HILL CLIMBERS: DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS MINISTER MONSEF WITHOUT D. COMMS AS FALL SITTING HEATS UP P. 12 PIERRE GRATTON p.10 EQUAL VOICE p. 12 SNEH DUGGAL p. 4 TIM POWERS p. 11 CHELSEA NASH p. 26 ROLF HOLMBOE p. 20 Harper’s CEAA Electoral Kosovo president makes NDP needs to Mexico A new overhaul Reform fi rst visit to Canada, amid show Canadians hosts opening for failed mining Committee warming ties they matter hot party peace in Syria TWENTY-SEVENTH YEAR, NO. 1371 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 $5.00 NEWS NDP NEWS IMMIGRATION NEWS DEFENCE Mulcair to take Feds expected to scrap Feds will face a back seat, pave controversial ‘safe-countries’ budget ‘strain’ in way for leadership boosting army candidates to refugee system: insiders reserves: AG shine in coming BY CHELSEA NASH BY MARCO V IGLIOTTI A controversial so-called The Liberal government will face dif- months “safe-countries” system the fi culties in adequately training an expand- Harper Conservatives brought ed Canadian reserve contingent with the BY CHELSEA NASH in to speed up the process- resources available in the existing defence ing time of the thousands budget, according to Auditor General Mi- ARLIAMENT HILL—NDP Leader Tom of inland refugee claims in chael Ferguson. PMulcair will continue to hold the gov- Canada annually is expected Speaking before the Senate National ernment to account in Question Period, but to be scrapped by the Liberal Security and Defence Committee on Tues- he will likely take a back seat elsewhere government, insiders say. day, Mr. Ferguson said that if the Canadian over the coming months to allow “stars” The contentious system Army was tasked with training the number to gain profi le before the party elects a came with a slew of other of reservists it planned to accommodate, new leader next year, say NDP MPs and changes to the inland refugee it would likely squeeze available funding pundits. system which were implement- channels. With the NDP leadership race offi cial- ed in 2012 by the Conservative ly underway, although no candidates have government of Stephen Harper. Continued on page 5 offi cially announced, Mr. Mulcair (Outrem- The system puts certain coun- ont, Que.) will have an evolving role within tries on a “designated countries the party until a new leader is elected next of origin” list in an attempt to October, say NDP MPs. speed up refugee claims from “Defi nitely, you will see emerging mem- those countries that “do not NEWS GOVERNMENT RELATIONS bers of caucus and other members of cau- normally produce refugees, but cus step to the forefront side by side with do respect human rights and Tom Mulcair. And that’s Tom’s choice as offer state protection,” as stated Ex-PMO aide well,” said New Democrat MP Don Davies on the government’s website. (Vancouver Kingsway, B.C.). Instead of the typical Bruce Carson’s NDP pundit Ian Capstick said at this 60-day claim period, refugee point in Mr. Mulcair’s leadership it’s “a little claimants from any of the 42 late in the days for him to be the messenger” countries are required by law conviction for for the new progressive vision that the NDP to be processed in 30 to 45 needs to put forward in order to counter the days. Some say this puts refu- illegal lobbying Liberals’ popularity and progressive image. gee claimants from countries Immigration Minister Continued on page 7 on the DCO, or so-called safe- John McCallum has said countries list at a disadvantage sheds light on he is open to killing the by having to prove their case Designated Countries of in half the time as a refugee disclosure rules NEWS CONFLICT OF INTEREST Origin list altogether, say from a non-DCO country. insiders. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright Continued on page 21 BY MARCO V IGLIOTTI ‘This is not exactly The success- ful prosecution the Pentagon last week of Bruce Carson on illegal Papers’: Lobbyists lobbying charges Leitch says Trudeau a ‘Canadian should further dispel confusion about concerned over what’s necessary identity denier,’ but he’s pointed to to trigger reporting ethics czar’s requirements under ‘shared values, openness, respect’ the federal Lobby- gifts ruling ing Act, according BY T IM NAUMETZ Ms. Leitch surprised a handful of jour- to Ottawa lawyer BY MARCO V IGLIOTTI nalists as she was entering the House of and lobbyist Scott A New York Times Magazine story Commons on Monday, into the fi rst sitting Thurlow. Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson has about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last of the Commons following a 12-week par- Former PMO adviser Mr. Carson, a ruled that a member of Canada’s telecom- December that prompted Conservative liamentary recess, and took several minutes Bruce Carson. former top adviser to munications regulator violated confl ict leadership contender Kellie Leitch to ac- to criticize Mr. Trudeau for allegedly deny- prime minister Ste- of interest rules by accepting fl owers and cuse Mr. Trudeau of practising “dangerous” ing Canadians have a national identity. phen Harper, was found guilty last week chocolates from operators of a radio sta- politics and being a “Canadian identity de- A journalist noted it had been a “very, of three counts of illegal lobbying while he tion on her birthday, in a decision that has nier” also contains references by the newly very big summer” for Ms. Leitch, following was still under the fi ve-year prohibition for drawn criticism from some lobbyists. elected prime minister to values Canadians a controversy she stirred at the beginning former designated public offi ce holders. share, including “openness, respect, and Continued on page 14 compassion.” Continued on page 17 Continued on page 6 2 THE HILL TIMES, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 FEATURE BUZZ eteran Hill journalist Stephen Maher acclaim for his coverage of the robocall Vis joining iPolitics as its new executive scandal in which phoney telephone mes- ON editor. sages instructed voters to go to the wrong The Truro N.S. native is returning to polling stations during the 2011 federal HEARD THE HILL the nation’s capital after spending the election. past year as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard For their exhaustive investigate work BY MARCO V IGLIOTTI University. on the robocall scandal, Mr. Maher and His fi rst day was Monday. the Ottawa Citizen’s Glen McGregor, who The prestigious Nieman fellowship of- now works for CTV News, won a National fers short-term research opportunities Newspaper Award, a Canadian Association to those interested in working on special of Journalists Award, and the prestigious projects designed to advance journalism. Michener Award for outstanding public Maher joins iPolitics, In his new position, Mr. Maher service journalism. will write stories and work with his coun- He left Postmedia in June. terparts at iPolitics on news coverage, he Mr. Maher, who got his start as a told The Hill Times as he strode over to journalist in 1989 as a reporter for a small Milewski retiring the Parliamentary Precinct to pick up his newspaper in Newfoundland and worked temporary parliamentary press gallery for a variety of newspapers before com- pass. ing to Ottawa for the Chronicle Herald, He said he decided to join iPolitics has also penned two published novels, the after a study he conducted as a Nieman fel- political thriller Deadline, and Salvage, a from the CBC low about the media piqued his interest in gritty neo-noir piece of fi ction set on the the subscription news service model. South Shore of Nova Scotia. The newspaper “advertising business is He will be hosting an event at the Met- very diffi cult right now,” Mr. Maher said, ropolitain Brasserie at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 Michener-award-winning with cheaper online competitors cannibal- to promote Salvage. journalist Stephen izing sales. Maher, pictured in 2014, However, subscription news services, Continued on page 25 has joined iPolitics as in which readers pay to access journalistic its new executive editor work, provide interesting opportunities for after spending a year CORRECTIONS political reporters, he said. as a Nieman fellow at Although he enjoyed his time south of Harvard University. The Re: “Global Affairs Canada orga- the border, Mr. Maher said he’s excited to Hill Times photograph by nizational chart” (Sept. 14, p. 15). The return to Ottawa and political reporting. Jake Wright chart included a few spelling mistakes: “It’s great to be in the Harvard envi- Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Af- ronment...but at the end I felt like ‘Okay, fairs Diane Jacovella, Deputy Minister of I want to go back and try to use some of International Trade T. Christine Hogan, what I learned,’” he said. ADM for Partnerships for Development “I am really keen to get back to work Innovation Elissa Golberg, and Direc- and hopefully get some stories.” tor General for Market Access Marvin An accomplished journalist and author, Hildebrand. Mr. Maher served as the Ottawa bureau • chief for Halifax’s The Chronicle Herald Re: “U.S. lobbyists cheesed off over pro- from 2004 to 2011, according to his Linke- posed Canadian dairy policy” (Sept. 14, p. dIn page. 1). The article stated that the Dairy Farmers He then joined the Postmedia chain as of Canada did not respond to requests for a political columnist, where he attracted comment. In fact, it did. 4 THE HILL TIMES, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 NEWS FOREIGN AFFAIRS Kosovo president makes fi rst visit to Canada amid warming political ties meant to ensure Canadian investments in The head of the disputed Kosovo are safe from nationalization, for territory makes a pitch instance, began in June 2014.