# Julian Fantino new "Associate Minister of National Defence"



## The Bread Guy (18 May 2011)

No change in the Minister, but this add on, according to CBC.ca:


> Prime Minister Stephen Harper's new cabinet was appointed Wednesday morning at Rideau Hall, ushering new leadership into the majority Conservative government.
> 
> Former House Leader John Baird was tapped as the new foreign affairs minister to fill the vacancy left by Lawrence Cannon, who was defeated in the May 2 election.
> 
> ...


I would have been less surprised to see Fantino linked to a Public Safety portfolio, but good luck in the new post nonetheless.


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## wannabe SF member (18 May 2011)

Any reason the PM would create a second portfolio for defense, does this point to larger ressource allocations in the future?


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## Container (18 May 2011)

He is a polarizing figure. I wonder whats up with this appointment?

AT one point he had been whispered as the next commish for the mounties- skys the limit for him it appears.

I did enjoy his book however.


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## The Bread Guy (18 May 2011)

Maybe a try-out?


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## mariomike (18 May 2011)

Container said:
			
		

> AT one point he had been whispered as the next commish for the mounties- skys the limit for him it appears.



23 years with Metro Police. Here is a medal you do not see very often:
http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=24797&t=5&ln=Fantino

That represents 40 years of full-time police service and experience.


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## GAP (18 May 2011)

mariomike said:
			
		

> 23 years with Metro Police. Here is a medal you do not see very often:
> http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=24797&t=5&ln=Fantino
> 
> That represents 40 years of full-time police service and experience.



So what? Just because he put 40 years in doesn't mitigate his abysmal failure as head of the OPP or of chief of police....he just got out before he got canned....

As you can tell, I am no fan of Fantino's.....he was a selfserving bureaucrat now he's a self serving politician....


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## dapaterson (18 May 2011)

Inky said:
			
		

> Any reason the PM would create a second portfolio for defense, does this point to larger ressource allocations in the future?



It's not a new position - Laurie Hawn was in it before, and others preceded him.


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## The Bread Guy (18 May 2011)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> It's not a new position - Laurie Hawn was in it before, and others preceded him.


Isn't Hawn (and still appears to be) Parliamentary Secretary?

_- edited to fix ham-fisted grammar -_


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## dapaterson (18 May 2011)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Isn't Hawn was (and still appears to be) Parliamentary Secretary?



Mea culpa.  But it's still not new; there have been prior Associate ministers.


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## Good2Golf (18 May 2011)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Isn't Hawn was (and still appears to be) Parliamentary Secretary?



Yes, Bill Pentney was the previous Associate Minister.


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## dapaterson (18 May 2011)

Good2Golf said:
			
		

> Yes, Bill Pentney was the previous Associate Minister.



No, Pentney was the Associate Deputy Minister.  According to Wikipedia, there hasn't been an Associate Minister since Mauril Belanger filled the position in 2004-06.


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## observor 69 (18 May 2011)

GAP said:
			
		

> So what? Just because he put 40 years in doesn't mitigate his abysmal failure as head of the OPP or of chief of police....he just got out before he got canned....
> 
> As you can tell, I am no fan of Fantino's.....he was a selfserving bureaucrat now he's a self serving politician....



I would regard this man as the "Boss from hell." A very dangerous person as can be attested to by various OPP Inspectors and a long list of casualties in this Wikipedia bio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Fantino

Let us hope that the Minister of National Defence is strong enough to stand up to him.


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## Good2Golf (18 May 2011)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> No, Pentney was the Associate Deputy Minister.  According to Wikipedia, there hasn't been an Associate Minister since Mauril Belanger filled the position in 2004-06.



My bad, DP, I thought CBC dropped out the D from the Assoc DM position.

Cheers
G2G


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## dapaterson (18 May 2011)

Good2Golf said:
			
		

> My bad, DP, I thought CBC dropped out the D from the Assoc DM position.
> 
> Cheers
> G2G



The CBC make a mistake?  That's unpossible!


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## observor 69 (18 May 2011)

@TondaMacC 
Tonda MacCharle
Julian Fantino's corrects reporters: "I'm not the junior defence minister."
1 hour ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®


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## The Bread Guy (18 May 2011)

Baden  Guy said:
			
		

> @TondaMacC
> Tonda MacCharle
> Julian Fantino's corrects reporters: "I'm not the junior defence minister."
> 1 hour ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®


Wonder if THAT'LL make it into the CBC report.


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## Blackadder1916 (18 May 2011)

Inky said:
			
		

> Any reason the PM would create a second portfolio for defense, does this point to larger ressource allocations in the future?



This appointment shouldn't be taken as any sign that more resources (or importance, or increased activity) is in the CF's future.  The position of Associate Minister was included in the National Defence Act in part as a holdover from the Second World War when the War Measures Act provided for the position to assist the Minister.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/N-5/page-2.html


> PART I
> DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENCE
> Establishment of the Department
> Formation of department
> ...



Since then it has been a convenient means for the Prime Minister to reward (or provide a sinecure to) someone in his larger caucus during a majority government, or as a learning post to someone with potential, or to have someone available to actually take responsiblity for some (lesser important?) files that may not have been the priority of the Minister.  This last item was much the case with a previous Associate Minister, Mary Collins, who apparently had much of the responsibility for gender intergration issues resulting from the CREW trials and the 1989 Human Rights Tribunal decision mandating employment of women in all CF occupations.

There have other Associate Ministers of note - some who later became the Minister, such as a guy named Helleyer (of course there was a break in his parliamentary service before he came back and became MND); and then there was Pierre Sévigny, who became well known for dropping his artificial leg (acquired due to combat service) as well as his trousers on Gerda Munsinger's bedroom floor.


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## marshall sl (18 May 2011)

mariomike said:
			
		

> 23 years with Metro Police. Here is a medal you do not see very often:
> http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=24797&t=5&ln=Fantino
> 
> That represents 40 years of full-time police service and experience.



It's quite common actualy, Al the emerg and correctional services have one.  I have the Corrections one. it's just for doing a littlemore than required and not being in crap for 20 years.  http://archive.gg.ca/honours/medals/hon04-esm_e.asp


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## GAP (18 May 2011)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Wonder if THAT'LL make it into the CBC report.



The CBC's in a snit.....yes "The World at 6" mentioned the shuffle, and named the important posts, and moved on to some twit who was roughed up in Toronto..... 

hmmm.....deficit reduction coming....all departments/agencies will be impacted, some more than others.....foolish, foolish people.... :


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## Container (18 May 2011)

marshall sl said:
			
		

> It's quite common actualy, Al the emerg and correctional services have one.  I have the Corrections one. it's just for doing a littlemore than required and not being in crap for 20 years.  http://archive.gg.ca/honours/medals/hon04-esm_e.asp



I _THINK_ he's referring to the bars. I dont see many 40 year medals with bars. But it is becoming more common- the RCMP has a ton of 35 and up year members right now.


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## mariomike (18 May 2011)

marshall sl said:
			
		

> It's quite common actualy, Al the emerg and correctional services have one.  I have the Corrections one. it's just for doing a littlemore than required and not being in crap for 20 years.  http://archive.gg.ca/honours/medals/hon04-esm_e.asp



So do I, with a 30 year bar. 
My post was regarding Chief Fantino's 40 year Exemplary Service Medal ESM with two bars. Seeing one of those on any member of TPS, TFS or T-EMS is extremely rare. Not to say it never happens.


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## Zoomie (18 May 2011)

Baden  Guy said:
			
		

> I would regard this man as the "Boss from hell."


I have heard the same - hopefully he is kept on a short leash.



> Let us hope that the Minister of National Defence is strong enough to stand up to him.


Amen brother...


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## dapaterson (18 May 2011)

However, the MND may be somewhat distracted.


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## GAP (18 May 2011)

Ah.....$hit!!!    Nobody's gonna see the jerk for 6 months.....uh, er.....Hi Julian!!............... :nod:


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## dapaterson (18 May 2011)

More significantly, and not yet reported, the PM's website reports that the Hon Mr Fantino has been anmed as a member of the Treasury Board.  That is extremely significant; TB conducts much of the day to day work of government  writ large; having the Associate Minister as one of the four members (excluding the chair and vice-chair) will give DND/CF initiatives a strong voice for getting approvals.


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## Cloud Cover (18 May 2011)

i have worked for this man. He is a micro manager and a paranoid and an ego centrist. 
 i can remember thinking, one day in London (thats for you Julian) that i once served with better men, some of whom have left pink residue on a real battlefield(that's for you too Julian because I know you are vain enough to have an underling read this post) 
in my view, the new junior minister of defence will prove more lethal than many have previously thought possible.


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## The Bread Guy (18 May 2011)

Blackadder1916 said:
			
		

> .... The position of Associate Minister was included in the National Defence Act in part as a holdover from the Second World War when the War Measures Act provided for the position to assist the Minister .... Since then it has been a convenient means for the Prime Minister to reward (or provide a sinecure to) someone in his larger caucus during a majority government, or as a learning post to someone with potential, or to have someone available to actually take responsiblity for some (lesser important?) files that may not have been the priority of the Minister ....


Or maybe even, depending on the Minister, pass off some "bad news" work?


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## GAP (18 May 2011)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Or maybe even, depending on the Minister, pass off some "bad news" work?



Fantinol will be handling the procurement portfolio....as in F35s, etc....


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