Trudeau peppered on issues likely to plague him when Parliament resumes

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Trudeau peppered on issues likely to plague him when Parliament resumes

Sue Bailey — Canadian Press Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

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The Canadian Press

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – It was supposed to be a look-ahead session as Justin Trudeau and his inner circle enter the second half of the Liberal government’s mandate this fall.

Instead, the prime minister was forced to look back on communication miscues while playing defence Wednesday on a range of issues as he wrapped up a two-day cabinet retreat in St. John’s, N.L.

“I’ll stand right in front of Seamus,” Trudeau said with a smile as he and his ministers gathered for a closing news conference at a downtown hotel.

His close friend and recently named Veterans Affairs Minister, Seamus O’Regan, had been stopped earlier by reporters asking about the latest revelations on public costs linked to a trip to the Bahamas last Christmas.

O’Regan was among those who joined Trudeau and his family for a holiday as guests of the Aga Khan, a wealthy philanthropist and hereditary spiritual leader to 15 million Ismaili Muslims around the globe. Trudeau has said the Aga Khan, whose foundation has received millions of dollars in federal funds for its international development work, is a family friend.

Trudeau said Wednesday he’s co-operating fully with an ongoing investigation by the federal ethics commissioner.

The trip came up Wednesday after CBC obtained documents under the Access to Information Act indicating the visit cost taxpayers more than $215,000 for RCMP, National Defence, Global Affairs Canada and Privy Council costs. The government has previously said much of that tab was for security costs that would have been racked up no matter where Trudeau vacationed.

“As is the case for any prime minister, the RCMP provides a protective service for the prime minister and my family and does an excellent job of that,” Trudeau told the news conference.

“I’m not going to question the job or the choices that the RCMP makes,” he added. “As for my future travel, I will keep you apprised as necessary.”

Trudeau was also peppered with queries on the government’s vow to legalize recreational marijuana by next summer, despite warnings from police forces and some provinces that there’s no way they’ll be ready.

He said it is vital to change a system that gives underage kids easier access to pot than beer while enriching mobsters and fuelling crime.

“That’s not right,” he told the news conference. “We need to make sure we’re protecting our kids.”

And the prime minister was repeatedly asked why his government has yet to decide where to send Canadian peacekeepers, despite announcing a year ago that it would make up to 600 troops available for United Nations missions. This, as Canada makes its case for a seat on the UN Security Council.

Both Trudeau and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan downplayed any impact the perceived waffling will have on that bid.

“Our allies want us to make sure that we make a responsible decision,” Sajjan said earlier Wednesday. “That when we contribute as a nation … we’re actually going to have an impact on the ground.”

Trudeau was also forced to defend his government’s plan to end what it calls unfair tax advantages for some wealthy small business owners – an issue that has sparked a backlash among doctors, lawyers, tax professionals, shopkeepers and others who’ve incorporated their small businesses in order to cut their income tax bill.

He said it was consistent with his plan to grow the middle class, help small business while asking the wealthy to pay their fair share.

“We will continue to ensure that we grow the Canadian economy in ways that benefit those who work hardest. And our support of small businesses and the communities they live in, our support for the middle class, remains unflinching.”

Trudeau reverted to what’s becoming a stock answer when asked if the tax blow-back, pot concerns and recent criticism over Ottawa’s hurricane Irma response indicate a communications problem.

“Every day is an opportunity to reflect on how we can do better to serve Canadians,” he said.

https://ipolitics.ca/2017/09/13/trudeau-peppered-on-issues-likely-to-plague-him-when-parliament-resumes/

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Trudeau gathers cabinet to plot course to 2019

The Liberal cabinet gathers in St. John’s and marks the anniversary of 9/11 at showing of Come From Away

Joanna Smith, The Canadian Press

September 12, 2017

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OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet are gathering in St. John’s, N.L., where they will look to the past before preparing for the months ahead and the second half of their mandate.

The visit to Newfoundland began with Trudeau marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks by joining a discussion on how a small community opened its doors to thousands of stranded airline passengers after U.S. air space was closed.

The prime minister attended the Come From Away forum — named for the award-winning Broadway musical that chronicles how the residents of Gander, N.L., responded when nearly 7,000 passengers and crew from 38 planes were diverted there following the attacks.

“People have been struggling for the last week,” Trudeau told the audience Monday night, referring to the ongoing havoc of hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

“It’s these times we come together when terrible things happen. We see what’s at the core of each and every one of us.”
Trudeau said he believes human beings fundamentally want to be good to each other.

The “Come From Away” musical reduces him to tears but it’s not a “magical” one-off story, he added.

“It’s pretty damn special but it’s not unique,” he said of the generosity shown in Newfoundland.

Instead, it’s a reminder “that for all the bad news we see on the TV every night … That’s not the whole story.
“We are better than we sometimes think we are. Each and every one of us.”

The crowd of invited guests in St. John’s included 20 Canadian Red Cross volunteers who helped passengers from all over the world stranded for about five days in Newfoundland after 9/11.

Paul Greene was among those who spent the week after the attacks handing out “comfort kits” to travellers from across the U.S. and Europe. They had suddenly diverted to the island in the North Atlantic on Canada’s easternmost edge — a place many had never heard of or ever intended to visit.

Many were afraid, disoriented and had to leave the aircraft without so much as a toothbrush, Greene said.
“We helped a lot of people find lodging and look after immediate needs.”

“Come From Away” celebrates what happened in the Gander, N.L., region but Greene said many passengers also needed help in St. John’s.

Jim Gosse and his wife Karen of Mount Pearl, N.L., plan to see the play in New York this fall.

“It has just been amazing,” she said of the attention the hit production has brought to Newfoundland.
“It gave us that sense of being very proud.”

Gander Mayor Claude Elliott drew laughs as he recounted how many fans of the play have told him they want to live the life of a Newfoundlander.

“You’re all so happy,” he quoted them as saying before offering his standard response: “Yeah, but that’s after a bottle of rum.”
Newfoundland actor Petrina Bromley, part of the Broadway cast, said the story is a redeeming chance to revisit something awful.
With each performance, “we honour them,” she said of those who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Trudeau and his ministers — including Newfoundland MP Seamus O’Regan, who became minister for veterans affairs earlier this month in a cabinet shuffle that followed the resignation of Judy Foote, a long-time Liberal MP from the province — will hunker down for their annual cabinet retreat.

The relationship with the United States and administration of President Donald Trump will continue to be a focus of discussion, especially as Ottawa is to host the next round of North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations Sept. 23-27.

David MacNaughton, Canada’s ambassador in Washington, D.C., will update ministers on that file.

The cabinet ministers will also hear from Anil Arora, the head of Statistics Canada, who will go over the results of the 2016 census and provide an update on the demographics of the country to help inform policy decisions going forward.

The retreat will also give ministers a chance to share updates — and grill each other — on their own files, such as what the federal government is doing to assist Canadians affected by the devastation caused by hurricane Irma, as well as the ever-present task of promoting economic growth.

There are just over two years left before the 2019 federal election, so some of the talk is also expected to focus on how the Liberals can make good on more of their promises before Canadians head to the polls.

The cabinet will look at a busy legislative agenda this fall, which includes some massive bills such as the proposed legalization of cannabis for recreational use and a new National Security Act. The Liberals also face a new Conservative leader and an increasingly unpredictable Senate.

“We always want to work as productively as possible in Parliament and have respectful and productive exchanges with all members of Parliament in the House,” said Cameron Ahmad, a spokesman for Trudeau.

“At the same time, we have a mandate we were elected on to fulfil,” said Ahmad, who then said the parts of the mandate dealing with jobs and the economy will be the biggest priority.

The cabinet gathering comes on the heels of a Liberal caucus retreat in Kelowna, B.C., last week, where backbench MPs were not shy about airing their concerns about a plan to end tax provisions used by a growing number of small businesses.

Greg MacEachern, a former Liberal strategist, said it was probably one of those times when cabinet ministers — especially those who took on that role as rookies — likely learned the importance of MPs.

“Those cabinet ministers don’t get to be in cabinet unless they form a government, so you need these MPs,” he said. “I think they got a real quick crash course in constituency business,” said MacEachern, who is now with the lobby firm Environics Communications.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/trudeau-gathers-cabinet-to-plot-course-to-2019/

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Justin Trudeau kicking off 3-day cabinet retreat in St. John's with Come from Away forum

CBC News Posted: Sep 11, 2017 7:08 AM NT

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in St. John's for three days starting Monday, taking part in strategy sessions with his newly shuffled cabinet. (CBC)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his federal cabinet will be in St. John's, Newfoundland for the next few days.

Trudeau's three-day visit will include a Come From Away forum Monday evening on the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the U.S. The musical Come From Away, which tells the story of how central Newfoundland accommodated thousands of stranded airline passengers, has been a hit on Broadway.

The prime minister will then be holding cabinet meetings and strategy sessions in St. John's on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It will mark one of the first events for St. John's area MP Seamus O'Regan as minister of Veteran's Affairs. O'Regan was named to cabinet as the province's representative last month after Judy Foote announced plans to retire.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/trudeau-st-johns-newfoundland-cabinet-retreat-1.4283539

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