Liberal Minority Government 2019 - ????

[shawn5o]

Greasy, as per.

Spouse of Trudeau’s Chief of Staff Lobbied for COVID Wage Subsidy Program Changes to Benefit His Company
Rob Silver, Katie Telford’s husband, is not a registered lobbyist and went on a concerted campaign to get ex-finance minister Bill Morneau to change the rules to the multi-billion dollar program, sources say.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/935m87/spouse-of-justin-trudeaus-chief-of-staff-lobbied-for-covid-wage-subsidy-program-changes-to-benefit-his-company?utm_source=reddit.com

More on that story from National Post


The optics are bad.



Katie Telford's husband pressed Trudeau government to make changes to wage subsidy law to benefit his employer: sources
In his dealings with Morneau’s office, Robert Silver went so far as to suggest a specific wording for the legislative change he was seeking, one source said

Christopher Nardi  •  Aug 21, 2020  •  Last Updated 15 hours ago

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/katie-telfords-husband-pressed-trudeau-government-to-make-changes-to-wage-subsidy-law-to-benefit-his-employer-sources/wcm/ca90f170-8212-4e25-b2e4-3f568d820306/

OTTAWA – Robert Silver, husband of the prime minister’s chief of staff, repeatedly pushed the Trudeau government to make changes to the federal wage subsidy in a failed bid to make his new employer eligible for the multi-billion dollar aid program.

According to two sources with knowledge of the situation, Silver, senior vice-president, strategy, policy, risk at private mortgage company MCAP, approached ex-Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s office in April asking for legislative changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). Vice News first reported the story on Friday.

The legislative amendment as suggested would have benefited very few organizations other than MCAP, both sources confirmed. The same sources said the request was quickly turned down by Morneau’s office. But the ex-finance minister’s staff was “very uncomfortable” with Silver’s contacts, knowing full well that he is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff’s husband.

In a statement, a spokesman for MCAP did not deny any of the details but insisted any interactions were done with respect to federal lobbying laws.

Full story here

 

[Donald H]

More on that story from National Post


The optics are bad.



Katie Telford's husband pressed Trudeau government to make changes to wage subsidy law to benefit his employer: sources
In his dealings with Morneau%u2019s office, Robert Silver went so far as to suggest a specific wording for the legislative change he was seeking, one source said

Christopher Nardi  %u2022  Aug 21, 2020  %u2022  Last Updated 15 hours ago

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/katie-telfords-husband-pressed-trudeau-government-to-make-changes-to-wage-subsidy-law-to-benefit-his-employer-sources/wcm/ca90f170-8212-4e25-b2e4-3f568d820306/

OTTAWA %u2013 Robert Silver, husband of the prime minister%u2019s chief of staff, repeatedly pushed the Trudeau government to make changes to the federal wage subsidy in a failed bid to make his new employer eligible for the multi-billion dollar aid program.

According to two sources with knowledge of the situation, Silver, senior vice-president, strategy, policy, risk at private mortgage company MCAP, approached ex-Finance Minister Bill Morneau%u2019s office in April asking for legislative changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). Vice News first reported the story on Friday.


Full story here

IVe still not found out the exact nature of the request Shawn, and so far this story only seems to be significant in the fact that Trudeau turned it down!

Which makes it somewhat confusing why the highly biased NP would publish it?

edit: Something about Silver "wanting" the program to be opened up to include limited liability partnerships?
It's going to have to remain as nothing more serious than 'bad optics'.

 

[ModlrMike]

I'm reminded that "where there's smoke, there's mirrors"... or something like that.

 

[shawn5o]

IVe still not found out the exact nature of the request Shawn, and so far this story only seems to be significant in the fact that Trudeau turned it down!

Which makes it somewhat confusing why the highly biased NP would publish it?

edit: Something about Silver "wanting" the program to be opened up to include limited liability partnerships?
It's going to have to remain as nothing more serious than 'bad optics'.

Hi Don

It was Morneau's office that turned it down. When i wrote "The optics are bad" I mean that Silver repeatedly demanded "the Trudeau government to make changes to the federal wage subsidy in a failed bid to make his new employer eligible for the multi-billion dollar aid program."

...

Silver, who is not a registered lobbyist and whose wife Katie Telford has worked as Trudeau’s chief of staff since 2015, even went so far as to suggest a specific wording for the legislative change he was seeking, according to one source.

...

the ex-finance minister’s staff was 'very uncomfortable' with Silver’s contacts, knowing full well that he is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff’s husband.

...

Despite Silver’s failed bid, his company did receive an $86 million contract to manage the government’s commercial rent assistance program for small businesses only a few weeks later.

...

Sources who were granted anonymity so as to speak freely tell National Post that Silver contacted Morneau’s Director of Policy Tyler Meredith and Chief of Staff Elder Marques multiple times in April to express his frustration about MCAP’s ineligibility for CEWS.

...

Since 2004, MCAP is in a limited liability partnership with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), the province’s pension fund manager. According to CEWS legislation tabled by the government in April, organizations that are in a partnership with another that is exempt from paying income taxes (like the CDPQ) are not eligible for the wage subsidy.

...

But Silver did not digest the finance minister’s office’s refusal to adapt CEWS. Sources say he wrote a “rude” and “entitled” email to Meredith expressing his frustration at the decision.

The optics are bad because Silver is still demanding access to these government benefits

 

[Jarnhamar]

Did anyone actually believe her husband wasn't using his wife's position to lobby the Liberals?

 

[shawn5o]

Sounds about right - "More pantomime than parliament"



The prorogation of the talented Mr. Poilievre
Prorogation killed the committee investigating the WE deal. That was its point. Its only point. Parliament had been done already

Rex Murphy
Aug 21, 2020  •  Last Updated 21 hours ago  •  5 minute read

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/rex-murphy-the-prorogation-of-the-talented-mr-poilievre

When in the fullness of time some future Gibbon or Spengler emerges to write of the heroic days of Canadian politics, circa August 2020, he will find the chapter heading has already been written. The facts will save him the need for invention.

He will call it The Prorogation of Pierre Poilievre.

As I, with customary humility, hinted in my last aria on these pages, we have not had, as many are mistakenly asserting, a prorogation of Parliament. For whatever name you care to give to how Canada has been governed these past four months — the cottage steps encyclicals, the once-in-a-blue-moon lap-top question period — it bore no resemblance to any parliamentary proceedings ever seen on this Earth, over the moon, or in the wild stars so far beyond.

More pantomime than parliament.

There was no Parliament to shut down. Its sittings had stopped, the budget skipped, daily accountability jettisoned, its officers — see auditor-general — denied, its presence and status deeply diminished. During our greatest crisis our Parliament was put in collapse.

But there was the talented Mr. Poilievre. He must be given credit for supplying at least some weight of genuine opposition to a minority government, which under the umbrella of the COVID threat, shook off all restraint and accountability. Aided, it must always be noted, by the expeditious partnership with Jagmeet Singh’s NDP.

Others have helped — Charlie Angus has supplied the indignation, and some of the press dug, some pushed — but the master of the stir-fry of the prime minister and his automatons in cabinet and on the back bench, the sharpest arrow in the quiver, was Mr. Poilievre.

His forensic lacerations of Justin Trudeau on the few occasions when a mostly absentee prime minister dared the ordeal, were top quality demolitions. In every exchange, and they are all there for the viewing, it was clear who was the austere teacher, and who was the stammering tyro.

Full article here

 

[shawn5o]

Did anyone actually believe her husband wasn't using his wife's position to lobby the Liberals?

Probably a lot of pillow talk going on 

 

[Good2Golf]

IVe still not found out the exact nature of the request Shawn, and so far this story only seems to be significant in the fact that Trudeau turned it down!

Which makes it somewhat confusing why the highly biased NP would publish it?

edit: Something about Silver "wanting" the program to be opened up to include limited liability partnerships?
It's going to have to remain as nothing more serious than 'bad optics'.

???  Really? You can’t find details of the ask?

All the reference article point out the basis of the request by Silver, to adjust legislation so that MCAP could qualify for the CEWS (wage subsidy), since it is currently ineligible due to majority ownership by Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec.

(from NP article) Since 2004, MCAP is in a limited liability partnership with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), the province’s pension fund manager. According to CEWS legislation tabled by the government in April, organizations that are in a partnership with another that is exempt from paying income taxes (like the CDPQ) are not eligible for the wage subsidy.

As well, by all accounts it was Morneau’s staff who refused Silver’s lobbying/request, not Trudeau.

 

[Kat Stevens]

I wish Russia would just mobilize and bring stability to this fractured region of the globe.

 

[YZT580]

please make Rex Murphy a milpoint award

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=shawn5o]

The prorogation of the talented Mr. Poilievre
Prorogation killed the committee investigating the WE deal. That was its point. Its only point. Parliament had been done already[/quote]


Incidentally this article gives a great example of what Liberal transparency looks like.

 

[Donald H]

Hi Don

It was Morneau's office that turned it down. When i wrote "The optics are bad" I mean that Silver repeatedly demanded "the Trudeau government to make changes to the federal wage subsidy in a failed bid to make his new employer eligible for the multi-billion dollar aid program."

Yes, I fully understand that Shawn. That which I don't understand is Silver's case he's presenting. He must have some arguing points if he keeps at it.

The optics are bad because Silver is still demanding access to these government benefits

I don't find it to be surprising that he does. And I mean that the optics of the whole thing are in the fact that Trudeau hasn't caved to his asking. That's the reason why I suggested that the highly Conservative NP would be scrambling to make a story out of it! As I suggested, they're blowing smoke in the wrong direction.

 

[Good2Golf]

Yes, I fully understand that Shawn. That which I don't understand is Silver's case he's presenting. He must have some arguing points if he keeps at it.


I don't find it to be surprising that he does. And I mean that the optics of the whole thing are in the fact that Trudeau hasn't caved to his asking. That's the reason why I suggested that the highly Conservative NP would be scrambling to make a story out of it! As I suggested, they're blowing smoke in the wrong direction.

It seems like you don’t want to understand. Many posters have provided details of his efforts.

It’s as simple as this:

- Silver wanted his company employees to qualify for CEWS
- Silver’s company, MPAC does not qualify for CEWS because it’s majority-ownership company, Caisse de dépôt de placement du Québec is a tax-exempt entity
- Silver lobbied (but didn’t register his lobbying activities) ex Finance Minister Morneau’s staff to change the CEWS eligibility criteria so MPAC employees could receive CEWS
- Morneau’s staff refused Silver’s lobbying efforts to change CEWS eligibility criteria, noting that to do so would benefit primarily MPAC, which they deemed inappropriate.

C’est tout...

 

[Donald H]

It seems like you don’t want to understand. Many posters have provided details of his efforts.

It’s as simple as this:

- Silver wanted his company employees to qualify for CEWS
- Silver’s company, MPAC does not qualify for CEWS because it’s majority-ownership company, Caisse de dépôt de placement du Québec is a tax-exempt entity
- Silver lobbied (but didn’t register his lobbying activities) ex Finance Minister Morneau’s staff to change the CEWS eligibility criteria so MPAC employees could receive CEWS
- Morneau’s staff refused Silver’s lobbying efforts to change CEWS eligibility criteria, noting that to do so would benefit primarily MPAC, which they deemed inappropriate.

C’est tout...

Yes I understand and thank you for your comments Good2Golf.
That which I don't understand and have tried to get across is that we don't know Silver's talking points and arguments.  Or in other words, why does he believe that CEWS eligibility needs to be adjusted to include his interests?

When/if we know that then we will have a better idea why Trudeau's government hasn't ceded to Silver's demands. My guess is that it is contrary to a Liberal party agenda.

 

[FJAG]

Yes I understand and thank you for your comments Good2Golf.
That which I don't understand and have tried to get across is that we don't know Silver's talking points and arguments.  Or in other words, why does he believe that CEWS eligibility needs to be adjusted to include his interests?

When/if we know that then we will have a better idea why Trudeau's government hasn't ceded to Silver's demands. My guess is that it is contrary to a Liberal party agenda.

The question isn't "why does he believe that CEWS eligibility needs to be adjusted to include his interests". The answer is right there in the question. MPAC didn't qualify under CEWS and Silver wanted it changed so that it does. That's just pure self interest which ordinarily isn't an issue. Most businesses want that.

The question really is: was Silver using his status as Telford's husband to get greater access to government than an ordinary business would get? Morneau's office's rejection is an appropriate response, however, one is left with the nagging feeling that Silver's approaches in this respect were perhaps more successful at getting at the seats of power because of his relationship with Telford. I doubt if we'll ever know the truth behind that and I don't think that the answer to the questions that you are asking will ever get us any closer to knowing the truth.

I'm not a fan of the Liberals for exactly this reason. I think that their power base comes from a network of relationships that is constantly looking at getting a handout or a leg up from the folks in office at the expense of the country as a whole and/or competitors in general. There are simply too many back-door friendships with the Liberals that result in sweetheart deals and my spidey senses start to tingle every time one of these situations comes up.

:worms:

 

[Donald H]

The question isn't "why does he believe that CEWS eligibility needs to be adjusted to include his interests". The answer is right there in the question. MPAC didn't qualify under CEWS and Silver wanted it changed so that it does. That's just pure self interest which ordinarily isn't an issue. Most businesses want that.

The question really is: was Silver using his status as Telford's husband to get greater access to government than an ordinary business would get? Morneau's office's rejection is an appropriate response, however, one is left with the nagging feeling that Silver's approaches in this respect were perhaps more successful at getting at the seats of power because of his relationship with Telford. I doubt if we'll ever know the truth behind that and I don't think that the answer to the questions that you are asking will ever get us any closer to knowing the truth.

I'm not a fan of the Liberals for exactly this reason. I think that their power base comes from a network of relationships that is constantly looking at getting a handout or a leg up from the folks in office at the expense of the country as a whole and/or competitors in general. There are simply too many back-door friendships with the Liberals that result in sweetheart deals and my spidey senses start to tingle every time one of these situations comes up.

:worms:

I hear your position and I feel no incentive to belabour this one any further. The only question remaining is on how the NP story plays out politically and I've already covered that, in my opinion.

:cheers:

 

[Jarnhamar]

I wonder if they'll have a website you can scroll through and "add to cart".


Ottawa creating ‘inventory’ of racial minorities to fill senior public service posts
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ottawa-creating-inventory-of-racial-minorities-to-fill-senior-public/

 

[daftandbarmy]

I wonder if they'll have a website you can scroll through and "add to cart".


Ottawa creating ‘inventory’ of racial minorities to fill senior public service posts
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ottawa-creating-inventory-of-racial-minorities-to-fill-senior-public/

OK, now that's creepy. Really creepy.

Will they be expected to wear unique designators, in the form of high visibility patches on their outer clothing too so that, you know, we can identify them for proper sorting?  :sarcasm:

 

[YZT580]

And they have the nerve to accuse us of racism!  I could certainly understand and endorse a system that employed cut-out techniques to eliminate any possibility of discrimination but that is not what is being proposed.  What the implication is is simply that there are minority groups that cannot compete fairly because of their grouping: in other words they are less human (forgive the choice of words but I can't think of anything else that suits) than an individual of European descent with a traditional upbringing and conventional sexual proclivity.  So the most qualified (their implication, not mine) need not apply.  They are truly prejudiced and racist and homophobic!

 

[Brad Sallows]

They'll have binders full of diverse senior public servants.  I suppose that isn't a derogatory idea any more.