Harper appoints 27 Parliamentary Secretaries

I am not sure if this is the full listing as there are 38 cabinet ministers right now, however I do notice some of these parliamentary secretaries have responsibility for multiple departments. Below are bios and announcements from the PMO website as well as a video about the new cabinet.
-Darryl

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PM appoints experienced team of Parliamentary Secretaries to provide leadership in the House of Commons

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today appointed a new team of Parliamentary Secretaries who will have the responsibility for helping guide the Government’s agenda inside the House of Commons.

“In a time of global economic instability, it is essential that the government’s legislative responsibilities are managed consistently and competently,” said the Prime Minister. “Today, we are appointing a team of Parliamentary Secretaries with the right combination of skills and experience to ensure our governing agenda remains on track.”

Parliamentary Secretaries are responsible for assisting members of the Cabinet with their parliamentary responsibilities. As part of these responsibilities, Parliamentary Secretaries frequently represent their Minister in Parliamentary committees and work closely with Members of Parliament in the House of Commons.

“When Parliament resumes, our government will act decisively to protect Canadian families and businesses during this global storm,” said the Prime Minister. “Serving as a Parliamentary Secretary is a big responsibility, and I have tremendous confidence that this is the right team for the job.”

Parliamentary Secretaries

Pierre Poilievre

Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Nepean–Carleton (Ontario)

Pierre Poilievre was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. Mr. Poilievre was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board in February 2006.

Mr. Poilievre owned and operated a communications and market research firm before taking his seat in Parliament.

He is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Mr. Poilievre studied international relations at the University of Calgary.

Ted Menzies

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Macleod (Alberta)

Ted Menzies was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and was re-elected in 2006 and 2008. In October 2007, Mr. Menzies was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance. Previously, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation and to the Minister of International Trade.

Mr. Menzies held the post of President of the Canadian Agri-Food and Trade Alliance and was Vice-President of the Grain Growers of Canada. He has owned and operated a farm for over 30 years.

He and his wife, Sandy, have two children.

The Hon. Jim Abbott

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation

Kootenay–Columbia (British Columbia)

Jim Abbott was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993 and re-elected in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008. In February 2006, Mr. Abbott was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Canadian Heritage. In October 2007, he became a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

Mr. Abbott brings to his work as a parliamentarian a background of sales, marketing and business management with his own firm as well as with small, medium-sized and international businesses.

Mr. Abbott and his wife, Jeannette, have three children.

John Duncan

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Vancouver Island North (British Columbia)

John Duncan was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993 and re-elected in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2008.

From 2006 to 2007, Mr. Duncan worked as Pacific Region Advisor to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. From 1972 to 1993, he worked in the coastal BC forest industry.

Mr. Duncan attended the University of British Columbia and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the Faculty of Forestry in 1972. He and his wife, Mary, have three children.

Gerald Keddy

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade

South Shore–St. Margaret's (Nova Scotia)

Gerald Keddy was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in October 2007, and in March 2008, was assigned the additional post of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade.

Prior to his career in politics, Mr. Keddy worked as a farmer, a driller in Nova Scotia’s offshore oil industry and a Christmas tree producer and exporter. He is past president of the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia.

Mr. Keddy lives in New Ross, Nova Scotia, with his partner, Judy, and their children.

Deepak Obhrai

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Calgary East (Alberta)

Deepak Obhrai was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 2006. In addition, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation in March 2008.

He is a past president of the India-Canada Association, the Monterey Community Association and the Hindu Society of Calgary, and Vice-President of the National Indo/Canadian Council.

Mr. Obhrai and his wife, Neena, have three children.

David Anderson

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board

Cypress Hills–Grasslands (Saskatchewan)

David Anderson was first elected to the House of Commons in 2000 and re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2008. Mr. Anderson was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Canadian Wheat Board in February 2006, and was assigned additional responsibilities as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources in October 2007.

Mr. Anderson graduated from the University of Regina and has a Master’s of Divinity from the Canadian Theological Seminary.

Mr. Anderson and his wife, Sheila, have two children.

Colin Carrie

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health

Oshawa (Ontario)

Colin Carrie was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry in February 2006.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was the co-owner and operator of a chiropractic clinic in the Durham Region, Ontario.

Dr. Carrie has been a vocal advocate for Hepatitis C patients and for families dealing with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Dr. Carrie graduated from the University of Waterloo and from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College where he earned a doctor of chiropractic medicine degree.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children.

Brian Jean

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

Fort McMurray–Athabasca (Alberta)

Brian Jean was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in February 2006.

Prior to entering federal politics, he practised law and was an instructor at Keyano College, a business owner and a publisher.

He was Chair of the Alberta Summer Games and President of the Fort McMurray Downtown Business Association as well as a director of the local chamber of commerce and honorary Chair of the Children’s Health Foundation.

He has a master’s in business administration and a law degree.

Randy Kamp

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Pitt Meadows–Maple Ridge–Mission (British Columbia)

Randy Kamp was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in February 2006.

Prior to entering politics, he and his family lived in the Philippines where he was the regional director for an organization doing linguistic work among minority language communities.

Mr. Kamp has a bachelor’s degree in theology. He and his wife, Ruth, have three children.

Ed Komarnicki

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour

Souris–Moose Mountain (Saskatchewan)

Ed Komarnicki was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in February 2006.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Komarnicki was a practising lawyer and served as chair of the Law Society of Saskatchewan’s committees on professional standards, on legislation and policy, and on equity diversity. He also served as vice-chair of the society’s discipline committee.

Mr. Komarnicki and his wife have eight children.

Tom Lukiwski

Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Regina–Lumsden–Lake Centre (Saskatchewan)

Tom Lukiwski was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform in February 2006.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was general manager of the Saskatchewan Party from 1997 to 2004. In addition to operating a small business, he has been an active volunteer in his community. He served as Chair for the Peter Gzowski Fundraiser for Literacy and played key roles with the Bill Clarke fundraiser in support of the fight against Parkinson’s disease, the 1992 Labatt Brier Committee, and Skate Canada 1989. He was also a member of the marketing board of directors for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Mr. Lukiwski and and his wife, Diane, have two children.


Dave MacKenzie

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety

Oxford (Ontario)

Dave MacKenzie was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety in February 2006.

From 1967 to 1997, Mr. MacKenzie served as a constable, detective, inspector, deputy chief and chief of police with the Woodstock City Police. He retired from the police force in 1997.

Mr. MacKenzie is actively involved in his community and has worked extensively with the Woodstock General Hospital Foundation and the Woodstock Seniors Centre.

He and his wife, Lynda, have three children.

Rob Moore

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice

Fundy Royal (New Brunswick)

Rob Moore was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in February 2006.

He has a bachelor of laws degree from the University of New Brunswick and he was called to the New Brunswick Bar in June 2000.

Mark Warawa

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment

Langley (British Columbia)

Mark Warawa was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment in February 2006.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was a municipal councillor and a regional district director for 13 years. Mr. Warawa has 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur.

Mr. Warawa and his wife, Diane, have five children.

Sylvie Boucher

Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women

Beauport–Limoilou (Quebec)

Sylvie Boucher was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. Ms. Boucher was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Status of Women in October 2007. Previously, she served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for La Francophonie and Official Languages.

She has worked in the private sector, specializing in marketing and sales, and moved to politics where she assumed various roles in the Quebec National Assembly.

Ms. Boucher is an active member of a number of community groups.

Ms. Boucher has studied in various fields, including gerontology, literature, and office systems and information technology.

She has two daughters.


Dean Del Mastro

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Peterborough (Ontario)

Dean Del Mastro was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008.

He has served on several House of Commons committees, including the standing committees on National Defence, on Finance and on Canadian Heritage.

Prior to entering federal politics, he served as Chairman of the Suzuki Canada Dealer Advisory Board, and as Vice-President of Del Mastro Motors Ltd., a company he jointly founded.

Mr. Del Mastro attended the University of Windsor where he earned his Honours Bachelor of Commerce.

Rick Dykstra

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

St. Catharines (Ontario)

Rick Dykstra was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. Mr. Dykstra has been a member of the standing committees on Finance, and Justice and Human Rights.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was a partner in a public affairs business operating out of Niagara and Toronto. Previously, Mr. Dykstra spent five years in the Ontario provincial government and served as Director of Caucus Relations for two provincial premiers, as well as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Community and Social Services. He has also served as a member of the Niagara Parks Commission.

Mr. Dykstra has a degree in political science from Brock University, and a Master's Certificate in project management from York University. Mr. Dykstra and his wife, Kathy, are lifelong residents of St. Catharines and have three children.


Jacques Gourde

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of National Revenue

Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière (Quebec)

Jacques Gourde was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. He was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec in October 2007.

Previously, Mr. Gourde served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources.

Mr. Gourde has a diploma in farm management and was a producer and exporter of hay in Saint-Narcisse-de-Beaurivage. He was President of the Development Committee of Saint-Narcisse and parish council church warden for six years.

Mr. Gourde and his wife, Chantal, have five children.

Laurie Hawn

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Edmonton Centre (Alberta)

Laurie Hawn was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. In October 2007, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Hawn had a distinguished career in the Royal Canadian Air Force. During his 30 years of service, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel before retiring in 1994. He also served an additional five years as Honorary Colonel of the 417 Combat Support Squadron. Upon retirement, Mr. Hawn entered the financial services business. He is a founding member of the Investment Advisors Association of Canada.

He and his wife, Judy, have two children.


Mike Lake

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Edmonton─Mill Woods─Beaumont (Alberta)

Mike Lake was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008.

Mr. Lake has served as a member of the House of Commons standing committees on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and on Public Accounts.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Lake worked for 10 years with the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club where he served as National Accounts Manager, Director of Ticket Sales and Group Sales Manager. He is an active member of the Edmonton Autism Society and has mentored foster children.

Mr. Lake holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with distinction) from the University of Alberta. He and his wife, Debi, have two children.

Pierre Lemieux

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture

Glengarry–Prescott–Russell (Ontario)

Mr. Lemieux was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. He was named Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages in October 2007.

Mr. Lemieux began his career as an officer in the Canadian Forces where he served for 20 years before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He is also a professional engineer and is certified with the Project Management Institute. After working as a manager in the high-tech sector, he started his own company, offering project management and consulting services.

Mr. Lemieux is married and has five children.


Daniel Petit

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice

Charlesbourg─Haute-Saint-Charles (Quebec)

Daniel Petit was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008.

Mr. Petit has been a member of several House of Commons committees, including the standing committees on Justice and Human Rights, and on Official Languages.

Prior to entering federal politics, he founded and was a partner of the firm Petit, Beaudoin, Société nominale d'avocats, specializing in labour and administrative law.

Mr. Petit is married with four children.

Shelly Glover

Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages

Saint Boniface (Manitoba)

Shelly Glover was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008.

Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. Glover was a Patrol Sergeant and a 16-year veteran of the Winnipeg Police Service. In addition to supervising a team of uniformed officers, she has served as a uniformed general patrol officer, bike patrol officer, and detective in the Youth and Child Abuse Unit. She also served as the official spokesperson for the Winnipeg Police Force.

She has volunteered on various boards, including Big Sisters, the Beausejour New Arena Planning Committee and various school parent councils.

Ms. Glover majored in justice and law enforcement at the University of Winnipeg. She and her husband, Bruce, have five children.


Greg Kerr

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs

West Nova (Nova Scotia)

Greg Kerr was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Kerr served as a member of the Government of Nova Scotia from 1978 to 1992. He served in the provincial Cabinet as the Minister of Finance; Tourism and Culture; Housing; Culture, Recreation and Fitness; and Environment. He also served as a municipal councillor for Annapolis County, Nova Scotia.

Previously, Mr. Kerr was an owner of a small beef farm and a small logging operation, and was also a high school teacher.

Mr. Kerr has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Mount Allison University. Mr. Kerr and his wife, Marcia Longmire, have two children.

Andrew Saxton

Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board

North Vancouver (British Columbia)

Andrew Saxton was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Saxton was CEO of King George Financial Corp., an investment firm, and was on the Board of Directors of Canaco Resources, a gold exploration company. Mr. Saxton has worked for Credit Suisse at their Switzerland, New York and Vancouver offices, and for HSBC at their Hong Kong and Singapore offices. Currently, he is a director of the provincial Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Mr. Saxton graduated with a degree in administrative and commercial studies from the University of Western Ontario.


Alice Wong

Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism

Richmond (British Columbia)

Alice Wong was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008.

Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. Wong operated several family businesses, including one specializing in research and education. She has worked as manager of international programs at Kwantlen University College, coordinator of the Centre for Small Business, and manager of international projects at Vancouver Community College. She has also been a college lecturer and instructor at schools in Hong Kong and has extensive field experience in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Ms. Wong has served as a vice-president of several local community organizations and was a member on a number of local boards. She is also a guest host of current affairs programs on local Chinese and multicultural radio and television.

Ms. Wong moved to Canada 27 years ago from Hong Kong. She received her PhD in curriculum and instruction in 1993 from the University of British Columbia.

Ms. Wong and her husband, Enoch, have been married for over 25 years.

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New Cabinet

New Cabinet charged with protecting Canadas future in a time of global economic instability

Breaking News: New Conservative Cabinet

Update: Click here for the official list from the Conservative website

Formal write up coming soon…this is the unofficial list based on the notes I took. Sorry if there are spelling errors...

Quick thoughts: I really like the increase in women in this cabinet as well as the experience this time around. A couple of surprises in terms of portfolio selection, but no real surprises in terms of who got in cabinet. I think this is the strongest cabinet Stephen Harper has put together to date. Personally I think Maxime Bernier should have been brought back in some form, but am not surprised that he was not. Alice Wong, Lois Brown, Shelly Glover, Bob Dechert and Michael Chong should also be considered in the future. Overall I am happy with this cabinet. Clearly the economy will be the top focus moving forward.

-Darryl

Cabinet:

PM – Stephen Harper

Justice – Rob Nicholson

Veterans Affairs – Greg Thompson

Indian Affairs – Chuck Strahl

Treasury Board – Vic Toews

International Cooperation – Bev Oda

Finance – Jim Flaherty

Agriculture – Gerry Ritz

National Revenue – J.P. Blackburn

Senate Leader – Marjory LeBreton

Defense – Peter MacKay

International Trade – Stockwell Day

Labour – Rona Ambrose

HRDC – Diane Finley

Environment – Jim Prentice

Transport – John Baird

Foreign Affairs – Lawrence Cannon

Industry – Tony Clement

Intergovernmental Affairs – Josee Verner

House Leader – Jay Hill

Whip – Gordon O’Connor

Public Safety – Peter Van Loan

Immigration – Jason Kenney

Public Works – Christian Paradis

Heritage – James Moore

Health – Leona Aglukkaq

Natural Resources – Lisa Raitt

Fisheries – Gail Shea

Sport & Olympics – Gary Lunn

Status of Women – Guergis

Small Business – Diane Ablonczy

Secretaries of State

Foreign Affairs responsible for Americas – Peter Kent

Transport – Ron Merrifield

Western Economic Diversification – Lynne Yelich

Democratic Reform – Stephen Fletcher

Science and Technology – Gary Goodyear

Economic Development Agency – Denis Lebel

Atlantic Canada Economic Opportunities Agency – Keith Ashfield

Notes:

*11 women appointed

*Peter Kent, Van Loan will represent York Region

*Cabinet is larger, now 38 members (unless I am missing a post or two)

*At this point I am not sure who the Minister is for Toronto or Ontario.

*No floor crossers or senate appointments.

My cabinet predictions

Stephen Harper will have a lot of tough challenges ahead of him when he is selecting his new cabinet. Clearly we have a much deeper bench than previously. Here is a cabinet I put together for fun. I wanted to keep stability by leaving our strong ministers from last time where they are. I was also worried about regional, minority and gender representation. There are no surprises such as people crossing the floor or senate appointments. It will be interesting to see how close the real cabinet comes to this. I suspect similar players, but different positions. My cabinet also has a few extra positions than previous, but I suspect that is unlikely. Expect about 30 ministers with some secretary of states similar to previous Harper cabinets. Any feedback would be appreciated. I look forward to hearing who readers would recommend for the various posts. I highlighted York Region representation in bold.
-Darryl

Potential Cabinet

Prime Minister: Stephen Harper (ALB)

Deputy Prime Minister: Peter Van Loan (ONT)

Finance: Jim Flaherty (ONT)

Defense: Peter MacKay (NS)

Agriculture – Kelly Block (Sask)

Atlantic Canada – Gail Shea (PEI)

Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages – Josee Verner (QUE)

Citizenship & Immigration – Jason Kenney (ALB)

Foreign Affairs – Peter Kent (ONT)

Environment – John Baird (ONT)

Fisheries & Oceans – Greg Thompson (NB)

Health – Tony Clement (ONT)

Veterans Affairs – Gordon O’Connor (ONT)

Human Resources & Social Development – Chuck Strahl (BC)

Indian Affairs & Northern Development – Leona Aglukkaq (NVT)

Industry, Science & Technology – Diane Ablonczy (ALB)

International Trade – Jim Prentice (ALB)

International Cooperation – Alice Wong (BC)

Justice – Rob Nicholson (ONT)

Labour – Jean Pierre Blackburn (QUE)

Quebec - Maxime Bernier (QUE)

House Leader and Whip - Peter Van Loan (ONT)

Minister for Ontario – Michael Chong (ONT)

Democratic Reform – Christian Paradis (QUE)

Senate Leader – Marjory LeBreton (ONT)

National Revenue – Vic Toews (MAN)

Natural Resources – Gary Lunn (BC)

Public Safety – Stockwell Day (BC)

Public Works – Diane Finley (ONT)

Intergovernmental Affairs – Lawrence Cannon (QUE)

Transport, Infrastructure and Communities/Minister for Toronto – Lisa Raitt (ONT)

Treasury Board – Bob Dechert (ONT)

Western Canada, Asia-Pacific Gateway, Wheat board and Olympics – James Moore (BC)

Multiculturalism & Identity – Bev Oda (ONT) or Deepak Obhrai (ALB)

Tourism & Small Business – Rona Ambrose (ALB)

Sport – Helena Guergis (ONT)