Posted on 02/06/2006 10:34:54 AM PST by Clive
OTTAWA (CP) — Stephen Harper, who was dismissed less than two years ago as unelectable, was sworn in Monday as the country’s 22nd prime minister and immediately promised to move swiftly to “restore faith and trust” in government.
Harper, clutching his personal Bible, was sworn in by the clerk of the Privy Council, as his wife Laureen and their two young children, Ben and Rachel, looked on proudly.
He was followed in turn by his 26 new ministers who beamed as they took their oaths.
Harper arrived at Rideau Hall less than an hour after Paul Martin resigned, marking the end of a troubled two-year tenure that saw the scandal-plagued Liberals humbled by a resurgent Conservative party.
The biggest surprise was the presence of former industry minister David Emerson, who — just two weeks after being elected as a Liberal in the Jan. 23 election — defected to become minister of international trade.
The move could have a major impact on the balance of power in the 308-seat House of Commons. By raising the Conservative seat count to 125, it potentially gives the 29-member NDP caucus the ability to play kingmaker — but only of the Speaker is a Liberal rather than a Tory.
Another shock was the appointment of Michael Fortier, a key party organizer in Quebec, as public works minister. Fortier is not an MP.
“Our mission is clear,” Harper said in a news release. “We will restore faith and trust in our public institutions as we keep Canada strong and united.”
He boasted that his new smaller cabinet is “designed for work, not for show.”
“The 26 ministers are equal members of the team, ensuring equal voices from all regions of Canada,” he said in the release.
“The structure is designed to promote accountable, efficient and effective government — more focus and purpose; less process and cost.”
The cabinet, which totals 27 including Harper, is much leaner than the 39 positions the Liberals had, and drops the post of deputy prime minister.
And it’s lean in more than numbers — it contains just six women and only two visible minorities.
Top cabinet ministers include:
—Jim Flaherty, a former Ontario finance minister, at finance.
—Peter MacKay, who engineered the creation of the new Conservative party, at foreign affairs.
—Vic Toews, an ex-Manitoba justice minister, at justice.
—Gordon O’Connor, a former army general, at defence.
—Tony Clement, a one-time Ontario health minister, at health.
—Maxime Bernier, a Quebec MP, at industry.
—John Baird, former Ontario cabinet minister, at Treasury Board.
—Rob Nicholson, a former federal cabinet minister, is House leader and democratic reform minister.
—Chuck Strahl, who is battling cancer, at agriculture.
—Rona Ambrose, from Alberta, at environment.
Emerson’s defection was the best kept secret of a tightly guarded cabinet list. He was recruited by Martin to run in the 2004 election in Vancouver and he won that seat again in the Jan. 23 election.
His appointment gives the Conservatives a badly needed presence in one of the country’s three biggest cities where they failed to win a single seat on Jan. 23.
The choice of Fortier, a former president of the now-defunct Progressive Conservative party, is an attempt to build support in Quebec
Harper reaffirmed his commitment to focus on five key priorities:
—Clean up government with the Federal Accountability Act.
—Lower taxes, starting with a cut to the GST.
—Strengthen the justice system.
—Support child-care choices.
—Establish medical wait-time guarantees.
Three high-profile MPs who were touted for cabinet spots were notably absent: Diane Ablonczy, Jason Kenney and James Moore.
Nicholson, who represents Niagara Falls, Ont., is the only minister with previous experience in a federal cabinet, having served in Kim Campbell’s short-lived executive.
Flaherty, a former Ontario finance minister, was a longtime lawyer with a practice on Toronto’s Bay Street, giving him the kind of connections that should help reassure the barons of Canada’s financial capital.
MacKay’s assignment to the foreign affairs portfolio follows something of a tradition in Canadian politics that has seen party leaders giving the post to their formal rivals for the leadership. Jean Chretien was given the job after he lost the Liberal leadership to John Turner in 1984. Joe Clark was made minister of foreign affairs by Brian Mulroney.
Marjory LeBreton’s appointment as leader of the government in the Senate is sure to be popular among Conservatives. LeBreton has served every Conservative leader since John Diefenbaker.
LeBreton had a distant relationship with Harper for years. His move toward the political centre coincided with Harper’s reaching out to more moderate conservatives such as LeBreton.
Harper asked her to join him during the recent election campaign, where she served as a cool, experienced adviser to the new prime minister.
The Conservative government cabinet sworn in Monday, by official order of precedence, which is generally based on length of service in Parliament:
Prime Minister — Stephen Harper.
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform — Robert Nicholson.
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics — David Emerson.
Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec — Jean-Pierre Blackburn.
Minister of Veterans Affairs — Gregory Thompson.
Leader of the Government in the Senate — Marjory LeBreton.
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration — Monte Solberg.
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board — Chuck Strahl.
Minister of Natural Resources — Gary Lunn.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency — Peter MacKay.
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans — Loyola Hearn.
Minister of Public Safety — Stockwell Day.
Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification — Carol Skelton.
Minister of Justice; Attorney General of Canada — Vic Toews.
Minister of Environment — Rona Ambrose.
President of the Queen’s Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for Sport — Michael Chong.
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development — Diane Finley.
Minister of Defence — Gordon O’Connor.
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women — Bev Oda.
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians — Jim Prentice.
President of Treasury Board — John Baird.
Minister of Industry — Maxime Bernier.
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities — Lawrence Cannon.
Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario — Tony Clement.
Minister of Finance — James Flaherty.
Minister of International Co-operation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages — Josee Verner.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services — Michael Fortier.
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(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Start practicing writing, "Harper's Fault!" ;)
—Establish medical wait-time guarantees.
Obviously, President Bush needs to do these as well. Our federal child-care and health-care systems are a mess!
Hey left wing loonies,
IT BURNS, DON`T IT !?
HURTS !?
Now where are lefties going to run? Cuba?
I heard they are having a big anti- American rally there. The gov. should watch closely how many "American's" (leftist loons) attend and bash the government. Make them stay there forever.
Canada Ping!
Please FReepmail me to get on or off this Canada ping list.
Disappointed that Stephen Fletch and James Moore are not in this cabinet.
PM Harper is a strategist. I think he's tried to do what's best for the country.
We will soon see. Be patient, Sam.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
I had really been wishing that Stockwell Day, my representative and a long time good Conservative, would have been appointed as Foreign Affairs minister but I will trust Stephens judgment as to his appointments. I wonder what Ron Caanan's role will be in this government. He's a newly elected member to the Federal part of government having served in my city for 9 years as a city counsellor. He's an openly declared Christian Conservative and a really good man. He even stated on local talk radio that he knew he had to learn the "ropes" in Ottawa.
Your hopeful post negates your tag line, FRiend.
:-D
Yeah me too Sam but then he doesn't have the same problem getting votes in the West. He will have surely had a very personal meeting with his party.
Just haven't thought of a new tagline yet fanfan. Give me some time.
The Toronto Liberal/CBC elite probably were reacting like a vampire seeing sunlight at that sight.
:-)
All the time in the world.
I'm posting with out one for now.
My new tag line is out there.
However, I don't seem to have found it yet.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
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