Ignatieff names shadow cabinet...interesting who has been left out
Today Michael Ignatieff named his shadow cabinet. It is smaller than the Conservative cabinet with some critics serving in multiple portfolios. There is no deputy leader and Mr. Ignatieff himself will hold the critic position for Intergovernmental Affairs. What I found interesting is some of the names not included.
Stephane Dion: Former leader of the Liberal Party appears to have been shut out of the shadow cabinet with no clear responsibilities.
Justin Trudeau: No cabinet post for the son of former Prime Minister Trudeau?
Ralph Goodale: Once considered a possibility for interim leader now appears destined for the backbenches.
Ujjal Dosanjh: Once considered a potential leadership contender, today the former BC NDP Premier finds himself out of the shadow cabinet.
Irwin Cotler: A top mind on justice and international law; does anyone else find it odd that he wasn't selected for the shadow critic role?
Marlene Jennings: Lots of experience in previous cabinet and critic roles, but seems Ignatieff took a pass on her this time.
Hedy Fry and Joyce Murray: Two prominent Liberal women from BC also shut out.
Navdeep Bains: Considered a rising star in the Liberal Party, Mr. Bains finds himself without a cabinet despite being in a vulnerable riding Mississauga-Brampton South.
Bryon Wilfert: Dion's most loyal supporter shut out by the new regime.
Jim Karygiannis: Always passed up for cabinet or critic roles it seems. Mr. Karygiannis was the loudest critic of Dion and some argue it was his comments to the media that accelerated Dion's departure paving the way for Iggy.
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Nunavut are shut out of shadow cabinet altogether. MPs such as Ruby Dhalla and Ken Dryden perhaps got lesser roles than expected. Overall there are 35 members of the Ignatieff shadow cabinet and that is three short of the 38 Conservative cabinet. I am assuming Jim Cowan will remain Leader of the Opposition in the Senate given that he was appointed in November as leader. Overall it will be interesting to see what the rationale there was for keeping members like Cotler, Trudeau, Dosanjh, Bains, Goodale and Dion out of the shadow cabinet. Are some of these names not running for re-election? Did they back the wrong leadership candidate? Does Ignatieff want to signal a changing of the guard in the Liberal Party? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Correction: I have just been informed that Goodale and Jennings will keep their roles as House leader and Deputy House leader. Given that Goodale is the only Liberal from Saskatchewan, I am still a bit surprised he was not assigned a formal critic role in the Ignatieff shadow cabinet.
-Darryl
Liberal Opposition Critics
Michael Ignatieff - Intergovernmental Affairs
John McCallum - Finance
Bob Rae - Foreign Affairs
Denis Coderre - Defence and Quebec Lieutenant
David McGuinty - Environment & Energy
Carolyn Bennett - Health
Marc Garneau - Industry, Science & Technology
Mark Holland - Public Safety & National Security
Geoff Regan - Natural Resources
Dominic LeBlanc - Justice and Attorney-General
Scott Brison - International Trade
Martha Hall Findlay - Public Works and Government Services
Todd Russell - Indian Affairs
Larry Bagnell - Arctic Issues & Northern Development
Joe Volpe - Transport
Gerard Kennedy - Infrastructure, Communities and Cities
Maurizio Bevilacqua - Citizenship & Immigration
Judy Sgro - Veterans Affairs, Seniors & Pensions
Yasmin Ratansi - National Revenue
Gerry Byrne - Fisheries & Oceans
Jean-Claude D'Amours - Atlantic Gateway and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Pablo Rodriguez - Canadian Heritage & Official Languages
Maria Minna - Labour
Dan McTeague - Treasury Board, Consumer Affairs and Consular Affairs
Mike Savage - Human Resources & Skills Development
Anita Neville - Status of Women
Wayne Easter - Agriculture, Agri-food and Canadian Wheat Board
Sukh Dhaliwal - Asia-Pacific Gateway & Western Economic Development
Ruby Dhalla - Youth & Multiculturalism
Keith Martin - Amateur Sport, Health Promotion and the Vancouver Olympics
Alexandra Mendès - Economic Development Agency for Regions of Quebec
Glen Pearson - International Cooperation
Raymonde Folco - La Francophonie
Ken Dryden - National Outreach Advisor, Working Families & Poverty, Special Liason, National Fundraising
