Maple syrup, maple chocolate, maple lollipops: a look inside Canada’s gifts to UN diplomats
When keeping up the tradition of diplomatic gift-giving, Canada’s mission to the United Nations takes cues from its flag—handing out an assortment of maple-related items to envoys from across the world. Maple syrup, maple cookies, maple butter, maple chocolate, and maple lollipops are some of the items that Canadian diplomats in New York City gift […]
Associate Finance Minister Fortier names Cheesbrough as policy director
Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Finance Minister Mona Fortier has tapped longtime staffer Elizabeth Cheesbrough to serve as her director of policy. Ms. Cheesbrough was previously a senior policy adviser to then-public safety minister Ralph Goodale during the last Parliament. She had joined Mr. Goodale’s team in October 2018, before which she’d been an assistant […]
Liberal MP Kamal Khera joins nursing ranks after COVID-19 recovery
The only MP to have publicly revealed to have tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently recovered has joined the front lines pitching in at a long-term care home in Brampton, Ont. Liberal MP Kamal Khera, who is a registered nurse, announced she was joining the front lines of the health crisis in March, but before she […]
New communications director for Minister Rodriguez
Government House Leader and Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez has a new director of communications, Louis-François Brodeur, supporting him in both of his cabinet posts. Mr. Brodeur marked his first day tackling communications for Mr. Rodriguez on March 16. Previously, former Parliamentary Press Gallery reporter Mark Kennedy wore the title of director of communications to Mr. […]
‘Forever in their debt’: MPs mark 75 years since Canada’s liberation of the Netherlands and the end of World War II in Europe
Three quarters of a century ago, the Canadian Army advanced through the Netherlands in 1945 liberating it from nearly five years of Nazi occupation. MPs honoured those Canadians who fought in support of the Dutch liberation, including the more than 7,600 Canadians who died in the Netherlands. “The Liberation of the Netherlands was Canada’s last […]
If action’s further delayed ‘little or no chance of saving English Canada from complete absorption into U.S. cultural ecosystem’: Stursberg
Canadian governments have always known that if there was to be a Canada, there would have to be Canadian media. Since the 1930s, successive administrations, whether Liberal or Conservative, have struggled to strengthen the foundations of Canadian culture, often in opposition to the desires of the United States. They passed laws, created regulations and provided […]
Treasury Board President Duclos hires new policy, communications aides
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos has been busy of late, including as chair of the special cabinet committee on COVID-19, and the minister has welcomed a number of new staff to his office since Hill Climbers’ last update, including Michael Paramathasan as a senior policy adviser. Mr. Paramathasan spent the vast majority of 2019 as […]
Daviau, Wernick, Tarras to discuss future of federal public service on May 11
MONDAY, MAY 11 House Not Sitting—The House has been suspended until Monday, May 25, and the spring schedule is still not confirmed due to the global pandemic. However, during this adjournment time, a Special COVID-19 Pandemic Committee has been established, composed of all members of the House, to meet beginning on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and as […]
Globe and Mail team wins National Newspaper Award for SNC-Lavalin reporting
A team of reporters headlined by Globe and Mail parliamentary bureau chief Robert Fife and reporters Steven Chase and Daniel Leblanc won the National Newspaper Award for political reporting for their coverage of the pressure from Justin Trudeau‘s Prime Minister’s Office to give SNC-Lavalin a deferred prosecution agreement. The team of reporters who won the […]
Two new policy advisers join Fisheries Minister Jordan’s team
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan’s political staff team has grown by five since Hill Climbers last took a gander in February, including the addition of two new policy advisers, Sofia Vartsakis and Alexander Craney. Ms. Vartsakis has been hired as a policy adviser covering the Prairies and Arctic regions. She joined Ms. Jordan’s team […]
