A comment on the previous post asked where was my appraisal of yesterday’s federal cabinet shuffle. Given the extreme nothingness of the changes in the Harper ministry, I certainly felt in urgency to write about them.
There were hopeful rumours last week that the PM night significantly reduce the size of cabinet, maybe even half it. That would have been newsworthy if for nothing more than the fact that it would have brought the ratio of ministers in line with the number of cabinet worthy MPs in the CPC caucus. Well more in line. The country does need more than 2-3 ministers I guess. Alas that was not to be.
If the cliché “moving the deck chairs on the Titanic” ever was apt, yesterday’s show at Rideau Hall demands its use to describe the PM’‘s gamesmanship. One new not-quite-a-minister to replace one retiring minister. Is that all the talent Harper could spot in his caucus? And he sees them daily. No wonder Canadians removed thousands of kilometres from Ottawa cant’ see it. And just what exactly does a mistier of state do anyway? They don’t sit in cabinet, but maybe they get security clearance to process a bit of paper for a real minister. They get an expense account and a driver which is nice for the staff who the jobs. They also prove that a fewer ministers would change little.
The great debate seems to be whether Peter MacKay was demoted or transferred. While Defence may be popular in Atlantic Canada due to the proximity of so many bases, and MacKay will welcome the opportunity to visit Canadian Forces personnel on weekends and still be home early to pick potatoes and walk the dog, Defence is a demotion from External Affairs. Having been given no rein by the PM to explain Canada’s foreign policy objectives, the PM has punished MacKay by moving him to a lower profile and less prestigious position. I think no one expects the PM to allow Mackay or anyone else to take over management of the defence portfolio. The critical file will remain in the PM’s in-box.
Maxime Bernier may be a good businessman and an articulate spokesperson for the government, but where is the experience and record that show he is ready for Foreign Affairs? Again, it doesn’t really matter since the PM will handle that file too.
The saddest thing about the shuffle is pulling Jim Prentice from Indian Affairs just when he may have been making some headway on arguably the most important domestic social file since Stéphane Dion worked on national unity. How much momentum will be lost, how much trust squandered? Is it that Prentice was making too much progress towards resolving first nations’ issues and the PM wanted to abort the process before an accord was reached? One thing is certain – once again native interests are tossed aside.
If I had to name a winner or two in yesterday’s moves, they would be Bev Oda and Gordon O’Connor. They kept their cabinet positions, salaries and perks although surely we need a Minister of International Co-operation as much as we need a Keeper of the Great Seal of Canada.
Notably, the PM refused permission for any minister to respond to media questions yesterday and dragged the press over to 24 Sussex where he took all questions and delivered no answers. Should we assume the highly centralized model where all power and authority rest in the PMO will continue for the duration of this government.
The Opposition should be pleased the PM will not be sharing any more responsibility with his cabinet. When the PM controls all, he must also take the credit and blame for everything the government does. There will be no shortage of blame for Jack Layton and Stéphane Dion to lay at Harper’s feet come the next election.
There were hopeful rumours last week that the PM night significantly reduce the size of cabinet, maybe even half it. That would have been newsworthy if for nothing more than the fact that it would have brought the ratio of ministers in line with the number of cabinet worthy MPs in the CPC caucus. Well more in line. The country does need more than 2-3 ministers I guess. Alas that was not to be.
If the cliché “moving the deck chairs on the Titanic” ever was apt, yesterday’s show at Rideau Hall demands its use to describe the PM’‘s gamesmanship. One new not-quite-a-minister to replace one retiring minister. Is that all the talent Harper could spot in his caucus? And he sees them daily. No wonder Canadians removed thousands of kilometres from Ottawa cant’ see it. And just what exactly does a mistier of state do anyway? They don’t sit in cabinet, but maybe they get security clearance to process a bit of paper for a real minister. They get an expense account and a driver which is nice for the staff who the jobs. They also prove that a fewer ministers would change little.
The great debate seems to be whether Peter MacKay was demoted or transferred. While Defence may be popular in Atlantic Canada due to the proximity of so many bases, and MacKay will welcome the opportunity to visit Canadian Forces personnel on weekends and still be home early to pick potatoes and walk the dog, Defence is a demotion from External Affairs. Having been given no rein by the PM to explain Canada’s foreign policy objectives, the PM has punished MacKay by moving him to a lower profile and less prestigious position. I think no one expects the PM to allow Mackay or anyone else to take over management of the defence portfolio. The critical file will remain in the PM’s in-box.
Maxime Bernier may be a good businessman and an articulate spokesperson for the government, but where is the experience and record that show he is ready for Foreign Affairs? Again, it doesn’t really matter since the PM will handle that file too.
The saddest thing about the shuffle is pulling Jim Prentice from Indian Affairs just when he may have been making some headway on arguably the most important domestic social file since Stéphane Dion worked on national unity. How much momentum will be lost, how much trust squandered? Is it that Prentice was making too much progress towards resolving first nations’ issues and the PM wanted to abort the process before an accord was reached? One thing is certain – once again native interests are tossed aside.
If I had to name a winner or two in yesterday’s moves, they would be Bev Oda and Gordon O’Connor. They kept their cabinet positions, salaries and perks although surely we need a Minister of International Co-operation as much as we need a Keeper of the Great Seal of Canada.
Notably, the PM refused permission for any minister to respond to media questions yesterday and dragged the press over to 24 Sussex where he took all questions and delivered no answers. Should we assume the highly centralized model where all power and authority rest in the PMO will continue for the duration of this government.
The Opposition should be pleased the PM will not be sharing any more responsibility with his cabinet. When the PM controls all, he must also take the credit and blame for everything the government does. There will be no shortage of blame for Jack Layton and Stéphane Dion to lay at Harper’s feet come the next election.
