There is some concerning news relating to the new established Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University, Ottawa. $15 million dollars was donated, in order to establish this program. There are many right-wing conservative, Reform and big-C-Conservative connections that need addressing. Here is the best list I could compile of connections and concerns
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Donor: Clayton H. Riddell – wealthy corporate head and connections to oil companies.
These people are all on the official faculty list at the Carelton website, with connections worth addressing.
- Paul Wilson – evangelical with numerous ties to the current Conservative government administration
- Jennifer Robinson – worked for various Conservatives Ministers, as well in the PMO
- Andre Turcotte – member of the Reform Party, still has connections with Preston Manning.
- Allan Gregg – strategist/pollster to the Brain Mulroney Progressive Conservatives.
- Guy Giorno – key strategist for Mike Harris and the Progressive Conservatives, as well as Stephen Harper and the Conservatives.
- Richard Anderson – former Reform Party member, connections to Preston Manning.
- Robin Sears – loose connection to a firm that had close ties with Harper Conservatives and Guy Giorno. As well, spokesperson for Brain Mulroney.
- Chris Froggat – former senior adviser to Preston Manning, currently chief of staff to Conservative Minister John Baird.
This is out of the 16 people listed on the faculty page of the Carleton website, for the research and sources of this list, see below. 50% of the faculty have connections to the former Reform party, and the current Conservative party (and this is just the research I did, perhaps there’s more to come).
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The trends are concerning. Let’s look at the history of the generous donator:
Riddell was a president of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists and Chair of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.
Alright, so this man is a wealthy oilman. That in itself is cause for concern, but let’s continue to the appointed faculty of this program. From the official Carleton website faculty list, let’s start with Paul Wilson.
Paul Wilson joins Carleton from the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, where he served as director of policy from 2009-2011, and also served as acting chief of staff during the 2011 election campaign. He has been director of policy to Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, senior special adviser to Monte Solberg, Minister of HRSDC, senior policy adviser to Vic Toews, both as President of Treasury Board and Minister of Justice. From 1997 to 2001 he was director of research in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.
More information on Paul, from Xtra:
Replacing Reid as director of policy is Paul Wilson. Wilson is the former executive director of Trinity Western University’s Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa. In 2006, Wilson moved to the Hill to become the senior policy advisor to Conservative cabinet minister Vic Toews, and in March of last year moved over to the role of senior special advisor to then-Human Resources and Social Development minister Monte Solberg.
Prior to his time at Trinity Western — a Christian-focussed university based in the Bible-belt of Langley, BC — Wilson had worked for both Preston Manning and Stockwell Day in both the Reform and Alliance parties. While at Trinity Western, he was responsible for coordinating the internships of Trinity Western’s students on the Hill and among various non-governmental organizations. At the time, Wilson also studiously avoided being labelled a big-C Conservative and denied that he was running a political training program.
A huge neo-theo-con for #1, who else!? Jennifer Robbinson, again from the faculty list:
…has served as a political assistant to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and as a policy assistant in the Office of the Prime Minister.
How about Andre Turcotte?
Between 1994 and 2000, he was the official pollster for the Reform Party of Canada and its leader, Preston Manning, and over his career has provided advice to several political leaders and corporations. He is also the academic director for the Manning Centre for Building Democracy, through which he has delivered short courses in practical political skills.
And there’s more! Allan Gregg?
He went on to found Decima Research and became pollster and strategist for the Progressive Conservative Party under Brian Mulroney, being credited as a key architect of the party’s federal election victories in 1984 and 1988. Over his career he has participated in more than 50 election campaigns on three continents.
The list continues, Guy Giorno, a former staff of the PM Harper. But that’s not all! He’s a conservative strategist, with Republican influence, who’s worked for the Mike Harris and the Progressive Conservatives, and later merged with Harper. Widely attributed for the success for both candidates and parties.
Another! Richard Anderson, a conservative and former Reform Party member:
…a long-time advocate for democratic reform who, like Harper, worked for Preston Manning
What about that Robin Sears guy? Well, there’s an interesting connection with him and the Conservatives. A certain firm, Navigator LTD was observed to be close to the Conseravatives:
There are close ties between Navigator officials and senior members of the Conservative government, starting at the top. Navigator chair Jaime Watt was a senior strategist in Mike Harris’s Ontario government, and he is a friend of PMO chief of staff Guy Giorno, another veteran of the Harris team.
Mr. Watt was also a senior organizer for Jim Flaherty, now the federal Minister of Finance, during the 2002 Ontario PC leadership race.
Navigator’s lobbying activities in Ottawa are conducted as part of a partnership with Ensight Canada. Robin Sears, who is affiliated with both companies, said he is unaware of any activity involving the Commissioner of Lobbying.
So, this Sears guy was part of the firm that was traced closely to the Conservatives. This isn’t necessarily a big deal, but the was also a spokesperson for Brain Mulroney, so that raises questions in and of itself.
SIGH! Next Chris Froggatt:
Chris Froggatt, Chief of Staff to the Honourable John Baird, P.C., M.P., Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, has been named Managing Partner of the Firm’s Ottawa office. Mr. Froggatt has an impressive 15-year record of success in Ottawa and at Queen’s Park. He has served as a Senior Advisor to Preston Manning, when he was Opposition Leader.
That’s all for now, folks.
