Former Dion adviser pens new book, could create a bit of drama

by Shruti Shekar (feat. Jocelyn Coulon)

The Hill Times
April 9, 2018

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his former foreign affairs minister Stéphane Dion didn’t always see eye to eye, and a former adviser to Mr. Dion, Jocelyn Coulon, will launch a book on April 11 that reveals some details about the cold relationship.

Mr. Dion was first elected in 1996’s byelection and represented the riding of Saint-Laurenet-Cartierville, Que., for nearly 21 years before he resigned and became Canada’s ambassador to Germany and the European Union last year.

In Un selfie avec Justin Trudeau: Regard critique sur la diplomatie du premier minister, published by Québec Amérique, which translated to English is A Selfie with Justin Trudeau: A Critical Look at the Prime Minister’s Diplomacy, Mr. Coulon writes that Mr. Dion was never able to have a proper meeting with Mr. Trudeau. Mr Coulon worked for Mr. Dion in 2016 and 2017.

The two men weren’t on the same page when it came to parts of Canada’s foreign policy, and never had a proper face-to-face meeting until Jan. 6 of last year, according to an April 4 La Presse article.

Mr. Coulon is an author and was a columnist and reporter for Le Devoir. He currently is a writer for the international politics section in La Presse and is a researcher at the Centre for International Studies and Research at the University of Montreal.

Coinciding with the release of his book, Mr. Coulon will be at an event on April 18 in Montreal to discuss his new book and to launch it.