna as the Liberal MP for Ottawa Centre, Ont., in the spring of 2018, and moved […]
The politics of Trudeau’s shave
OAKVILLE, ONT.—When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shaved off his beard, it was a strong signal that the Liberals are getting election-ready. After all, maybe the Canadian public needed a grizzled, mature-looking leader to guide it through the dark and worrying days of the COVID pandemic, but to win an election the Liberals will need Trudeau […]
Has the Canadian government turned its back on the Tibetan cause?
Amid deserving global attention on human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, the international community, including Canada, seems to have forgotten about the cause of Tibet. After all, it’s not as if Premier Xi Jinping has been making any special exceptions for Tibetans in terms of the level of atrocities being unleashed on minority […]
With McKenna out, NDP sees opportunity to recapture Ottawa Centre
Following the news that Liberal MP Catherine McKenna won’t be seeking re-election in Ottawa Centre, Ont., the NDP is hoping to use the two-term MP’s exit as an opportunity to flip the riding back to its orange ways. The riding, which has been represented provincially by Ontario NDP MPP Joel Harden since 2018 and was represented […]
‘They haven’t got a competitor who’s even remotely close’: Liberals on track to win majority in expected September election, but still a few wild cards
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on track to win a third mandate and form his second Liberal majority government if he triggers a federal election, according to June polling numbers. An Ipsos online and telephone poll of 1,501 Canadians conducted for Global News found the Liberals holding first position, month-to-month, with the support of 38 […]
The NDP’s disadvantage
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Anyone wanting to handicap the NDP’s chances in the next federal election, should bear in mind what I’d call the party’s polling disadvantage. That’s to say, both the Liberals and Conservatives can probably outdo the NDP when it comes to consistently and effectively gauging public opinion. Of course, I might be wrong about this, […]
One in, two out in the Prime Minister’s Office
The end of the spring sitting is always a busy time for staffing moves, and the latest batch includes changes in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, where two staff have exited, while Helen Gao recently joined as a policy and communications adviser. Ms. Gao started in the PMO on June 14 and is working under director […]
Government House Leader Rodriguez, Women and Gender Equality Minister Monsef hire new Quebec advisers
Government House Leader and Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez recently said goodbye to one of his senior advisers for Quebec regional affairs, Éric Beaulieu, who has already been replaced in the minister’s office. Mr. Beaulieu had supported Mr. Rodriguez in his capacity as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Quebec lieutenant since February 2020 and officially exited his […]
Ministers Chagger, Qualtrough both down a press secretary
Diversity, Inclusion, and Youth Minister Bardish Chagger has seen a couple of key staff exits in recent weeks, including that of her press secretary, Emelyana Titarenko, who left to do the same job for Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna. Ms. McKenna has been in need of a new press secretary since late May, when […]
