Cheadle, Hunter part of Infrastructure Minister McKenna’s team
Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna has a 10-member staff team in place in her office so far, including a number of former Treasury Board ministerial staff. That list includes Ms. McKenna’s previously reported chief of staff, Adam Carroll; director of issues management, Bruce Cheadle; director of operations and parliamentary relations Lindsay Hunter; senior adviser […]
Immigration Minister Mendicino’s team includes three new directors
New Immigration, Citizenship, and Refugees Minister Marco Mendicino has held onto a number of staff from his predecessor’s team, but recent additions to his office include three new directors. Michael Jones is now director of issues management to the minister, after a year spent as director of communications to then-international trade minister Jim Carr. Before […]
A rundown of Transport Minister Garneau’s 12-member team, so far
With recent rail blockades as a result of the Wet’suwet’en solidarity protests, Transport Minister Marc Garneau and his 12-member political staff team so far have been busy of late. So, who all is on the minister’s team? Glad you (hypothetically) asked. First, the communications branch: Amy Butcher is director of communications and parliamentary affairs to […]
Read all about it: Digital Government Minister Murray’s team so far
Digital Government Minister Joyce Murray is busy leading efforts to replace the government’s Phoenix pay system and cut down the pay backlog, among other things, with Ashley Wright in place leading her policy team. Along with serving as director of policy to Ms. Murray, Ms. Wright is also currently acting as chief of staff to […]
Same staff, new office: a look at federal Public Safety Minister Blair’s team
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair has brought a number of staff from his old office as border security minister to his new team, including director of parliamentary affairs Jordan Crosby and director of operations Radey Barrack. Mr. Crosby started out as an issues manager to Mr. Blair when he was border security […]
When strategists and candidates conflict
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Nobody seems to like “negative” political ads. Journalists don’t like them; academics don’t like them; according to pollsters, voters don’t like them. But, of course, if you’re a political strategist working on a campaign, none of that animosity towards negativity really matters; if your polls say you have to go on the attack, you’ll […]
Down 20 rural seats, Liberals go back to the well on gun control
The Liberals are doubling down on gun control in the minority 43rd Parliament, despite losing most of their vulnerable rural ridings in last fall’s election after passing controversial gun control legislation. An analysis by The Hill Times found the Liberals won 20 fewer rural or partly rural ridings in October than they did in 2015, […]
Innovation Minister Bains names former PMO adviser as his policy head
Innovation, Science, and Industry Minister Navdeep Bains has a number of former PMO staffers in his office this Parliament, including new director of policy Sarah Hussaini. Until recently, Ms. Hussaini was busy at work as a policy adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, which she first joined in November 2016 as a special assistant for […]
Political parties facing an identity crisis
OAKVILLE, ONT.—The ongoing Conservative Party leadership race isn’t just about Conservatives picking a leader; it’s also about them finding an identity. As Conservative strategist Alise Mills recently told the media, “Maybe we don’t know who we are anymore. Maybe Stephen Harper, because he was … our first prime minister with the new Conservative Party, per […]
Trade Minister Ng scoops up PMO’s Catenaro as communications director
International Trade Minister Mary Ng, who’s also responsible for the small business and export promotion portfolios, recently hired the PMO’s Eleanore Catenaro as her director of communications. Until recently, Ms. Catenaro had been one of a small handful of press secretaries in the Prime Minister’s Office since March 2017. Prior to that, she’d spent a […]
