Shuffle Bored
Actually, it's looking like it won't be a boring shuffle at all, but I really wanted to use that as a title...
From every indication, it will be a major shuffle which means I was wrong that it would be a small shuffle, although I was only off by four days on the date. I'm tempted to give myself some credit for successfully predicting James Moore's exclusion from Cabinet but that's about as easy as saying "Rob Anders won't be in Cabinet", so I don't think it should count.
Anyways, the swearing in ceremony will be at 4:30 this afternoon. Kady O'Malley seems to have the best mix of inside info and obsessive blog updates, so I'd check her blog out for those of you who are so excited over the prospect of a Cabinet Shuffle that you can't concentrate at work. Early buzz appears to indicate movement involving MacKay, Bernier and Prentice.
UPDATE: O'Connor to Revenue, MacKay to Defense, Prentice to Industry, and Bernier to Foreign Affairs. 9 Ministers change portfolio and Ablonczkczxzzzy finally gets into Cabinet. Full thoughts later.
Random Comments: (to be updated throughout the afternoon/evening)
-The best lines from Kady O'Malley's blog:
-One reporter asked Harper a question about why he did the shuffle and he answered that Carole Skelton's departure made it necessary. Uh-huh. And since Gordon O'Connor was the most obvious choice for revenue, everything else just fell into place...
-One reporter wastes a question on toy safety, asking if Steve is concerned about his children. Harper looks confused since, I'm guessing, his kids have never owned toys in their lives.
-All in all, I think the big shuffle is a smart move. Mix it up in some troublesome portfolios and get ready to hit the fall with fresh faces, a throne speech, and some new priorities.
-Bernier in Foreign Affairs is probably because they'll need him to sell Afghanistan there. And, like Barbara Yaffe said on Newsworld, he's a "good dresser and kind of cute", so I guess he's a logical replacement for MacKay.
From every indication, it will be a major shuffle which means I was wrong that it would be a small shuffle, although I was only off by four days on the date. I'm tempted to give myself some credit for successfully predicting James Moore's exclusion from Cabinet but that's about as easy as saying "Rob Anders won't be in Cabinet", so I don't think it should count.
Anyways, the swearing in ceremony will be at 4:30 this afternoon. Kady O'Malley seems to have the best mix of inside info and obsessive blog updates, so I'd check her blog out for those of you who are so excited over the prospect of a Cabinet Shuffle that you can't concentrate at work. Early buzz appears to indicate movement involving MacKay, Bernier and Prentice.
UPDATE: O'Connor to Revenue, MacKay to Defense, Prentice to Industry, and Bernier to Foreign Affairs. 9 Ministers change portfolio and Ablonczkczxzzzy finally gets into Cabinet. Full thoughts later.
Random Comments: (to be updated throughout the afternoon/evening)
-The best lines from Kady O'Malley's blog:
Update 3:32pm... Maxime Bernier - probably Foreign Affairs - and his surprisingly hot wife. At least, I hope she's his wife.
Update 3:38pm... Okay, apparently *not* his wife. Bernier, that is. I'm thinking girlfriend, though, since now that I think about it, he's a suave divorce. Interesting dating technique: inviting her to your swearing-in.
-One reporter asked Harper a question about why he did the shuffle and he answered that Carole Skelton's departure made it necessary. Uh-huh. And since Gordon O'Connor was the most obvious choice for revenue, everything else just fell into place...
-One reporter wastes a question on toy safety, asking if Steve is concerned about his children. Harper looks confused since, I'm guessing, his kids have never owned toys in their lives.
-All in all, I think the big shuffle is a smart move. Mix it up in some troublesome portfolios and get ready to hit the fall with fresh faces, a throne speech, and some new priorities.
-Bernier in Foreign Affairs is probably because they'll need him to sell Afghanistan there. And, like Barbara Yaffe said on Newsworld, he's a "good dresser and kind of cute", so I guess he's a logical replacement for MacKay.
Labels: Cabinet Shuffle
posted by calgarygrit at
1:48 p.m.
13 Comments:
After 16 months...isn't it time for Harper to stop using the moniker Canada's NEW Government?
By
The Riel One, at 3:11 p.m.
Never! When you have a slogan like that you have to keep it going as long as possible, even when it starts to get stale...
By
Unknown, at 4:51 p.m.
I guess Mr. Harper was getting a little bit upset about the "foreign affairs" jokes and had to move McKay.
By
Unknown, at 5:13 p.m.
If Harper was upset about jokes about his ministry, he would have booted O'Connor. He is just happy to have people around him that take the focus on serious issues.
By
Wheatfield, at 5:28 p.m.
"Harper looks confused since, I'm guessing, his kids have never owned toys in their lives."
CG,
from this Harpermaniac, I must tell you:
hilarious!
By
Tarkwell Robotico, at 7:32 p.m.
What, no new Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs?
By
IslandLiberal, at 8:39 p.m.
When you are looking for aces, and your deck is full of 2's, you can shuffle all you want and it doesn't matter.
I do want to send out some condolences to Betty Hinton, James Rajotte, and Mike Lake.
I thought Betty Hinton was in the cabinet. Betty Hinton thought Betty Hinton was in the cabinet. Poor lady. She should just keep telling people she is in the cabinet I think.
I cant believe Rajotte isnt in cabinet just because he plead guilty to aggravated assault and hid it from the public and Harper. Common, can't a guy who accepts a conditional sentence for aggravated assault, and then criticizes the Liberals for letting people convicted of violent crimes escape with only conditional sentences, cant Harper let one more hypocrite in cabinet?
And finally condolences to Mike fLake. Perhaps he can get a nice big hug from the saskwatch he protects with his petition. At least they take him seriously.
By
kenlister1, at 10:24 p.m.
As someone in the arts - all I can say is anyone but Oda will be a good thing (I hope). Josee is socially liberal and as we all know, those Quebecers "get" culture.
I would have to think many in the First Nations communities will be more than a bit pissed at getting Strahl and losing Prentice though. He is not bilingual and his pushy style seems a bad fit. He was also one of the most vocal Reform opponents to the Nisga'a treaty back in 99....BTW: what's up with his lung cancer? Seems to be winning that fight at least.
By
Ian, at 2:30 a.m.
"isn't it time for Harper to stop using the moniker Canada's NEW Government"
You must not have been listening. He didn't use it once, at least on the clips I watched (and I was looking for it). In fact, much ado about "moving forward" etc etc so here's hoping that we just have a government.
By
Candace, at 2:31 a.m.
You must not have been listening. He didn't use it once, at least on the clips I watched (and I was looking for it).
Well, the official webpage of the Prime Minister describes the shuffle in these terms (emphasis mine):
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today presented a new Ministry which will continue to lead Canada’s New Government through the next phase of its mandate.
“We did what we said we were going to do and now it’s time to keep moving forward,” said the Prime Minister. “To seize the opportunities that lie before us; and rise to the challenges that confront us.”
In particular, Prime Minister Harper pointed to continued strong leadership on the economy, and defence and foreign affairs.
The Prime Minister said the new Ministry would continue to provide the same strong and decisive leadership that Canadians have come to expect from Canada’s New Government.
By
saphorr, at 2:41 a.m.
You must not have been listening.
Oh I've been listening. At every single Harper press op whether it is in the Arctic or Afghanistan or Wood Buffalo Alberta we need to hear about what Canada's NEW Government is doing.
From my perspective, that phrase is more worn out than the 89 year old hooker in Windsor, Ontario that services American tourists (and she is really REALLY worn out).
Maybe you've just tuned that phrase(or Harper) out all together. I hope to get to that point too.
By
The Riel One, at 9:25 a.m.
Does anyone else think that one of the parties should create a viral ad series making fun of the "New Government" mantra? It's such an easy target.
By
MERBOY, at 9:44 a.m.
After few months liberal party got the place.
By
tuxedo best, at 9:43 a.m.
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