SNC-Lavalin Saga

Energy: Andrew Scheer pricing carbon fi nally has policy Heard a theory for on the briefi ng Hill winning Party pp. 17-27 p.2 p.9 Central p.35 Hill Climbers p.30 THIRTIETH YEAR, NO. 1612 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 $5.00 News Mark Norman caseNews Liberal caucus News PMO strategy Norman case Further staff could hurt Liberals SNC-Lavalin saga exits over SNC- with swing voters, Lavalin likely, a ‘second proof ‘unsettling’ and say strategists, point’ after SNC- as PMO grapples Lavalin scandal that ‘confusing’ for Liberal to address Liberals politically controversy interfere to help caucus, damages the party the powerful, says BY LAURA RYCKEWAERT especially in suburban and ore than a month since the pollster Greg Lyle MSNC-Lavalin story fi rst broke—and one senior staff and BY PETER MAZEREEUW & two cabinet minister resignations ABBAS RANA rural ridings: Liberal MPs later—the Prime Minister’s Offi ce remains mired in the controversy, he looming trial of Vice-Admiral All Liberal MPs, including Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott, and strategists say they expect TMark Norman and his defence further senior staff departures to team’s allegations of political should air their concerns and misgivings inside the caucus, not result. interference in the case could push outside, as it’s damaging the party, says Grit MP Kevin Lamoureux. Continued on page 29 News Legislation Senate Environment Committee eyes Fort McMurray, Strategy: The Prime Minister’s Offi ce has been criticized over its crisis southern Alberta communications strategy. The Hill First Nation for Times photograph by Andrew Meade “I would expect that there is stops on cross- going to be some further person- nel changes in the Prime Minis- country tour ter’s Offi ce,” said Grit pundit Greg Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 MacEachern, senior vice-presi- BY PETER MAZEREEUW dent at Proof Strategies. “Fairly or unfairly, in the roles he Senate Environment Com- around crisis communications, Tmittee will spend two days in PM Justin Trudeau held a press conference on March 7, 2019, to discuss the SNC-Lavalin controversy, but more there sometimes need to be some Alberta, and travel to Saskatoon, trouble is on the horizon as former cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould, top, and Jane Philpott, resigned their changes, whether they’re symbol- Winnipeg, and Vancouver in the top jobs over how he’s handled the crisis and Grit MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes has taken to Twitter to criticize his ic or not, so that you’re sending second week of April as part of leadership style. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia & Andrew Meade the message that the complaints, its study of the government’s the concerns have been heard,” BY ABBAS RANA Liberal MP is urging former bring any outstanding issues to environmental assessment reform cabinet ministers Jody Wilson- the caucus and hash them out said Mr. MacEachern, a former bill, C-69, before heading east Liberal Hill staffer. s the SNC-Lavalin saga drags Raybould and Jane Philpott, and Continued on page 7 Aon with no end in sight, one his other caucus colleagues to Continued on page 28 Continued on page 6 2 MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 | THE HILL TIMES Prosecution Service has come into question, the agency said in a tweet that its judicial independence was a “must.” “Prosecutorial independence is key to our mandate. Our prosecutors must be objective, Heard on the Hill independent and dispassionate, as well as free from improper infl uence—including political infl uence,” the March 7 tweet read. by Neil Moss It was the third tweet the offi cal Twitter account for the PPSC had sent out. The agency was created in 2006, but only joined Twitter in January of this year. Its fi rst tweet was on Margaret Trudeau to March 6. The PPSC spokesperson told The Hill Times that the tweet was “pre-written.” Tory MP Diane Finley has been appointed to the “The PPSC twitter account launched this National Security and Intelligence Committee of debut autobiographical week; a number of pre-written tweets explain- Parliamentarians. The Hill Times fi le photograph ing a little about the PPSC and its work are scheduled over the coming weeks,” Nathalie The committee is fi lled with both MPs and production, Certain Woman Houle said in an email. Senators who are given authority to review Ms. Houle said the tweet wasn’t meant to Canada’s national security activities and express concern about political interference compile reports. It most recently submitted in the PPSC’s work. a heavily redacted report on Mr. Trudeau’s of an Age, in Chicago on February trip to India. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer wrote on Twitter of the tweet: “It is very Ms. Finley has been an MP for nearly 15 troubling that Justin Trudeau’s actions and years, representing Haldimand-Norfolk, Ont. Mother’s Day weekend attempts at interference have made such a She was fi rst elected in 2004. In the govern- statement necessary.” ment of former prime minister Stephen Harp- argaret Brian Mulroney was er, Ms. Finley served as the human resources MTrudeau in Ottawa last week and social development minister, citizenship will take speaking at the A story on Jody Wilson- and immigration minister, human resources the stage on Canada School of the and skills development minister, and public Mother’s Day Public Service and Raybould didn’t meet works and government services minster. weekend to University of Ottawa’s The committee had two Tory vacancies share the Prime Minister Series Canadian Press’ editorial after Gord Brown’s death last May, and Tony story of her to civil servants and Clement‘s expulsion from the Conservative life. policy leaders. The standards: CP caucus. Ms. Hill Times photograph Conservative MP Rob Nicholson was ap- Trudeau— by Andrew Meade A Canadian Press story on former pointed to the committee on Feb. 5. Prime Min- justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould that nmoss@hilltimes.com ister Justin with a surprise party in Florida last week- used a selection of quotes and paraphrased @neilrmoss Margaret Trudeau will go on Trudeau‘s end. comments from unnamed sources failed to The Hill Times stage at Chicago’s Second City mother and The bash was held at Club-Collette in Palm meet the wire service’s editorial standards, in May. Image courtesy of Playbill the former Beach Florida, according to a Globe and Mail it announced. wife of report. Mr. Mulroney turns 80 on March 20. One “Liberal insider” was quoted ques- Separated at birth, eh? Pierre Trudeau—known in part for her life of The guests included Canadian singer tioning if Ms. Wilson-Raybould was a team glamour in the 1970s and her mental health Michael Bublé and music producer David player in the story written by Hill reporter advocacy more recently, will debut Certain Foster. Mr. Mulroney and Mr. Bublé sang Mia Rabson. Woman of an Age at Chicago’s Second City. Danny Boy together, and Mr. Bublé and Mr. “She’s always sort of been in it for her- “My life for so many years was a reality Foster performed Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help self…It’s never been about the government show,” Ms. Trudeau told The Chicago Tribune. Falling in Love for the crowd. Incidentally, Mr. or the cabinet. Everything is very Jodycen- “Now I will be able to put that on the stage.” Mulroney helped Mr. Bublé’s musical career tric,” one insider was quoted saying in the The autobiographical show will be back in 2000 when he invited him to sing at Feb. 9 story. co-written by playwright Alix Sobler, and his daughter Caroline’s wedding and intro- In an editorial note, The Canadian Press directed by Kimberly Senior. duced him to Mr. Foster, the Grammy Award- wrote that following the internal review, It is being publicized as a “intimate winning producer and record executive who it was determined that the wire service’s staged performance,” which will look at Ms. has worked with Madonna, Michael Jackson, policies around using anonymous sources Trudeau’s “courageous public and private Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Whitney was not followed. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew journeys.” Houston, Cher, and Andrea Bocelli. “We will redouble our efforts to ensure Meade and photograph courtesy of Ms. Trudeau separated from Pierre Also at the recent party were billionaires that our journalists use unnamed sources Wikimedia Commons Trudeau in 1977 after a rocky marriage. Charles Bronfman and Ken Langone, U.S. carefully, sparingly and only when circum- Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick, left, A photograph of her was infamously Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, former stances demand it,” the editorial note read. faced grilling from opposition members of taken while partying at Studio 54 as Pierre tennis stars Martina Navratilova and Chris On Feb. 15, the Prime Minister’s Offi ce the House of Commons Justice Commit- Trudeau’s Liberals were defeated by Joe Evert, and former Washington Post columnist condemned the “sexist” and “racist” com- tee last week. Writer, comedian, and actor Clark’s Progressive Conservative in 1979. Sally Quinn—the former wife of the Post‘s ments of anonymous Liberals in “the stron- Larry David, right, is known for his work “All of my children have been so sweet and longtime executive editor Ben Bradlee. gest possible terms.” on Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. supportive of what I am doing,” Ms. Trudeau Mr. Mulroney was in Ottawa last week “I really do wonder if we will ever learn told the Tribune. speaking to civil servants as part of the Prime who these sources were.

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