David Pratt next MND?

[Jason Jarvis]

I was just checking out The Globe and Mail, which reported that David Pratt was slated to become the next Minister of National Defence -- McCallum is to being demoted to Veteran‘s Affairs.

This is straight off Pratt‘s website (http://www.davidpratt.ca):

David Pratt was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Nepean-Carleton in June 1997 and re-elected in November of 2000.

Following his re-election in 2000, Mr. Pratt was elected the Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs and has been re-elected as Chair of the committee by Members of Parliament from all political parties in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Mr. Pratt also serves as a member of the House of Commons Sub-Committee on National Security.

In July 2003, Mr. Pratt successfully completed the prestigious 160 kilometre Nijmegen March in Holland along with a contingent of 220 members of the Canadian Forces. This annual four day march commemorates Canada’s participation in the liberation of the Netherlands.

During his first term, Mr. Pratt served on two standing committees: Environment and Sustainable Development and National Defence and Veterans Affairs.

Active in Liberal Party caucus committees, David Pratt has served as the Chair of the National Capital Region Caucus and Chaired the first caucus committee on Foreign Affairs, National Defence and International Cooperation at the Prime Minster’s request.

In 1999, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy asked Mr. Pratt to serve as Canada’s Special Envoy to Sierra Leone and he was reappointed on April 25, 2001 by John Manley, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Prior to his election to Parliament, Mr. Pratt served three terms in municipal politics. He was elected to Nepean City Council in 1988 and was re-elected in 1991 sitting on both the Nepean City and Ottawa-Carleton Regional Councils. On Nepean Council, Mr. Pratt served as Deputy Mayor and chaired the Parks and Recreation and Public Works committees. On Regional Council, he worked on transportation and environment issues and was a member of the Ottawa-Carleton Police Services Board and the public transit commission. He has also served on the National Board of Directors for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

A sixth generation resident of Nepean-Carleton, Mr. Pratt’s ancestors settled in Nepean-Carleton approximately 170 years ago. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Carleton University in 1976. He and his wife Joan reside in South Nepean.

Thoughts? I know he‘s a friend of the military, but now that he‘s in the driver‘s seat, will he be able to get out of park?

 

[MP 811]

IMHO, no........like every other politician, he‘ll need to tow the party line, or risk being turfed if he doesn‘t.

Securitas

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

It sounds like he at least has a shmick about the military. It doesn‘t matter who you put in there though. The Liberal Senate committee that looked at the state of the military said we need more money along with our current MND. Its the yes men officers we have that I‘m more pissed with though.

 

[Enzo]

2nd that CFL.

 

[Slim]

If I held my breath waiting for the world to grow brighter I know I‘d turn blue...

 

[MP 811]

Ive been told the cheque‘s in the mail............and ive been patiently waiting ever since!

 

[RCD]

HE will probable be like the rest.Make a lot of noise for the media, but be another yes person in the backroom. they already stated within the last 24 hrs that there is NO new money for the Forces.

 

[L/MCpl_Argyll_ Kurrgan]

If we declare bankrupcy, will the govt help us then?

 

[Slim]

Originally posted by L/MCpl_Argyll_ Kurrgan:
[qb] If we declare bankrupcy, will the govt help us then? [/qb]

No...We just won‘t be able to own anything for 7 years. We‘ll have to borrow everything from the states! Not much different now...

 

[Brock]

It is too early too knock Mr. Pratt. Remember, he is the politician that pushed for the CF‘s huge payraise. He is pro-CF and that‘s better than McCallum...Vimy Ridge what? McCallum did his best, but come on, Pratt will be better...hopefully. The "no new money" was said in the context of no new money until a policy review is complete, which will probably be sooner rather than later, based on the way Mr. Martin wants to get back in the good books with the Americans. However, the CF will never see a massive financial improvement (like a doubled defence budget, althought I would argue that‘s unesscessary) without a change of heart of the Canadian people towards the military as a whole.