Enemy lists for Harper’s new inner circle?
Posted Jul 16, 2013 10:11:43 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – It appears the newest members of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s inner circle are being given enemy lists.
In Monday’s cabinet shuffle, every new minister was given a transitional binder to help them ease into their jobs.
However, an email sent from the Prime Minister’s office on July 4, directed staff to add two sections to the binder:
– ‘Who to avoid: bureaucrats who can’t take no (or yes) for an answer’
– ‘Who to engage or avoid: friend and enemy stakeholders’
In an email later in the day, the PMO said the bureaucrat list was no longer required. Former staff members reached by The Star said it’s unusual that such lists would have been put in writing.
Transition binders normally just get new ministers up to speed on current hot topics, projects they’ll have to manage and prep for question period.
A press secretary for Harper doesn’t deny the email’s authenticity, yet won’t comment on internal communications.
