Dwight Duncan heads to a Liberal caucus meeting with Kathleen Wynne at Queen's Park on Jan. 29, 2013.Peter Power/The Globe and Mail
The chair of a federal Crown corporation overseeing construction of the new $4.8-billion bridge between Windsor and Detroit has used social media to level disparaging comments at Donald Trump and the federal and Ontario conservatives.
The Trudeau government appointed former Ontario Liberal finance minister Dwight Duncan to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority in January, 2016, for a five-year term. A requirement for the job is being non-partisan.
The not-for-profit Crown corporation is responsible for building the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which is Canada's largest public infrastructure project and is at the busiest commercial crossing on the Canada-U.S. border.
Mr. Duncan has not held back in expressing his disapproval on Facebook and Twitter of Conservatives and the U.S. President even though the Prime Minister's Office has instructed Liberal MPs to refrain from criticizing Mr. Trump and his administration.
The Prime Minister's rules for public office holders, including heads of government agencies and Crown corporations, say they must refrain from "expressing partisan views where this may reasonably be seen to be incompatible with or impair the ability to discharge the office holder's public duties."
In a brief interview, Mr. Duncan would not elaborate on his postings, but did not deny making them. "I have no comment on any of that. It's up there," he said.
When asked whether his comments were appropriate for a non-partisan office holder and if they could hurt Canada-U.S. relations, Mr. Duncan said, "I don't think there's anything there … that is like that."
Mr. Duncan said he has read the rules. He is paid $6,400 to $7,500 a year to serve in the part-time position.
About a month after a February meeting between the Prime Minister and Mr. Trump in Washington, Mr. Duncan posted a newspaper article on Facebook that was captioned: "Ireland's PM basically trashed Trump's immigration policy while standing next to him."
Mr. Duncan added his own opinion: "A stunning reminder by the Taoiseach that is as applicable to Canada as it is to the U.S. Fortunately we have a PM and a government that gets it."
He also posted a video on Feb. 17 of actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger criticizing the gerrymandering of congressional districts. Mr. Duncan offered his take: "So true. Canada has managed to avoid this absurdity. Helps understanding what is wrong with America's politics."
NDP MP Brian Masse, who represents Windsor-West, said Mr. Duncan's comments could hurt the Canadian government and businesses that work on both sides of the border.
"It's significantly serious, and it's one of the reasons he's not the best … for that position by any means, because of a lack of statesmanship," he said. "It's a complete irritant."
He added that Mr. Duncan is known as a "hard partisan Liberal" and someone else should fill the role.
Federal Conservatives in Ottawa, including new leader Andrew Scheer, and provincial Ontario Conservatives have been the principal subjects of Mr. Duncan's scolding.
On Dec. 11, 2016, Mr. Duncan posted a newspaper article with pictures of Conservative Party leadership candidates Kellie Leitch, Brad Trost and Chris Alexander. He tweeted: "The disturbing face of today's conservatism."
On June 7, he came to the defence of his former Ontario cabinet colleague Madeleine Meilleur after she dropped her bid to become Canada's next official languages commissioner, saying "she is a passionate francophone and Canadian. Scheer and his socon friends are a disgrace. The circus she has been subjected to is disgraceful."
When the Ontario budget was tabled in April, Mr. Duncan posted: "A Liberal budget for a Liberal Province. Bring on the election." A later posting stated: "Very proud of my Premier @Kathleen-Wynne."
Conservative MP John Brassard said Mr. Duncan's comments illustrate his party's concern about the Liberals' appointment process.
"It's a non-partisan position, and maybe he should start acting in a non-partisan manner," Mr. Brassard said. "He should be doing his job, and not getting involved in politics. If he wanted to be involved in politics, maybe he should run again."
Mr. Duncan has been effusive in his praise of Mr. Trudeau, writing on Facebook earlier this year: "More proud than ever to be Canadian and very, very proud of my Prime Minister."
He also stood up for two of the Prime Minister's top aides when they repaid nearly $65,000 in moving expenses in 2016. "Gerald Butts and Katie Telford are two people with the utmost integrity. We are fortunate to have people of their quality in the service of Canada," he wrote.
Mr. Trudeau's Liberals came to power promising a new process for federal appointments that was based on merit and more transparent. The Prime Minister's rules for public office holders set out the general principle that no act should "cast doubt on the integrity or the impartiality of the office."
Even Liberal MPs on the House Canadian Heritage Committee have felt Mr. Duncan's wrath.
Last Thursday, after a committee report recommended a broadband internet levy, he stated: "The PM has more good sense than some in his caucus."
The construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge is supposed to begin next summer and take 42 months. The project was held up for years by the U.S. owner of the Ambassador Bridge, Matty Moroun, who successfully lobbied Congress and state politicians to stall it.
The former Harper government agreed to pay for all the constructions costs in a bid to speed up the flow of people and goods between both countries.