And the Countdown is on…
[September 4, 2003]
David McKenna's press secretary has certainly been earning his money these past few weeks. Not only has he managed to keep all news of the impending Cabinet shuffle away from the prying questions of the media, but he also managed to time the announcement of the shuffle well enough that the usual flood of political retirements and denials of rifts within the former Cabinet will have to wait until at least tomorrow. By the time the announcement was made, there was no opportunity for the former and current ministers to make any statements.
Perhaps we should be grateful that we have been spared the deluge of resignations and assurances that all was well with the Cabinet for at least a day or two. Doubtlessly many will claim that it was merely time for some fresh blood in the establishment. And although fresh blood is never a bad idea, especially as McKenna heads into the fourth year of the mandate he inherited along with the party leadership. With an election looming and the Liberals falling behind in the polls, one cannot help but question whether this Cabinet is a direct appeal to Canadian voters instead of a functioning body.
With so little time left before this edition goes to press, there is only time for a quick synopsis of the potential outreach groups. There will definitely be more comprehensive evaluations published by pundits who have had more time to research. But for now, this quick overview will have to sate the curious.
Youth – This Cabinet is one of the youngest in the history of the country. Never before have so many up-and-coming young politicians been plucked off backbenches or from junior positions and shoved into Cabinet portfolios. Granted, McKenna has done his homework and most of the new ministers have portfolios that seem to be almost tailor-made for their experiences and strengths. Still, McKenna has seemingly ignored the wealth of experience that the more veteran backbenchers and former DuRocher cabinet ministers can offer.
Not Ontario – Ontario's polling numbers are likely still showing a strong lead for the Liberals because McKenna seems to have made a special effort to pack in non-Ontario ministers. Of the twenty ministers, only five are Ontario residents. If the distribution by province has any bearing on where McKenna is hoping to pick up votes come election time, Saskatchewan seems to rate even lower than Ontario. Apparently with the front-runners of both the Alliance and the NDP leadership races hailing from the prairie province, McKenna is making little effort to court the province's vote. Their lone, tradition-guaranteed appointment is a Senator.
Women – Eight positions are filled by the five women in the Cabinet, including two of the more surprising appointments. Kieran Lightfoot, brought into the Cabinet by McKenna when he took over from DuRocher nine months ago, has snagged the double appointment of Veterans Affairs and Indian Affairs. And Elisabeth Monaghan has taken top honours as the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, pushing out Sylvester Seidel, and Foreign Affairs Minister, displacing Julie Loncraine. It remains to be seen if this inexperienced MP can handle herself among the big boys with only six years of political experience beneath her belt.
Baby Boomers – While at first glance it may seem paradoxical that McKenna is apparently trying to win both the young and the old vote with the same Cabinet, but McKenna has picked people known for stances that fall down the middle of the party line, right where the older generation of Liberal voters likes to see them stay. Eric Cohen, the only holdover from DuRohcer's first Cabinet seven years ago, has been kept in his position as Finance Minister. Cohen has provided a consistently balanced budget and has been proven willing to urge the prime minister to increase social assistance funding when the money allows.
Military – McKenna's latest budget cut spending from the National Defence budget, but in his appointment of former-Captain Jacques Morceau as Defence Minister, he is showing at least an outward attempt to court their votes. Morceau, although in his first Cabinet position, served with the Canadian forces for nearly twelve years before being injured on a UN peacekeeping mission. McKenna will likely find defence spending more of a priority, whether he wants it to be or not.
So, with the exception of Saskatchewan, McKenna appears to be trying to appease everyone with this latest Cabinet shuffle. And with the NDP and the Alliance both heading for leadership conventions next month, McKenna appears to be setting down the groundwork for an election call. My bet goes for shortly after his scheduled US trip in Novermber. Christmas election anyone?
- Norbert Chapman is the editor of the Globe and Mail