Paul Martin’s Future Cabinet

Thanks to R for this.

Office of the Leader of the Opposition
Cabinet du chef de l’opposition
REALITY CHECK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2005
Paul Martin’s Future Cabinet

OTTAWA – According to media reports, Paul Martin is set to shuffle his cabinet in the lead up to a cabinet meeting set for September 8th (Globe and Mail, August 27, 2005).

Just imagine a new Paul Martin cabinet:

Jim Peterson, Minister of Labour: The federal Liberals won't weep for Canadian jobs lost to cheaper labour markets in China and India, says Jim Peterson (Winnipeg Free Press, February 9, 2005).

David Anderson, Minister of Transport: "What are those cars doing? They are destroying a common property resource, namely the atmosphere. They are creating a major problem and they're not charged for that.” (Canadian Press, February 5, 2004).

Jean Lapierre, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Official Languages: “You know some people have lived in a dream world for years… Maybe it’s time they wake up – there’s an English Canada and a French Canada.” (Kitchener-Waterloo Record, March 16, 1990).

Keith Martin, Minister of Health: "We need a new Canada Health Act that […] will allow the provinces to explore different funding models. One option the provinces should consider is to allow private facilities to operate completely independently from the public system." (Windsor Star, March 2, 2004).

Scott Brison, Minister of State for ACOA: “I’m an Atlantic Canadian MP who had the guts to say ACOA isn’t working for Atlantic Canada, and getting rid of it,” (Halifax Daily News, February 2, 2003). “I believe we need to replace failed regional economic development programs and corporate welfare with dramatic corporate-tax reductions, because the market can pick winners and losers better than bureaucrats.” Scott Brison (Ottawa Citizen, May 17, 2003).

Marlene Jennings, Parliamentary Secretary for Canada-U.S. Relations: ``Let's embarrass the hell out of the Americans,'' by warning potential customers that the U.S. doesn't always treat even its close neighbour and favoured trading partner very well. ``They (America) want to expand their markets and other countries are going to be leery,'' if they hear of Canada's experiences, Jennings said. (CP Wire, March 8, 2005).

Reg Alcock, Minister of State for Western Economic Development: On Western Economic Diversification: “I don’t think it is a very effective organization and I think it is a lot of money for very little return. It’s just an enormous Ponzi scheme.” (Winnipeg Free Press, November 17, 2003).

John McCallum, Minister of Canadian Heritage: On his visit to Dieppe: “I had a pretty good – you could even say a privileged – education. But I never learned any of this in school.” (National Post, August 29, 2002). And then there was the confusion between Vimy Ridge and Vichy France.

Tom Wappel, Minister of Veterans Affairs: In April 2001, Wappel refused to assist an 81-year old, partially deaf and legally blind veteran in his constituency. Wappel wrote: “How is it that you are writing me for help if you did not think enough of my abilities to justify voting for me?”, suggesting that he wouldn’t help someone who didn’t vote for him.

Raymond Chan, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism): “The Chinese community is very different from the Indo-Canadian community. The Chinese community are much more objective. No one can force them, or lure them, or cheat them into signing a membership form.” (Vancouver Sun, March 13, 2004).

Dan McTeague, Parliamentary Secretary (Cities): “It’s hard to make the argument that Toronto has great needs when it’s doing so extraordinarily well economically. It’s a hard argument to make in the weaker regions of the country.” (Toronto Star, November 13, 1999).

Colleen Beaumier, Minister of Foreign Affairs: Beaumier has argued that the regime that needs changing "is the Bush regime." And charged that Bush has no concern for the "many children (he is) going to kill to replace (Saddam's) regime." While there in January, Beaumier found Iraq to be "a progressive country with health care for all, and education and human rights for women." (The Sault Star, March 3, 2003).

Paul Szabo, Minister of Social Development: Szabo suggested that family breakdowns cause child poverty and has tabled legislation in the past required mandatory counselling before a divorce would be granted (Bill C-235, tabled October 18, 1999). “If we were to raise one healthy, well-adjusted generation of children with sound social, moral and family values, we will have taken the first meaningful step towards eliminating poverty in Canada.'' (Toronto Star, March 23, 1999).

David Emerson, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration: Emerson suggested that immigrants needed better language training so they could shed their accents. (CP Wire, June 10, 2004). He had previously suggested a link between ethnic communities and the illegal drug trade. (CPAC, June 3, 2004).

Hedy Fry, Political Minister for British Columbia: “You can just go to British Columbia, and Prince George, where crosses are being burned on lawns, as we speak…Yes. I know of this Mr. Speaker, because I was contacted immediately that these incidents occurred by the Mayor of Prince George (the Mayor of Prince George denied contacting her).” (The National, CBC-TV, March 22, 2001).

Gerry Byrne, Minister of Industry: Apparently joking: "You know something, I was trying to promote the concept of building space shuttles in Newfoundland and for some reason, the National Post didn't accept that as a laudable story and they didn't put it on the front page. I'm not sure why," (Chronicle Herald, October 12, 2002).

Senator Eymard Corbin, Leader of the Government in the Senate, with special responsibility for transportation and infrastructure: Corbin has called for a special extra lane for Senators arriving on and leaving Parliament Hill and called for security procedures not to apply. He has already complained that the police have "bawled" at him on occasion, and sometimes they fail to recognize him, causing delays. The provision of a special lane for Parliamentarians to fast-track their way through, unlike delivery trucks for example, is insufficient for New Brunswick's senator-in-a-hurry. "We are not in this place as tourists," he told the Senate on Thursday. "We are here by command of Her Majesty and we have a job to do. For that reason, we should be respected." Making matters worse, even leaving is annoying. There is traffic. Corbin suggested that Senators could get their own special lane to speed their departure. (Moncton Times and Transcript, October 14, 2002).

Jack Layton, Minister of Finance: Since Layton is already re-writing the Liberal budget, he might as well be named the Minister. That way, he could pursue his plans to push for tax increases. During his leadership campaign, Layton mused about the need to raise taxes to fund programs: “I’ve never campaigned on tax cuts and I’ve never promised not to raise taxes if it needed to be raised. I don’t see taxpaying as a sin.” (Victoria Times-Colonist, August 7th, 2002).

Roger Gallaway, Minister of Environment: Roger Gallaway has expressed concerns about the government’s lack of scrutiny on Kyoto. (London Free Press, October 31st, 2002)."I think it's an act of insanity." (Sarnia Observer, November 2, 2002).

Claudette Bradshaw, House Leader: Perhaps being House Leader would give Bradshaw a chance to speak in the House of Commons, something she hasn’t done at all since the June 2004 election.

Belinda Stronach, Deputy Prime Minister (responsible for standing in for the Prime Minister when he is away): "They tell me that I'm Paul Martin in a cocktail dress, but let me ask you, who can bake a better economic pie?" said Ms. Stronach (National Post, March 20, 2004).

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