Parliament Hill face-off: Trudeau and his leading ministers begin battle against Ambrose and her top guns
Justin Trudeau versus Rona Ambrose
Trudeau’s strength was never in the Commons, where he laboured in the shadow of Mulcair when it came to holding the last government’s feet to the fire. But the new prime minister has set a torrid pace since his Oct. 19 election victory, and vows to continue his “sunny ways” approach to politics.
Ambrose, similarly, was not considered a question period heavyweight in the previous government, though she has held many senior portfolios. But since it’s, you know, 2015, a woman running the Official Opposition could bring a very different dynamic to the cut and thrust of debate.
Advantage: Trudeau. The Conservatives and NDP are still wobbling after the election. Trudeau has momentum and an agenda.
The ministers
Global Affairs: Stéphane Dion versus Tony Clement
Twenty years in federal politics, including several stints in cabinet and a turn as party leader have done nothing to erase Dion’s professorial persona: He remains among the most cerebral and unrelentingly earnest MPs on Parliament Hill.
Clement couldn’t be more different: The former federal and Ontario cabinet minister loves to use his quick wit and sharp tongue to amuse, engage and cajole.
Advantage: Clement’s ability to mix it up could give him the edge.
Immigration: John McCallum versus Michelle Rempel
McCallum’s folksy style belies a sharp political mind; the former bank economist has served in cabinet before and is well tested. That’s why he has one of the toughest files in government.
Calgary MP Rempel doesn’t have the same level of experience (though she was a minister of state), but she is respected and can be a fierce opponent: just check out her Twitter feed. The generational matchup will be interesting, too.
Advantage: McCallum has hit the ground running on the refugee file. Rempel will have to sprint to catch up.
Justice: Jody Wilson-Raybould versus Rob Nicholson
Vancouver MP Wilson-Raybould has a lengthy record as a spirited community activist and regional chief for the B.C. Assembly of First Nations. Her performance will be under the spotlight as she pushes an ambitious agenda, from reforming the criminal justice system to legalizing marijuana.
Nicholson is a clever and knowledgeable adversary, having held portfolios, including justice, in three Conservative governments.
Advantage: Wilson-Raybould honed her debating skills as a one-time Crown prosecutor in Vancouver. She won’t be easy to throw off balance.
Public Safety: Ralph Goodale versus Erin O’Toole
Goodale is unflappable, having served under three prime ministers (one of whom was Pierre Trudeau). He’ll bring a firm hand to a hectic and high-profile portfolio, ranging from security services to refugee screening to the promised overhaul of the Conservatives’ national security Bill C-51.
O’Toole cut his chops at parliamentary debating beginning last January when he replaced the failing Julian Fantino as minister of veteran affairs. Soon after the election, the former air force officer and lawyer wrote to his caucus colleagues saying, “Our goal must be to challenge the Liberals from day one.”
Advantage: Goodale, with his combination of charm and experience, will be tough to take down.
Defence: Harjit Sajjan versus James Bezan
Sajjan is new to the Commons but served in the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, so he’ll get up to speed quickly. He’s already a social media star, with his “bad ass” defence minister label.
Bezan served as parliamentary secretary to former defence minister Jason Kenney and on the Commons defence committee, so he comes with experience, too.
Advantage: Sajjan. As they say, he’s a “bad ***.”
Health: Jane Philpott versus Kellie Leitch
Philpott is a political rookie facing several hot issues: physician-assisted suicide; medicare reform; legalization of marijuana. Her strength? She’s a doctor. Her weakness? She’s never answered a question in the Commons. Leitch is also a doctor, first elected in 2011. She was labour minister and minister for status of women — and has leadership ambitions in her own party, which give her something to prove in the Commons.
Advantage: Watch for the matchup of the two physicians.
Treasury Board: Scott Brison versus Pierre Poilievre
Brison has to manage the Liberals’ spending promises, look for savings, and make nice with the public service — while stickhandling a tense round of contract talks over sick leave.
If that’s not enough, he faces attack-dog Poilievre, who earned his stripes as a loyal foot solder for Stephen Harper, taking on all political opponents.
Advantage: Brison, for his experience, but expect Poilievre to land some blows.
Canadian Heritage: Mélanie Joly versus Peter Van Loan
Joly made a name for herself when she ran for Montreal mayor in 2013 and finished second to former Liberal cabinet minister Denis Coderre. The lawyer and communications expert, who has promised to restore funding in the arts, will square off against Peter Van Loan, former Tory House leader, whose take-no-prisoners-style sometimes irked even fellow caucus members.
Advantage: Van Loan, who knows the ways of the Commons intimately.
Finance: Bill Morneau versus Lisa Raitt
Morneau is well qualified: he’s a longtime business executive who has advised the Ontario government on pension investments and retirement income. But he’s a political neophyte.
Raitt is one of the Conservative party’s most seasoned and respected MPs, a former minister with both a strong grasp of policy and a human touch. She’s also considered a likely candidate for the permanent Tory leadership.
Advantage: Raitt: The right combination of savvy, toughness and friendliness.
Parliament Hill face-off: Trudeau and his leading ministers begin battle against Ambrose and her top guns
Justin Trudeau versus Rona Ambrose
Trudeau’s strength was never in the Commons, where he laboured in the shadow of Mulcair when it came to holding the last government’s feet to the fire. But the new prime minister has set a torrid pace since his Oct. 19 election victory, and vows to continue his “sunny ways” approach to politics.
Ambrose, similarly, was not considered a question period heavyweight in the previous government, though she has held many senior portfolios. But since it’s, you know, 2015, a woman running the Official Opposition could bring a very different dynamic to the cut and thrust of debate.
Advantage: Trudeau. The Conservatives and NDP are still wobbling after the election. Trudeau has momentum and an agenda.
The ministers
Global Affairs: Stéphane Dion versus Tony Clement
Twenty years in federal politics, including several stints in cabinet and a turn as party leader have done nothing to erase Dion’s professorial persona: He remains among the most cerebral and unrelentingly earnest MPs on Parliament Hill.
Clement couldn’t be more different: The former federal and Ontario cabinet minister loves to use his quick wit and sharp tongue to amuse, engage and cajole.
Advantage: Clement’s ability to mix it up could give him the edge.
Immigration: John McCallum versus Michelle Rempel
McCallum’s folksy style belies a sharp political mind; the former bank economist has served in cabinet before and is well tested. That’s why he has one of the toughest files in government.
Calgary MP Rempel doesn’t have the same level of experience (though she was a minister of state), but she is respected and can be a fierce opponent: just check out her Twitter feed. The generational matchup will be interesting, too.
Advantage: McCallum has hit the ground running on the refugee file. Rempel will have to sprint to catch up.
Justice: Jody Wilson-Raybould versus Rob Nicholson
Vancouver MP Wilson-Raybould has a lengthy record as a spirited community activist and regional chief for the B.C. Assembly of First Nations. Her performance will be under the spotlight as she pushes an ambitious agenda, from reforming the criminal justice system to legalizing marijuana.
Nicholson is a clever and knowledgeable adversary, having held portfolios, including justice, in three Conservative governments.
Advantage: Wilson-Raybould honed her debating skills as a one-time Crown prosecutor in Vancouver. She won’t be easy to throw off balance.
Public Safety: Ralph Goodale versus Erin O’Toole
Goodale is unflappable, having served under three prime ministers (one of whom was Pierre Trudeau). He’ll bring a firm hand to a hectic and high-profile portfolio, ranging from security services to refugee screening to the promised overhaul of the Conservatives’ national security Bill C-51.
O’Toole cut his chops at parliamentary debating beginning last January when he replaced the failing Julian Fantino as minister of veteran affairs. Soon after the election, the former air force officer and lawyer wrote to his caucus colleagues saying, “Our goal must be to challenge the Liberals from day one.”
Advantage: Goodale, with his combination of charm and experience, will be tough to take down.
Defence: Harjit Sajjan versus James Bezan
Sajjan is new to the Commons but served in the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, so he’ll get up to speed quickly. He’s already a social media star, with his “bad ass” defence minister label.
Bezan served as parliamentary secretary to former defence minister Jason Kenney and on the Commons defence committee, so he comes with experience, too.
Advantage: Sajjan. As they say, he’s a “bad ***.”
Health: Jane Philpott versus Kellie Leitch
Philpott is a political rookie facing several hot issues: physician-assisted suicide; medicare reform; legalization of marijuana. Her strength? She’s a doctor. Her weakness? She’s never answered a question in the Commons. Leitch is also a doctor, first elected in 2011. She was labour minister and minister for status of women — and has leadership ambitions in her own party, which give her something to prove in the Commons.
Advantage: Watch for the matchup of the two physicians.
Treasury Board: Scott Brison versus Pierre Poilievre
Brison has to manage the Liberals’ spending promises, look for savings, and make nice with the public service — while stickhandling a tense round of contract talks over sick leave.
If that’s not enough, he faces attack-dog Poilievre, who earned his stripes as a loyal foot solder for Stephen Harper, taking on all political opponents.
Advantage: Brison, for his experience, but expect Poilievre to land some blows.
Canadian Heritage: Mélanie Joly versus Peter Van Loan
Joly made a name for herself when she ran for Montreal mayor in 2013 and finished second to former Liberal cabinet minister Denis Coderre. The lawyer and communications expert, who has promised to restore funding in the arts, will square off against Peter Van Loan, former Tory House leader, whose take-no-prisoners-style sometimes irked even fellow caucus members.
Advantage: Van Loan, who knows the ways of the Commons intimately.
Finance: Bill Morneau versus Lisa Raitt
Morneau is well qualified: he’s a longtime business executive who has advised the Ontario government on pension investments and retirement income. But he’s a political neophyte.
Raitt is one of the Conservative party’s most seasoned and respected MPs, a former minister with both a strong grasp of policy and a human touch. She’s also considered a likely candidate for the permanent Tory leadership.
Advantage: Raitt: The right combination of savvy, toughness and friendliness.
Parliament Hill face-off: Trudeau and his leading ministers begin battle against Ambrose and her top guns