He was returned with a majority, but with no seats in Montreal and only one in Toronto he was quickly named to the Cabinet (Oliver, important for the Jewish votes, which Harper is trying to wean away from its traditional Liberal support, Zaidel failed to win in the Mont Royal and so " ). Harper was forced to appoint his cabinet from rural Canada and the West. He had to maintain the tradition of appointing a minister from each of the provinces and that he did, but it was slim pickings. The only MP fom Newfoundland, an Innu from Labrador was chosen and this caused immediate concern in Quebec, because he was named inter-governmental affairs minister and has to deal with among other things, the promised $4 billion loan guanantee to develop Lower Churchill hydroelectrical project, as well as the disputed boundary between Quebec and Newfoundland, running through the Old Harry formation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.( Watch the P.Q. and the remnants of the Bloc try to make a huge issue of this and try to revive their call for the defence of Quebec interests...remember that Quebec rejected the Ref/Con, only 5 elected).
4 of the 5 elected MPs from Quebec made it into the Cabinet, one a former disgraced minister(Bernier), and the other is described as a favourite of Harper, because of "unabashed conservatism" and two defeated candidates were appointed to the Senate. These appointments coming so soon after the election were immediately criticized as "cynical, "pathetic"and "in your face"... Harper's reaction to being rejected. The Senate has always been seen as the dumping ground for tired, spent, defeated politicians and as rewards to "hacks and bagmen". Harper did not disappoint. In this instance however, he has shown his disdain for the Canadian voters who dared to vote against his party (another defeated candidate from Newfoubdland was also appointed to the Senate).
British Columbia, the third largest province got only 4 positions, but Haper's home province which voted solidly for his party got 5 positions. Ontario was rewarded with 15 positions, most coming from rural areas. Sasketchewan got 2, Manitoba 2,New Brunswick 2, and NFL, Nova Scotia , PEI and Nunavut 1 each.
Harper has his majority, but it lacks balance. Once again the large urban centers of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are underrepresented and that means that once again he has failed to convince urban voters that he can represent their interests. He has the majority to carry out his agenda...gun registry, prisons, punitive laws, military, oil sands, climate change delaying tactics, farm spending... pollution, prisons, planes and punishment. It should be interesting.
4 of the 5 elected MPs from Quebec made it into the Cabinet, one a former disgraced minister(Bernier), and the other is described as a favourite of Harper, because of "unabashed conservatism" and two defeated candidates were appointed to the Senate. These appointments coming so soon after the election were immediately criticized as "cynical, "pathetic"and "in your face"... Harper's reaction to being rejected. The Senate has always been seen as the dumping ground for tired, spent, defeated politicians and as rewards to "hacks and bagmen". Harper did not disappoint. In this instance however, he has shown his disdain for the Canadian voters who dared to vote against his party (another defeated candidate from Newfoubdland was also appointed to the Senate).
British Columbia, the third largest province got only 4 positions, but Haper's home province which voted solidly for his party got 5 positions. Ontario was rewarded with 15 positions, most coming from rural areas. Sasketchewan got 2, Manitoba 2,New Brunswick 2, and NFL, Nova Scotia , PEI and Nunavut 1 each.
Harper has his majority, but it lacks balance. Once again the large urban centers of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are underrepresented and that means that once again he has failed to convince urban voters that he can represent their interests. He has the majority to carry out his agenda...gun registry, prisons, punitive laws, military, oil sands, climate change delaying tactics, farm spending... pollution, prisons, planes and punishment. It should be interesting.
