Ujjal Dosanjh, Irwin Cotler and Ken Dryden named as Special Advisors
OTTAWA – Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff today unveiled new roles for members of the Liberal caucus and announced his nominees for House committee chair positions.
The Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South), former premier of British Columbia, will assume the role of Chair of a new Intergovernmental Liaison Secretariat and will be consulting with provincial premiers and territorial leaders on the best way forward to secure stability and fairness in our federation.
A team of 13 Members and Senators will serve as Special Liaisons to each provincial and territorial government, reflecting the Party’s commitment to building strong relationships and regular communications with its provincial and territorial partners. The Liaisons will work to open communication and build relationships with leaders, ministers, and other members of these governments.
“At a time when the Harper government has mishandled its relationship with the federation I have appointed individuals within my caucus to lead our efforts to build positive working relations with the provinces and territories,” said Mr. Ignatieff. “I am delighted that Mr. Dosanjh, an esteemed former premier with a solid understanding of intergovernmental issues, will lead this effort.”
The Leader himself will serve as Intergovernmental Affairs Critic.
Mr. Ignatieff also announced the appointment of the Honourable Irwin Cotler (Mount Royal) as Special Counsel on Human Rights & International Justice.
“I am privileged to work with one of the world’s most respected and recognized human rights experts. Our caucus will benefit greatly from his wisdom and counsel.”
Ken Dryden (York Centre) has been named as National Outreach Advisor, with a focus on Working Families and Poverty, and as Special Liaison, National Fundraising.
“Mr. Dryden’s dedication to these areas will serve us with distinction as we rebuild and renew our Party across Canada,” said Mr. Ignatieff.
Other Special Outreach Advisors have been appointed for these priority areas:
• Kirsty Duncan (Etobicoke North) - Academic Communities
• John McKay (Scarborough—Guildwood) - Faith Communities
• Siobhan Coady (St. John’s South—Mount Pearl) - Canadian Business
• Mark Eyking (Sydney—Victoria) - Farmers & Producers
• Mario Silva (Davenport) - Labour Unions and Latin American Communities
• Lise Zarac (LaSalle—Émard) – Cultural Organizations
“Some of the most important work we do as Members of Parliament happens outside the House of Commons,” said Mr. Ignatieff. “That’s why I have charged these individuals with specific responsibility for these areas. Our objective is to reach out to Canadians and demonstrate that we’re listening and we’re prepared to work with them on the issues that matter most to them.”
The Leader also announced his House Committee Chair Nominees:
• Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre) - Chair, Status of Women
• Paul Szabo (Mississauga South) – Chair, Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
• Derek Lee (Scarborough—Rouge River) – Chair, Government Operations
• Shawn Murphy (Charlottetown) – Chair, Public Accounts
• Andrew Kania (Brampton West) – Joint Chair, Scrutiny of Regulations
And finally, Mr. Ignatieff appointed new Liberal Caucus Committee Chairs:
• Albina Guarnieri (Mississauga East—Cooksville) - Chair, Strategy & Tactics Committee
• Bryon Wilfert (Richmond Hill) - Chair, Urban Communities Caucus
• Navdeep Bains (Mississauga—Brampton South) - Co-Chair, Renewal Committee
• Justin Trudeau (Papineau) - Co-Chair, Outreach Committee
• Bonnie Crombie (Mississauga—Streetsville) - Co-Chair, Outreach Committee
• Scott Simms (Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor) - Co-Chair, Communications Committee
• Michelle Simson (Scarborough—Southwest) - Co-Chair, Communications Committee
“I have the honour of working with an experienced and talented group of elected representatives. We have much work to do and I know this team is up to the challenge,” concluded Mr. Ignatieff.