‘I’m a pretty impatient minister’: Champagne says he’d like infrastructure money doled out faster, but feds are improving
The federal government has responded to concerns about infrastructure money not getting out the door fast enough, says Infrastructure Minister François-Philippe Champagne. The process can always be improved, and while some delays have been out of federal hands, Mr. Champagne (Saint-Maurice-Champlain, Que.) said, he’s overseen some changes since coming to the job last summer that […]
SNC-Lavalin nuclear contracts at risk if it’s convicted
If SNC-Lavalin is denied a deferred prosecution agreement and is convicted of fraud and corruption, this could prevent the engineering company from bidding on federal government contracts in Canada. But it could also jeopardize its current and future contractual obligations with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), power producers Bruce Power, China National Nuclear Corp., […]
Liberals name ‘totally independent’ corporate watchdog, but aren’t ready—yet—to give promised powers to compel testimony
Trade Minister Jim Carr unveiled the government’s choice on Monday to fill the corporate-ethics watchdog job announced more than a year ago, but the details of how independent and powerful the new Corporate Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise were left up in the air, drawing fierce criticism from a human-rights advocacy network closely following the file. […]
Pre-budget focus, Hill days sustain steady February lobbying
The budget and finance focus of much of the lobbying in February reflected the last-minute push for many groups to get consideration in the Liberals’ fourth and final budget of their mandate. Combined, the budget and finance accounted for 477 subject-matter mentions in the lobbying registry filings, leading international trade (391), health (349), agriculture (341), […]
‘Civil wars’ are ‘incredibly damaging’: Trudeau boots Wilson-Raybould, Philpott from caucus
After weeks of being hounded with allegations of political interference in judicial affairs, sparked from within his own party, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday expelled former cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus, citing a breakdown in trust. Speaking to the national Liberal caucus in an emergency meeting on Tuesday […]
Who to watch in the Senate as legislative crunch looms
Senators will have the last shot at altering the government’s signature bills as time ticks down before the summer break and the election campaign that follows, and a majority of the votes in the Senate can, in theory, be swayed. The Senate has amended government bills at a greater rate than in the past in […]
‘He is in that kinda mood’: Wernick relays Trudeau’s concerns over SNC-Lavalin’s fate in phone call with Wilson-Raybould
The recording former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould taped of her Dec. 19 phone call with outgoing Privy Council clerk Michael Wernick, released publicly this afternoon, largely corroborates her account of that exchange. “The PM wants to be able to say that he has tried everything he can, within a legitimate toolbox, to try to head […]
Liberals on Ethics Committee defeat opposition parties’ motion to probe SNC-Lavalin affair
A week after the House Justice Committee shut down its probe of the SNC-Lavalin affair, the House Ethics Committee also defeated an opposition motion calling for it to examine the scandal that’s been hounding the government for nearly two months, and to invite former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to share more of her side of […]
SNC-Lavalin affair capturing Canadians’ attention, but no sign of shifting votes, pollsters suggest
While Canadians across the country are paying attention to the SNC-Lavalin controversy, it doesn’t seem to be shifting voting intention too much at this stage, pollsters suggest. But some of them and Members of Parliament say the issue could contribute to greater voter cynicism about politics, which may lead to some Canadians deciding to stay […]
Let’s not forget what sparked the SNC-Lavalin affair
OTTAWA—Almost lost in the media storm surrounding the resignation of former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, sparked by allegations that she faced political pressure from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, is the timeline of events surrounding the alleged infractions that sparked the controversy. Yes, we are all aware that Quebec-based engineering giant SNC-Lavalin was lobbying Trudeau’s […]
