MPs slammed for quietly boosting House budget by $25-million
Members of Parliament will be getting an almost $58,000 boost to their office budgets for 2016-17—a 20 per cent increase starting in April following a seven-year freeze—along with an extra $1,400 each for travel expenses, but these changes are being met with mixed reactions on and off the Hill. Some MPs are welcoming the extra funds […]
Minister Lebouthillier hires directors, Fitz-Morris now D. Comms to Chagger
National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier is building up her ministerial team and has hired a director of parliamentary affairs and a director of policy. Cédrick Beauregard has returned to the Hill to help guide Ms. Lebouthillier through complicated parliamentary procedure and her work in the House of Commons, Hill Climbers has learned. In recent years, […]
Diversity in political backrooms still lacking
The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that indigenous Canadians and minority groups are better reflected in positions of leadership.” To recall, the Prime Minister appointed a Cabinet with gender parity (15 each of men and women) and almost […]
Cabinet staffing continues, further chief of staff changes
Further chief of staff changes have taken place in ministerial offices of late, with Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould both changing chiefs. Kirsten Mercer is no longer chief of staff to Ms. Wilson-Raybould. Ms. Mercer, a former senior justice policy adviser to Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and a former associate […]
Fisheries Minister Tootoo hires chief of staff, Heritage Minister Joly hires Carr as director
Former Liberal party national director George Young has been recruited to serve as chief of staff to Fisheries and Oceans Minister Hunter Tootoo, Hill Climbers has learned. Mr. Young, who started last week, was until recently, working for the City of Ottawa as a strategic support coordinator and is a former communications director for the […]
Next generation: Annie Donolo, Dan Boudria join Trudeau Cabinet ministers’ offices
Finance Minister Bill Morneau has hired Annie Donolo, a former Queen’s Park staffer and daughter of veteran Liberal staffer and strategist Peter Donolo, to be his ministerial press secretary, and she’s been working closely alongside communications director Daniel Lauzon in the minister’s office since January, Hill Climbers has learned. “I had the chance to work […]
Ministers Hehr and Carr bulk up offices, hire policy directors
Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr has hired a policy director for his ministerial office, straight from the department of Natural Resources, while Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr has hired Paul McCarthy to serve as his policy director. Along with Mr. McCarthy, Ben Charland is Mr. Hehr’s ministerial executive assistant. Mr. Charland was deputy campaign manager and communications […]
Sajjan hires former Vancouver police partner
National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has hired his former partner at the Vancouver Police Department, recruiting officer Kevin Torvik, to work as a policy adviser in his new ministerial office. Mr. Torvik is on a leave of absence from the Vancouver Police Department. In 2007, Mr. Sajjan and Mr. Torvik, as undercover Vancouver police officers […]
Liberal Cabinet, PMO continue to staff up as Parliament returns
Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi recently hired a press secretary to soon join his ministerial office, scooping up Brook Simpson from Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s office, as the new Liberal government continues to staff up. Mr. Simpson has been serving as Mr. Watson’s press secretary since the summer of 2014, and before that was a special assistant in […]
McGill grads, Queen’s Park staffers landing top Hill jobs
Work to staff the new Liberal Cabinet continues to ramp up ahead of Parliament’s return next week, with a noticeable trend of McGill grads and Queen’s Park staffers landing Hill jobs. As of deadline, only Fisheries and Oceans Minister Hunter Tootoo had yet to hire a chief of staff. Families, Children and Social Development Minister […]
