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West wins with 2 top Cabinet positions
Goodale gets Finance, McLellan Deputy PM
Robert Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief, with files from David Vienneau, Ian Jack, Don Martin and Mark Kennedy
CanWest News Service
Friday, December 12, 2003
Anne McLellan will become the new Deputy Prime Minister.
CREDIT: Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - Paul Martin will undertake a massive overhaul of the Cabinet frontbench today, sweeping aside most Chretien ministers and radically restructuring government when he is sworn in as Canada's 21st prime minister.
Mr. Martin, who spent almost a decade as Canada's most influential finance minister and Jean Chretien's heir apparent, will give prominent roles to two Western Canadians in a bid to appeal to the country's fastest growing region in the next general election.
Ralph Goodale, the Public Works Minister from Saskatchewan, becomes Finance Minister and Edmonton's Anne McLellan, currently the Health Minister, will be Deputy Prime Minister and head a new Public Safety Ministry similar to the U.S. Homeland Security Department. The new portfolio will include Emergencies Canada, the RCMP, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Customs and military intelligence.
Officials say Manitoba MP Reg Alcock, the tough-talking chairman of the Commons government operations committee who exposed the George Radwanski scandal, will be elevated to Treasury Board President, in charge of managing the public service, while Ottawa MP David Pratt is the new Defence Minister. A junior defence minister is also expected to be appointed.
Quebec, where the Liberals hope to win many of the 75 seats in the next election, will also be a big winner in today's Cabinet, as will voter-rich Ontario.
Some portfolios will be scaled down as Mr. Martin attempts to demonstrate some fiscal restraint.
Pierre Pettigrew, the International Trade Minister and a Quebec nationalist known as a conciliator and bridge-builder, gets a major promotion under the Martin government.
Insiders say Mr. Pettigrew becomes Health Minister and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister and will also chair a new Cabinet committee on domestic affairs. He also becomes Mr. Martin's Quebec lieutenant and will be in charge of official languages.
Government insiders say Mr. Martin plans to split Human Resources, which has a reputation for mismanagement and was the subject of a damning audit in 2000 that exposed $1-billion in misspending.
Joe Volpe, a Toronto MP, becomes the new Minister of Labour and Learning, while Quebec MP Liza Frulla is in line to handle other responsibilities in what was the massive Human Resources department. Mr. Volpe will also become Ontario political minister.
Lucienne Robillard, current head of the Treasury Board, moves to Industry, and there is speculation that Toronto MP Jim Peterson will become the new minister in charge of an expanded International Trade and Investment portfolio and Ottawa MP Mauril Belanger takes over Heritage Canada.
In other moves, Ontario MP Bob Speller is expected to be the new Agriculture Minister, replacing Lyle Vanclief; Gars Knutson, Secretary of State for the Middle East, is moved up to head the Canadian International Development Agency; and Andy Mitchell, Secretary of State for northern development, gets a major promotion to Indian and Northern Affairs.
Hamilton MP Stan Keyes is Revenue Minister and Tony Valeri, from Stoney Creek, is promoted from the backbenches to Transport.
Toronto MP Judy Sgro or John Godfrey could be named to the role of Environment Minister to replace David Anderson, expected to become Immigration Minister, though Ms. Sgro may only be named a parliamentary secretary to Mr. Martin on urban affairs.
Prince Edward Island MP Joe McGuire, who supported Mr. Martin in the 1990 leadership, squeezes out fellow islander Wayne Easter, the Solicitor-General, and gets the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and possibly Fisheries, sources say.
Mr. Martin has decided the size of the Cabinet will remain roughly the same as the current body, which has 27 ministers and 11 secretaries of state. However, there will be a structural change that will be significant. Within the full Cabinet, there will be a powerful new core of 12 ministers -- assigned the priorities and planning committee -- that will shape all government policy.
Parliamentary secretaries will also be sworn in as privy councillors and given major responsibilities to develop and promote legislation as part of Mr. Martin's promise of renewing Parliament.
The Cabinet changes have left a lot of bad blood. Junior finance minister Maurizio Bevilacqua was told he was out and was offered a parliamentary secretaryship by Mr. Martin but he turned it down. Mr. Bevilacqua was punished for cozying up to Mr. Chretien during the leadership squabbles in 2002, well-placed sources say.
Toronto MP Tony Ianno and London, Ont., MP Joe Fontana were also disappointed to learn they weren't in Cabinet. John McCallum, currently the Defence Minister, will be demoted to Veterans Affairs.
In other changes, B.C. Senator Jack Austin becomes Government leader in the unelected upper chamber, Bill Graham stays at Foreign Affairs, B.C. MP Stephen Owen could be elevated from secretary of state for Indian Affairs to Public Works, Montreal MP Irwin Cotler could be in line for Justice, and Quebec MP Jacques Saada is Quebec regional economic development minister.
Nova Scotia MP Geoff Regan is the new House leader and Sarnia MP Roger Gallaway is to be the new Government Whip.
Denis Coderre, the Immigration Minister, will also move but will remain in Cabinet in a senior post.
Mr. Martin also plans to give a number of important jobs to women, including Carolyn Bennett, Albina Guarnieri, Judy Longfield, Karen Redman and possibly Brenda Chamberlain.
Conservative defector Scott Brison will also get a job as Mr. Martin's parliamentary secretary, sources say, as will Joe Comuzzi from northern Ontario, who will handle Canada-U.S. relations.
© National Post 2003
Copyright © 2003 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest Global Communications Corp. All rights reserved.
Optimized for browser versions 4.0 and higher.
Enjoy full access to this nationalpost.com story during our trial period. After January 24th, 2004, complete access will be limited to registered 6-day National Post print subscribers.
West wins with 2 top Cabinet positions
Goodale gets Finance, McLellan Deputy PM
Robert Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief, with files from David Vienneau, Ian Jack, Don Martin and Mark Kennedy
CanWest News Service
Friday, December 12, 2003
Anne McLellan will become the new Deputy Prime Minister.
CREDIT: Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - Paul Martin will undertake a massive overhaul of the Cabinet frontbench today, sweeping aside most Chretien ministers and radically restructuring government when he is sworn in as Canada's 21st prime minister.
Mr. Martin, who spent almost a decade as Canada's most influential finance minister and Jean Chretien's heir apparent, will give prominent roles to two Western Canadians in a bid to appeal to the country's fastest growing region in the next general election.
Ralph Goodale, the Public Works Minister from Saskatchewan, becomes Finance Minister and Edmonton's Anne McLellan, currently the Health Minister, will be Deputy Prime Minister and head a new Public Safety Ministry similar to the U.S. Homeland Security Department. The new portfolio will include Emergencies Canada, the RCMP, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Customs and military intelligence.
Officials say Manitoba MP Reg Alcock, the tough-talking chairman of the Commons government operations committee who exposed the George Radwanski scandal, will be elevated to Treasury Board President, in charge of managing the public service, while Ottawa MP David Pratt is the new Defence Minister. A junior defence minister is also expected to be appointed.
Quebec, where the Liberals hope to win many of the 75 seats in the next election, will also be a big winner in today's Cabinet, as will voter-rich Ontario.
Some portfolios will be scaled down as Mr. Martin attempts to demonstrate some fiscal restraint.
Pierre Pettigrew, the International Trade Minister and a Quebec nationalist known as a conciliator and bridge-builder, gets a major promotion under the Martin government.
Insiders say Mr. Pettigrew becomes Health Minister and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister and will also chair a new Cabinet committee on domestic affairs. He also becomes Mr. Martin's Quebec lieutenant and will be in charge of official languages.
Government insiders say Mr. Martin plans to split Human Resources, which has a reputation for mismanagement and was the subject of a damning audit in 2000 that exposed $1-billion in misspending.
Joe Volpe, a Toronto MP, becomes the new Minister of Labour and Learning, while Quebec MP Liza Frulla is in line to handle other responsibilities in what was the massive Human Resources department. Mr. Volpe will also become Ontario political minister.
Lucienne Robillard, current head of the Treasury Board, moves to Industry, and there is speculation that Toronto MP Jim Peterson will become the new minister in charge of an expanded International Trade and Investment portfolio and Ottawa MP Mauril Belanger takes over Heritage Canada.
In other moves, Ontario MP Bob Speller is expected to be the new Agriculture Minister, replacing Lyle Vanclief; Gars Knutson, Secretary of State for the Middle East, is moved up to head the Canadian International Development Agency; and Andy Mitchell, Secretary of State for northern development, gets a major promotion to Indian and Northern Affairs.
Hamilton MP Stan Keyes is Revenue Minister and Tony Valeri, from Stoney Creek, is promoted from the backbenches to Transport.
Toronto MP Judy Sgro or John Godfrey could be named to the role of Environment Minister to replace David Anderson, expected to become Immigration Minister, though Ms. Sgro may only be named a parliamentary secretary to Mr. Martin on urban affairs.
Prince Edward Island MP Joe McGuire, who supported Mr. Martin in the 1990 leadership, squeezes out fellow islander Wayne Easter, the Solicitor-General, and gets the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and possibly Fisheries, sources say.
Mr. Martin has decided the size of the Cabinet will remain roughly the same as the current body, which has 27 ministers and 11 secretaries of state. However, there will be a structural change that will be significant. Within the full Cabinet, there will be a powerful new core of 12 ministers -- assigned the priorities and planning committee -- that will shape all government policy.
Parliamentary secretaries will also be sworn in as privy councillors and given major responsibilities to develop and promote legislation as part of Mr. Martin's promise of renewing Parliament.
The Cabinet changes have left a lot of bad blood. Junior finance minister Maurizio Bevilacqua was told he was out and was offered a parliamentary secretaryship by Mr. Martin but he turned it down. Mr. Bevilacqua was punished for cozying up to Mr. Chretien during the leadership squabbles in 2002, well-placed sources say.
Toronto MP Tony Ianno and London, Ont., MP Joe Fontana were also disappointed to learn they weren't in Cabinet. John McCallum, currently the Defence Minister, will be demoted to Veterans Affairs.
In other changes, B.C. Senator Jack Austin becomes Government leader in the unelected upper chamber, Bill Graham stays at Foreign Affairs, B.C. MP Stephen Owen could be elevated from secretary of state for Indian Affairs to Public Works, Montreal MP Irwin Cotler could be in line for Justice, and Quebec MP Jacques Saada is Quebec regional economic development minister.
Nova Scotia MP Geoff Regan is the new House leader and Sarnia MP Roger Gallaway is to be the new Government Whip.
Denis Coderre, the Immigration Minister, will also move but will remain in Cabinet in a senior post.
Mr. Martin also plans to give a number of important jobs to women, including Carolyn Bennett, Albina Guarnieri, Judy Longfield, Karen Redman and possibly Brenda Chamberlain.
Conservative defector Scott Brison will also get a job as Mr. Martin's parliamentary secretary, sources say, as will Joe Comuzzi from northern Ontario, who will handle Canada-U.S. relations.
© National Post 2003
Copyright © 2003 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest Global Communications Corp. All rights reserved.
Optimized for browser versions 4.0 and higher.