Five issues that Liberals, NDP plan to go head to head on at the duelling conventions
The Liberal and NDP conventions are set to go head to head this week, as they look to present and debate a handful of similar policy proposals to issues preoccupying left-leaning voters at their duelling virtual conventions. The Liberals released a list of 42 policy proposals that will be up for debate at the convention, […]
Staffing moves for ministers Vandal, Freeland, and Wilkinson
Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal and his chief of staff, Brian Kaufmann, have a new executive assistant, Anna Bodnar. Ms. Bodnar joined Mr. Vandal’s team in early February and is a former parliamentary research and administrative assistant to Liberal MP Peter Fonseca, who represents Mississauga East-Cooksville, Ont., in the House of Commons. Before being hired […]
Transport Minister Alghabra hires new director, assistants
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has a few new faces in his office. Thi Tran recently left the Prime Minister’s Office to become director of issues management and parliamentary affairs to the new minister. Ms. Tran joined Mr. Alghabra’s office in March, and up until then, she’d been working as an issues management and parliamentary affairs adviser in […]
Éloge Butera returns to Hill to work for Minister Anand
Éloge Butera joined Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand’s office as a senior policy adviser earlier this month, marking his return to the Hill after more than a year away. Mr. Butera last worked for then-public safety and emergency preparedness minister Ralph Goodale, starting in the early days of the 42nd Parliament in January […]
Inside Grit caucus: Trudeau ‘emphatic’ no spring election unless opposition parties trigger one, say Liberal MPs
Barring a major surprise from opposition parties, a potential spring election is now off the table on the upcoming budget because of the spread of COVID variants in Canada, the slow and sluggish vaccination rollout, and the possibility of a third wave hitting Canada in the coming weeks, according to last week’s national Liberal caucus […]
Minister Carr’s burgeoning office as special representative for the Prairies grows by two
Jim Carr, who serves as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s special representative for the Prairies, has officially added two more staffers to his ministerial team, including senior adviser Jeff Kovalik-Plouffe. Mr. Kovalik-Plouffe is a former executive director of the Manitoba Liberal Party and has been on staff with Mr. Carr since leaving that post in early […]
To win, O’Toole doesn’t need a bigger tent
OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the most common bits of advice pundits like to offer to Canada’s Conservative Party is that it needs a “bigger tent.” As the CBC News’ Éric Grenier recently wrote, “If the Conservatives want to win the next election, they’ll need a broader coalition of voters behind them.” Always implied in this sort […]
Treasury Board chief Duclos needs a new policy head after Marando joins PMO
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos is in the market for a new director of policy following Dylan Marando’s recent exit for the hallowed halls of the Prime Minister’s Office earlier this month. Mr. Marando marked his first day on the job as a senior policy adviser in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office on March 15. […]
Environment Minister Wilkinson hires new policy director, Joanna Dafoe
Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has some fresh perspective on his policy team, with Joanna Dafoe having recently joined his office as director of policy, climate, and international affairs. Ms. Dafoe replaces Erin Flanagan, who was one of two policy heads in Mr. Wilkinson’s office working under the title of director of climate, […]
Ontario MPP Coteau ‘very open’ to seeking federal Liberal nomination in Don Valley East
Previously unsure about seeking the federal Liberal nomination in the coveted Toronto riding of Don Valley East, Michael Coteau, who was the runner-up in the 2020 provincial Liberal leadership contest and represents the same riding provincially, says he is now “very open” if and when the nomination process opens up. “So many people in the […]
