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William Stairs Appointed Justice Minister's Chief of Staff |
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Written by Staff
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Thursday, 23 February 2006 |
Just days after being unceremoniously dumped as Stephen Harper's director of communications, William Stairs has been hired by Harper's Justice Minister as Chief of Staff.
Justice Minister Vic Toews announced today that Stairs will assume the staff post with a short announcement stating, "Mr. Stairs brings a broad range of practical and political experience with him to the position. This experience will serve him well in his new role."
A native of Nova Scotia, Stairs has spent over a decade in Ottawa working mostly in Tory backrooms. In 1992 he began to work for PC Senator Lowell Murray culminating in an unsuccessful run for candidacy in a northern PC riding in 2000. Stairs continued to work for the PC party under Peter MacKay when he won the leadership position in 2003.
After the merge of the PCs and the Canadian Alliance, Stairs worked for Grant Hill who served as interim leader of the newly formed Conservative Party of Canada. Stairs replaced Geoff Norquay as Stephen Harper's director of communications in 2005.
But just two weeks after Stephen Harper was sworn in as prime minister, Stairs was abruptly replaced with Sandra Buckler, who had been the spokesperson for the Conservative party during the election campaign. No reason was given by Harper for the dismissal and Stairs has not made a public statement.
It is assumed that Stairs will begin his new duties as the Justice Minister's Chief of Staff immediately. |
