Hill Times

Jan 24 2020 — Peter Mazereeuw — Hill Times — Senator Marc Gold is the government’s new representative in the Senate, the Prime Minister’s Office announced today. In this minority Parliament, Sen. Gold (Stadacona, Que.) will now be responsible for overseeing the government’s legislative agenda in the Senate; sponsoring government bills, and keeping tabs on the progress of those sponsored by other Senators; and negotiating […]

Jan 22 2020 — Laura Ryckewaert — Hill Times — A final budget and timeline for the renovation of the iconic Centre Block building have yet to be determined, but work is plowing ahead, with demolition underway from the fourth floor up, which will see those floors stripped down to the building’s bones. “With these kinds of projects, we’re flying the plane while we build […]

Jan 22 2020 — Neil Moss — Hill Times — The past actions of the Iranian official tapped to lead the investigation into the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 should disqualify him from handling the inquiry, says a former Liberal justice minister. Iran has picked conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s chief justice, to head the inquiry into the downing of Flight 752, […]

Jan 20 2020 — Peter Mazereeuw — Hill Times — ISG Manitoba Senator Marilou McPhedran says she is planning to press for more changes to the way harassment complaints are handled in the Red Chamber when Parliament returns from its winter break, including a ban on asking harassment victims to sign non-disclosure agreements. Sen. McPhedran told The Hill Times she plans to introduce a motion […]

Jan 20 2020 — Abbas Rana — Hill Times — Former prime minister Stephen Harper’s decision to recently step down from the Conservative Fund in order to reportedly block the potential Conservative leadership candidacy of Jean Charest is causing fissures in the party, with some saying, “he’s a former defeated Conservative leader” and should stay out of the leadership contest. “There’s a risk of excessive […]

Jan 16 2020 — Peter Mazereeuw — Hill Times — The founder of the right-wing Canada Proud online advocacy network has joined MP Erin O’Toole’s campaign team for the upcoming Conservative Party leadership contest. Jeff Ballingall made a name for himself in Canadian political circles when he founded Ontario Proud and later Canada Proud, social media groups—with a presence on Facebook and Twitter, as well […]

Jan 15 2020 — Laura Ryckewaert — Hill Times — A vandalized mid-shore patrol vessel sent the total tally for government losses due to an offence or other illegal act skyrocketing to $12.1-million in 2018-19, as revealed in the 2019 public accounts. Lost and stolen items over the last fiscal year included 586 BlackBerrys, iPhones, and other cellular devices; 3,059 pieces of combat clothing; 352 […]

Jan 15 2020 — Neil Moss — Hill Times — In the days after Canada learned that it was Iran that downed a Ukrainian airliner shortly after it took off from Tehran, the somber, measured, but outraged tone of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s public comments has struck the right chord, say foreign policy experts. But with only a supporting role in the crash investigation and […]

Jan 13 2020 — Abbas Rana — Hill Times — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose Liberals were reduced from a majority to a minority Parliament three months ago, still hasn’t held a full-blown national caucus meeting to discuss the last federal election’s outcome, and some Grit MPs say they wonder if the leadership is trying to avoid it. The Liberals, who won 157 seats on […]

Jan 13 2020 — Peter Mazereeuw — Hill Times — Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre will have an edge in the party’s upcoming leadership contest as one of the few heavyweight contenders from the Reform/Alliance side of the party, says Kory Teneycke, the former staffer and campaign manager who helped push Andrew Scheer out of the party leadership post. Mr. Poilievre (Carleton, Ontario) is “probably the […]

Jan 8 2020 — Neil Moss — Hill Times — As the Canadian government hopes to continue the fight against ISIS, its ability to stay in Iraq will be determined by a continued American presence, say military and security experts. The global coalition against ISIS, which is led by the United States, has been put on hold in preparation for a threatened retaliatory strike from […]

Jan 8 2020 — Abbas Rana — Hill Times — With the Conservative Party still in the process of finalizing the rules for the summer’s crucial leadership contest, potential contestants are jockeying behind the scenes to put together their campaign teams, making fundraising phone calls, and seeking support from movers and shakers in the party. But most are also keeping an eye on whether high-profile […]

Jan 6 2020 — Gwynne Dyer — Hill Times — If the Iranians played the game the same way that Donald Trump does, then their revenge for the American assassination of Iran’s leading general, Qassem Soleimani, would be a simple tit-for-tat. Just kill U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the man who actually organized the hit and then boasted about it. If Pompeo is too […]

Jan 3 2020 — Peter Mazereeuw — Hill Times — Senate Ethics Officer Pierre Legault has completed his examination of Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu’s ties to far-right Facebook groups, saying the Conservative Senator may have violated the Senate’s code of conduct, but had set things right by apologizing and promising to change the way he uses the social media platform in the future.

Dec 20 2019 — Abbas Rana — Hill Times — Some Conservative caucus members are upset by the stories about Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s family and his leadership office’s expenses, warning that if more negative information comes out, it would be unrealistic for him to stay on until a new leader is elected at the party’s convention. “This is not good for the party,” said […]