Chagger becomes first female House leader in cabinet ‘adjustment’
OTTAWA — Bardish Chagger isn’t promising that she won’t stifle debate on key government legislation if it means getting it through Parliament in a timely manner.
But the self-described, life-long political activist did pledge Friday that she will strive to build a new relationship with the opposition parties in her new role as government leader in the House of Commons.
Chagger took on the powerful position — on top of her job as small business and tourism minister—in what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government described as an adjustment to the federal cabinet.
“I really do believe that we can all work together,” Chagger told a news conference less than two hours after being sworn in at Rideau Hall.
“I think Canadians have given each elected official a mandate to deliver for their ridings.”
Chagger takes over the legislation-guiding position from Dominic LeBlanc, whose tenure as House leader was marked by some sharp clashes with the opposition. Some insiders say an attempt last spring to ram legislation through the House poisoned relations with opposition parties and created a toxic atmosphere in the Commons.
LeBlanc has been handling double duty as House leader and fisheries minister since Hunter Tootoo stepped down from the latter job. LeBlanc made no secret of the fact that he preferred to sit as fisheries minister, a role he has retained.
Tootoo resigned from cabinet and the Liberal caucus in May to go into treatment for alcoholism and has since acknowledged he had been involved in a consensual but inappropriate relationship in the workplace.
LeBlanc’s removal from the House leader’s office may lift a tension point between the Liberal government and the opposition parties as they move toward the fall session of Parliament.
The minor “adjustment” of duties also allows Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resist any kind of temptation to have a wider shuffle. That is widely expected to come midway through next year, at the halfway point of Trudeau’s mandate.
Chagger’s new job will see her shepherding the government’s agenda through the often-arcane rules and procedures in Commons. It’s a daunting challenge for a rookie MP who only entered the Commons last fall.
However, she has some Parliament Hill experience. Chagger was executive assistant to former Kitchener-Waterloo MP Andrew Telegdi.
She is also the first woman to hold the House leader’s job, a milestone that had her beaming when asked Friday about the significance.
“I am so proud to be part of a cabinet that reflects Canada,” she said.
Chagger, 36, has been keen on politics since her teenage years, when she was a volunteer for the Liberal party. She was first elected last fall in the Ontario riding of Waterloo, where she was involved in many community causes.
At the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre, Chagger worked to provide opportunities for social and economic engagement, says her government biography.
She holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Waterloo.