Latest news with #DavidLametti
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Man exonerated after Manitoba court quashes murder convictions
The Manitoba Law Courts building in Winnipeg on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods WINNIPEG — An Indigenous man in Manitoba who spent more than two decades in prison has had his three murder convictions quashed and the charges stayed. Former justice minister David Lametti referred the case of Robert Sanderson to the Manitoba Court of Appeal in 2023 for a new hearing, saying there was a likely a miscarriage of justice. Innocence Canada, the group that applied for the ministerial review of the convictions based on new evidence, said the Appeal Court ordered a new trial Friday and the Crown stayed proceedings Monday in Court of King's Bench. James Lockyer, a founding director of Innocence Canada, said it has been a "long haul" for Sanderson and the organization. "We've known about his case for certainly more than a decade," Lockyer said in an interview. "Just took us awhile to get to it, but we did, and finally the case is over. So, big relief for him and for us." Sanderson and two others were charged in the 1996 killings of three men in Winnipeg. The bodies of Jason Gross, Thomas Krowetz and Stefan Zurstegge were found in a home on Aug. 6, 1996, by the father of one of the victims. Gross had blunt trauma injuries to the head and body and multiple stab wounds. Krowetz was shot three times and had at least three dozen stab wounds. Zurstegge was shot twice and stabbed 34 times. Sanderson was convicted the following year on three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years. The Manitoba Court of Appeal Court dismissed his appeal in 1999, and he was later denied leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Innocence Canada said it applied to Lametti in 2017 for a review based on new evidence. An expert Crown witness had said hair found on one victim belonged to Sanderson based on microscopic analysis. But DNA testing later established that the hair came from someone else. Innocence Canada also said a witness to events before the killings who linked Sanderson to them was given more than $15,000 by authorities as part of an agreement after he testified at trial. It said this was not disclosed to Sanderson and the prosecution could not explain why. Sanderson was released on parole in 2021. Lockyer said Sanderson is now a free man and is not subject to anything to do with the killings anymore. "Of course, he served a lot of time on them and then was on parole for another four years, but that's in the past," Lockyer said. Sanderson now lives in British Columbia and is an artist. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. The Canadian Press
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carney names former UN ambassador Blanchard as chief of staff
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his permanent chief of staff on Sunday, appointing Marc-André Blanchard, Canada's former ambassador to the United Nations, to one of the most powerful posts in Canadian politics. Meanwhile, two sources not authorized to speak publicly about the appointments before they are formally announced say that former attorney general David Lametti has been hired as Carney's principal secretary — the top political aide position in the PMO. Blanchard served as Canada's permanent representative at the UN between 2016 and 2020. He most recently served as the executive vice-president for CDPQ Global, a Quebec-based investment firm. "Marc-André has a long and distinguished career as one of Canada's most accomplished builders, legal experts, executives, public servants, and diplomats," Carney said in a statement announcing the appointment. Carney made the announcement on social media and said Blanchard will start in July once former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino's time as interim chief of staff comes to an end. The prime minister said Mendicino has his "continued appreciation" for his service. Carney said last month that Mendicino originally agreed to stay on through the new government's transition period, but that term extended into the summer. Lametti was first elected in 2015, when the Liberals last formed a majority government, and was appointed justice minister and attorney general in 2019. While in that role, Lametti introduced legislation to expand the eligibility for medical assistance in dying and was a key figure during the government's response to the convoy protests and implementation of the Emergencies Act. Lametti was shuffled out of cabinet in July 2023 and resigned as an MP in January 2024. More recently, Lametti became a political ally of Carney — even attending the prime minister's first swearing in back in March alongside Mendicino. This report was first published by The Canadian Pres on June 1, 2025. David Baxter, The Canadian Press
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
PM Carney taps former UN ambassador Marc-André Blanchard as chief of staff
Canada's former ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations Marc-André Blanchard will serve as Marc Carney's chief of staff beginning in July, the prime minister announced in a post on X Sunday. 'Marc-André has a long and distinguished career as one of Canada's most accomplished builders, legal experts, executives, public servants, and diplomats,' said Carney in the post. Sources have also confirmed with CTV News former justice minister David Lametti will also become the prime minister's principal secretary. Former minister of public safety Marco Mendicino has been serving as Carney's interim chief of staff. 'Marco Mendicino has my continued appreciation for his service as my Chief of Staff into the early summer,' said the Prime Minister in a post on X. With files from CTV's Colton Praill and Mike LeCouteur. This is a breaking news story. More details to come.
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Carney selects former UN ambassador Marc André Blanchard as chief of staff
Prime Minister Mark Carney has selected former United Nations ambassador Marc André Blanchard as his permanent chief of staff as the new Liberal government undertakes massive reform of the economy, two sources say. The Globe and Mail is not identifying the two sources who were not authorized to discuss internal government staffing. Former justice minister David Lametti will also take over as principal secretary, replacing Tom Pitfield, who helped run the Liberal election campaign and was filling in on an interim basis. Mr. Blanchard, a prominent Quebec lawyer, is widely respected for his competence and level-headed judgment. He had served as Canada's ambassador to the UN from 2016-2020. He replaces former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino who was interim Chief of Staff but plans to run for Mayor of Toronto next year. The position of permanent chief of staff is one of the most important jobs in politics. A chief of staff provides stability, particularly for a government with a new leader and an ambitious agenda. The individual has great influence over ministers, caucus and the bureaucracy, as both a motivator and an enforcer of government policy. Mr. Carney has an ambitious agenda, promising the largest transformation to the Canadian economy since the Second World War. The new government has been pushing to reposition Canada with the goal of diversifying trade after an election campaign in which tension with the United States was a central issue. Mr. Carney will meet provincial and territorial premiers Monday to discussing ways to fast-track the construction of housing and major nation-building projects. Mr. Blanchard brings extensive experience on U.S. trade as the government is carrying out high level but secret negotiations with the Trump administration to lessen the impact of U.S. tariffs. He sat on Canada's North American Free Trade Agreement Council from 2017-2020. Currently he serves as executive vice president and head of CDPQ Global and Global head of Sustainability. Senator Percy Downe, who served as chief of staff to former prime minister Jean Chrétien, said the position is an extension of the prime minister. 'So when they pick up the phone and call somebody, they are not calling for a chat. They are calling for a specific purpose, which is to move the government's agenda, to correct any errors that a minister may have made and to get them back on track on what the prime minister ran on in the election,' he said. Mr. Lametti, who was at Oxford University with Mr. Carney, will handle much of the political and policy agenda as principal secretary. The appointment of the two top advisers will provide stability and a direction for the government and allow Mr. Carney to fill out senior jobs in the Prime Minister's Office.
