Trudeau government made dozens of appointments after announcing he'd resign

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's authorities has stacked agencies and Crown corporations with dozens of "future appointments" and aboriginal assignment renewals, galore of which would lone spell into effect weeks and months aft the adjacent election.

A CBC News investigation of order-in-council appointments made since Jan. 6, erstwhile Trudeau announced helium would measurement down arsenic premier minister, recovered 88 aboriginal appointments — immoderate scheduled to spell into effect arsenic precocious arsenic November.

Orders successful assembly are drafted by furniture and bash not necessitate parliamentary approval.

Some are for part-time positions that wage humble per diems, but others are for elder executives oregon advisers making much than $200,000 a year.

While a fistful of the aboriginal appointments are lone scheduled to past a fewer months, astir would past years — with two set to past 7 years. Most person been appointed "on bully behaviour," which means a aboriginal authorities would person to beryllium that they were blameworthy of atrocious behaviour successful bid to region them earlier the expiry day of their appointment.

While immoderate of those benefiting from the aboriginal appointments person ties to the Liberal Party, galore others bash not.

Overall, Trudeau's authorities made acold much appointments during this play than it has in past years. According to the government's order-in-council database, betwixt Jan. 6 and March 11, Trudeau's authorities made 231 appointments, compared with lone 123 for the aforesaid play successful 2024.

Every azygous vacant Senate spot has besides been filled. Barring resignations, the adjacent vacancy volition hap connected May 14 erstwhile Conservative Senator Don Plett is scheduled to retire.

In 2015, erstwhile it was revealed that Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's authorities made 49 arguable aboriginal appointments and reappointments successful its dying days, recently appointed Liberal House Leader Dominic LeBlanc described them as "an maltreatment of process."

He sent a missive connected behalf of Trudeau, calling connected 33 of the 49 who received appointments that went into effect aft the predetermination to diminution the role.

Thursday, LeBlanc's bureau referred each questions astir the Trudeau government's aboriginal appointments to the Prime Minister's Office.

Trudeau's bureau has not yet responded to questions from CBC News.

Prime minister-designate Mark Carney's bureau has not responded either to questions astir whether they were consulted astir the Trudeau government's last-minute aboriginal appointments oregon whether they person agreed to marque immoderate appointments connected the Trudeau government's behalf erstwhile Carney is sworn into office.

Pace of appointments quickened aft resignation

In 1984, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau recommended much than 200 patronage appointments beryllium made. His successor, John Turner, not lone didn't cancel the appointments but made 70 of his ain — decisions that dogged him during the predetermination run that brought Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservatives to power.

The flurry of last-minute appointments by Trudeau's authorities is successful crisp opposition with the problems it has had implicit the years filling vacancies — often leaving ample numbers of vacant order-in-council positions oregon appointees continuing successful their positions agelong aft the extremity dates of their mandates.

For example, successful August 2023, 416 positions — astir a 4th of bid successful assembly appointments — were vacant oregon occupied by idiosyncratic whose mandate was past its extremity date.

Those appointments are sometimes made a fewer days oregon adjacent a fewer weeks successful advance. Between Jan. 6 and March 12, galore were made respective weeks oregon months successful advance.

For example, Donald Obonsawin still had 2 years successful his mandate arsenic a trustee of the Canadian Museum of Nature. He was promoted to vice-chair of the committee of trustees, effectual May 18, for 4 years.

Jonathan Goldbloom's erstwhile assignment arsenic president of the committee of Via Rail was acceptable to expire connected March 24, 2026. On March 7, helium was fixed a caller appointment, effectual April 12, for 5 years.

Former Liberal furniture curate Pierre Pettigrew's assignment arsenic chair of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada was acceptable to expire connected July 1. On Feb. 17, helium was handed his 3rd assignment to the position, for 3 years effectual July 1.

The aforesaid day, Pettigrew's chap committee member, Lisa De Wilde, was fixed an aboriginal reappointment, effectual July 4 for 3 years.

Two members of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's committee of directors, Sandra Mason and William Tam, were besides fixed aboriginal appointments connected Feb. 17 for five-year terms, effectual June 1.

The longest aboriginal appointments — 7 years — were some made by Justice Minister Arif Virani who appointed Carol Shirtliff-Hinds arsenic lawman manager of nationalist prosecutions, effectual April 14, and Christopher Sutton arsenic accessibility commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, effectual May 5.

The curate who made the largest fig of aboriginal appointments was Steven MacKinnon, curate of employment, workforce improvement and labour. During the play analyzed, MacKinnon made 26 aboriginal appointments, galore of them to the Social Security Tribunal (SST) oregon the Employment Insurance Board of Appeals.

MacKinnon's bureau defended the appointments, saying they are a "standard and indispensable signifier to guarantee stability" and are "open, transparent and merit-based."

"Most of the reappointments and appointments are for the Social Security Tribunal, an autarkic body, which plays a important relation successful ensuring that Canadians person entree to just and timely decisions connected matters similar employment insurance, the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security," his bureau said successful a statement.

"All appointments and reappointments to the SST are made upon the proposal of the seat who is liable for the operations of the tribunal."

The curate with the second-largest fig of aboriginal appointments was David McGuinty with 14, galore of them to the Parole Board of Canada. Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge was 3rd with 11 aboriginal appointments.

Overall, 18 of the 37 members of Trudeau's furniture made aboriginal appointments, including Trudeau who made 5 appointments to positions that instrumentality effect successful the future, including 2 that instrumentality effect successful November.

Conservative Opposition House person Andrew Scheer was speedy to knock the Trudeau government's aboriginal appointments.

"It comes arsenic nary astonishment that successful the dying days of the premier curate holding office, Liberals person been caught helping their Liberal insider friends with plush posts and appointments," Scheer wrote successful a statement.

"Even arsenic the Carney-Trudeau Liberals kept Parliament shuttered during a situation to absorption connected their interior struggles for power, they inactive managed to assistance their friends and enactment themselves first."

Scheer's connection was soundless connected the aboriginal appointments made successful the dying days of the Harper government. 

Scheer besides questioned Trudeau's committedness to marque the Senate autarkic and non-partisan, saying astir senators appointed by Trudeau person been Liberals.