Posted on 02/06/2006 9:29:09 AM PST by GMMAC
Harper is sworn in as prime minister © Canadian Press 2006
Canadian Press via National Post
Monday, February 06, 2006
OTTAWA -- Stephen Harper, who was dismissed less than two years ago as unelectable, has been sworn in as the country's 22nd prime minister.
Harper, clutching his personal Bible, was sworn in Monday by Alex Himelfarb, clerk of the Privy Council, as his wife Laureen and their two young childen, Ben and Rachel, watched proudly.
Harper arrived at Rideau Hall less than an hour after Paul Martin resigned, marking the end of a troubled two-year tenure that saw the scandal-plagued Liberals humbled by a resurgent Conservative party.
The biggest surprise was the presence of former Liberal industry minister David Emerson, who crossed the floor to join the Tory cabinet as minister of international trade.
Another shock was the appointment of Michael Fortier, a key party organizer in Quebec, as public works minister, because Fortier is not an MP.
Other top cabinet ministers include: Jim Flaherty at finance, Peter MacKay at foreign affairs, Vic Toews at justice, Gordon O'Connor at defence, Tony Clement at health, Maxime Bernier at industry, John Baird at Treasury Board and Rob Nicholson as House leader and democratic reform minister.
The 27-member cabinet, which includes six women, is much leaner than the 39 positions the Liberals had, and drops the post of deputy prime minister.
The new cabinet ministers arrived in cars and taxis -- an apparent effort to show that they're closer to the people than the Liberals, who used limousines.
Emerson's defection was the best kept secret of a tightly guarded cabinet list. He was recruited by Martin to run in the 2004 election in Vancouver and he won that seat again in the Jan. 23 election.
His appointment gives the Conservatives a badly needed presence in one of the country's three biggest cities where they failed to win a single seat in the Jan. 23 election.
The choice of Fortier, a former president of the now-defunct Progressive Conservative party, is an attempt to build support in Quebec Harper boasted in a news release that his new smaller cabinet is "designed for work, not for show."
"The 26 ministers are equal members of the team, ensuring equal voices from all regions of Canada," he said in the release.
"The structure is designed to promote accountable, efficient and effective government -- more focus and purpose; less process and cost." Cabinet choices have to reflect regions, gender, ethnicity and other political concerns.
Harper reafirmed his commitment to focus on five key priorities:
-- Clean up government with the Federal Accountability Act.
-- Lower taxes starting with cut to the GST.
-- Strengthen the justice system.
-- Support child-care choices.
-- Establish medical wait-time guarantees.
"Our mission is clear," Harper said in his release. "We will restore faith and trust in our public institutions as we keep Canada strong and united." Three high-profile MPs who were touted for cabinet spots were notably absent: Diane Ablonczy, Jason Kenney and James Moore.
Nicholson, who represents Niagara Falls, Ont., is the only minister with previouse experience in a federal cabinet, having served in Brian Mulroney's cabinet.
Flaherty, a former Ontario finance minister, was a longtime lawyer with a practice on Toronto's Bay Street, giving him the kind of connections that should help reassure the barons of Canada's financial capital.
MacKay's assignment to the foreign affairs portfolio follows something of a tradition in Canadian politics that has seen party leaders giving the post to their formal rivals for the leadership. Jean Chretien was given the job after he lost the Liberal leadership to John Turner in 1984. Joe Clark was made minister of foreign affairs by Brian Mulroney.
Marjory LeBreton's appointment as leader of the government in the Senate is sure to be popular among Conservatives. LeBreton has served every Conservative leader since John Diefenbaker.
LeBreton had a distant relationship with Harper for years. His move toward the political centre coincided with Harper's reaching out to more moderate conservatives such as LeBreton.
Harper asked her to join him during the recent election campaign, where she served as a cool, experienced adviser to the new prime minister.
I think he came just before Matt Lowery took that chair.
Kevin was a GREAT BIG FLOP.
I think he may have left NYC with his tail between his legs and has been "very proud to be a Canadian" ever since. sarc
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