PMJT: The First 100 Days

[Fishbone Jones]

Those MPs include former Toronto police chief Bill Blair

The Fantino of the Trudeau Liberals. Cut from the same cloth.

 

[jollyjacktar]

The Fantino of the Trudeau Liberals. Cut from the same cloth.

Great, just great.  :boke:

 

[Edward Campbell]

"Cynic's guide" or not, this article, which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the National Post might give us some indicatins of the shape of the new, Liberal, government's first Speech from the Throne:

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/ten-pipers-trudeau-will-need-to-pay-a-cynics-guide-to-the-sunshine-way

Ten pipers Trudeau will need to pay: A cynics’ guide to the ‘sunshine way’

Joseph Brean | Last Updated: Oct 21

Now that the endorphins and adrenaline have cleared the national bloodstream, it’s worth recalling that political victory is rarely free. It doesn’t come about just from affection for candidates, or approval of their policies. Special interests – be they economic, demographic or ideological – help governments get elected, then constrain their governance. This election is no different: Justin Trudeau won on a positive message of change, and the vote really does appear to be for him, as much as against Stephen Harper – but he still has pipers to be paid. The National Post‘s Joseph Brean rounds up the top ten.

1. Maritimers

It was a Maritime sweep for the Red Team, in a vote that turned largely on a major government spending project, the Irving Shipyard’s contract in Halifax. The NDP’s Tom Mulcair pledged to keep it on track for 15 new navy ships, but was vague on how he would do that. He lost three of his strongest members, all from the Halifax area: Robert Chisolm, Peter Stoffer, and deputy leader Megan Leslie. Trudeau was bolder. He promised to divert to the navy all the money he would save by cancelling the F-35 fighter jet project, which was evidently enough to reassure many voters he could keep the money flowing.

2. Eco-leftists

The environmentalist left is a crowded wing of Canadian politics, from Green voters to radical activists who feared a terrorist designation under Bill C-51, but Trudeau managed to harness his fair share of it. Though his party supported C-51 Trudeau later said he would amend it to better protect individual Charter rights. He also vowed to strengthen the National Energy Board, to oppose the Northern Gateway pipeline that would cross a pristine British Columbia rainforest, and to move beyond the Tory position of, as he put it, being “a cheerleader instead of a referee.”

3. Oil and gas tycoons

Of course, the Liberals are not opposed to oil and gas. Quite the opposite, as was evidenced by the actions of Trudeau’s campaign co-chair Dan Gagnier, who wrote to executives of TransCanada Corp., helpfully explaining how to lobby a future a Liberal government on their proposed pipeline, which would run from the Alberta oil sands to the refineries and tidewater of New Brunswick. Trudeau called it “inappropriate” and booted Gagnier from the campaign. Still, the lobbyists got the message, even if it came with a wink and a nod.

4. Bay Street

One of the boldest moves of the Liberal campaign was to pledge deficits until 2019/2020 in order to invest in infrastructure, mainly transit, housing and green energy. Deficit spending can backfire. Business tends to prefer tax cuts. And much depends on commodity prices and other factors. But there will still be lots of people (including dandy-suited bankers) getting rich off this plan, which was also a key aspect of his alliance with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who supported him intensely, and whose province is likely to see much of this investment.

5. Government town-ies

Not all public servants live in Ottawa, and not all Ottawans are public servants, but it is a government town, and voters there all but obliterated the Conservative Party, even taking Ottawa Centre from Paul Dewar, the prominent NDP foreign affairs critic. After a union push against the Tories, there is a sense the old Liberal dominance of the civil service is set to return.

6. Muslims

While the Tories tried to make the niqab a big deal, Trudeau struck an inclusive and respectful tone on the subject – saying neither men nor governments should tell women what to wear. This made him a strong choice for Muslim voters, despite years of Conservative outreach on social and economic grounds. But there is another side to supporting Muslims the Liberals haven’t embraced: the fight against Islamic State, which claims many of them as its victims.

7. Potheads

Investors may have insisted they were supporting medical marijuana, but many put up money for companies who can grow the stuff in anticipation of exactly this possibility: A Liberal win and the legalization of a long-banned drug. Smokers, of course, many part of the “youth” vote, have also been waiting for a Liberal win. But there are hints of empty promises here; Trudeau has pledged he’d get to work “right away” on a new regulatory and tax bureaucracy – he didn’t offer a deadline.

8. The media

The Harper years were marked by petulant efforts at media management and exclusion, leaving political reporters hungry for access to leaders. Trudeau played to this, for example scolding his own supporters for booing a journalist’s question on Gagnier.

9. First Nations

If any group could be said to have acted definitively against Harper in this election, it is members of Canada’s First Nations. As voters, they rejected the fatalism that has suppressed the indigenous vote in past elections; as candidates, they won ten seats, eight of them Liberal. In some cases, aboriginal polling stations actually ran out of ballots. Now the Liberals have to launch an inquiry on missing and murdered women – fast. As Derek Nepinak of the Assembly of National Chiefs put it, a political giant has awoken.

10. Middle class families

No group saw itself reflected more clearly in the Liberal platform than middle class families, who can expect a reduced tax rate. But that burden will be shifted to wealthier families, who will lose child benefits and income splitting, which is likely to limit the plan’s popularity.

As a list, I think:

#1 might be a very, very mixed blessing for the CF ... it might mean more, better ships, but the price - discussed elsewhere - in terms of "lost" capabilities might be high.

#2 ... I expect to see global climate change as a, maybe the, "top of mind" issue in the first 100 days. It not just because there is a big, international conference in Paris, either. I suspect the "doing something" about global climate change is an issue in which Prime Minister designate Trudeau really believes. I also expect that the new Finance Minister (see below) will be getting an earful about the costs to the Canadian economy ~ direct costs and "opportunity costs" ~ of any and all actions we might take on global climate change. I don't believe that Prime Minister Harper and the Conservatives doubted that climate changes is real; I think they just backed away from taking action because of the obvious cost:impact ratios of anything except fully coordinated global actions involving the USA, China and India, too.

#3 is, in my mind, just too, too obvious, and it ties in with ...

#4 which is an absolute must for the Liberals.

#5 I think the author is mixing too many things together. I think the Liberals will pander to the low-mid level civil service but I also think that the days when Mandarin = Liberal (think e.g. Lester Pearson, Mitchell Sharp, Marcel Massé, and, and, and ...) are gone. I think the Mandarins, themselves came to appreciate, under both Mulroney and Harper, that Conservative ≠ Barbarian lunatic fringe, plus, I believe many senior civil servants were and remain doubtful about Liberal "values" and ethics after Jean Chrétien. That e.g. David Dodge and Kevin Lynch, arguably the best and brightest of their generation, were so (apparently) close to the Conservatives, on policy matters, influenced the current senior civil servants (DMs, ADMs, etc) in Ottawa. But, I expect (favourable to the rank and filer) changes in "labour relations" and I expect Ottawa's (Liberal) Mayor Jim Watson to be happy ... after tugging his forelock with his hand out.

#6 could be a double edged sword.

#7 is something I expect to happen, sooner rather than later. It need not be a public policy disaster.

#8 means, I think, good news for the CBC.

#9 is a bottomless pit into which Prime Minister designate Trudeau will wade at his peril. The First Nations have agendas and almost none of them are good for the other 99% of us. First Nations need and deserve our help and support, after they get decent leadership of their own, on their own ... today they are a political, policy and economic quagmire.

#10 is also something about which a few simple, not too costly steps can be taken can be taken, soon ... in the first budget, but about which political insiders and officials will (continue to) have looooooong debates.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Some thoughts about potential finance ministers in this article which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/globe-politics-insider/trudeau-has-many-high-profile-options-for-finance-portfolio/article26899578/

Trudeau has many high-profile options for Finance portfolio

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Bill Curry
OTTAWA — The Globe and Mail

Last updated Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015

The business community is watching closely to see who Justin Trudeau will name as Canada’s next finance minister, a job that will involve delivering on promised tax changes and working out the details of the Liberal Party’s ambitious infrastructure plan.

At a news conference in Ottawa, Mr. Trudeau said a new cabinet will be sworn in on Nov. 4. He also suggested his cabinet will be smaller than more-recent ones.

The Liberal platform centred on a program to run three years of deficits worth a combined $25-billion to hike spending across the country in areas like transit, green energy and social housing.

Mr. Trudeau showcased the economic experience of several high-profile candidates during the campaign, and the Liberal caucus includes MPs who have held economic portfolios. Some accomplished individuals will inevitably end up disappointed as the prime-minister-designate weighs factors like region and gender to balance the makeup of cabinet.

Regina-Wascana MP Ralph Goodale was federal finance minister from late 2003 until early 2006, while Markham-Thornhill MP John McCallum is a former bank economist and revenue minister. In opposition, the Liberal finance critic was Scott Brison, a former Progressive Conservative with a business background who also has federal cabinet experience.

Economist David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff and Associates Inc. described Mr. Brison in a note to clients on Tuesday as “a likely choice” to be finance minister.

Another potential candidate is Chrystia Freeland, who is a senior member of the party’s economic team and who was re-elected on Monday in the Toronto riding of University-Rosedale. Several newly elected Liberal MPs have extensive business and economic backgrounds, such as Bill Morneau of Toronto Centre, but some Liberals believe it is unlikely that the senior position of finance minister would be handed to a rookie MP.

“The [prime-minister-designate] is in an enviable position to choose a strong finance minister,” said Scott Clark, a former deputy minister of finance. “He’s going to have a very strong economic team, not just in the finance portfolio … If you have strong leadership in the Ministry of Finance, it means you have a strong cabinet.”

Other key economic posts would include a minister of state for finance who would likely lead negotiations with the provinces on pension reform, an infrastructure minister to implement the party’s core pledge, a trade minister to manage the Trans-Pacific Partnership review, and ministers of natural resources and the environment who would be in charge of negotiating new climate-change policies.

The selection of a new finance minister will be closely watched, as the government will be under pressure to provide a fall economic update quickly. The projections in the Conservative government’s April budget are considered out of date, given that economic growth has underperformed expectations.

The next step for the new finance minister would be to prepare a budget that would begin implementing the Liberal platform.

The Liberals promised some significant tax changes, including reversing income splitting for families with children under 18 and reversing the near-doubling of the annual contribution limit to tax-free savings accounts.

Changes are also planned for personal income tax rates, with a cut for income earned between $45,000 and $90,000, and a hike on any income above $200,000.

Perhaps the most challenging task for the new finance minister and cabinet will be to craft a detailed infrastructure plan that delivers on the party’s promises.

Raymond Louie, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, said mayors across the country are pleased that more money is on the way for housing, roads, transit and other infrastructure, and the focus now will be to work with Ottawa on setting up the new program.

“This bodes well for us,” he said. “My colleagues across the nation are pleased that we’ve got this level of commitment in terms of funding and now we’re looking forward to a strong collaboration between local governments and this new federal government.”

Liberal MP Adam Vaughan, who was elected on Monday in the Toronto riding of Spadina-Fort York and helped craft the party’s infrastructure plan, said the program was designed to get federal money to Canadian municipalities quickly.

Mr. Vaughan said it was clear from Monday night’s results that the party’s infrastructure pledge resonated with urban voters.

“At the local political level, everybody knows that cities are carrying a massive infrastructure deficit that impacts the quality of life whether you’re in Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax or St. John’s,” he said. “And it’s certainly true in Toronto.”

It will come as no surprise, I guess, that I favour Scott Brison and worry about Chrystia Freeland. In fact, had Mr Brison, who I believe has both brains and "bottom," been leading the Liberals, rather then Prime Minister designate Trudeau, who I believe is lacking in both ability and gravitas, I might have voted Liberal.

 

[Baz]

Some thoughts about potential finance ministers in this article which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/globe-politics-insider/trudeau-has-many-high-profile-options-for-finance-portfolio/article26899578/

It will come as no surprise, I guess, that I favour Scott Brison and worry about Chrystia Freeland. In fact, had Mr Brison, who I believe has both brains and "bottom," been leading the Liberals, rather then Prime Minister designate Trudeau, who I believe is lacking in both ability and gravitas, I might have voted Liberal.

I grew up in his riding and was only a couple of grades behind him in the same school.  Somehow I developed a bias against him.

Having said that, I visited my parent's on the weekend and missed his knock on the door campaigning by a few minutes (they didn't open the door, which is sad).  I think I would have enjoyed chatting for a few minutes...

Also reminds me, I think a call to me new MP is in order in the next few weeks...

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The Muslim thing will come to bite him, radicalization is underway in Canada.

Harper was a fool on the Pot thing, he could have handed it over to the Premiers and said; "Each Province decide and we will make the appropriate changes to the criminal code". That would have punted down the road, while appeasing the the youth and he could also say that legalization once it hit parliament would be a free vote.

First Nations are anything but united, I see that clearly here in BC, 130% of the province claimed, nasty fights between bands and coastal FN's liking LNG and interior ones hating it. Take the Petronass proposal, the island it would sit on is claimed by 2 bands, both with a strong claim. One opposes it and rejected a sweet offer, the other signed a benefit agreement. The effects will be more local and not always going the way the left thinks it will.

big business is going to win and the Liberals will wine and dine them. JT is going to face the same fiscal realities as Harper, I suspect the left will be disappointed.

 

[Edward Campbell]

There is a good article (actually seven good articles) by John Ibbitson and some Globe and Mail staff writers on the website (not Subscriber Only). The introduction and links to the six priorities, are below:

    GOVERNMENT IN TRANSITION

    TRUDEAU’S FIRST CHALLENGES

    Justin Trudeau surprised almost everyone by winning a majority this week. But now that he has, the demands to make good on his campaign promises will come fast and furious. Here are the first set of issues that his new government will have to tackle
    (click headings to jump ahead)

    LEGAL REFORM || ENVIRONMENT || FOREIGN AFFAIRS
    GOVERNANCE  || THE ECONOMY || HEALTH CARE

    How do you make change work?

    Justin Trudeau surfed the aspirations of millions of voters for a more optimistic, inclusive, forward-looking Canada, and those millions rewarded him with a majority Liberal government.

    But an impatient and conflicted electorate will expect the incoming administration to move swiftly to meet those promises. Hope and change can quickly curdle. Just ask those who expected Barack Obama to calm the waters and bind his
    nation’s wounds overnight.

    The good news is that many of the Liberal promises, especially in the areas of public-service reform and social policy, don’t cost any real money.

    For some issues, such as missing and murdered indigenous women, voting reform, and legalizing marijuana, appointing a task force or commission and giving it a deadline to deliver recommendations can buy the government time
    to manage its agenda.

    The bad news is that in areas such as health care, environmental policy and infrastructure spending, the challenges are complex and the solutions expensive. And those solutions must be reached in collaboration with stakeholders
    – business, labour and environmental leaders, nonprofits and NGOs, and premiers. Above all, premiers.

    One big advantage Stephen Harper had was that, as a truly conservative prime minister, he had a mandate to do nothing, which is exactly what he wanted to do. Rather than raise taxes and launch new programs, he preferred
    to cut and kill. He didn’t need provincial consent, because he had nothing to propose that required such consent.

    After a decade of such passivity, Canadians voted strategically for change. There’s a thing about strategic voting, though: It makes for a conflicted and impatient coalition. After all, some of those voters were New Democratic Party supporters
    who voted Liberal to ensure the Conservatives’ defeat. Others were soft Conservative supporters fed up over Duffygate, omnibus bills, the niqab debate, the Ford brothers – you name it. There were nationalist Quebeckers who abandoned
    the NDP and Calgarians who abandoned the Tories.

    All of them voted for change, but some voted for more change than others, and some voted for different change than others. How to please them all?

    And then there are the mechanics of change. Let’s take just one example: Much of the Trudeau agenda will be laid out in the first budget, which should be delivered next March or April. But Mr. Trudeau has promised to meet the premiers
    to hash out a new health-care accord. If he does so before his government has its plans for health care, including funding, fully worked out, he risks being hijacked by the premiers. That’s what happened to Paul Martin in 2004, and it led to
    bigger spending commitments than Mr. Martin had intended.

    But if Mr. Trudeau delays, the first budget will have no funding commitment for health care, and critics will complain that the new government is dragging its feet on its election promises.

    Government is hard. Activist government is even harder.

    There is the timing of change. Majority governments like to get much of their mandate implemented or at least under way in the first year, in hopes that the unpleasant bits will be forgotten before voters go to the polls again.
    Also, a government that isn’t in full swing after its first year risks being written off by a disgruntled electorate.

    Good governments effectively manage the expectations of partisans, stakeholders and the broader public, delivering on – or abandoning – election commitments in a timely and effective manner. Jean Chrétien achieved that in his first government,
    and so did Stephen Harper in his. Mr. Trudeau has a smart and experienced team of advisers and a strong caucus, and his election platform lays out a clear set of priorities. This incoming government knows what it wants to do.
    It’s simply a question of figuring out how and when to do it.

    Forthwith, in six key areas, we describe how the Liberals plan change, the challenges to that change, and how those challenges might be met. Together, they set out how Justin Trudeau hopes to start making his mark on Canada.

    – John Ibbitson

Prime Minister designate Trudeau made a lot of promises; I expect that, à la Prime Minister Chrétien (who, I suspect, is advising him), he will keep only a few of them. But it should be an entertaining Throne Speech.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Lee Berthiaume, of the Ottawa Citizen takes a stab at cabinet making in this article which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Calgary Herald:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/politics/cabinet+making+trudeau+shortlist/11463316/story.html

Cabinet-making: Who's on Trudeau's shortlist

LEE BERTHIAUME, OTTAWA CITIZEN, OTTAWA CITIZEN  10.22.2015

Building a cabinet may be relatively easy for a skilled carpenter, but it’s a significant undertaking for any prime minister. The task will be even harder for Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau has promised an equal number of men and women around his cabinet table. This is in addition to the usual considerations: a range of expertise, a balance between old and new faces, geographic and regional representation, and adequate representation from visible minorities.

Taking all these factors into account, the Citizen tried its hand at figuring out who will be in Trudeau’s cabinet when it is unveiled on Nov. 4. Trudeau has said his cabinet will be smaller than recent versions under Stephen Harper, so we settled on 28 ministers: 14 men and 14 women, plus Trudeau. The potential list doesn’t guess at which portfolio these contenders could get.

With the Liberals’ unprecedented sweep of Atlantic Canada, the assumption is that Trudeau will face pressure to appoint a minister for each province.

Yvonne Jones: With both Jones and fellow Newfoundland and Labrador MP Judy Foote having previously served as ministers in the provincial government, Jones might get the nod because she is Métis.

Robert (Bobby) Morrissey: With Prince Edward Island represented by four white men, Morrissey could get the seat for his economic background and 20 years in provincial politics, including several ministerial portfolios.

Scott Brison: The veteran MP is a respected voice and heavy hitter for Nova Scotia who has worked as an investment banker and served as minister of public works under Paul Martin.

Dominic LeBlanc: Loyalty will be the deciding factor as the long-time New Brunswick MP is a close friend of Trudeau, and was one of his most prominent backers for the Liberal leadership.

The Liberals’ majority victory couldn’t have happened without Quebec, as the party won more than half the province’s seats for the first time since 1980. Trudeau must now make sure the province is well-represented at the cabinet table.

Marie-Claude Bibeau: A campground owner, museum manager and the wife of Sherbrooke’s mayor, Bibeau would be tasked with representing Quebec’s Eastern Townships.

Diane Lebouthillier: She was chair of a regional municipality in Quebec’s Gaspé region for the past five years, which was previously dominated by the NDP and Bloc Québécois.

Melanie Joly: Best known for coming second to former Liberal minister Denis Coderre in Montreal’s 2013 mayoral race, the photogenic new MP boasts experience as a litigator and communications expert.

Linda Lapointe: While she served only 18 months in Quebec’s National Assembly, the Montreal-area MP’s business background and leadership in several Quebec industry associations are assets.

Marc Garneau: The former astronaut, military officer and Liberal leadership candidate is respected in the party and across the country. He is also one of Trudeau’s most experienced Quebec MPs.

Nicola Di Iorio: A Quebec labour lawyer known throughout the province for his fight against drunk driving, Di Iorio is also a prominent member of Montreal’s Italian community.

Canada’s most populous province will always be well-represented in cabinet. But while Trudeau has a rich crop of MPs in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa, the need to consolidate gains in northern Ontario and southwestern Ontario means some worthy candidates may not get ministerial portfolios.

Bill Morneau: The head of Canada’s largest human resources firm and a key adviser to the Ontario Liberal government on pension reform, the Toronto MP is among Trudeau’s biggest stars and is guaranteed a spot on the front bench.

Chrystia Freeland: The former financial journalist and news executive was one of Trudeau’s earliest star candidates and has been touted for her economic and international experience. The Toronto MP is of Ukrainian descent.

Andrew Leslie: The retired Canadian Army commander was another star candidate heavily promoted by Trudeau’s team before being elected MP for Orléans. In addition to being the minister for Ottawa, he would be needed to help develop a new defence strategy.

Bill Blair: The former Toronto police chief could be called upon to provide input on issues related to public safety as well as law and order.

Celina Caesar-Chavannes: The Whitby MP is a black Canadian who founded a successful clinical research company and has received numerous awards for entrepreneurship.

John McCallum: A former RBC chief economist who served as cabinet minister under both Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, he could be called upon to provide economic experience and expertise in Trudeau’s new government.

Navdeep Bains: The Mississauga MP is a prominent member of the Sikh community who worked as an accountant for Ford Motors before being elected as a Liberal MP from 2004 to 2011. More recently, he played key roles in Trudeau’s leadership campaign and federal election preparations in Ontario.

Jane Philpott: A family doctor, the new MP from the GTA riding of Markham-Stouffville has also worked in developing countries and has extensive experience fighting HIV/AIDS and advocating for refugees.

Patty Hajdu: A public health planner who helped create Thunder Bay’s drug strategy and most recently served as executive director of the city’s largest homeless shelter, Hajdu could be tapped to represent Northern Ontario.

While the Liberals won half the 14 seats in Manitoba, all of them were clustered around the Winnipeg area.

MaryAnn Mahychuk: The new Winnipeg MP served as industry and trade minister under Manitoba NDP premier Gary Doer from 1999 to 2004. She would be tasked with representing the province at the cabinet table.

The Liberals won only one seat in Saskatchewan.

Ralph Goodale: Trudeau’s only MP in Saskatchewan, Goodale’s past experience as a minister of agriculture, natural resources, public works and finance guarantees his return to the table.

The Liberals spent a great deal of time and energy trying to woo Albertans to their side, and were rewarded with two seats in Calgary and two in Edmonton. Trudeau will be pressured to appoint a minister from each city.

Kent Hehr: A quadriplegic since being shot in 1991, Hehr trained as a lawyer and served seven years as a member of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly before being elected MP for Calgary Centre.

Amarjeet Sohi: The soft-spoken Sikh established a reputation for building consensus and advocating for Edmonton, particularly when it came to infrastructure funding, during his three terms on city council.

Trudeau will be able to make up ground on his promise to have gender balance around the cabinet table thanks to a number of strong female MPs in B.C.

Jody Wilson-Raybould: A former Crown prosecutor, Wilson-Raybould served as B.C. Treaty Commissioner and regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations before being elected to represent Vancouver Granville.

Joyce Murray: A successful Vancouver businesswoman and environmental advocate, Murray served as B.C.’s environment minister before being elected to Parliament in 2008. She came second to Trudeau during the Liberal leadership race in 2013.

Pamela Goldsmith-Jones: A two-term mayor of Vancouver West before taking a break from public life to earn an MBA, Goldsmith-Jones won in a riding that was traditionally hardcore Conservative.

Carla Qualtrough: A paralympian swimmer and president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the visually impaired Qualtrough is also an accomplished human rights lawyer and advocate for the disabled.

The Liberals swept Canada’s three territories, but only one minister is expected to come from the North.

Hunter Tootoo: A successful businessman, Tootoo also worked in a number of roles in the Northwest Territory’s government before running for political office in the newly created territory of Nunavut in 1999. He served as a minister and assembly Speaker before stepping down in 2013.

Prime Minister designate Trudeau promised a cabinet of (about) 25, half of which would be made up of female ministers ... I count 28 on Mr Berthiaume's list, half (14) being women.


- mod edit for format fix -

 

[Edward Campbell]

Interesting read by Doug Saunders in the Globe and Mail about the transition, "delivery units" and how the Liberals plan to put the "machinery of government" into gear.

Prime Minister designate Trudeau appears intent on replacing Prime  Minister Harper's "top down" management approach with another, equally top down, borrowed from Tony Blair and Dalton McGuinty.

The Liberals need to translate HOPE (for change) into action by managing the machinery of government ~ easier said than done.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Illustration from the Globe and Mail

 

[Brad Sallows]

It's similar to "task organization", except that a Task HQ is formed with authority to give direction to elements in different silos rather than taking elements out of each silo to form a proper team.  Naturally this disrupts unity of command.

 

[Kirkhill]

Interesting read by Doug Saunders in the Globe and Mail about the transition, "delivery units" and how the Liberals plan to put the "machinery of government" into gear.

Prime Minister designate Trudeau appears intent on replacing Prime  Minister Harper's "top down" management approach with another, equally top down, borrowed from Tony Blair and Dalton McGuinty.

The Liberals need to translate HOPE (for change) into action by managing the machinery of government ~ easier said than done.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Illustration from the Globe and Mail

And I am cynic enough to believe that there are enough "Natural Governors" in the civil service that are ready to get into gear after grinding the gears for 9 years that Trudeau will find things smoother going than Harper ever did.

But that's just bitter old me.  ;D

 

[Edward Campbell]

According to this article in the Globe and Mail Prime Minister designate Trudeau's PMO will be heavily populated by former staffers of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. This causes two worries:

    1. Premier McGuinty had a record of scandals that eclipsed anything attributed to his Tory predecessors and, eventually, drove him from office in disgrace; and

    2. Prime Minister designate Trudeau and Ontario Premier Wynne appear tied at the hip, so who will be calling the fiscal shots in Canada, the prime minister we elected or the premier who has racked up "one of the largest sub-sovereign debt loads in North America?"

My suspicion is that PMO secrecy ~ invisible government by unelected and unaccountable political cronies ~ will be worse in the new PMO than it was in the last, and corruption will continue to be an attribute of Liberal politics. My fear is that Prime Minister designate Trudeau lacks the force of will to lead and will, instead, be led by his (Premier Wynne's?) cronies.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

According to this article in the Globe and Mail Prime Minister designate Trudeau's PMO will be heavily populated by former staffers of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. This causes two worries:

    1. Premier McGuinty had a record of scandals that eclipsed anything attributed to his Tory predecessors and, eventually, drove him from office in disgrace; and

    2. Prime Minister designate Trudeau and Ontario Premier Wynne appear tied at the hip, so who will be calling the fiscal shots in Canada, the prime minister we elected or the premier who has racked up "one of the largest sub-sovereign debt loads in North America?"

My suspicion is that PMO secrecy ~ invisible government by unelected and unaccountable political cronies ~ will be worse in the new PMO than it was in the last, and corruption will continue to be an attribute of Liberal politics. My fear is that Prime Minister designate Trudeau lacks the force of will to lead and will, instead, be led by his (Premier Wynne's?) cronies.

Don't forget the 'Little Thug de Shawinigan'. I've almost seen more of him recently, espousing policy of the Trudeau Liberals, than I did when he had the job. Also, to a lesser extent Paul Martin Jr. It's obvious, the old boys are pulling the strings of the good looking front puppet.

It's good to see that Power Corp still has their senior hacks at the helm of Canadian government :

 

[Baz]

My suspicion is that PMO secrecy ~ invisible government by unelected and unaccountable political cronies ~ will be worse in the new PMO than it was in the last, and corruption will continue to be an attribute of Liberal politics. My fear is that Prime Minister designate Trudeau lacks the force of will to lead and will, instead, be led by his (Premier Wynne's?) cronies.

I agree... my understaing is that a lot of the bringing power into the PMO started under PET's regin...

 

[Edward Campbell]

I agree... my understaing is that a lot of the bringing power into the PMO started under PET's regin...

It did, two people were involved:

Michael Pitfield, a brilliant administrator, but also an enormously partisan Liberal outsider, who strengthened the PCO while, at the same time, making it almost indiscernible from the PMO; and

Ivan Head a law professor and believer in North-South "dialogue" and "cooperation" who, after Pierre Trudeau neutered the old Department of External Affairs, took over Canadian foreign policy, including the attempted withdrawal from NATO.

                        Michael Pitfield                                                            Pierre Trudeau                                and                                Ivan Head
          Prime Minister Trudeau provided the charisma and power base, Messers Pitfield and Head provided the ideas and intellectual drive.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Campbell Clark, in this article which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Globe and Mail, explores some of the "short fuze" issues that face the incoming Liberal government:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/globe-politics-insider/new-liberal-cabinet-ministers-have-pressing-files-waiting-for-them/article27075534/

New Liberal cabinet ministers have pressing files waiting for them

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Campbell Clark
The Globe and Mail

Published Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2015

Justin Trudeau has to attend summits and deliver on a laundry list of promises to revamp the way Ottawa is run. But on Wednesday, he will give a handful of new cabinet ministers hot files that are crucial if the new Liberal government wants to live up to its own billing.

Mr. Trudeau has promised his first legislation will bring in promised middle-class tax cuts, but that has been spelled out so explicitly that the new finance minister’s main task is preparing a budget for the New Year. Mr. Trudeau, more than the new foreign affairs minister, will lead the summiteering this fall. But some cabinet members will be very important in the government’s early days.

The immigration minister will be key because he or she will have to quarterback the effort to fulfill Mr. Trudeau’s high-profile pledge to resettle 25,000 Syrian immigrants in Canada by the end of the year.

That plan is already being drawn up, but it will be the biggest resettlement in Canada since 1980. Organizations are raising concerns the pace is too fast, arguing proper housing and services will be lacking. There are also the logistical puzzle to arrange transportation and policy decisions to expedite processing. Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, said the new minister should use temporary resident permits to bring in people with Canadian relatives, which is much quicker than processing them as refugees.

And if the specific deadline is not crucial to refugees, the symbolism is for the government. Canadians do not seem to want to delay: Chris Friesen of the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. said he took flak from the public after he suggested the timeline is too short.

The new defence minister will probably have to play a part in the resettlement, but will have another immediate task in organizing the withdrawal of Canada’s CF-18 fighters from air strikes against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq – without riling allies, notably the United States.

When and how are important. Mr. Trudeau has said he will withdraw the fighters from air strikes responsibly – a delay of months could avoid the picture of a sudden Canadian pullout, which might annoy allies who don’t want an image of declining international support. The new minister will be under pressure to unveil plans to renew or expand the part of the mission the Liberals do support, Canadian Forces training for ground forces in Iraq.

Some priorities the government did not choose. The new justice minister faces a ticking clock to rewrite legislation to allow assisted suicide, at least in some cases, after the Supreme Court stuck down restrictions and gave the government until February to pass a new law. The new government is expected to apply for an extension, but even so, it is a delicate, rush job.

Most politicians prefer to avoid the topic, but the new minister must take the still-incomplete work of a committee of academic experts the outgoing Conservatives appointed, and a panel set up by Ontario, and possibly more consultations, then draft a law that is bound to be controversial.

The summit agenda also adds time pressure. Mr. Trudeau’s environment minister must organize an approach to greenhouse-gas emissions for the international summit on climate change in Paris in December. And the new minister must start talking to provinces right away about hammering out a federal-provincial approach to meet targets for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.

Canadian governments have not even started those talks before – but Mr. Trudeau has promised not only to have premiers with him in Paris, but to hold a first ministers conference within 90 days of the summit on a federal-provincial deal to reduce emissions.

And there’s the main theme of the Liberal platform, economic growth. The new infrastructure minister will face a rush to design the bigger, better infrastructure programs Mr. Trudeau promised.

That means writing new criteria for projects – the Liberals promised expanded funds for transit, social and green infrastructure, and transparent rules – as well as organizing projects with provinces and cities. Those projects are typically complex and take years, but the government is under pressure to demonstrate it is delivering, fast.

There is, already, much speculation about new ministers.

For the all important Finance portfolio there seem to be three main contenders:

  Ralph Goodale, who was Paul Martin's Finance Minister in the early 2000s but he was 'touched' by the leak of income trust information which caused a mini-scandal during the 2006 election campaign. Mr Goodale is the safe choice;

  Scott Brison, who is also an experienced minister and a Bay Street veteran and a former Progressive Conservative and, I think, a Manley Liberal. The last may count against him, but, in my opinion, Mr Brison is the smart choice; and

  Chrystia Freeland, who is undeniably smart and very, very well connected and popular in the Manhattan Marxist circles but who is not famous for any skill and knowledge in either economics or policy. She is the outside choice to be Canada's first ever female Minister of Finance.

Two names surface, repeatedly, for MND:

  Andrew Leslie, for obvious reasons; and

  Bill Blair ~ former Toronto Police Chief.

Foreign Affairs is, I believe, the portfolio LGen (ret'd) Leslie really wants ... if he can have some policy freedom, but there is some speculation that he will be handed Immigration to bring his organizational skills and contacts to bear to get the 25,000 Syrian terrorists refugees into Canada quickly and get them housed on military bases, etc. Also, there are some who want Ms Freeland kept as far away as possible for any financial portfolio so Foreign Affairs might be a good fit (she wouldn't be a "first female, that honour goes to Flora MacDonald and she was followed by Barbara McDougal (both Conservatives)). Prime Minister designate Trudeau might promise LGen (ret'd) Leslie both Foreign Affairs and a (relatively) free hand there if he gets the immigration/refugee thing to work.

 

[The Bread Guy]

.... there are some who want Ms Freeland kept as far away as possible for any financial portfolio so Foreign Affairs might be a good fit (she wouldn't be a "first female, that honour goes to Flora MacDonald and she was followed by Barbara McDougal (both Conservatives)) ....

She certainly has her hand in Ukraine enough to be reasonably up to speed on that file, at least.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Thought this was pretty sweet.


http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/ontario-liberals-set-to-reveal-fees-locations-for-high-occupancy-toll-lanes-by-new-year

TORONTO — Ontario motorists will know by the end of the year exactly where the Liberal government intends to establish high-occupancy toll lanes and what the fees will be for using them.

The so-called HOT lanes will allow motorists without passengers to pay to use High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV) lanes, which were designed to encourage carpooling.

The plan is to create HOT lanes only where there area existing HOV lanes, which are free for any driver with at least one passenger, but HOV and toll lanes could also be created on any new or expanded highways.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Campbell Clark, in this article which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Globe and Mail, explores some of the "short fuze" issues that face the incoming Liberal government:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/globe-politics-insider/new-liberal-cabinet-ministers-have-pressing-files-waiting-for-them/article27075534/

There is, already, much speculation about new ministers.

For the all important Finance portfolio there seem to be three main contenders:

  Ralph Goodale, who was Paul Martin's Finance Minister in the early 2000s but he was 'touched' by the leak of income trust information which caused a mini-scandal during the 2006 election campaign. Mr Goodale is the safe choice;

  Scott Brison, who is also an experienced minister and a Bay Street veteran and a former Progressive Conservative and, I think, a Manley Liberal. The last may count against him, but, in my opinion, Mr Brison is the smart choice; and

  Chrystia Freeland, who is undeniably smart and very, very well connected and popular in the Manhattan Marxist circles but who is not famous for any skill and knowledge in either economics or policy. She is the outside choice to be Canada's first ever female Minister of Finance.

Two names surface, repeatedly, for MND:

  Andrew Leslie, for obvious reasons; and

  Bill Blair ~ former Toronto Police Chief.

Foreign Affairs is, I believe, the portfolio LGen (ret'd) Leslie really wants ... if he can have some policy freedom, but there is some speculation that he will be handed Immigration to bring his organizational skills and contacts to bear to get the 25,000 Syrian terrorists refugees into Canada quickly and get them housed on military bases, etc. Also, there are some who want Ms Freeland kept as far away as possible for any financial portfolio so Foreign Affairs might be a good fit (she wouldn't be a "first female, that honour goes to Flora MacDonald and she was followed by Barbara McDougal (both Conservatives)). Prime Minister designate Trudeau might promise LGen (ret'd) Leslie both Foreign Affairs and a (relatively) free hand there if he gets the immigration/refugee thing to work.

For those hoping that LGen (ret'd) Leslie will not be the MND, Daniel Leblanc, writing in the Globe and Mail says that "Prime-minister-designate Justin Trudeau will elevate women such as Chrystia Freeland and Catherine McKenna to his cabinet, leaving high-profile MPs such as former Toronto city councillor Adam Vaughan and retired lieutenant-general Andrew Leslie on the sidelines ... [and] ...Mr. Trudeau had to make tough calls, including leaving out star candidates such as Mr. Leslie, Mr. Vaughan and some veteran MPs ..."

 

[ModlrMike]

I think we're going to be as surprised at who's not in cabinet, as who is.