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Ottawa, We Have a Problem: Reconciliation Requires Structural Changes on the Hill

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Ottawa, We Have a Problem: Reconciliation Requires Structural Changes on the Hill Michael Harris | Palak Mangat | Sheila Copps | David Crane | Susan Riley | Gerry Nicholls | Andrew Cardozo Heard on the Hill p.2 What else is happening while Morneau: to we worry about COVID? p. 10 be continued An October surprise almost or not? p. 12 inevitable in U.S. p. 11 THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1752 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020 $5.00 News Opinion News Staff harassment Would-be ‘more widespread,’ Conservative could happen Ottawa, we leaders wooing again, say former Quebec dairy Don Meredith farmers, but Senate employees have a problem: organizers say BY PETER MAZERREUW they won’t decide he Senate’s staff harassment reconciliation the race this time Tproblems run deeper than Don Meredith, say two of his BY PETER MAZEREEUW former employees, and the Red Chamber has not done enough to he three leading candidates in confront its own failures to pro- Tthe Conservative leadership race tect staff from their bosses. requires structural have all reached out to Quebec’s “I would say it’s more wide- dairy farmers with promises to pro- spread,” said Jane, one of Mr. tect the supply management system, Meredith’s former staffers, in an in a bid to win support from a group interview last week. that may have swung the last contest Jane is not her real name. The in favour of now outgoing Conserva- Hill Times agreed not to name the changes on the Hill tive Leader Andrew Scheer. Continued on page 14 Continued on page 16 Indigenous inclusion, with enough numbers to be heard, is fundamental News to any democratic structure, especially News for one that claims to represent ‘Beirut is bleeding’: Indigenous peoples in Canada. This ‘The vast majority Lebanese- also applies to the civil service. We of the TFWs would Canadian MPs cannot say Canada’s political system rather come here and express horror, and civil service are representative get their PR’: some disbelief in wake of until Indigenous voices are heard and MPs signal support massive explosion respected on every bill, and in every for extending debate, and at every parliamentary and permanent residency BY MIKE LAPOINTE cabinet committee table. The upcoming to Canada’s migrant Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 ollowing a massive explosion generation of Indigenous leaders will farm labourers Fthat ripped through Beirut’s not accept anything less; not a watered- port area on Aug. 5, killing more BY BEATRICE PAEZ than 100 and injuring 5,000 oth- down toothless pilot, and not a tearful & PALAK MANGAT ers, Lebanese-Canadian MPs are closely monitoring the situation as apology to cover up lack of action. We s the pandemic brings it continues to unfold, but are also are part of the country, and it’s time to Arenewed attention to the praising the resiliency of the com- vulnerability of migrant workers munities here and in Lebanon. change structures to respect our voices. in the agriculture sector, some Read Rose LeMay’s column on p. 3 Continued on page 15 Continued on page 17 2 MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES CAJ’s 2020 mentors: Arif Noorani, top left, Andree Lau, David Thurton, Omayra Issa, Brigitte Noël, Heard on the Hill Francine Compton, Karyn Pugliese, and Adrian Harewood. Mike by Palak Mangat De Souza, lower left, Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Emma Gilchrist, Lisa Laflamme, Frances ‘For those of us serving in Bula, Jesse Winter, Paul Wells, and Shireen Ahmed. Photographs elected office, political life courtesy of the CAJ weeks. Those interested need to be a CAJ tive MP Lisa Raitt who was ousted in can be incredibly intense member and apply by Aug. 28. last year’s election. Former Liberal B.C. premier Christy Clark, one-time Sas- Independent Senator Murray katchewan premier Brad Wall, and former and it often becomes all- federal Liberal foreign affairs minister Sinclair joins Indigenous firm John Manley are among the others named A Manitoba-based Indigenous law to the list. encompassing’: byelection firm got some star power last week after The group has traditionally been made Independent Senator Murray Sinclair an- up of former American and Canadian nounced he will be joining its ranks. Sen. ambassadors, but the decision to expand speculation begins after Liberal Sinclair, the former chief commissioner of it “is a reflection of the importance of the the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Canada/U.S. relationship as it enters a and the first Indigenous judge appointed new era in the wake of a global pandemic MP Levitt announces he will in Manitoba and the second in Canada, and new North American trade agree- said on Aug. 4 he will be joining Cochrane ment,” said the council’s CEO, Maryscott resign his York Centre seat Saxberg Barristers and Solicitors, a child Greenwood, in an Aug. 4 release. With the protection, employment and labour, and additions, the group aims to contribute Indigenous advocacy law firm. “I’ve always “meaningfully to helping ensure that the Liberal MP Michael known I wanted to return to the legal U.S. and Canada face the world’s challeng- Levitt, pictured field before the end of my career, and I’m es together,” added Ms. Greenwood, who is chairing the House thrilled” to join the group “and be a part of also a partner with Crestview Strategy and Foreign Affairs building this emerging leading Indigenous has been named to The Hill Times’ list of Committee last July, law firm,” he said in a release. top 100 lobbyists. announced last week that he will leave his post in Hill staffers bid adieu September to head Travis Gordon, a senior policy adviser up the Toronto- for Health Canada who worked on files based non-profit, like food safety laws, tobacco and vaping, Friends of Simon and Canada’s Food Guide, wrapped up Wiesenthal Center his time with the government last week. for Holocaust Serving for three years under three health Studies. The Hill ministers—Jane Philpott, Ginette Petitpas Times photograph by Taylor, and Patty Hajdu—Mr. Gordon start- Andrew Meade ed as an Atlantic adviser before making his way to the policy team. “It’s an odd thing to leave a job like that in the middle of a yelection speculation started shortly Speaking of summertime speculation, global pandemic, but if you’re always wait- Bafter Liberal backbencher Michael there’s some buzz that the prime minister ing for the ‘right time’ you’ll never move an Levitt announced he will be resigning from will shuffle his cabinet by the end of this inch,” he tweeted Aug. 2. Among the perks his seat for York Centre, effective Sept. 1. month. he’s looking forward to are “only having Mr. Levitt will then head up the non-profit one cell phone for a while,” he joked, and Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Independent Senator Murray Sinclair, pictured A few parliamentary reporters in March 2018, is joining a Manitoba-based “combining practice with theory over the Holocaust Studies as its president and next few years to sharpen my skills. It’s CEO. “For those of us serving in elected of- will be CAJ mentors for 2020 Indigenous law firm. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade been a slice, Government of Canada.” fice, political life can be incredibly intense The Canadian Association of Journal- He will now go on to pursue a master’s and it often becomes all-encompassing,” ists’ mentorship program announced 16 degree at Carleton University. Mr. Gor- Established in 2017, the group has wrote Mr. Levitt in an Aug. 4 statement journalists to its roster of reporters, edi- don isn’t the only staffer to leave the Hill helped in settlement agreements between shared to his Facebook. Recalling “surreal tors, and columnists who are looking to in recent weeks; Gabrielle Cesvet, who the feds and First Nations, and represented moments” like sleeping overnight on the be paired with early-career CAJ members headed up Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s clients before the Canadian Human Rights Hill for marathon Commons votes, Mr. wanting to break into the industry. Ma- speechwriting, left the PMO on July 31. Tribunal about racial harassment in the Levitt described his time since he was first clean’s Paul Wells, APTN National News’ “I’ve been a private citizen for 3 days now workplace. Most of the group’s lawyers are elected in 2015 as “the greatest honour of Francine Compton, and CBC national and I’ve reached out for my work phone Indigenous and it is looking to expand its my life,” but one that has not been without reporter David Thurton, and CBC Ottawa’s more times than I can count,” she tweeted work nationally. Harold Cochrane, one of consequence. Adrian Harewood are among those in Ot- Aug. 3, jokingly adding “This is going well. the founding partners, told The Canadian “While it is an incredible privilege to tawa. Mr. Thurton is at the broadcaster’s I[’m] really good at relaxing.” Press that having the 69-year-old Senator serve the people of York Centre, I know parliamentary bureau, and Ms. Compton [email protected] join his group “is kind of like having Wayne deep down that now is the time for me moved to the city in 2016 to lead the bu- The Hill Times to put family first and come back home, reau and network’s political show, Nation Gretzky join your hockey team,” counting both physically and mentally.” Mr. Levitt to Nation. Sen. Sinclair as “Canada’s most respected has become known on the Hill for his ef- Other CAJ mentors are Global Indigenous rights advocate.” For his part, CORRECTION: The Hill Times forts to promote human rights and fight News’ Mike De Souza; CBC managing Sen.
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