Budget investments not enough to replace need for new round of COVID student benefits, says Green leader Paul
Though the budget was generally well received by post-secondary student advocates, the lack of a returning Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) is a gap that needs to be filled to avoid students ending up in the same rough spot as last year, says Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. The benefit was introduced last spring, providing […]
Looking back: a decade since the 2011 election
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—Time flies quickly as one ages. In that respect, while it seems like yesterday, this May 2 marked a decade since I was a candidate in the 2011 federal election. It was an historic election for many reasons: it gave the Conservative government of Stephen Harper its first majority; the famed “Orange Wave” in […]
David Hurl named policy director to Innovation Minister Champagne
Innovation, Science, and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has scooped up veteran Hill staffer David Hurl to serve as his director of policy. Mr. Champagne had been in need of a new policy director in his office since promoting Sarah Hussaini to chief of staff shortly after taking over the innovation portfolio on Jan. 12. Plus, […]
John Brodhead, Cyndi Jenkins among recent PMO additions
The doors of the Prime Minister’s Office have been busy of late, with a slate of recent changes including the addition of John Brodhead as a senior adviser for intergovernmental affairs on April 26. It’s a return to the Hill for Mr. Brodhead, who had been a cabinet chief of staff up until April 2018, […]
Natural Resources Minister O’Regan adds policy adviser to team
Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan has a new policy adviser, with Blake Oliver recently joining his team fresh from Transport Minister Omar Alghabra’s office. Up until April 9, Ms. Oliver had been an Ontario regional affairs adviser and policy adviser, tackling transportation files on rail and road, in the transport minister’s office since March 2020, […]
New press secretary on board in Defence Minister Sajjan’s office
National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has a new press secretary at work tackling media requests in his office, with Daniel Minden recently hired, taking over for Floriane Bonneville, who left to work for Economic Development and Official Languages Minister Mélanie Joly. Mr. Minden’s first day on the job was April 12, and he starts at […]
Time for widespread gender-neutral language in federal policy, legislation, say advocates
The very act of not being included in government policy is discriminatory, says Estefan Cortes-Vargas, former Alberta MLA, diversity consultant, and one of the first openly non-binary people elected in Canada, referring to the sparse use of gender-neutral language. It’s an issue the federal government says it’s trying to fix, piece by piece. This area […]
Toronto ‘getting shortchanged’ on vaccine distribution, say some Toronto Grit MPs
Toronto Liberal MPs are accusing Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative provincial government of playing politics with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, demanding more detail about the allocation process of vaccines and suggesting that areas represented by the Conservatives are getting an adequate supply while the ones represented by the Liberals are not. “The rollout certainly has some […]
‘It’s getting worse, we’re going backwards’: Ontario MPs say constituents confused, frustrated, angry with vaccine supply issues, and partisan ‘finger-pointing’ as COVID cases skyrocket
Canada’s most populous province is facing an increasingly uphill battle in reining in the pandemic with new cases of COVID-19 hitting all-time highs last week, intensive-care units stretched to capacity, and what a number of Ontario MPs describe as confusion, frustration, and anger with the vaccine rollout among their constituents. Ontario recorded 4,250 new COVID-19 […]
Revenue Minister Lebouthillier hires new policy director, Jessica Morrison
National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier has a new director of policy in her office, with Jessica Morrison having returned to the political staff ranks on Parliament Hill to take on the role. Ms. Morrison’s first day as head of policy to Ms. Lebouthillier was Feb. 25. She replaces Faizel Gulamhussein, who was promoted to chief […]
