Marci Surkes has been called the air traffic controller of the Prime Minister’s Office. For the last two years, it’s been her job to make sure all the cabinet ministers carried out their mandates and oversee which new laws got introduced to Parliament. She oversaw all major Liberal government policies, from the COVID-19 response to Truth and Reconciliation and everything related to Judaism and antisemitism.
That ended last week, after Marci Surkes stepped down as chief policy advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She had to, she says, for personal reasons—mostly because of demanding hours, pandemic stress and working six days a week. (She would take Shabbat off.)
Given her role in helping shape the prime minister’s relationship with Canada’s Jewish community, her departure will be felt in Ottawa and beyond. She joins The CJN Daily podcast to pull the curtain back on her time in the PMO, including her handiwork on last summer’s antisemitism summit and how she handled Jewish organizations lobbying her on community issues.
Listen and subscribe above.
Watch the extended conversation (runs 33 minutes and it is good!) on The CJN’s YouTube Channel:
What we talked about:
- Watch the prime minister’s address in response to the truckers’ protests on YouTube
- Read “Former Ajax mayor Steve Parish dropped as Ontario NDP candidate for defending a Nazi’s namesake street” at thecjn.ca
- Join The CJN circle at thecjn.ca/circle
Credits
The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network; find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.
