Trudeau can Green The fix broken Russians whistleblowing Economy are coming: system: Policy Get Here’s how Briefi ng ready David Hutton p. 12 pp. 17-27 Brett Boudreau p. 38 TWENTY-EIGHTH YEAR, NO. 1418 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 $5.00 News Liberals News Senator Don Meredith News Lobbying Liberals to Health Accord, meet for two- Runciman questions opioids, day caucus, assisted dying, some Grit MPs and more dissatisfi ed why ethics offi cer keep lobbyists with level of consultation taking so long to focused on BY ABBAS RANA & RACHEL AIELLO Philpott Liberal MPs will hold a special BY DEREK ABMA two-day caucus meeting on Parliament Hill this week to plot investigate Meredith With the federal government parliamentary strategy for the having worked out new health- remainder of the current sitting Conservative Sen. Bob Runciman also says it was a mistake to put Ind. Sen. funding arrangements with most and some Liberal MPs say they provinces, passed assisted-dying would like to see cabinet justify Don Meredith on Senate committees after a report of an inappropriate legislation, started a process to its policy positions better and im- legalize marijuana, and facing prove its consultations with MPs. relationship he had with a 16-year-old girl had already surfaced. a national opioid crisis, it’s not surprising Health Minister Jane Continued on page 33 Philpott would see an ample Ind. Sen. Don Meredith, pictured amount of lobbying since coming in this fi le photograph pictured to offi ce. at a Hill event. Conservative Sen. News MPs & Security Bob Runciman says Senate Ethics Continued on page 15 Offi cer Lyse Ricard should make it a priority to complete the two MPs take steps outstanding investigations against Sen. Don Meredith as soon as to protect possible. The Hill Times photograph News Conservative leadership by Jake Wright themselves Raitt willing as anti- to serve in Islamophobia motion sparks O’Leary-led threats Conservative BY ABBAS RANA caucus With threats against some federal BY DEREK ABMA politicians on the rise as a mo- tion condemning Islamophobia Conservative MP and leadership makes its way through the House, candidate Lisa Raitt has a website MPs have been taking measures dedicated to telling people that Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 to keep themselves and those Kevin O’Leary is “wrong for the around them safe. Conservative Party and wrong for In response to rookie Liberal Canada,” but she’s willing to put MP Iqra Khalid’s (Mississauga-Erin all that aside and support him if BY ABBAS RANA completed after two years, Meredith’s former staffers Mills, Ont.) private member’s mo- he becomes leader. but the chair of the Senate as well as a trip he led to And that support includes tion, M-103, introduced in December The Senate ethics officer Legal and Constitution Affairs the Caribbean in 2015 that and last debated in February, a num- serving as a critic in an O’Leary- started three investigations Committee is questioning why included a representative led Conservative caucus or a ber of Liberal MPs have received against Independent Sen. Don it’s taking so long. The ethics of a company Sen. Meredith nasty and racist comments via email, minister in his cabinet if the party Meredith in 2015, one over officer is also investigating co-owns. forms the government. phone, and on social media. his sexual relationship with a allegations of workplace Continued on page 29 Continued on page 28 teenager, which was recently harassment from some of Sen. Continued on page 30 2 MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 | THE HILL TIMES heard On tHe hill by Derek Abma Norm! Gagnon leaving Parliamentary Press Matthew Perry, left, tells Jimmy Kimmel a story about beating up Justin Trudeau. Screenshot Gallery after 30 years He was making reference to Justin Friends star admits he Bieber’s 2015 hit song Sorry. Parliamentary Press Gallery beat up Trudeau technical Books, books, books, So let’s get this straight; Justin Trudeau services was able to beat Patrick Brazeau in a box- including one from GG coordinator ing match, but he got beat up by the guy Normand who played Chandler on Friends? Johnston Gagnon is To Mr. Trudeau’s credit, it happened retiring this when he was a kid, and he was double- Gov. Gen. week after 30 teamed by other kids who were older and, David years with the assumingly, bigger than him. Johnston organization. This revelation came last week during an has co- Photograph episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live from guest written a courtesy of Matthew Perry, the now-famous actor who new book. Normand spent much of his childhood in Ottawa. The Hill Times Gagnon Mr. Perry told Jimmy Kimmel that he was photograph by reminded by a friend of how when they were Jake Wright in Grade 5, and Mr. Trudeau was a few years younger in the same school, they roughed up the boy who was the son of then prime We got bunch of new books sent to us minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. last week, and ones that people around Ot- ormand Gagnon, coordinator of tech- “We actually beat up Justin Trudeau,” Mr. Mr. Gagnon’s retirement party is being tawa tend to like, including one co-written nical services for the Parliamentary Perry said on the show, prompting laughter N held on Thursday, March 23, at 3 Brewers at by Gov. Gen. David Johnston. Press Gallery, is retiring this week after 30 from the audience and Mr. Kimmel. 240 Sparks St. in Ottawa, starting at 6 p.m. Mr. Johnston and Tom Jenkins, chair of years with the offi ce. “Why?” the host asked back. OpenText, have written a book coming out His last day on the job is March 23, one “I don’t know,” Mr. Perry replied. “We both on March 28 called Ingenuous: How Cana- day after the federal budget comes down. Harper to speak at beat him up. I think he was excelling in a sport dian Innovators made the World Smarter, “I was hoping for a smooth week before that we weren’t as … so it was pure jealousy.” American/Israeli Smaller, Kinder, Safer, Healthier, Wealthier I left; it’s not going to happen with the Mr. Perry’s mother, Suzanne Perry, was and Happier. It’s 232 pages, and the title only budget,” he joked, adding that he’s actually a press secretary to prime minister Pierre conference takes up a few of them (zing). But seriously, “happy to have that as an activity—my last Trudeau. it’s sure to be great reading, outlining several big event.” Mr. Kimmel asked, “Don’t they have Secret Canadian innovations such as the telephone He must’ve done something right, because Stephen Service there protecting the children of their and its later incarnation, the BlackBerry. he’s retiring at the age of 55, just like they used Harper will prime ministers? Because that would never Old-school things like canoes, dogsleds, and to say was possible in that commercial. be speaking happen with Barron Trump (son of U.S. Presi- snowshoes are also featured. It’s published Mr. Gagnon said he might continue to at a pro-Israel dent Donald Trump). You’d be in the stockade by Signal/McClelland & Stewart. do some work on a case-by-case basis, but event in right now. You’d be in Russia somewhere.” Among the other books to look for are: “on my own terms.” But mostly, he wants to Washington, Mr. Perry went on to say he doesn’t have Democracy Rising: Politics and Participation travel around the world, spend time at his D.C., this contact with Mr. Trudeau nowadays, and, “I in Canada (Dundurn) by Bill Freeman and cottage, and get more involved with local month. The feel shame. I don’t want to think about it.” due out March 25; The Daunting Enterprise theatre groups. Hill Times The Prime Minister’s Offi ce was not of the Law: Essays in Honour of Harry W. The affable Mr. Gagnon started with the photograph by being any fun last week and declined to Arthurs (McGill-Queen’s University Press) press gallery in 1987 as a clerk. He worked Andrew Meade comment on Mr. Perry’s comments. edited by Simon Archer, Daniel Drache, his way into positions such as foyer and Peer Zumbansen and already released coodinator and senior multimedia techni- Will the real Justin please this month; and Down Inside: Thirty Years cian before coming into his current role. in Canada’s Prison Service (Goose Lane) by He was a clerk for CBC/Radio-Canada Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper stand up and say ‘sorry?’ Robert Clark, to be available May 16. for six years before joining the press gal- is among those scheduled to address the We also got one called Direct Action: lery. This predated the gallery’s use of any American Israel Public Affairs Commit- Guy Caron Protest and the Reinvention of American kind electronic system for distributing tee’s policy conference in Washington, had a funny Radicalism (Verso) by L.A. Kauffman, press releases, and Mr. Gagnon recalled D.C., this month. line about which doesn’t seem to have much to do how he used walk over to the gallery offi ce Mr. Harper tweeted last week, “Look- the two with Canada, but still might be pretty good. to collect press releases for CBC reporters. ing forward to this year’s @AIPAC Policy famous This one’s been out since February. It was during this time he became friends Conference!” Canadian with people like Terry Guillon and John Among the other featured speakers at Justins Waterfi eld, both working for the gallery this event will be U.S.