When Chantal Hébert, one of the best political columnists in the country, has something to say, politicos tend to sit up and take note. In her June 4 piece in L’actualité, the veteran Hill journalist—who was named to l’Ordre national du Québec on June 12—listed four politicians to keep tabs on this summer: Prime Minister Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, former Alberta premier Jason Kenney—and an as-yet-unknown Liberal MP.

Choosing the prime minister and the leader of the party in opposition seems too easy. But Hébert explains she’ll be looking to see whether Carney can live up to the hype of being a “new start” for the governing Liberals: “Between now and the end of the summer, we will have a better idea of the capacity of this parliamentary neophyte to guarantee the longevity of his minority government,” she wrote in French. 

As for Poilievre, Hébert says he “needs to find convincing answers for the many Conservatives who are questioning the role his corrosive personality played in the result of the last election.”

Personality No. 3 is former Harper-era cabinet minister Kenney, who could be a potential threat to Poilievre: “Actually, it’s him and not Poilievre who is on track to become the defender-in-chief of Canada at the bosom of the Conservative family.” She says Kenney’s flawless bilingualism and his easy ability to connect with “cultural communities” as his secret sauce. “Kenney could impose himself as the solution for change that Conservatives who no longer believe in Poilievre are looking for,” she wrote.

As for Hébert’s fourth choice? She says this “still anonymous” person will be “the first Liberal MP to resign” from Carney’s “ship.” The oracle foresees that even if there are eventual floor-crossers from the NDP or the Conservatives to help round out the number of Liberal seats in the Commons, Carney is not immune to departures from his own caucus. With a number of disgruntled MPs still stinging from not being invited into cabinet, “the Carney government is more fragile than it seems.”

Michael Sabia named new PCO clerk

Former deputy finance minister Michael Sabia has been named as the new clerk of the Privy Council and secretary to the Cabinet, the prime minister announced on June 11.

Currently president and CEO of Hydro-Québec, Sabia announced he will end his mandate there on July 4. “Prime Minister Carney asked me to take on this role at a time when the country is facing some unprecedented challenges. In that context, I am joining the federal government to tackle these challenges head on,” said Sabia in a June 11 Hydro-Québec press release.

In addition to his time as second in command at Finance Canada and a previous stint at PCO, Sabia’s CV also includes senior leadership roles at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Bell Canada Enterprises, and the Canadian National Railway.

Sabia will officially take over July 7 from John Hannaford, who is retiring after 30 years in the public service.

Two more Senators join Conservatives in Red Chamber, boosts caucus to 14

The Conservative caucus in the Senate is experiencing unprecedented growth. On June 12, the group welcomed back Quebec Senator Larry Smith to the fold. Just two days prior, formerly non-affiliated Senator Mary Jane McCallum joined the blue team—one week after Senator David Adams Richards became a Tory after just over a year of also being non-affiliated.

“It’s great to be back with the team,” Smith said in a June 12 press release. Appointed by then-prime minister Stephen Harper in 2010, Smith was a Conservative from then until 2022—and served as opposition leader from 2017-2019—but left for the Canadian Senators Group in August 2022.

Representing Manitoba and a member of the Cree Nation and Barren Lands First Nation, McCallum joined the Senate in 2017. “After consulting with the Grand Chiefs and community leaders, I feel strongly that this is a crucial step in building bridges,” she said in a press release.

Smith and McCallum’s arrival boosts the Tory caucus to 14. The Independent Senators Group remains the largest group in the Red Chamber with 46 members, followed by the Canadian Senators Group at 21, the Progressive Senate Group at 18, and now six non-affiliated Senators. The only current Senate vacancy is a seat for Manitoba following former Conservative caucus leader Don Plett’s retirement on May 14.

Prince Edward coming to Ottawa for Canada Day

King Charles’ youngest brother, Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, is expected to be in Ottawa for Canada Day, July 1. Edward’s visit comes just over a month since Charles was in town to read the Throne Speech.

According to “The Royal Diary” on the Royal Family’s official website last week, Edward’s visit to the nation’s capital will wrap up a seven-day visit to Canada, starting—appropriately—on Prince Edward Island on June 25. There, in his capacity as Colonel-in-Chief of the Prince Edward Island Regiment, he will “attend celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Regiment.” On June 28 the 61-year-old prince is slated to simply “visit Toronto,” followed by his July 1 schedule: “attend Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa.”

Grit staffer Jedras reviews Laurier Club party grub

It’s garden party season, and what many such events may lack in actual gardens, they tend to make up for in food, something which longtime Liberal Hill staffer Jeff Jedras enjoyed reviewing for his blog at the June 9 “Laurier Club summer thingy” where “the mood was ebullient, a stark contrast to the mood at the Holiday party just six months ago.”

While most of the Liberal Party donors who packed the Canadian War Museum were lined up at the bar, Jedras navigated the three food stations which featured Asian bao sandwiches, poke bowls, and poutine.

“At first, I was told it would be tofu bao and I was displeased. Then, that was corrected—hey, there’s also fried chicken—and like Liberal poll numbers since February, my spirits were immediately lifted,” wrote Jedras, who rated the morsel as “a bit messy…but delicious nonetheless.”

Up next was the poke bowl, of which Jedras was initially skeptical as he’s no fan of canned tuna, but “decided to take a shot” when he learned the dish featured raw tuna. “No off-putting smell. Not saying I’m going to suddenly start eating sushi. But with sticky rice, fancy mayo and veg, this worked.”

Near the al fresco bar was a chip truck serving poutine, which Jedras dutifully tried “in the interest of food review science.” While he “liked the green onions, the gravy was fine, and the fries were shoestring,” the longtime staffer had opinions about the curds: “While there was plenty, I think they could have been fresher.”

cleadlay@hilltimes.com

The Hill Times