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Monday, November 2, 2026
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Hill Life & People

Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen on Canada Day in Ottawa on July 1, 2026. Hansen announced on social media last week he has been named the prime minister's special adviser on space. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Jeremy Hansen appointed space adviser to the prime minister

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Plus: Adam Scotti will chat about his time as Justin Trudeau’s longtime photog at Acadia University, Bill Morneau rejoins the C.D. Howe Institute, and award-winning director Sarah Polley lends her support to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow’s re-election bid.

LRB scoops up new parl affairs, research director from Treasury Board president’s team

featureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

New Cliff Energy Centre is eye-catching

featureBY ANDREW MEADE

Diving ‘Below’ at the Whalesbone on Elgin

HT ColumnsBY STUART BENSON

An ‘unusual partnership’ and restoring 24 Sussex Drive

featureBY DEAN BEEBY, IAN BAILEY
There's a long list of staffing changes to catch up on in Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu's office, with one exit, six promotions, and four hires. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Staff shakeup in Hajdu’s office, Provost finds new chief of staff

featureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Changes in Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu’s office include a number of promotions, among them, Aya Al-Shalchi’s elevation to director status.

Pamela Wallin quietly signs off early from the Senate

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

‘Constructive’ and ‘credible’: Saint-Germain retires with some parting advice for Senators

newsBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT
Mandy Gull-Masty

Minister Mandy Gull-Masty to deliver Katherine A.H. Graham Lecture on Indigenous Policy on Oct. 22

Parliamentary CalendarBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY
Mark Carney

Parliament ‘united in grief,’ pauses to reflect on ‘unimaginable heroism’ following deadly fire at Alberta military base

newsBY MARLO GLASS, ELEANOR WAND

Heard on the hill
From the opening scene of the first episode in Netflix's series Below released Oct. 8, 2026, featuring Josh Harnett as protagonist Calvin Penney. From the archives: Government agent Robert Wells, centre, speaks with Newfoundland fishermen as a house is moved during the 1960s Resettlement program. Photograph courtesy of Netflix© 2026

Newfoundlanders in Ottawa riding high on Netflix’s new series ‘Below’

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Conservative Senator David Wells binge-watched it last weekend, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson says everyone’s talking about it, Grit MP Tom Osborne liked all the Newfoundland details, and Tim Powers says it’s ‘all the rage in my NL network.’

Conservative MP Eric Lefebvre returns to the House after health scare

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Three former MPs, two sons of ex-ministers, and a former staffer turned party leader among Quebec’s new MNAs

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Floor crossings, constit work, and the life cycle of legislation in focus in upcoming seminar series

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Centre Block gets wrapped in a trompe l’oeil, and Senate shares fresh renovation renderings

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

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the hill times photo gallery
Siobhán Vipond, executive vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress, speaks at a picket outside Prime Minister Mark Carney’s constituency office in Nepean, Ont., on Oct. 15, 2026. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Mila Mulroney, centre, cuts a ribbon at an event for the naming of the newly opened Brian Mulroney Elementary School in Orleans, Ont., on Oct. 14, 2026. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
One Canadian Economy Minister Dominic LeBlanc. Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, passed its first vote on Oct. 8 and will now be studied by a special committee. Greens and NDP have criticized the bill for overhauling environmental reviews and weakening protections for workers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

photo of the day
Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon, left, Government Representative in the Senate Pierre Moreau, Usher of the Black Rod Greg Peters, and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, right, have a chat ahead of the ministers' appearance on Bill C-39 on Oct. 6, 2026. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

from the hill times archives
Rick Mercer, left, and Burton Cummings, at the Hope Live fundraiser at Ottawa's GCTC Theatre on Oct. 27, 2014, which raised $150,000. Mercer hosted and Cummings headlined as the musical guest at the $400-per-ticket fundraiser to help cancer survivors with fertility preservation. The annual event used to draw MPs, reporters, lobbyists, and more. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

BOOKS, BIG IDEAS, Q&AS
Then-U.S. president Richard Nixon, left, and then-prime minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau inside the Prime Minister's Office in Centre Block on April 14, 1972. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Coutts Diaries is the most revealing book ever written about Canadian politics

featureBY DAVID HERLE

This is a previously unseen view of Pierre Trudeau, one that is sure to alter your opinions of him. It is an unvarnished look inside the government that brought you wage and price controls, the Charter of Rights, and the National Energy Program. And it is a darkly moving account of the life of a senior political staffer.

‘Don’t be indifferent’: Iranian-Canadian author shares story of his life inside infamous Tehran prison in new book

featureBY IREM KOCA

‘Treating politics as a system of balance, not battle’: new book brings fresh insights into Mackenzie King and lessons for today’s leaders

featureBY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN
Bob Joseph

First Nations are ‘ready’ to move beyond the Indian Act, but time’s running out, says author Bob Joseph

featureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

The Finest Hotel in Kabul is a window into Afghan endurance through the eyes of locals working at the Intercontinental Hotel

featureBY ELEANOR WAND

Diplomatic Circles

Modi likely to visit Ottawa later this year, says Indian envoy 

Outgoing Japanese envoy urges Canada to see ‘big picture’ when considering new approach to Asia

With a renewed relationship with Canada, India’s envoy says his role is to ease old concerns from home

Lithuanian minister looks to 2027 EU presidency to boost Canadian links  

hill climbers
Rebecca Chartrand

Fresh comms staff, policy lead in place for Minister Chartrand

Manjeet Vinning takes reins as new PMO operations director

Minister LeBlanc promotes new comms, operations directors

Defence Minister McGuinty names new chief of staff

party central

Spooky shindig season on the Hill

A sunny Santis soirée on the Château’s terrace

Ladies Night, Torynado, Fife gets mugged, and Kuss-Lockington get hitched

Partying until the 12th bell

civil circles

Major public service shakeup taps David Morrison to ‘elevated’ key foreign policy role in the centre

Michael Sabia

Deputy minister shuffle sees shakeup to Privy Council Office, nine new leaders in key roles

Michael Sabia

Large shuffle to public service expected once Sabia takes PCO reins

The federal public servants running in election 2025

photo gallery

Liberals signal new MAID legislation to be tabled this fall

Truth and Reconciliation Day on Parliament Hill

Malaysia marks national day with flag raising

NDP caucus joins Bank of Canada security guards on picket line

photo of the day

Feds renew $300-million for Indigenous-led housing projects

Carney meets Vietnam’s president

Carney addresses Liberal caucus ahead of Parliament’s return

Carney welcomes byelection results

from the hill times archives

Photo archives: illustrious Quebec actor Michel Coté bends minister Moore’s ear

Photo archives: party like it’s 2008

Photo archives: Canada-U.S. envoys shake hands in 2009

Photo archives: Duceppe scrum in Centre Block

book review

Q&A | Book looks beyond Canada’s ‘broken’ access-to-information system to tackle transparency

‘Wild, wacky, and wonderful’: Unparliamentary dives into the Hill’s infamous and untold stories

Migration in Canada: invisible work and lived experiences

‘Playing with fire’: Tony Manera recalls pushback during sovereignty debate

top 100 best political books

Two ex-public servants pen ‘plea for modern government’ in Donner-shortlisted book

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Best Books in 2025

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Best Books in 2024

The Hill Times’ 100 Best Books of 2023

politically savvy survey

Carney ranked best public speaker, most quotable, hardest working, and one of the best fundraisers in The Hill Times’ 30th annual Politically Savvy Survey

Poilievre voted best public speaker, most quotable, hardest-working, and biggest self-promoter in The Hill Times’ 29th Annual Politically Savvy Survey

Poilievre sweeps a suite of categories in the 27th annual Politically Savvy Survey

Freeland, LeBlanc, Morneau voted most influential ministers in 26th annual Politically Savvy Survey

100 most influential in government and politics

The 100 most influential people in federal politics and government to watch in 2024

Top 100: the most influential people in government and politics in 2023

Post-election heavy hitters: the top 100 most influential people to watch in federal politics in 2022

Pandemic edition: Top 100 most influential people to watch in 2021

top 25 staffer survey

Conservative Order Paper question ‘king’ Colin Thackeray crowned 2026 Top Political Staffer

Telford untouchable at the top of the 21st Terrific 25 Staffers list, as Conservatives sweep Most Knowledgeable and Best Spin

Telford three-peats at the top of the 20th Terrific 25 Staffers list, LRB’s Wendy Wu voted Best All-Round

Telford tops 19th annual Terrific 25 Staffer list, NDP’s Salloum voted Best All-Round

top 100 lobbyist

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists in 2026

What makes a ‘good’ lobbyist? A lot

Lobbying under Carney: ‘it is a very different Liberal government’

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists in 2025: lobbyists prepare for ‘significant reset’ as federal election begins

the insiders guide to parliament

Government should be ‘pretty pleased’ with first session of Parliament, but summer will be ‘the calm before the storm,’ say observers

Winter House sitting will be like ‘political hunger games’ between O’Toole and Trudeau, say pollsters

A parliamentary session like no other

Into the unknowns of the 44th Parliament

all politics poll: best and worst in politics

Always leave them wanting more: Fraser tops All Politics Poll as he looks to exit federal politics

Housing Minister Fraser a 2023 fan favourite on Parliament Hill: All Politics Poll

Poilievre doubles as most valuable, least valuable politician in 2022 in The Hill Times’ All Politics Poll

Anand named most valuable politician, climate change voted most important issue in The Hill Times’ 23rd Annual All Politics Poll

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