Harper's new cabinet

[Locutus]

Meet Stephen Harper's new cabinet. He has named eight new ministers, four of whom are women. Monday's shuffle is intended to put a fresh face on government that has seen its polling numbers slip in the wake of the Senate scandal. The appointees represent a generational shift at a time when the government is preparing for a fall speech from the Throne and a federal election in two years. The prime minister's revamped inner circle includes some veteran stalwarts like Jim Flaherty in finance and some ministers in new portfolios - Tim Uppal multiculturalism and Jason Kenney in social development.

Harper cabinet shuffle: 8 new ministers named | Toronto Star

 

[Walter]

Too big.

 

[Jonny_C]

A cabinet shuffle means nothing, particularly when so many members of cabinet are non-entities.

The whole impression of this government is that besides Harper and Flaherty (and maybe Kenney and Clement), the other personalities don't really matter.

Any idea that a cabinet shuffle is a "fix" is ludicrous.

 

[damngrumpy]

The other problem is the governments numbers were slipping before the Senate Scandal.
A fresh face on a that bunch is difficult, and if the senate scandal gets legs in September
this government might not make it two years majority or not. There comes a time when its
no longer prudent to govern in such circumstances

 

[Jonny_C]

Two years is a hell of a long time in politics.

Just suppose this gov't gets a European trade deal, an Asia/Pacific trade deal, Keystone XL approved.

And suppose the bloom wears of Trudeau's rose.

Too early to count the Conservatives out, although they have not looked good lately, largely through their own fault.

 

[Nuggler]

Johnny; they ain't looked good since the G20 and the gazebos----------------wayyyyyyyyyyy back when.

Then there's the gutting of any scientific office which disagrees with their faith based nonsense.

And the Navigable Waters thing..................well.................we can vote in a couple of years.

Oh yah, forgot the election rigging, robo thing.............a MAJORITY of 37%........

I feel bad as a member of the CANADIAN CONSERVATIVE FORUM, having to say that; but facts is facts.

Funny they use the term "shuffle" as in deal from the bottom of the deck.

 

[Jonny_C]

I feel bad as a member of the CANADIAN CONSERVATIVE FORUM, having to say that; but facts is facts.

Yes, there are issues that have piled up on which the Conservatives have done poorly, no question. The maxim that a government defeats itself is an accurate one, as the government makes policy and can't escape accountability for that. The opposition, meanwhile, is an unknown quantity and can look like a better alternative.

I'm of the opinion that it's not a good thing for a party of any political stripe to be too long and too comfortable in power. It seems to breed arrogance and to some extent corruption. That will factor into my choice the next time... have the Conservatives passed their "Best Before" date and is there an alternative that looks better?

For me the only alternative is Liberal; I've never voted NDP.

 

[Nuggler]

Yep, look at Cretien: Arrogance personified. Entitled to his entitlements.

But maybe we should give the Libs a peek, just to let Harpo know someone's awake.

NDP..................I thought maybe, but..............no.

Maybe Barfer can buy me off before 2013.

As the great Mulroo once said: no *****(hoor) like an old *****(hoor)...................he knew


One can say fukk but not w h o r e.

nice.

Meet Stephen Harper's new cabinet. He has named eight new ministers, four of whom are women. Monday's shuffle is intended to put a fresh face on government that has seen its polling numbers slip in the wake of the Senate scandal. The appointees represent a generational shift at a time when the government is preparing for a fall speech from the Throne and a federal election in two years. The prime minister's revamped inner circle includes some veteran stalwarts like Jim Flaherty in finance and some ministers in new portfolios - Tim Uppal multiculturalism and Jason Kenney in social development.

Harper cabinet shuffle: 8 new ministers named | Toronto Star

You using your right or left hand in that avatar ?

Right of course. How silly of me.

 

[Zipperfish]

Yes, there are issues that have piled up on which the Conservatives have done poorly, no question. The maxim that a government defeats itself is an accurate one, as the government makes policy and can't escape accountability for that. The opposition, meanwhile, is an unknown quantity and can look like a better alternative.

I'm of the opinion that it's not a good thing for a party of any political stripe to be too long and too comfortable in power. It seems to breed arrogance and to some extent corruption. That will factor into my choice the next time... have the Conservatives passed their "Best Before" date and is there an alternative that looks better?

For me the only alternative is Liberal; I've never voted NDP.

Yeah, I'll go with the old saying: Politicians, like babies, need to be changed regularly...and for the same reason.

 

[Trex]

All in all a pretty decent cabinet shuffle.
Got rid of a bit of deadwood and a couple of whiners and then replaced them with some fresh new faces who get a chance to make a name for themselves.
I would have also liked to have seen Clement, Van Loan and Poilievre booted to the far back benchs but unfortunately that did not happen.
Nice to see Quebec continuing to loose stature in Harpers cabinet and the rest of the provinces gaining respectively.
Look at this cabinet as the spring training camp for the Fed election in two years.
About a year from now the Con's are going to go into full election mode and Harper is going to need to figure out his campaign batting order.

 

[tay]

Yep, look at Cretien: Arrogance personified. Entitled to his entitlements.

But maybe we should give the Libs a peek, just to let Harpo know someone's awake.

NDP..................I thought maybe, but..............no.

.

If I hear one more person say they are considering giving the NDP a try I'll scream..........

 

[FiveParadox]

One of my major concerns with this Cabinet shuffle is that the prime minister has no plans to replace Senator the Honourable Marjory LeBreton P.C. (Ontario), the Leader of Her Majesty's Government in the Senate, at the Cabinet table. While he has indicated an intention to consult with the Conservative caucus in the Senate before the appointment of a "leader," speculation is that this person is not going to be a minister with the Government.

Cutting the link between the Government caucus in the Senate, and the Cabinet, is a dangerous game that the prime minister is about to embark on. Without that direct channel of communication between the Government and its Conservative caucus in the Senate, the Government is at even more risk than it is now of Conservative senators voting down Government-backed bills. (Which is fantastic, in my opinion -- just an absolutely bizarre tactical choice for a prime minister who has loved control.)

This also presents extreme procedural problems for the Senate. Currently, only ministers can rise to respond to oral questions in the Senate on matters of Government policy. The effect of a failure to appoint a minister out of the Upper House will mean that the Government will not have an official voice in the Senate (and that the Senate may be unable to discharge its constitutional authority to hold the Government accountable for its performance and conduct).

I hope that the Senate recognises this decision of the prime minister as the parliamentary contempt that it is, and that senators on both sides of the House come together to frustrate the prime minister's agenda until he agrees to deal and correspond with the Senate in a professional and mature manner.

The prime minister needs to recognise that he cannot simply get rid of the Senate by refusing to appoint senators (as he attempted for several months near the start of his Government), or by refusing to have a properly-constituted Government caucus. The Senate has constitutional functions that must be discharged under the Constitution Act, 1867, and it will continue to perform those functions with or without the prime minister. It's in his own interest to play by the rules.

 

[Mowich]

Meet Stephen Harper's new cabinet. He has named eight new ministers, four of whom are women. Monday's shuffle is intended to put a fresh face on government that has seen its polling numbers slip in the wake of the Senate scandal. The appointees represent a generational shift at a time when the government is preparing for a fall speech from the Throne and a federal election in two years. The prime minister's revamped inner circle includes some veteran stalwarts like Jim Flaherty in finance and some ministers in new portfolios - Tim Uppal multiculturalism and Jason Kenney in social development.

Harper cabinet shuffle: 8 new ministers named | Toronto Star

I do think it is time Stephen seriously considered stepping down and letting someone else in the party take the lead. He could write another hockey book.....maybe even coach.