With a daunting final 14 months left in the council term, Mayor Larry O’Brien made some changes around his office.
O’Brien has maintained a skeleton crew in his office for most of his time as mayor, but is now added a few bodies.
The most notable addition is Jasmine MacDonnell, as his new communications director.
MacDonnell previously worked as the press secretary for federal Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt, but resigned from that post on June 3 in the wake of a controversy involving top secret documents relating to Canada’s nuclear industry were left in an Ottawa TV newsroom.
Almost immediately after she resigned, MacDonnell was embroiled in another controversy.
This one involving a recording she accidentally made of Raitt describing the medical isotope crisis as “sexy.”
MacDonnell will be replacing Lindsay Valente, who is leaving to pursue another opportunity.
The mayor’s policy advisor Brent Colbert will assume the position of chief of staff. The position has been vacant since Eric Lamoureux left in May.
