New Shadow Cabinat Guesses

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Tue, 2015-10-20 22:30

Brachina

So what do you think the next Shadow Cabinat will look like?

We lost abunch of Shadow Cabinat Members, including a deputy leader.

I'd suggest a new deputy leader from Alantic Canada or TO, but we have no MPs in either location.

David Christospherson is the closest to TO so he should stay a deputy leader.

Nathan Cullen should be Deputy leader for BC, I'd like Erin Weir to replace him at finance.

Peter Julian should take Industry, Linda Duncon energy, for the enviroment Murray Rankin, Nikki Ashton deserves something other then status of women, something new, maybe labour?

Ruth Ellen Brosseau Agriculture, full not deputy. Defence is obvious Christine Moore, she's the only one I can think of with any major experience in that area left, maybe with Veteran Affairs too.

Charlie Angus has done great work on the FN file, so he'd make a good FN critic.

Healthcare, Anne Quach?

There are 15 new MPs by my count, some of them may have areas of expertise of use. Katrina Trudel was a Canada Post President, so that's a natural fit.

For now Tom should remain leader for now at least, but if he moves aside, I'm thinking critic for intergovernmental affairs.

Alexandre Bouletrice should move from the treasury to something were he can more easily build a relationship with the rest of Canada, like Hertiage, or something like that. It might seem like a demotion, but long term its a way to shore up his week points.

Status of women is sexist and transphobic and should be merged with GLBT, to form Gender and Sexuality issues or something, and should go to Botin-Sweet.

Guy Caron can take over Treasury.

Helen "the giant killer" Lavadaire will likely take Foriegn Affairs, she has experience in it and the related international cooperation (or development, I forget). If people here don't like her for that, maybe Nikki Ashton for Foriegn Affairs.

The rest I don't know.

Tue, 2015-10-20 22:33

Brachina

Tom should have a critic for Urbane Affairs still, maybe that would fit Alexandre Bouletrice better then hertiage.

Mon, 2015-10-26 02:16

Wilf Day

Kudos to the NDP for beating the other parties by holding the first meeting of the new caucus Friday by Conference call, and announcing Peter Julian as the House Leader before the other caucuses even meet.

But the statement didn't make the news page on the NDP site. Everyone given the week off??

Mon, 2015-10-26 02:39

Wilf Day

Tom made a point of saying his front bench was half women. Trudeau copied with a cabinet half women.

So his new front bench, nine MPs, is: himself, Linda Duncan, David Christopherson, Niki Ashton, Peter Julian, Helene Laverdiere, Nathan Cullen, Irene Mathyssen, and Brian Masse. Backed up by Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, Charlie Angus, Ruth Ellen Brosseau, Guy Caron, Carol Hughes, Alexandre Boulerice, Christine Moore, Don Davies, and Anne Quach.

Mon, 2015-10-26 14:03

scott16

Wilf Day wrote:

Tom made a point of saying his front bench was half women. Trudeau copied with a cabinet half women.

So his new front bench, nine MPs, is: himself, Linda Duncan, David Christopherson, Niki Ashton, Peter Julian, Helene Laverdiere, Nathan Cullen, Irene Mathyssen, and Brian Masse. Backed up by Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, Charlie Angus, Ruth Ellen Brosseau, Guy Caron, Carol Hughes, Alexandre Boulerice, Christine Moore, Don Davies, and Anne Quach.

Do you have a link to where he said this, Mr. Day?

Tue, 2015-10-27 03:49

Debater

Wilf Day wrote:

Tom made a point of saying his front bench was half women. Trudeau copied with a cabinet half women.

How did Trudeau copy Mulcair?

Trudeau announced months ago that he was going to have a 50% women cabinet.

Tue, 2015-10-27 11:04

quizzical

key word is "was" debator. not going to be. so it's a copy.

Thu, 2015-11-05 17:44

scott16

Has the Shadow Cabinet been picked yet?

I think REB should be deputy leader and have a senior position.

Thu, 2015-11-05 20:13

bekayne

Brachina wrote:

Tom should have a critic for Urbane Affairs still, maybe that would fit Alexandre Bouletrice better then hertiage.

Noel Coward?

Fri, 2015-11-06 05:39

#10

felixr

Shadow cabinet picks are slightly better when consideration is given to whom they will be matched against geographically, linguistically, and by media market. They need to effectively deliver the NDP's chosen message too. My concern with the current Trudeau cabinet is that he has put in place a lot of ministers that do not form an effective check on the public service of their departments, in fact, I think they are likely to facilitate departmental largesse. Trudeau's budget/economic plan was a flip-flop midcampaign to running deficits because his numbers did not add up on promises. Deficits is a fancy word for "future taxes" and after Harper's largest contribution to the Canadian debt in history, the fact that the economy is not in recession, the fact that the budget is not in deficit, and Trudeau's determination to drive the country back into the red, I think the NDP's message can target the Liberal's disdain for future generations. To allude to Aesop's fables, we are in the time of grasshoppers, the NDP are ants.

Thu, 2015-11-12 10:03

#11

Stockholm

The Shadow cabinet has been announced:

http://www.ndp.ca/news/mulcair-announces-progressive-oppositions-shadow-...

NDP Shadow Cabinet:

Thomas Mulcair (Outremont) – Leader, Intergovernmental Affairs, Energy

David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre) – Chair - Planning and Priorities Committee, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Charlie Angus (Timmins–James Bay) – Indigenous and Northern Affairs

Niki Ashton (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski) – Jobs, Employment and Workforce Development

Robert Aubin (Trois-Rivières) – International Development and La Francophonie

Sheri Benson (Saskatoon West) – Labour

Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood–Transcona) – Treasury Board, Deputy EthicsRachel Blaney (North Island–Powell River) – Multiculturalism, Deputy Infrastructure and Communities

Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie) – Quebec Lieutenant, Ethics, Deputy Democratic Reform

Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (Hochelaga) – Whip, Housing

Ruth Ellen Brosseau (Berthier–Maskinongé) – Agriculture and Agri-Food

Richard Cannings (South Okanagan–West Kootenay) – Post-Secondary Education, Deputy Natural Resources

Guy Caron (Rimouski-Neigette–Témiscouata–Les Basques) – Finance, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Deputy Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard

François Choquette (Drummond) – Official Languages

Nathan Cullen (Skeena—Bulkley Valley) – Environment and Climate change, Democratic Reform

Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway) – Health

Fin Donnelly (Port Moody–Coquitlam) – Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard

Matthew Dubé (Beloeil–Chambly) – Infrastructure and Communities, Deputy House Leader

Linda Duncan (Edmonton Strathcona) – Transport

Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke) – National Revenue

Scott Duvall (Hamilton Mountain) – Pensions, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Randall Garrison (Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke) – National Defence, LGBTQ Issues

Cheryl Hardcastle (Windsor–Tecumseh) – Sport and Persons with Disabilities

Carol Hughes (Algoma–Manitoulin–Kapuskasing) – Natural Resources, Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario

Gord Johns (Courtenay–Alberni) – Small Business and Tourism

Georgina Jolibois (Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River) – Western Economic Diversification Canada, Deputy Indigenous and Northern Affairs

Peter Julian (New Westminster–Burnaby) – House Leader

Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East) – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Hélène Laverdière (Laurier–Sainte-Marie) – Foreign Affairs

Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan–Malahat–Langford) – Seniors, Deputy Heritage

Sheila Malcolmson (Nanaimo–Ladysmith) – Status of Women

Brian Masse (Windsor West) – Innovation, Science and Economic Development

Irene Mathyssen (London–Fanshawe) – Veterans Affairs, Deputy Whip

Christine Moore (Abitibi–Témiscamingue) – Rural Affairs, Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

Pierre Nantel (Longueuil–Saint-Hubert) – Canadian Heritage

Anne Minh-Thu Quach (Salaberry–Suroît) – Youth

Tracey Ramsey (Essex) – International Trade

Murray Rankin (Victoria) – Justice and Attorney general

Romeo Saganash (Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou) – Intergovernmental Aboriginal Affairs, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

Brigitte Sansoucy (Saint-Hyacinthe–Bagot) – Families, Children and Social Development, Deputy Health

Wayne Stetski (Kootenay–Columbia) – National Parks

Kennedy Stewart (Burnaby South) – Science

Karine Trudel (Jonquière) – Canada Post, Deputy Labour

Erin Weir (Regina–Lewvan) – Public Services and Procurement

Thu, 2015-11-12 10:31

#12

Debater

So every single NDP MP has been given something?

Thu, 2015-11-12 11:02

#13

Stockholm

Why not? The 44 members caucus is only 12 members larger than the federal cabinet. The 34 member Liberal caucus all had shadow cabinet portfolios - even someone as brain dead as Lise St. Denis was critic for child care....whihc told you everything you needed to know about what a low priority child care was going to be for the Liberal party!

Fri, 2015-11-13 01:28

#14

Debater

Stockholm, you tend to overdo it when you go after someone you don't like.

Lise St. Denis actually had a Master's Degree and was knowledgable in many areas related to her Critic position.

It's not as if she was a 19-year old university student.

She was actually better educated than many of the other surprise NDP MP's who got elected in 2011.

Fri, 2015-11-13 09:45

#15

Stockholm

I don't "like" or "dislike" her. i have never met the woman. She may have had qualifications on her cv - but its a fact that she disappeared without a trace on Parliament Hill and virtually never spoke in public and was just about the lowest profile of all 308 MPs. If anyone can find an example of anything she ever contributed to public policy debate on the future of child care in Canada, I'm prepared to give you a few months (or years) to find it. I acknowledge that may be "brain dead" wasn't the right word to use to describe LSD - I should have said "absent" or "low profile" or "non-existent"

Its not a question of who is "best educated" its a question of what people do with their education/qualifications once elected. If you are casting aspersions at Pierre Luc Dussault - who was a 19 year old student undergrad student - you might want to consider the fact that he quickly proved to be a very competent, energetic MP. He was named chair of the H of C Ethics committee, was easily re-elected last month with an increased majority compared to 2011 and is now the Critic on National Revenue in the shadow cabinet. He is considered a rising star.

Fri, 2015-11-13 10:03

#16

Unionist

Stockholm wrote:

The 34 member Liberal caucus all had shadow cabinet portfolios - even someone as brain dead as Lise St. Denis was critic for child care....

She backed Mulcair in the leadership race.

And one reason she gave for crossing the floor was that the NDP had allegedly pulled its support for the Libya intervention.

So...

Fri, 2015-11-13 10:22

#17

Stockholm

Actually the one "reason" St. Denis gave for crossing the floor was "In May 2011 people in my riding voted for Jack Layton and now he's DEAD!" - Bob Rae was beside her at the time and visibly cringed - and that was the one and only time time she ever spoke in public.

Fri, 2015-11-13 10:26

#18

Unionist

Stockholm wrote:

Actually the one "reason" St. Denis gave for crossing the floor was "In May 2011 people in my riding voted for Jack Layton and now he's DEAD!" - Bob Rae was beside her at the time and visibly cringed - and that was the one and only time time she ever spoke in public.

Well, to be fair, she also felt discriminated against because of her name being too far along in the alphabet:

Quote:
"I wasn't named a critic and I was sat in the back row because of my last name, which starts with S, so I had lots of time to look and listen to everyone," St-Denis said.

Fri, 2015-11-13 14:09

#19

Caissa

Only the official opposition has a shadow cabinet. Third parties are simply pretenders.

Fri, 2015-11-13 14:25

#20

kropotkin1951

The progressive reform minded NDP are going to slay dragons.

Fri, 2015-11-13 14:28

#21

Caissa

Too bad they aren't lead by St. George.

Fri, 2015-11-13 17:36

#22

Debater

It's also amusing for Mulcair to claim to be the "Progressive Opposition" after growing up as an admirer of Margaret Thatcher.

Fri, 2015-11-13 18:40

#23

quizzical

offs i grew up as an admirer of snoop dogg. not so much after his girls gone wild shit......

youth is when you're supposed to make judgement mistakes. and youth goes until at least 29.

Sat, 2015-11-14 02:16

#24

Debater

Well, Mulcair was a grown man 2 decades ago when he praised Thatcher in the National Assembly. He wasn't really a 'youth' anymore. He was in his mid 40's at the time, I believe.

The point is that it illustrates how much the NDP has changed what it stands for.

An NDPer who praised Thatcher in the past would have been driven out of town.

The fact that most NDPers gave Mulcair a pass on it speaks for itself.

Sat, 2015-11-14 07:17

#25

Stockholm

Liberals don't mind Trudeau admiring China for being a dictatorship just two years ago, so I guess we Canadians are a forgiving lot

Sat, 2015-11-14 16:25

#26

Brachina

Debater wrote:

Stockholm, you tend to overdo it when you go after someone you don't like.

Lise St. Denis actually had a Master's Degree and was knowledgable in many areas related to her Critic position.

It's not as if she was a 19-year old university student.

She was actually better educated than many of the other surprise NDP MP's who got elected in 2011.

I'd trade her for any of the McGill five in a heart beat. Oh hell I'd trade her for a pretezel bagel with butter.

Sat, 2015-11-14 16:57

#27

Debater

Lise St. Denis can't have been that bad -- the Liberals won St. Maurice last month for the first time since Jéan Chrétien retired.

Sat, 2015-11-14 18:34

#28

swallow

I doubt that anyone cast their vote on the merits of Lise St. Denis! They may have done so on the merits of actual candidates in the riding.

In her case, as in many, higher education does not seem to ahve made her a better MP. Almsot everyone in Sherbrooke is happy with Pierre-Luc Dusseault, who won votes from people who normally vote Liberal and withstood quite a Liberal wave in the region. He has no degree, but was a much better MP than several people with considerably more education.

This shadow cabinet/critics list lacks imagination, lacks inspiration, and lacks gender parity. Some fine folks in it, of course, and many may shine. But it can hardly be said to excite anyone in the way Trudeau's cabinet did when announced.

Sat, 2015-11-14 18:45

#29

mark_alfred

The NDP were an incredibly effective opposition last time, so I'm glad they've got this shadow cabinet together quickly. Keeping Liberals honest and making sure they follow through on their promises (via keeping the population informed) is a big and important job.

Sat, 2015-11-14 19:22

#30

Mr. Magoo

Quote:
This shadow cabinet/critics list lacks imagination, lacks inspiration, and lacks gender parity.

If everyone who got elected got a shadow-shadow post then the gender parity of it was, by definition, the same as the gender parity that the electorate elected.

Or, to put it another way, if everyone got a post then it's not like Mulcair chose a few women to sit on the sidelines.

Quote:
But it can hardly be said to excite anyone in the way Trudeau's cabinet did when announced.

Such is the life of the understudy to the understudy.

Sat, 2015-11-14 21:03

#31

Debater

swallow wrote:

Almsot everyone in Sherbrooke is happy with Pierre-Luc Dusseault, who won votes from people who normally vote Liberal and withstood quite a Liberal wave in the region. He has no degree, but was a much better MP than several people with considerably more education.

Actually, if you look at Sherbrooke, Dusseault actually lost votes compared to 2011.

He didn't lose as much ground as most other NDP MP's in Quebec, but he still dropped.

It was Liberal Tom Allen that made the big gain in Sherbrooke. The Liberals surged from a distant 3rd in 2011 to a strong 2nd in 2015.

Dusseault -> down 5 points

Liberals -> gained 20 points

BQ -> down 15 points

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherbrooke_%28electoral_district%29

Btw, on an interesting note, the Mayor of Sherbrooke, Bernard Sévigny, is married to new Liberal MP Marie-Claude Bibeau (Compton-Stanstead) who is the new Minister of International Development.

Now that Sherbrooke looks like a winnable riding the Liberals, perhaps Bernard Sévigny will run against Dusseault in 2019?

Sat, 2015-11-14 22:24

#32

swallow

Point is, Dussealt held on, is well liked locally, and that people are not longing for someone better educated.

Sevigny is hardly likely to run, and editorial cartoons in La Tribune (the local paper) depict him in bed with Bibeau - she draped in a maple leaf flag, he in the Quebec flag. In other words, he is thought to be broadly Pequiste in sympathies. (See for instance http://www.lapresse.ca/la-tribune/sherbrooke/201501/24/01-4838039-la-con... if you can read French.)

Sun, 2015-11-15 03:19

#33

Debater

I didn't say Sevigny would run federally -- I suggested it as a possibility.

My point is that the Liberals have a shot at winning Sherbrooke next time if they are still the dominant party in 4 years.

And I assume Sevigny can't be that much of a Pequiste if he is married to a Trudeau Cabinet Minister.

Who knows? Quebec politics is complicated.

(Yes, I know French reasonably well, but I'm not totally fluent).

Sun, 2015-11-15 09:28

#34

swallow

Oh, the Liberals had a shot at Sherbrooke this time, and I posted that in a much earlier thread. But they didn't make it. I believe Dussealt's local popularity was the reason.

Let's just say it would astonish many people if Sevigny ran as a Liberal - he would be seen as defecting from the sovereigntist to the federalist side.

People, being about much more than their politics, can have opposing views and still be married.

Back on topic, I really so see the NDP critics list as a lost opportunity. A good caucus, a chance to show that the NDP like the Liberals can make imrpessive and perhaps even transformative choices, missed becuase of the desire to give something to everyone - which some might speculate is Mulcair ensuring that no one in caucus will oppose him.

Sun, 2015-11-15 17:05

#35

Stockholm

I don't think that is the explanation at all. Back when the NDP had 36 seats under Layton, every single mp had a critic portfolio and the same was true when broadbent led a 43 member caucus. Even if Mulcair had decided to only name - say - 34 critics, the 10 who would have been left out would almost certainly have been from among 16 rookie MPs and newly elected MPs who were elected with Mulcair as leader would be the most unlikely people to be plotting against the leader, they still have to find out where the washrooms are located.

What exactly is "unimaginative" about this shadow cabinet that gives high profile roles to all the best performers from last time? Can someone suggest what specifically they would have preferred to see?

Sun, 2015-11-15 17:09

#36

Mr. Magoo

Quote:
Can someone suggest what specifically they would have preferred to see?

Mulcair could have appointed a different "shadow" PM.

Wed, 2015-11-18 09:39

#37

Brachina

My thoughts, its good to see REB got a promotion to full critic of Agriculture instead of just deputy critic and she gets agri-foods as well, not sure why that's listed seperately from agriculture.

Alexander Boultice is the Quebec Lt. Which given that thier are no deputy leaders this time makes me feel like he's being groomed to be Mulcair's successor.

Guy Caron has alot on his platter, finance, Altantic Canada, and a bunch of deputy critic roles, its alot.

I'm not sure Public Services and Procurement was the best place to put Erin Weir, I'd have him in National Renvue.

Nathan Cullen's role seems to be make sure Trudeau keeps his promises with enviroment and democractic reform.

Wed, 2015-11-18 09:40

#38

Brachina

Also Nikki Ashton must be happy to have something other then the status of women, employment and jobs is a good fit for her.

Wed, 2015-11-18 12:50

#39

swallow

Why does a leader from Quebec need a Quebec lieutenant, anyway? Especially since they are both from Montreal?

Wed, 2015-11-18 20:05

#40

Brachina

swallow wrote:

Why does a leader from Quebec need a Quebec lieutenant, anyway? Especially since they are both from Montreal?

2 reasons, 1 to rebuild in Quebec.

Reason 2 to boost Boultrice's profile as Mulcair's chosen successor.

Wed, 2015-11-18 23:43

#41

felixr

Dion seems set to reprise his role as a do-nothing minister on the environment. As Michael Ignatieff said, "we didn't get it done."

Thu, 2015-11-19 10:17

#42

robbie_dee

Brachina wrote:

I'm not sure Public Services and Procurement was the best place to put Erin Weir, I'd have him in National Renvue.

Public works is a larger department. Also the first order of business for National Revenue is going to be raising the top marginal rates and eliminating income splitting, which many NDers basically agree with; whereas the first big procurement issue is going to be the F-35s. Erin is in a great position to really shine for us.