‘It shouldn’t be blotting out the sun’: have the media spilled too much ink over SNC-Lavalin?
Weeks of wall-to-wall coverage have been devoted to offering a tick-tock of every twist of the SNC-Lavalin affair, raising questions about whether the media have expended far too much of their resources following this beat at the exclusion of other pressing issues. Since The Globe and Mail first broke its bombshell report eight weeks ago alleging that […]
Canada to face whirlwind of potential shocks, redrawing of global political economy
TORONTO—Over the next number of years, Canada will face a whirlwind of potential shocks from disruptive technological change, a redrawing of the global political economy, the risks of accelerating climate change, and an ongoing aging of our population. The new world of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the great powers conflict between the U.S. and […]
‘I’d be worried if I was a Liberal anywhere in B.C.’: polls predict strong headwinds for federal B.C. Liberals in next election, but MPs say they’ll defend their record
With the politically explosive fallout from the expulsion of Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus continuing, political analysts are warning British Columbia federal Liberals to expect strong headwinds in October’s election, but Grit MPs say they’ve served their constituents well and the SNC-Lavalin controversy will be one of many factors that voters […]
Trudeau PMO scoops up new policy aide from Minister Bains’ team
The policy team in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office has a new member on board, with the recent addition of Javid Dharas who until recently was working for Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains. Mr. Dharas marked his first day as a special assistant for policy in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on […]
‘Criminally irresponsible’ for Tories not to release climate plan, says activist, but Conservative strategists and pollsters say it’s unwise to push out plan as SNC-Lavalin scandal dominates
It’s “criminally irresponsible” for the Conservatives to attack the Liberals’ carbon tax without offering an alternative plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says an environmental activist, but Conservative strategists and pollsters say there’s no sense in the opposition releasing a key policy platform in the midst of the SNC-Lavalin scandal. Catherine Abreu, executive director of […]
Scandal or no scandal, Trudeau’s not going anywhere
OAKVILLE, ONT.—I wonder if, in his secret heart of hearts, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is in any way sympathizing with his rival Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. After all, despite their ideological and partisan differences, both Singh and Trudeau share one thing in common: both men have had to endure speculation as to whether or not […]
Recent events have broken trust in Liberal government, say Indigenous leaders, and it could lead to punishment at the polls in October
Indigenous leaders from across Canada say their trust in the Liberal government’s promise of a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples has been broken and they’re looking for concrete action, soon, or it could mean punishment at the polls in October. “The prime minister may have meant what he said, and I don’t doubt that he […]
Daughters of the Vote, Camp Day on the Hill festivities include selfies, s’mores, and a lot of Parliamentarians
While the SNC-Lavalin affair continued to spiral last week, the party circuit was perhaps at its most inspiring, with both the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation’s Camp Day on the Hill and Equal Voice’s Daughters of the Vote receptions playing host to Parliamentarians and other Ottawa influencers. Daughters of the Vote brings 338 young women, one […]
Liberals’ handling of SNC-Lavalin affair a masterclass in shoddy crisis communications
TORONTO—I teach crisis communications to lawyers-to-be at the University of Calgary’s faculty of law, my alma mater. My students, as always, are terrific. And, for the whole term, we’ve been focusing on just one topic: LavScam. It makes sense. LavScam is the perfect fusion of a communications crisis and the law. It has all the requisite […]
Wilson-Raybould left Trudeau no choice but expulsion
OTTAWA—Imagine being given the privilege to serve in not one but two positions in cabinet, an opportunity that is afforded to only a few Canadians in every generation. All members of the cabinet serve at the pleasure of the prime minister, something that seems to have escaped Jody Wilson-Raybould, the former justice minister and attorney […]
