Congratulations MP TED!

**parsley** · Jan 4, 2011, 19:25

Congratulations, Ted 'Tis well deserved.

I sent Ted a Congrats when he first got elected. He is a worker. Pars

**btjadenlepp** · Jan 4, 2011, 20:56

CHEERS! That's great news.

**rockpile** · Jan 4, 2011, 21:09

Folks, are you serious? Don't get me wrong, I've
known Ted for a long time and he is a very capable
and articulate individual. But, Harper just created a
new department, along with it's expenses we pay
for, just to give the perception that there is a
balancing of power? Why do we need this new cow?
Is Flaherty overwhelmed? Then punt him! When
Martin was tossed there were 24 Ministries, and 30
how many now? My whack is at Harper, Mr. 'hang
and Government that runs a deficit" in his thesis. 50
how many billion is our deficit now? And no clear
way out in the future, just govern by the polls! Oh,
and Senate reform, where did that go to? We didn't
even have a discussion and Harper pleads "I have no
choice". What a pile of crap! He stacked it with
gumbies faster than you can solve a Rubik's cube.
Mark my words, if he trips an election there will be
a new hockey arena in Quebec City and Tom will
say, yes, but it created jobs.
Do I sound bitter? Damn rights! It's just so bloody
disheartening that I can't find an alternative -
gimme back the Rhinos, yes, yes, I'll vote for them!
Yuk, Rockpile PS, and if the best thing that made
you feel warm and fuzzy was a lame duck attempt
at ending the gun control registry, then we are in
huge trouble.

**agstar77** · Jan 4, 2011, 23:57

You can smell the Pork. 35 cabinet ministers and all their trappings.

**tipsy** · Jan 5, 2011, 06:15

I agree with rock pile and hang on, agstar also.
I have too ask, really what has he done?
Did I miss something? For myself,and others that were/are looking for cwb reforms I thought he would have been a hugh asset and ally. But in reality he has been a complete big ass dissapointment!

**TOM4CWB** · Jan 5, 2011, 07:47

Dear Tipsy,

What were you expecting with Iggy calling for a Federal election this spring?

Background:

http://news.sympatico.ctv.ca/home/contentposting?feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V3&showbyline=True&date=true&newsitemid =CTVNews%2f20110104%2fcabinet-shuffle-110104

Harper shuffles cabinet with eye on election

04/01/2011 10:03:19 PM

CTV.ca News Staff
Prime Minister Stephen Harper returned to work after the holidays with a small cabinet shuffle, promoting two prominent Toronto-area MPs with an eye towards a possible spring election.

Harper's third shuffle in a year moves former TV journalist Peter Kent to the environment portfolio and promotes newly elected MP and former Ontario Provincial Police chief Julian Fantino to minister of state for seniors.

Kent and Fantino both represent ridings in the Toronto area -- where the Conservatives hope to pick up seats in the next election.

"We know there is a threat of an election from the opposition. We don't like it but we take it seriously," Harper said.

The prime minister has cancelled the vacation plans of his ministers and staff, in anticipation the government will be defeated by the three opposition parties in a budget vote expected in March.

"Sources say the government is on high alert, certain the government will be defeated on the budget," CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife said Tuesday night.

Before Christmas, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said his party would vote against the budget if it contained planned, phased-in corporate tax cuts -- which it will.

Also in the shuffle, Diane Ablonczy was handed Kent's former position of minister of state of foreign affairs (Americas and consular affairs).

Harper promoted Ted Menzies, who served as parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, to minister of state of finance.

Menzies said he will be taking over "part of the load Minister Flaherty has been shouldering."

"We're planning to get back to a balanced budget, he's got a lot of work in front of him," Menzies told CTV's Power Play. "I can take some of his responsibility sitting at the cabinet table so he can deal with other issues.

"The economy has been front and centre for us. We're coming out of this recession looking very good, especially compared to other countries. But the work is not done."

John Baird, who serves as House leader for the Conservatives, relinquished the environment portfolio that he has held on two occasions.

Baird had been serving as Canada's environment minister since November, taking over for predecessor Jim Prentice, who left politics to take a job in the private sector.

Opposition parties were critical of the shuffle, particularly on the environmental file, saying that it doesn't matter who the environment minister is, nothing will be done with Harper in charge.

"You can shuffle the cards all you want, but there's one guy holding the deck and that's Stephen Harper," Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay told Power Play.

NDP deputy leader Thomas Mulcair said Kent doesn't have the right experience for the job.

"Environment remains an extremely important portfolio for the future. We have moral, ethical and legal responsibilities towards future generations," he told Power Play. "Peter Kent has very little experience in public administration and none whatsoever in the environment."

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May also echoed the criticisms.

"On the climate file, Canada continues to perform abysmally and the buck stops with the prime minister who has dictated that his cabinet minister in the environmental file . . . protect the tar sands and ignore the climate," May also told Power Play. "Peter Kent will not do anything different than that."

The Liberals also criticized the Conservatives for expanding the size of cabinet, noting it has swollen from 26 to 36 members since 2006.

"Harper let his cabinet expand by 10 ministers and allowed their office budgets to soar by 16.5 per cent over the last two years – a $10 million increase," the Liberals said in a news release.

‘Staying the course'

Harper described the appointments as a way to ensure "prudent financial stewardship" from Ottawa, as the national economy struggles to recover from the recession.

"Canadians have just come through a year during which the rewards of prudent financial stewardship, and of appropriate, well-timed stimulus measures have yielded dividends in jobs and growth," Harper said in a statement about the new appointments.

"It is a good note upon which to start a new year. However, the global recovery is fragile. And there are still far too many jobless Canadians for whom the recovery has yet to become a full reality. That is why the economy remains the No. 1 priority for Canadians, and must remain the No. 1 priority for our government."

The "small cabinet shuffle" was confirmed by Harper's spokesperson, Dimitri Soudas, via Twitter on Tuesday morning.

Soudas described the move as "staying the course with a competent team."

With files from The Canadian Press"

**HFL** · Jan 5, 2011, 10:07

Bring on the election. Either give Prime Minister Harper a majority and a true chance to govern the country or let the coalition take over.

**Burbert** · Jan 5, 2011, 10:18

Anything Albertie is just great! Another positive step for the West. Win/win is what it is. Just think another salary that kin be spent in Albertie..........

**TOM4CWB** · Jan 6, 2011, 03:47

You been sucking on your tums too long BurberTO!!!?

"The town of Ottawa will be very happy for Ted Menzies, one of the most personable and diligent members of the Conservative caucus, who has carried the complex file of pension reform as Jim Flaherty's parliamentary secretary. The junior minister of finance normally gets oversight over the financial-services industry, and the Bank Act is up for renewal this year. Menzies won't be able to have any dealings with Prentice, now vice-chair of CIBC, although the next time he runs into him at the airport he should thank him for the car and driver, as well as the Alberta vacancy that got him a much-deserved promotion."
[By L. Ian Macdonald, Freelance, January 5, 2011]

Congratulations MP TED!