The whispers that Sandra Buckler, 43, was returning to Parliament Hill on Monday as the chief of staff to Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan spread like wildfire this week. Recall that she was Prime Minister Stephen Harper's director of communications for 28 months.
For some in the national media, and even for some Tory MPs, they were very long months, as Ms. Buckler's tenure was difficult. She was not popular with the national media because of her inability to share information, and some MPs said she bullied them.
She resigned in June of 2008 and was out of the spotlight for a long time until she popped up a couple of months ago, during the Ontario Tory leadership campaign, as director of communications for Frank Klees. He came second to MPP Tim Hudak. Ms. Buckler is well suited to work for Mr. Van Loan as they both come from Ontario PC roots. Putting her in the chief of staff position could prove controversial but as one long-time Tory strategist said, "Despite her style … she was loyal to Harper and invariably should be looked after." She would relieve Mr. Van Loan's acting chief, Liam O'Brien, who is the minister's policy director.
Meanwhile, Ms. Buckler's new boss, Mr. Van Loan, 46, has been given an entirely new portfolio - DAD. He and his wife, Cheryl, had a five-pound, 10-ounce baby boy, John Aleksander, last weekend. (Mr. Van Loan was married two years ago; his wife has a daughter from a previous relationship.) Their baby was a few weeks early but everyone is healthy.
Ignatieff to beat Harper to China
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is travelling to China in early September; Prime Minister Stephen Harper has yet to make a trip, although he may finally get there in November. The relationship between China and Canada has been a source of controversy under the Tories, with criticism that the Harper government has let it atrophy. Details are scarce about the Liberal trip as meetings and speech opportunities are still being worked on. But Ignatieff spokeswoman Jill Fairbrother said: "The Conservatives have squandered the goodwill built between China and Canada. ... This trip will demonstrate that things would be different under Liberal leadership." Game on! Let's see what meetings the Liberals land.
Hot: Stephen Harper. The Prime Minister took his daughter, Rachel, and her pal, Sheetza McGarry, to the National Arts Centre's Thursday-night performance of Grease. Taylor Hicks, the 2006 American Idol winner, plays the Teen Angel role. During one of his songs he did a little shout-out to the PM, telling the audience to behave because the Prime Minister was among them. The crowd applauded.
Not: A speedy confirmation hearing for David Jacobson, the Chicago lawyer who is to be Barack Obama's ambassador to Canada. In the weekly dispatch from former U.S. ambassador David Wilkins's law firm to friends, it is noted that his successor is "sittin' on the G waitin' for the O." Mr. Wilkins is from South Carolina and that means that Mr. Jacobson is ready to "GO." First, however, he needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. "As Jacobson told Wilkins recently over dinner in Washington, he and his wife are excited and eager to get to work in Canada," the dispatch says. "With the Senate slated to recess the first week of August and his hearing yet to be scheduled, the Jacobsons - and Canada - may find a much anticipated move not happening until September."
Hot (not?): Ignatieff/Ignatiev. Both are in the races of their lives this summer: But you may be hearing more about Mikhail than about Michael. That's because Mikhail is out there, actually touring. He is one of the leading Russian riders in this year's Tour de France that ends tomorrow in Paris. Meanwhile, Michael's tour appears stalled. The Liberal Party Leader has spent most of July working in Ottawa. Apparently, he is to be more visible in August. Mr. Ignatieff is not following Mr. Ignatiev's progress, as he is a baseball and hockey fan.