Harpers Cabinet Includes A Liberal And A Senator.

will someone enlighten me about the precident/legality regarding having an unelected person as a Cabinet Minister?

I was under the (apparently misguided) impression that a mandate from the public was implicit in a public office position.

How can someone with no mandate - indeed no constituency - claim to be a 'representative' of anyone.

I know that democracy is a relic but don't we even stive for the optics anymore?

Really, can a PM just put anyone he wants in a Cabinet position? Really? Can he? I'm still sitting here trying to scoop my jaw off the floor...

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... just a friendly reminder to always take the internet less seriously than you take your gut!

It's not unprecidented, Trudeau appointed an unelected man to cabinet. He ran in a byelection, and lost, and resigned. It's also not against the rules to appoint a Senator to cabinet. It's just highly unusual, as the minister would be expected to run in a byelection caused by someone stepping down. I don't know if a sitting Senator can run for Parlament.

I don't think there is anything saying the PM can appoint a Senator conditionally, nor is there anything forcing that Senator to resign when the next election is called.

Seems funny for someone campaigning on Senate reform to use the senate in such a way.


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"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

So, is anyone else nervous that a newbie MP is made Minister of the Environment? From Alberta??

If there ever was a setup for corruption in Government . . .


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"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

It is amazing that Jean Chretien never thought of this idea. Public Works has sometimes referred to as the Department of Pork. It is the Department through which political parties reward their supporters. By having a minister that is unelected and carefully hidden away in the Senate he will not be subject to potentially embarassing questions during question period.

This was an idea worthy of Jean Chretien and it sets the tone for what to expect in the future. Harper certainly is making many of his supporters hypocrites because now, the same people who condemned the Liberals for using the cabinet to lure defectors, will now have to defend Harper for doing the same thing.

What honesty and integrity!!!!!

Scary bunch! Tony Clement, former Ontario Tory health minister under Mike Harris. Jim Flaherty and John Baird are also Harris tories. We here in Ontario know of the damage they did. I`m not at all re-assured by this so-called minority. These guys will give the Bloc all the provincial powers they want! The liberals will sit and co-operate with all pro-American, pro-corporate activity. And Jack Layton will still be sitting there with that stupid smirk on his face, leading a half-ass NDP critique.

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Dave Ruston

No kidding about the Senate reform Doc. Let us remember today's Conservative party is for all purposes still the Reform Party and they grew up standing against such moves. Talk about hypocrisy of the highest order.

What happened to all the talk about accountability, restoring faith blah blah blah. Just more broken election promises - as always.

Sadly in a year and half when we have another election this will have sunk down the memory hole for most voters.

Liberals - Conservatives - what is the difference anyways?

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If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

Why the surprise? Environmental groups all ranked the Conservative party dead last on their environmental platform. Adding a person such as this to that causes me no shock! Nervous - no, this is just what rational thinkers saw coming from the party of big business.

I have not investigated her background, but I don't hold out faith that she is an environmentalist of any order, nor probably has any real dealings with such a portfolio. If I am wrong please, someone correct me - the environment will be happier for it!

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If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

I feel sorry for the people of Vancouver kingsway for there loss of democracy and sorry for all Canadians. In addition I'm sorry that we now get a government that shows it's lies the first day in power.<br />
<br />
David Emerson should be recalled, an option that Stephen Harper has clearly stated in the past. <br />
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It's up to you, if you believe in democracy recall this guy and spread the word of this petition.<br />
<a href="http://www.PetitionOnline.com/RDE/">http://www.PetitionOnline.com/RDE/</a><br />

Again, Canada is not a democracy and these are NOT representatives. They have never been and only pretend to be at elections. This is VERY scary stuff to hear right out of the gate. One of the only credits I gave Harper was the elected Senate. To be dumping that straight off SHOULD piss off a lot of conservatives. Anybody know a good conservative blog? I'd be interested in seeing the comments.

You aren't wrong Roy. As part of my pre-election due dilligence, I checked her out, as she's a candidate in my riding and for the last two elections and now my MP.

She's eye candy. Just there to fulfill the 'white female' and 'young' demographic. God, I hope she doesn't f* it uptoo badly.

I don't know why John Williams wasn't picked, or Rahim Jaffer, who IMO would have filled this position better. As our dear readers my know, I have a big problem with putting a less qualified person in charge because of the percieved need to 'appear' unbiased.

While I'm on that subject, why are there 5 ministers from Quebec? And why are most of the 'top' ministries given to Eastern candidates? Doesn't Harper remember what the West will do to PM's that ignore us, his 'power base'? *cough*Mulroney*cough*



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"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

One would almost think that in their choices for cabinet, the Senator thing, and Emerson thrown in on top of that, that they were trying to self-destruct.

The big question remains though - do Conservative supporters and voters care? If they do, will they even remember come election time?

But what is it with Conservative parties in the last 20 years? They almost always seem to say one thing then do the direct opposite. I include the BC liberal party and Federal Liberals in that as well, as they are all but Conservatives save the name. Now ol'Klein there he is about the only one who almost always does what he says - if its bad he doesn't hide behind a lie or some made up name like 'operation Iraqi freedom', or 'restoring accountability', he just says it. For that at least he deserves some respect!

On the whole though - Conservative Party and the environment is a non-starter. I expected nothing real from them in that regard. Well other than copying the American model of putting polluters in charge of making regulations to 'clean up' their own acts.

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If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

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I guess this was the only way for the Conservatives to get an mp in Vancouver. Next election he will be toast as that riding always foes NDP or Liberal not tory. Vancouver city is pretty left leaning and for this to have happened just 2 weeks after election makes me wonder if this has been in the works for quite a while.

I thought Harper supported people crossing the floor having to run again? If it was a Liberal mp from Alberta there probably would be a by-election as he would win under the tory banner, but since it is in Vancouver the NDP or Liberals would win the by election.

Harper gave him a cabinet post, ha ha what a joke. Harper is no different than what Martin did by giving Stronach a Cabinet post when she crossed.

I see Stephen Harper is no different than the people he was bitching about.

I wonder how long time Tory mp's and his base in Alberta are going to feel about him giving a total stranger who crossed the floor just 2 weeks after election, a cabinet post?

This could cause ripples in the Conservative Party. I wonder if the knives will be out for Harper?

On election night he said he "Would be Harpers worst nightmare". What a loser. People in his riding are not to happy especially doing it just after election.

Emerson received 20,064 votes as a Lib, the NDP received 15,570 votes and the Conservatives received 8699 votes, in that Vancouver Kingsway riding.

The main surprise for me reading through this thread is that most people seem surprised. Let's face it, as I have always said politics is what it is and it doesn't really matter what colour tie you're wearing. As far as ideologies, there really is no left or right. Parties are motivated to propose those things that will gain the greatest amount of support and thereby give them power.
As for the appointments and crossing the floor, well its easy to see what is happening here. Harper is willing to soften his stand on an elected senate for the time being, and is willing to be a tad hippocritical in order to both increase the number of conservatives in the house and to bring those urban centres into the fold. This he hopes will give him the base on which he can build future support. We all know that running a minority government is more of an on-going campaign than it is actually governing, so doing these things now is a good political move for Harper. He now must spend the next 18 to 24 months handing out candy to all us kids so that come election time we will all say... "well, he's done a pretty good job. I guess I can vote for him".
Underhandedness aside, you have to admitt it's pretty clever political manouvering. After all, let's say the conservatives get tossed out - where is the better option?
That is the real tragedy in Canadian politics. I really think that if Don Cherry ran for PM this country would elect him....hmmmm.... maybe not such a bad idea.

One thing for sure this Conservative cabinet will not be shy on legal advice, it has in total nine (9) members of the Canadian Bar Association (lawyers), six (6) former teachers, six (6) former bureaucrats from provincial governments, three (3) semi-business associates , two (2) economists and one (1) retired military General & Consultant.

1. Prime Minister Stephen Harper,46,lobbyist, economist
2. Trade Minister David Emerson, 60; economist
3. Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn, 48; former lawyer
4. Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, 40; Lawyer
5. House Leader Rob Nicholson, 53; lawyer
6. Justice Minister Vic Toews, 53; lawyer
7. Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, 49; lawyer
8. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, 56; lawyer
9. Public Works Minister Michael Fortier, 44; financier and lawyer
10. Industry Minister Maxime Bernier; Lawyer
11. Health Minister Tony Clement, 44; Counsel, lawyer
12. Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, 57;professor - Community college
13. Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson, 58; teacher,
14. Human Resources Minister Diane Finley, 48; school administrator
15. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, 55; school administrator
16. Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn, 62; principal, teacher
17. Heritage Minister Bev Oda, 61; teacher
18. Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon, 58 ,consultant, bureaucrat
19. Treasury Board Chairman John Baird; Consultant
20. International Co-operation Minister Josee Verner, 46; 20 years public service
21. Revenue Minister Carol Skelton, 60; Canadian Blood Services Bureaucrat
22. Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, 36,senior public bureaucrat
23. Senate Leader Marjory LeBreton, 66; 31 years a Progressive Conservative party worker
24. Immigration Minister Monte Solberg, 47; former broadcaster
25. Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl, 48; former logging contractor
26. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Michael Chong, 34; business
27. Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor, 66; army general retired, Consultant lobbyist.

Who said Lawyers haven't planted themselves deep in our political system.

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Good government is not a party government