SNC-Lavalin Affair Ripe for Opposition to Capitalize On, Say Politicos, but Scheer, Singh Poll Numbers Still Flat
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A tale of two scandals: SNC case Wilson-Raybould, Norman cases follow diverging shows paths Scott Taylor p. 9 machinery of government needs reform: Diplomats raised concerns Donald about Canada’s response to Savoie p. 11 Cuban illness in 2017: union p. 4 Heard on the Hill p.2 THIRTIETH YEAR, NO. 1613 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 $5.00 News Politics News Hill media SNC-Lavalin aff air ripe for How Robert ‘Fife the knife’ broke the SNC-Lavalin story opposition to capitalize on, and 40 years of other scoops Globe and Mail and one of the reporters behind The the explosive SNC-Lavalin story say politicos, but Scheer, bureau chief’s vast source that’s rocked politics in Ottawa for a month, has been breaking list and eye for detail stories for decades due to his vast has helped him expose network of sources, keen eye for Singh poll numbers still fl at detail, and knack for telling when numerous government people aren’t telling the truth, say Hill colleagues. While Justin Trudeau’s poll numbers have sunk amid the controversy, scandals, including the With a well-developed abil- Andrew Scheer and Jagmeet Singh have not seen a boost to their own ity to be a thorn in the side of SNC-Lavalin aff air, which governments, Hill journalists say polling numbers as opposition leaders. But it’s still early days, say strategists. he broke with Steven that he’s a fun person to work with, seeks feedback from the Chase and Sean Fine. entire newsroom, and teaches reporters how to be tough. The award-winning journalist has BY EMILY HAWS been covering national poli- tics since 1978 and hails from obert Fife, the Globe and RMail Ottawa bureau chief Continued on page 5 News Public service Time to debate separating top civil servant’s roles, says expert Savoie well-regarded public administra- Amid allegations of tion expert says it’s time to have a similar discussion about splitting partisanship against the three hats worn by the top Michael Wernick, Prof. federal bureaucrat, Privy Council clerk Michael Wernick. Donald Savoie says he Currently, the clerk of the Privy Council has three roles: the Left to right, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Mr. Trudeau's could stay as DM to deputy minister to the prime min- polling numbers have taken a hit in the wake of the SNC-Lavalin story. Mr. Scheer shouldn’t have called for Mr. Trudeau’s head so the PM and secretary ister, the secretary to the cabinet, early in the game, says ex-Conservative adviser Tim Powers, while pollster Frank Graves says Mr. Singh could benefi t from focusing and the head of the public service. on the corporate accountability aspects of the SNC-Lavalin affair. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade to cabinet, but another The clerk was only legislated Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 into being the head of the public BY JOLSON LIM & NEIL MOSS ahead of October’s election. against the company. bureaucrat may be better service in 1992. Recent polling shows that Mr. Amid the ongoing controversy, suited as the public Mr. Wernick explained his he SNC-Lavalin affair has Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) and his Mr. Scheer’s and Mr. Singh’s pop- three roles at a March 6 appear- Thurt Prime Minister Justin government’s popularity have taken ularity have remained relatively service head. ance before the House Justice Trudeau’s approval numbers, a dive since the SNC-Lavalin affair stagnant, as suggested by Abacus Committee, his second time in Globe but political commentators say it began on Feb. 7, when the Data’s numbers based on more BY EMILY HAWS recent weeks speaking to commit- remains to be seen whether Con- and Mail reported allegations that than 8,800 interviews conducted tee members studying whether servative Leader Andrew Scheer the prime minister’s offi ce pressed between Jan. 30 and March 4, and s the debate around the pos- the prime minister or his staff and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh former attorney general Jody other polls. Asibility of separating the two pressured Jody Wilson-Raybould can use the controversy to bump Wilson-Raybould (Vancouver Gran- hats of the minister of justice and past the Liberal leader in the polls ville, B.C.) to drop criminal charges Continued on page 14 attorney general continues, one Continued on page 13 2 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 | THE HILL TIMES He began 35 years of public service as A Montreal brawl: Grit MP a trade commissioner at the then-Depart- ment of External Affairs in 1953. He went Marc Miller and reporter on to become the secretary of the Treasury exchange blows Board, as well as deputy minister of con- Heard on the Hill sumer and corporate affairs, and deputy minister industry, trade, and commerce. He It wouldn’t be unusual for a politician to was also the under-secretary of state for by Neil Moss want to punch a journalist in the face, but external affairs, equivalent to the deputy for Liberal MP Marc Miller, he was given minister of foreign affairs. the chance. Following in the footsteps of Prime Min- ister Justin Trudeau, Mr. Miller took to the Gordon Bernier passes on taking boxing ring to face Montreal Gazette re- Osbaldeston porter Christopher Curtis for three rounds was the of sparring on March 7. Privy “The fi rst punch hit me square in the Council part in Justice Committee nose and snapped my head back,” Mr. Cur- clerk from tis wrote in the Gazette. 1982 to The match raised $2,500 for the Montre- 1985. al Gazette Christmas Fund, a charity that Photograph SNC-Lavalin hearings has given more than $25-million to Montre- courtesy of al’s neediest during the holiday season. Twitter People's Party Before the bout, Mr. Curtis cracked on Leader Maxime Montreal’s CJAD that he would “beat the Bernier has ginger” out of Mr. Miller’s hair, and on the chosen to day of the match Mr. Miller joked about sit out the Mr. Curtis’ hand wraps. House Justice “Nice wraps, did your mommy put them Committee on for you[?]” the Montreal-area MP said. meetings about It wasn’t quite the Rumble in the Jungle. the SNC-Lavalin The two didn’t look like orthodox boxers, “Gordon Osbaldeston was the gold affair, instead as Mr. Miller was in Converse shoes, and standard for Clerk of the Privy Council,” following the Mr. Curtis wore cut-off denim shorts. wrote non-affi liated Senator Peter Harder, news on TV. government representative in the Senate The Hill Times Montreal and a former deputy minister of foreign photograph by Gazette affairs, on Twitter. Andrew Meade reporter The Public Policy Forum hosts an annu- Christopher al dinner, formally known as a fall lecture Curtis, left, in his name, to cast light on opportunities and Liberal and challenges facing the public service. MP Marc Miller, right. Photograph Alexandre Boulerice courtesy of eople’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier “5 years ago, I interviewed then Liberal Twitter named NDP deputy leader Phas been absent from the House of Leader, @JustinTrudeau in [Saskatchewan] – Commons Justice Committee as it a year later, he became PM of Canada. Fore- delves into the SNC-Lavalin affair, despite shadowing? What a year to join @CTVNa- The NDP’s Quebec lieutenant, MP all other parties—even those without of- tionalNews team in #Ottawa as a National Alexandre Boulerice, was named as NDP fi cial party status—showing up to Correspondent. Here’s to a new adventure!” Leader Jagmeet Singh’s right-hand man. participate. Ms. Thomas tweeted on March 8. Mr. Boulerice, who was fi rst elected in A People’s Party spokesperson told The Over at APTN’s O’Connor Street news- the Orange Wave of 2011, is charged with Hill Times that Mr. Bernier has been given room, Ms. Bernard is their newest mem- leading his party’s Quebec election efforts an invitation to attend, but since he is not a ber. She previously was posted to APTN’s where some polls have the party’s support regular member of the committee and not bureau in Saskatoon, Sask. She has been in the single digits. Out of the NDP’s 15 entitled to ask questions he chose not to with the network since May 2018, when Quebec MPs, four incumbents have an- attend, but instead to follow the committee she started in its Vancouver bureau. nounced they will not seek re-election. remotely through television. In other press moves, Mélanie Marquis is “I fi rmly believe that Quebec is a Liberal MP and committee chair leaving La Presse canadienne and joining La distinct nation within our country and I Anthony Housefather has allowed the non- Presse’s three-person parliamentary bureau. promise you today that I will be an ally for offi cial party members to each ask three She wrote on Twitter that she was sad to Quebec and that I will do things differently minutes of questions at the consent of com- leave the wire service, but very excited to Marc Miller, left, and Christopher Curtis, right, … That is why I am pleased to appoint Al- mittee members. be joining the digital newspaper’s Ottawa spar. Photograph courtesy of Twitter exandre Boulerice as deputy leader of the Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has newsroom on March 25. NDP,” Mr. Singh said in a March 11 state- ment on Mr. Boulerice’s appointment. Mr. appeared, as well as Bloc Québécois mem- “In our minds, it was an epic clash; Boulerice is the NDP’s environment critic.