2014 Ontario Provincial Election

[AlvinofDiaspar]

The funny thing is by all accounts the Liberal election win was on no small part due to Wynne's personality - she doesn't have to be "paying" anyone with "our" money. And let's not pretend that the size of the cabinet is an oracle for whether a government is fiscally prudent or what position it will take in labour negotiations.

AoD

 

[JasonParis]

The size of cabinet generally tends to be symbolism over substance.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

A cynic might suggest that Ms Wynne is repaying people with our money.

58 Liberal MPPs....one will be speaker...1 is premier...so of the remaining 56, 27 of them are cabinet ministers?

Is this part of the fiscal prudence that will get the budget balanced...to increase the cost of government by increasing the size of cabinet?

Tough choices? When you decide on your cabinet and one guy from the old cabinet is left out and rather than cut his wages to a backbencher you decide to keep him in cabinet to "dispense advice and wisdom in cabinet" that really shows what direction we are headed in! Are we to believe that Jim Bradley is such a dedicated member of the OLP/Ontario team that if he was not receiving a cabinet member's salary he would have withheld his wisdom and advice?

This sort of "discipline" is a very poor indicator of how this government will approach the labour negotiations ahead.....got a problem, write a cheque!

The funny thing is by all accounts the Liberal election win was on no small part due to Wynne's personality - she doesn't have to be "paying" anyone with "our" money. And let's not pretend that the size of the cabinet is an oracle for whether a government is fiscally prudent or what position it will take in labour negotiations.

AoD

The size of cabinet generally tends to be symbolism over substance.

Jim Bradley is the oldest Liberal MPP, he deserves something, he has severed a long time and held them together post Peterson.

Having said that, 27 cabinet minsters is too much. Simply too much. And what the heck are associate ministers?

 

[TOareaFan]

Jim Bradley is the oldest Liberal MPP, he deserves something, he has severed a long time and held them together post Peterson.

Sure....so if he has been such a great Liberal...let the Liberal party of Ontario give him his deserved reward. Why do the taxpayers of Ontario have to pay for a Minister without Portfolio who's only identified job is to dispense wisdom and advice to the cabinet just because the premier can bring herself to say "sorry Jim, there is no room for you in this cabinet".

Having said that, 27 cabinet minsters is too much. Simply too much.

Fully agree.

 

[adma]

Jim Bradley is the oldest Liberal MPP, he deserves something, he has severed a long time and held them together post Peterson.

He may be the longest sitting MPP, but he isn't the oldest; *that* honour falls to Monte Kwinter (who, at 83, is the oldest MPP *ever*)

 

[W. K. Lis]

Why is the cabinet so large?

Transportation was split from Infrastructure. Treasury Board portfolio was created to say "NO" to spending. That's to start.

 

[StatGeek]

The cabinet is a bit large. But it seems to be the norm. The federal Conservatives seem to have everybody as a cabinet minister as well. It's the one Hudak promise that I liked when he said he would cut down.

How out of touch are Conservative commentators. Sue Ann Levy is STILL using latte as an slang to diss the "elites" . Seriously they sell them in Timmies. You can make them at home really simply now with machine.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

The cabinet is a bit large. But it seems to be the norm. The federal Conservatives seem to have everybody as a cabinet minister as well. It's the one Hudak promise that I liked when he said he would cut down.

How out of touch are Conservative commentators. Sue Ann Levy is STILL using latte as an slang to diss the "elites" . Seriously they sell them in Timmies. You can make them at home really simply now with machine.

It's one of these feel good promises that's more about optics than the decision making style of the premier/prime minister..

AoD

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Sure....so if he has been such a great Liberal...let the Liberal party of Ontario give him his deserved reward. Why do the taxpayers of Ontario have to pay for a Minister without Portfolio who's only identified job is to dispense wisdom and advice to the cabinet just because the premier can bring herself to say "sorry Jim, there is no room for you in this cabinet".

Jim is the longest serving MP (thanks adma ) and he has done a lot, I don't necessarily have a problem with him being there to help the newer members of the legislature

Fully agree.

27 is just too much.

He may be the longest sitting MPP, but he isn't the oldest; *that* honour falls to Monte Kwinter (who, at 83, is the oldest MPP *ever*)

Thank You

Transportation was split from Infrastructure. Treasury Board portfolio was created to say "NO" to spending. That's to start.

The cabinet is a bit large. But it seems to be the norm. The federal Conservatives seem to have everybody as a cabinet minister as well. It's the one Hudak promise that I liked when he said he would cut down.

How out of touch are Conservative commentators. Sue Ann Levy is STILL using latte as an slang to diss the "elites" . Seriously they sell them in Timmies. You can make them at home really simply now with machine.

Even the NDP was going to have a smaller cabinet, and a minister of fiscal responsibility!
And look at all the associate positions now too.

 

[TOareaFan]

Jim is the longest serving MP (thanks adma ) and he has done a lot, I don't necessarily have a problem with him being there to help the newer members of the legislature

The implication is that he would not make his "wisdom and advice" available to new members of the legislature or, even, the cabinet if he was not actually in cabinet, with the salary and staff and cost that comes with that.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

The implication is that he would not make his "wisdom and advice" available to new members of the legislature or, even, the cabinet if he was not actually in cabinet, with the salary and staff and cost that comes with that.

Well we are not paying any more of him since was already in cabinet. I don't see the problem. If he was still there and the cabinet had 20 or 15 ministers would this be an issue?

 

[TOareaFan]

Well we are not paying any more of him since was already in cabinet. I don't see the problem. If he was still there and the cabinet had 20 or 15 ministers would this be an issue?

I am confused.....you agree the cabinet is too large but you disagree that the one minister without any assigned/specific duties should be cut?

 

[BurlOak]

I am confused.....you agree the cabinet is too large but you disagree that the one minister without any assigned/specific duties should be cut?

I think the confusion is Cabinet vs. Caucus.

By being a Liberal, Bradley is in Caucus and gets a certain salary. He could provide input at weekly meeting just like any other MPP.

Putting him in Cabinet increases his salary, but it also provides him numerous additional staff.

 

[TOareaFan]

I think the confusion is Cabinet vs. Caucus.

By being a Liberal, Bradley is in Caucus and gets a certain salary. He could provide input at weekly meeting just like any other MPP.

Putting him in Cabinet increases his salary, but it also provides him numerous additional staff.

I have no confusion over that.....what my confusion is is how someone could say cabinet is too big but support the retention of a minister of cabinet (and those resultant extra costs) who has no portfolio.

 

[BurlOak]

I have no confusion over that.....what my confusion is is how someone could say cabinet is too big but support the retention of a minister of cabinet (and those resultant extra costs) who has no portfolio.

sorry, I did not mean to imply that the confusion was on your part.