The art of cabinet making is one that varies from first minister to first minister. I am not sure how they do it but in my mind, first you choose the cabinet and then you assign the portfolios.
Here are the remaining members that I was relatively easily able to find slots for:
Hédard Albert, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation
Mike Murphy, Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Consumer Affairs
Carmel Robichaud, Minister of Fisheries
Dr. Ed Doherty, Minister of Family & Community Services and Minister responsible for Housing
Abel LeBlanc, Minister of Labour
Rick Doucet, Minister of Agriculture & Aquaculture
John Foran, Minister of Public Safety
Here I was less sure and I doubt these choices will be correct:
Ronald Ouelette, Minister of Transportation
Donald Arseneault, Minister of Tourism & Parks and Minister responsible for the Population Secretariat
Larry Kennedy, Minister of Supply & Services
T.J. Burke, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs
Cheryl Lavoie, Minister of Wellness, Culture & Sport and Minister responsible for Seniors
Bernard LeBlanc, Minister of Local Government
What about Deputy Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs?
I think that Shawn Graham may follow in the foot steps of Stephen Harper and Dalton McGuinty and not name a deputy first minister (though strangely enough, after 3 years without one, McGuinty appointed one today). If he does appoint one, it will have to be a Francophone and would likely be Roland Haché, though Hédard Albert would have an outside chance (Victor Boudreau is ruled out by being virtually next door to the premier).
As for minister of intergovernmental affairs, this could end up anywhere. It may rest with the premier or it could go to the Health or Finance Minister because of their ministries being so connected to federal affairs. I will leave this one up in the air.
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15 comments:
I'll put a large cup of Tim's behind Rick Doucet picking up either Fisheries or Transportation! As always, some facinating thoughts nbpolitico!!
I just think that Agri/Aqua is a better fit for Doucet than Fisheries.
Transportation is an option for Doucet but I couldn't find another candidate for cabinet hat fit well with A&A.
Oh please NBpolitico, Mike Murphy has as big a head as Bernard Lord. He being minister of justice may not be that good an idea. May be minister of Agriculture or Aquaculture. Let him deal with cows or fish.
Although Graham refused to speculate on who might serve around the cabinet table, he did hint the Liberals would reduce the number of ministers from the 18 who currently serve.
"I would ask New Brunswickers not to have any pre-conceived biases on the size of cabinet, we have identified a number of priorities in our Charter for Change but there is a strong possibility that the cabinet could be smaller rather than larger than the current number," Graham said.
This throws a bit of a wrench in your predictions.
Anon 7:17,
You must be from Saint John. Envy has been blinding Saint Johners for some time now. Get over it.
Monctonite, It has nothing to do where I am from. Look at the mess on "weather girl" issue. If he had any leadership ambitions he killed them. He needs to have very heavy serving of humble pie.
Murphy would be a good fit for Justice. Hopefully this cabinet brings some power into the SJ area... because we need a Costco too! lol
Interesting comments from Graham.
Perhaps there will be no seperate labour ministry, tourism will go back with economic development and OHR will be absorbed by Finance?
Dang nbpolitico! You've lured me in enough that I had to register with blogger! As much as I would like to see all SJ MLAs with a cabinet post, as good of a man that Abel is, I don't see him in as a minister. I can see Burke's assignment but will switch your Doucet & Ouelette.
McGinley ran in 2003 after Lord fired him from the Chair of the Labour Board - wouldn't it be sweet revenge if he should be Minister of Labour.
I say no way will Abel LeBlanc be in cabinet, and even if he is, there's even less chance he'll be minister of labour. This would require balance between the interests of employers and employees, and Mr LeBlanc is so down on employers, he's incapable of that.
I also would bet money against TJ Burke doing either Natural Resources or Aboriginal Affairs. Either job would put him in a terriblly difficult position, due to his Aboriginal ancestry he'd be in a "no win" situation on every issue concerning Aboriginals.
anon at 4:42... when you have an Aboriginal in cabinet and you give Aboriginal affairs to a non-Aboriginal is like giving Status of Women to a man.
I think Abel LeBlanc would be an ideal person to negotiate government contracts (OHR) with unions because he knows how unions think, just like having a former counterfeit guy on a police investigations squad, etc
However, if the cabinet is to be smaller as now seems to be the case, it is likely Abel will be cut.
I'll post a revised guess closer to Oct 3 based on this and other developments
I re-thought a few thinks this weekend... Murphy will take Finance, Burke will take Justic, Byrne will take Business NB and Doucet will be in Tourism. Have I gone out on a limb?
Byrne stands chances of being Finance Minister as it is the major portfolio and he is quite experienced by now.
I think Byrne has a lock on Finance and Burke will have Aboriginal Affairs and the Liberals have said they will not combine it with Justice.
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