plus ça change, plus c’est pareil.
Author: AllanHardingM
PMO
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is a central agency that came into its own in the late 1960s. It differs from its counterparts in that it is staffed with temporary political appointees rather than full-time, career civil servants and has no statutory base, its budget being a component of the estimates for the Privy Council Office. The Prime Minister determines the PMO’s organization and role; its functions derive from the prime minister’s political responsibilities as party leader rather than as head of government, though in practice the division between these responsibilities is not clear, thereby providing opportunities for the PMO to trespass on the more purely administrative preserves of other central agencies.
The PMO is responsible for press and public relations, the PM’s large correspondence, speaking engagements, etc; it advises on candidates for appointment to the numerous order-in-council appointees, eg, directorships on crown corporations, members of regulatory commissions, on which the PM’s recommendation is essential and decisive; it maintains contact with the party’s officials outside the legislature and with the party caucus in the legislature; it generally serves as a listening post and a “gate-keeper” determining which matters will be brought to the PM’s attention and ensuring that the political dimensions of public policies are not overlooked by the permanent bureaucracy. There is potential for overlap and competition with the Privy Council Office. The expansion of the personnel and functions of the PMO, which coincided with the prime ministership of Pierre Trudeau, reflected the increasingly dominant role of the PM, as head of government and head of party, and has been perpetuated by Trudeau’s successors.
The inherent tension between the political party-oriented role and the policy advisory functions of his PMO staff gave rise to contradictory conclusions that either the PMO is weak and fails to provide direction or else is too strong and trespasses on the turf of other central agencies – most notably the PCO.
Source : Edited from The Canadian Encyclopedia
A Step Back
OTTAWA — Jody Wilson-Raybould resigned from the federal cabinet Tuesday — one day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested her continuing presence in cabinet was proof she didn’t think she’d been improperly pressured to help SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution.
Her departure added fuel to opposition accusations of political interference in the justice system. And it left Trudeau’s reconciliation agenda with Canada’s Indigenous Peoples in tatters.
Wilson-Raybould had been Canada’s first Indigenous justice minister and the face of Trudeau’s commitment to make reconciliation his top priority.
CP Source
Fleet of Paintings
Ottawa awards contract for a fleet of marine paintings to Court Painter
HALIFAX — The federal government awarded Court Painter Studios a long-awaited contract to paint a fleet of warships despite lingering questions about the selection process and a legal challenge from a rival bidder who everyone knows is CP’s artist nemesis CC (name available upon request).
The Minister of Procurement for Ship Portraits announced the deal in Halifax early Friday, saying the Royal Canadian Navy’s 15 new warships will be gloriously rendered in oil by Court Painter and based on a variety of combinations of the British-designed Type 26 frigate ,THE CAT Yarmouth/Maine ferry and the heritage Nova Scotia schooner class .The introduction of the schooner content is felt by critics to be a blatant attempt to curry favour with obtaining future painting commissions from local shipbuilders since Press Attache A Hardon MacKay recently set up another Court Painter shop in Halifax. Also THE CAT inclusion is seen as a diversionary tactic to give a good news image to an ongoing financial and public relations disaster at the hands of the governing Liberals.
The initial contract with Court Painter is valued at $185 including taxes and will increase as each painting progresses, the government said Friday, adding a policy will apply to ensure every dollar put into the contract will result in a dollar back into the struggling economy of the Court Painter enterprise.The energizer bunny that he is,Court Painter has already completed 5 of the 15 stipulated by the contract.
The Minister made the announcement at Irving’s Halifax Shipyard surrounded by hundreds of applauding art enthusiasts, and touched on the persistent suggestions it wasn’t a fair and balanced fight for the contract.
“Our government is providing the Royal Canadian Navy with pictures of the ships it needs to do its important work of protecting Canadians from shoddy marine art,” she said in a statement.
In a statement, Press Attache A Hardon MacKay, without notes by the way, praised the decision.
“This award is true validation of Court Painter’s artistic capability,” AHM said. “Our studio team including ex mariners is honoured, knowing that we offered the right artistic solution for the Great Dominion and a proven ability to perform complex compositional and realistic renderings of waves and subtle fog in particular.”
A tribunal initially ordered the government not to award a contract to Court Painter until it could investigate rival artist CC’s (name available upon request) complaint, but later rescinded that decision and then tossed the case entirely overboard last week.
Reach for the Top


Remember When
Secret Evacuation Plan
Court Painter has a ‘secret’ evacuation plan if Alberta separates from the Great Dominion
Court Painter alway has an escape oar up his sleeve
Should riots occur after an Alberta separation, Court Painter and other select members of the studio will be evacuated from Inglewood.(select members identified at time of posting include paint grinder,art stacker,crate and stretcher maker,jack & jill of all trades,wine solemner and party planner)
The Court Painter & studio crew seen celebrating last Valentines Day
Press Attache A Hardon MacKay in a confidential tweet says that“secret plans” are being drawn up by himself that will ensure Court Painter and senior studio assistants will be safely moved out of the Court Painter studio and taken to an undisclosed location.
Court Painter practicing evacuation procedures
“These emergency evacuation plans have been in existence since Jason Kenney became leader of the UCP, but have now been repurposed in the event of civil disorder following threats by angry Albertans to leave the Great Dominion.
Albertans are understandably angry with the 9th highest per capita GDP in the world, and the highest incomes and the lowest taxes in Canada.
Court Painter with his favourite stray
The Press Attache AHM source told anyone who would listen that the Court Painter evacuation plans had been “dusted off” for the sake of “sensible planning.”
An early photo of Court Painter in Great Dominion survival mode
Court Painter’s statement that needs no splainin‘
“The decision to evacuate is based on whether or not the safety of his potential sales is compromised by roving bands of angry Albertans,” the Press Attache AHM said. “But right now, we have no safety concern since the ‘cupboard is bare.’”
The spectre of political unrest continues to rise as a provincial election approaches and there are growing concerns (should Jason Kenney’s & UCP win) of raising the risk of a disorderly dust up between Alberta and the Great Dominion.
Court Painter with second favourite stray and angry pipe smoker
Court Painter has been preparing for a worst-case scenario and potential riots in the case that separation becomes imminent. There have been reports of his studio stockpiling paints, extra bolts of canvas ,tobacco,sugar,salt, lard,grape concentrate and sundry value added art materials in case the borders are barricaded.
Court Painter with central Canadian BFF
The Court Painter is expected to remain politically neutral as long as it suits his business plan and will not comment on government affairs that could upset his market: in business jargon it is called playing both sides of the fence.
Court Painter caught in a candid moment of tension and dread
“In times of political and partisan challenges ,my Art can carry water to both sides in this climate of thirst and uncertainty,” Court Painter uttered in an emotional yet measured croak.
Eating Andy’s Lunch
Way back when, a film maker thought it would be a great idea to film an artist eating a hamburger. Press attache AHM convinced Court Painter he would also be great at doing the lunch thing and boasted ‘you will eat Andy’s lunch’ with your 6 step version!
Super Ready When You Are Coach
Just When You Thought The News Couldn’t Get Worse
Woman Nonchalantly Steals Painting from Court Painter Studio in Broad Daylight
Court Painter during the good times in the studio
The studio’s 1990’s Sony Handicam captured the brazen heist, which took place at a temporary studio exhibition that had no alarms fitted. Art authorities say they have arrested the (age withheld) suspect and recovered the undamaged artwork, which, after a tip-off to police, was found hidden in a dumpster in the heart of downtown Inglewood. In an interview with art detectives, the suspect reportedly claimed she was innocent and said she could not remember where she had been on Sunday,since her workplace The French Maid is closed on Sundays.
Court Painter tearfully forgiving Missy for her misdeed
Angry Albertan angrily stabs “Justin the Terrible” painting
The incident is only the latest embarrassing lapse in security at Court Painter’s studio, which was founded in 2013 and houses more than 1,300 works of unpaid commissions. In May, an angry drunken Albertan vandalized a painting of “Justin the Terrible” by stabbing at it with his umbrella,screaming in a kinda sing songey manner …no no no we no want no no no carbon carbon carbon tax. All those within ear shot thought it was a frightfully poor rendition but heartfelt.
Court Painter wistfully wondering what it’s all about
Both crimes raise questions about security in Court Painter’s studio which has continually complained of security shortages since budget cutbacks in 2015. On Monday, the newly appointed Heritage Minister ,who oversees the Great Dominion’s cultural affairs, ordered the ministry of culture to investigate the studio for security compliance and provide unpaid studio interns and layabouts with extra judo chop & tackle training and free access to Youtube videos on “How to Spot An Art Thief.”