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A future Liberal cabinet

With Dion now the leader of the Liberal party, a lot of informal discussion has been taking place about what a cabinet might look like under him. Here are my thoughts on the matter:

Prime Minister - Stéphane Dion

Minister of Public Works and Government Services - Gerard Kennedy

Minister of Agriculture - David Orchard

Minister of Foreign Affairs - Bob Rae

Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs - Michael Ignatieff

Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - Scott Brison

Minister of Heritage and the Status of Women - Martha Hall Findlay - Deserves a senior role in cabinet but needs some government experience. This is a good place for her to start.

Minister of Finance - Ralph Goodale

Leader of the Government in the House - Marlene Jennings

Minister of the Environment - Elizabeth May - With Dion as the leader, the Green party would do well to run under the Liberal banner.

President of the Treasury Board - John MacCallum

Minister of Defense - Romeo Dallaire - In spite of being a senator -- Who better? The opposition would have a great deal of difficulty criticising this appointment.

Minister of Human Resources and Social Development - Ken Dryden - Where he can continue to pursue national daycare and other social initiatives.

Minister of Health - Carolyn Bennett - A medical doctor.

Minister of National Revenue - Lucienne Robillard

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness - Bryon Wilfort

Minister of Fisheries and Oceans - Maurizio Bevilacqua - Not really sure where else to put him.

Minister of Industry - Belinda Stronach - Used to run a major, successful industrial company.

Minister of Immigration - Joe Volpe - In spite of his campaign blunders and weak image, it is probably important to keep him involved.

Government Whip - Hedy Fry

Denis Coderre, future MP Marva Wisdom, Mark Holland, Ruby Dhalla, Ujjal Dosanj, and others would also likely deserve roles within such a cabinet.

This is hardly a comprehensive list, it's just my first round of thoughts on the matter. Who would you put where? What would you change? I'd like to hear.

Posted at 12:50 on December 04, 2006

This entry has been archived. Comments can no longer be posted.

Dion's leadership begins in earnest | leadership | Canada: Defined by Water in 2020

Lulu writes at Mon Dec 4 14:56:55 2006...

David Orchard? pleeeeeeze Noooooooooooooo

Belinda Stronach? She never ran her father's company and isn't a "star" in that sense of the word

island writes at Mon Dec 4 15:23:32 2006...

Dhalla for being beauty without brain?

cdlu writes at Mon Dec 4 15:26:39 2006...

Lulu, Orchard likely has a future in the party.

island, well...

paleking has suggested on IRC that Bevilacqua should go to Public Safety, and Wayne Easter should go to Fisheries.

paleking writes at Mon Dec 4 15:28:36 2006...

You can't put a TO area MP into DFO. Put Maurizio in Public Safety. Wayne Easter in DFO. Agree with Volpe -> Immigration. I don't like Dallaire in Defense.

You have to have an MP in a high profile cabinet position like this. Plus, it's not usually a good idea to have a soldier as Minister of Defense. Ujjal could probably handle Defense.

anon writes at Mon Dec 4 15:42:24 2006...

it would be nice to see Orchard in for Sask. Time for Goodale, Robillard, Coderre, McCallum to move on. RENEWAL.

eeid writes at Mon Dec 4 16:38:18 2006...

These are my picks

Prime Minister - Stéphane Dion

Minister of Public Works and Government Services - Mark Holland

Minister of Agriculture - Mark Eyking. Brison supporter from Atlantic Canada who went to Dion early

Minister of Foreign Affairs - Bob Rae

Minister of Justice - Sue Barnes. Prominent Dion supporter

Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs - Nancy Karetak-Lindell (Nunavut)

Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - Scott Brison

Minister of Heritage - Michael Ignatieff

Minister of Finance - Martha Hall Findlay. Canada never had a woman as Finance Minister. Her business career is impressive enough to do this job.

Leader of the Government in the House - Ralph Goodale (need Western representation)

Minister of the Environment - Gerard Kennedy Good man to articulate Dion's sustainable renewal.

President of the Treasury Board - Bryon Wilfert. Key Dion supporter needs a senior post.

Minister of Defense - Ujjal Dosanjh. Western representation needed in Cabinet

Minister of Human Resources and Social Development - Ken Dryden - Where he can continue to pursue national daycare and other social initiatives.

Minister of Health - Tina Keeper (strong advocate for health and wellness in the aboriginal community)

Minister of National Revenue - Francis Scarpaleggia

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness - Dominic Leblanc

Minister of Fisheries and Oceans - Keith Martin. Need Western representation

Minister of International Trade - Maurizio Bevilacqua

Minister of Industry and Status of Women - Belinda Stronach - Used to run a major, successful industrial company.

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration - Marlene Jennings (Quebec representation is still a bit weak)

Government Whip - Glen Pearson (not a Cabinet position, but needs to be rewarded for supporting Dion early)

Hope I did not miss anyone

Toronto Tory writes at Mon Dec 4 18:08:18 2006...

Orchard, Stronach, Hedy Fry.... VOLPE????

Thank goodness Dion will never have to form a cabinet.

TT%3A writes at Wed Dec 6 14:04:14 2006...

The Cabinets proposed by eeid and cdlu represent an enormous improvement over the gong show seen in Ottawa today. Consider lightweights like Ambrose, Baird, Emerson (defector), Finley, Fortier (unelected), Oda, McKay, Toews and Verner -- give me a break.

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