Coalition government - who gets which roles?

I'd love to see Libby Davies as Minister of Health. 

The Minister of Health has the power to reschedule any substance in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act at his or her discretion. Thus the Minister of Health can legalize marijuana or any other substance without a vote in Parliament.

If we got an NDP Minister of Justice, they would be able to stop the Marc Emery extradition without a vote in Parliament. My understanding is that the Minister of Justice can declare the extradition attempt invalid and end it at any time.

But would NDP ministers be bold enough to take such steps on these issues? 

Dana Larsen wrote:

If we got an NDP Minister of Justice, they would be able to stop the Marc Emery extradition without a vote in Parliament. My understanding is that the Minister of Justice can declare the extradition attempt invalid and end it at any time.

I'm still a Canadian citizen despite living south of teh border for a long time. I can still vote and I can still contribute. This is my pledge: if they stop the extradition of Marc Emery, they will get a cheque from me that same day for the maximum donation allowed under the law and my vote in every election for as long as I remain a citizen.

Adam T wrote:

How do I edit here?  It's Judy Wacylycia Leis.

 While I agree with folks about these picks in terms of talent and regional representation I'll propose an additional consideration. People should also consider the party's next generation and grooming some younger leaders. I think that's a case for Chris Charlton, Brian Masse, Peter Julian, Nathan Cullen, Megan Leslie, Charlie Angus, Paul Dewar. Though, for all I know, these folks could be older than I think.

It would be fun to get Jack Harris in Cabinet too. In terms of building on our Newfoundland beachead.

I think a lot of NDP members could make become Cabinet Ministers. But, I'm not really sure why they've settled on 6 of 24 Cabinet Ministers, the relative caucus sizes of the Liberals and NDP would dictate more like 8 or 9 NDP Ministers. Then again, aren't these numbers rumours still?

Anyhow, assuming 6 Ministers.

I'd guess something along the lines of

Jack Layton, Thomas Mulcair, Charlie Angus, Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Linda Duncan, Libby Davies and possibly Nathan Cullen.

I know that's seven, but I'm assuming Davies would be Government House Leader, which isn't a minister per se.

Because the Liberals are so weak out west (other than Dosanjh and Goodale, the only other potential Minister I could imagine is Murray - and bleh to that), I could imagine seeing Angus dropped, in favour of another westerner. Though I coud imagine that the NDP would want to add someone from the east, which could mean Godin gets in and either Angus or Cullen would be dropped.

If there are more like 8 or 9 NDP Ministers I'd add Christopherson, Harris, Julian, Chow or Leslie as potential extras.

 ETA: Sunday Hat, Cullen is in his early to mid 30's.

Dana Larsen wrote:

The Minister of Health has the power to reschedule any substance in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act at his or her discretion. Thus the Minister of Health can legalize marijuana or any other substance without a vote in Parliament.

Not quite. The change has to be approved by cabinet. That's usually just a formality, but in a coalition situation it'll be different. I doubt this cabinet would go for that approach - and I don't think in my opinion that they should. Marijuana legalization needs to be a bit more complicated than just descheduling it - such as creating a regulation to prevent its sale to minors.

It is not just important who the NDP Ministers are (and we do have a lot of talent) but that there are NDP members working in conjunction with the Liberal Ministers - to make sure that the specifics of the deal are being honoured.

Jack Layton's goal is to make any external visit look like that of the Three Wise Men - that he and Duceppe get invites to the SPP meetings and all meetings with foreign dignitaries.

Although the critic portfolios no longer officially exist - their purpose under the present situation is still important.  It would be important that those NDP members not in cabinet each still have a task of keeping track of certain types of information.  We will need skill on both sides (Minister and pseudo backbencher).

Can't say Jack did not warn Harper in his pre Budget speech.   Never underestimate a guy with a reputation for negotiation!

Linda Duncan I think will be in there.  I will look at who gets to ask questions today and tomorrow (excluding Jack) - and rank them that way. 

Dana Larsen - I would think that you would rather see Libby Davies as Minister of Justice - though, if extradition has already taken place, it may be too late.  Actually, I am surprised that Warner Bros hasn't tried to sue you or your publisher Marc Emery yet - they are pretty protective of property rights.  If you didn't toke and drive (and only toked) then you would be part of history right now. But then again, you have to keep a show interesting for others to watch.

The problem with this "Three Wise Men" set up is that the agreement is to only focus on what they all agree with and ignore dealing with that which they cannot agree on.  I think that we will see action concerning handguns (what all three campaigned on) before we see action on pot.

Is anyone planning any festivities for the moment Harper is really dead as a doornail? I know i will dust off my soundtrack from the Wizard of Oz and blast "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" and then dance a jig.  But it would be nice to have some bonfires where people can ceremoniously burn effigies of Harper.

The best way to honour harper's memory is to forget him. I can't wait for the day when I have to explain who that guy was.

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Marijuana legalization needs to be a bit more complicated than just descheduling it - such as creating a regulation to prevent its sale to minors.

That could be done by the provinces, in the same way as alcohol and tobacco are dealt with. Neither one of them is scheduled at the federal level.

Indeed the issue is going to be forced upon whoever holds power. A court decision in BC ruled that the feds have until July 2009 to rewrite the drug laws to incorporate legal possession and trafficking by doctors and nurses for health purposes and to legally allow supervised injection sites and so on, then the whole section of possession and trafficking in all substances is struck down.

If the federal government loses their appeal and also does nothing to write a new law, which is possible, then the responsibility for regulating the situation will fall on the provinces and cities.

Parliament was unable to write a new abortion law after the existing law was struck down in 1988, and so there is no criminal abortion law in Canada. The same thing could be happening to our drug prohibition laws.

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Dana Larsen - I would think that you would rather see Libby Davies as Minister of Justice - though, if extradition has already taken place, it may be too late.

Marc's extradition hearing keeps getting set back for a variety of reasons. Previously there had been an advance hearing for motions planned for December, with a week set aside for the actual extradition hearing in February. But a scheduling conflict on the part of the judge delayed the motions hearing until February, with the extradition hearing currently planned for June 2009.

My understanding is that an NDP Justice Minister would be able to stop the extradition process at any time.

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Actually, I am surprised that Warner Bros hasn't tried to sue you or your publisher Marc Emery yet - they are pretty protective of property rights.

It's too late for a lawsuit now, the book has been out almost a year. Actually it has just been released in the UK as a paperback book, it was just printed a few weeks back. I am working on the sequel, "Hairy Pothead and the 420 Code" due out in Spring of next year. 

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If you didn't toke and drive (and only toked) then you would be part of history right now. 

Well I was unlikely to win my seat even if I had made it through the election. The NDP gets usually 20% in my riding.

However, my resignation was actually done before the TV clips were even aired, and had nothing to do with the "one rolled for the road" clip. I actually resigned hours earlier, after queries from the Globe and Mail over the previous sale of coca leaves and seedlings at the Vancouver Seed Bank. But really in retrospect I see that my candidacy was doomed from the start without me and especially the rest of the NDP having a plan and messaging to deal with a controversial candidate like myself.

I think Layton will have some say about this, don't you agree?

Centrist wrote:

Don't forget that its Stephane Dion that will select the 6 cabinet ministers from the NDP caucus. This is how I see it playing out:

BC - 1 (either Cullen or Julian)

AB - 1 (Duncan - No other NDP or Lib representation in province)

ON - 2 (Layton + one other)

PQ - 1 (Mulcair)

NS - 1 

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

The best way to honour harper's memory is to forget him. I can't wait for the day when I have to explain who that guy was.

Oh yeahhhh...the guy who used to wear all the sweaters!

As I posted in an earlier thread - I don't beleive that Libby Davies is a lawyer so I don't see her getting the Justice position - she would do a good job in Health

I wonder who will represent Manitoba?  The only Liberal in the province is Anita Neville, and while not the least talented MP around, she isn't exactly a superstar.  If Bill Blaikie was still around, he would be a shoe-in.  So it's between Neville, Pat Martin, Jim Maloway and Niki Ashton.

Edit:  forgot the obvious choice, Judy W-L.

I had sort of assumed that Layton would take a Cabinet role as well but I am intrigued by the optics of NOT taking one.  How do you accuse someone of self-serving politics when you are so obviously not being self-serving - delicious.

Mulcair should be a given (and while not stated in the Accord, I have to believe that his inclusion around the table was a red-line in the negotiations).  He is, even more than Layton, our "star" and he simply has to be included.  Industry, Inter-governmental relations or Foreign Affairs.

Duncan gets in because of the regional considerations (only Alberta non-Tory MP) and while Environment seems obvious she is a lawyer by profession and Justice is a possible.  I would really like to see her in an Energy portfolio promoting Alberta's wind-power leadership while finding a means of developing the Oil Sands in a more environmentally manner - sorry folks, the Oil Sands are not going to be shut down by anyone.

Comartin is another Justice/Attorney General option.  I like the idea of an economic portfolio, though obviously Finance is out - my guess there is that they go with Goodale, he's done it before and will calm the markets because of his familiarity.

Libby in Health is a good call and will be a great minister whatever her portfolio.

Interesting times to be sure.

Lord Palmerston wrote:

I really doubt Peter Julian will be in Cabinet.  His big focus is deep integration and that is an issue where the Libs and NDP are very far apart.   I think Libby Davies will most likely be the BC NDPer in Cabinet. 

Besides Davies, I'd think it would be Angus, Comartin, Layton, Mulcair and Wyslycia-Leis.

Nope. There is no way Linda Duncan will not be part of a cabinet she is the only coalition MP from AB. Nor should there be more males than females. 6 spots 3 females in both the 6 cabinet and 6 SoS positions.

Libby will be House Leader.

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"watching the tide roll away"

I'd like to see an NDP MP as Minister of HRSDC (Human Resources and Social Development Canada) since that department is in charge of child care, EI and all other social programs.

Layton, will be a part of any cabinet meeting, regardless of his having a cabinet position or not.

 EI is to become a separate entity, under the coalition agrerement.

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"watching the tide roll away"

Double post.

Dana Larsen wrote:

I'd love to see Libby Davies as Minister of Health. 

The Minister of Health has the power to reschedule any substance in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act at his or her discretion. Thus the Minister of Health can legalize marijuana or any other substance without a vote in Parliament.

If we got an NDP Minister of Justice, they would be able to stop the Marc Emery extradition without a vote in Parliament. My understanding is that the Minister of Justice can declare the extradition attempt invalid and end it at any time.

But would NDP ministers be bold enough to take such steps on these issues? 

I'd love it if the government would have the balls to do that. I HIGHLY doubt it though (no pun intended). As for legalizing marijuana, rescheduling would not be good enough IMO. There would need to be consultations and recommendations on bringing in a proper regulatory structures like the governments have for tobacco and alcohol. I also like the attitude you've taken to your resignation. Hopefully future pro-legalisation candidates can be saved the troubles you were put through. 

Duncan would be good in either Energy or Environment. I think there should be a Climate Change portfolio, but it seems unlikely with only 24 members of the cabinet.

Elizabeth May= Senate

Dion Patronage appointment 

Quote:

 

And Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is endorsing the proposed coalition government and says she has spoken with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion about the possibility of her being appointed to the Senate.

Your thoughts..... before mine.

"General decolonization would be very bad news for most of us given Canada is a product of colonialism."

This is a profound misunderstanding of how colonialism affects us all. You should really check your head if you are comfortable with the status quo.

tostig wrote:

Dion should pull a Stephen Harper and hire John Baird to cross the floor and be Government House leader. That should shut Harper up.

I don't know about Baird, and I don't think it would shut Harper up, but it may be possible to pry loose one or two Conservatives who are tired of drinking Harper's bathwater. It would be essential that they retain their party designation, or at least sit as "independent conservatives," to maintain the optics of a broad cooperative effort. (However, in such event, I would expect the NDP to get a seventh cabinet post.)