— Feature, Musings —05.13.2025 12:42 PM
My latest: Carney’s cabinet earthquake
“There’s no such thing as a genius in politics,” said Jean Chretien – who then added that he had never actually met someone who is a genius at politics. He went on: “There are only human beings, some better than others, who rise or fall on the challenges they meet.”
True enough. But the ones who tend to do better at the political game? They are either lucky, or experienced.
Mark Carney had better hope that the 24 (24!) newcomers he selected for his cabinet on Tuesday are lucky – because they sure aren’t experienced. None of them have helped to manage an organization as big as the Government of Canada before. Not one.
That is why the Liberal Prime Minister’s cabinet seems more like an actual change in government than a cabinet shuffle. The sort of changes ushered in by Carney will mean lots of uncertainty, for him – and for Canadians. We simply don’t know enough about these newcomers to evaluate how they will do.
Thirteen of the new ministers are new to being a Member of Parliament, as well. So we don’t even have their record as an MP to examine, and predict how they’ll do.
The jobs that have been handed to the (relative) new kids on Centre Block aren’t inconsequential, either. Consider:
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Do they need to know their jobs when they are there for window dressing to show how changed the government is? They will have their handlers sitting in the wings to “guide” them to the correct line of thinking. Or not. Who knows. Where’s my bong?
Conservatives are strong in Question Period.
Razor-sharp questions.
Crack research team.
On the Government side, a newly minted Prime Minister with minimal Parliamentary experience.
Joined by a bunch of retread and a few deer-in-the-headlights newbies.
There’ll be many days when Carney & Co. are going to get roasted
He will do what Trudeau did. Avoid the house as much as possible.
The little people don’t require answers, only orders from their social betters.
It feels like the shine’s coming off this government, super fast.
Which means another manufactured crisis is coming our way in 3, 2, 1 …
He promised change – so it’s change you’ll get.
Even if it’s change that sucks
The “new” cabinet still includes Anand, Fraser, Joly, LeBlanc, McGuinty, MacKinnon, Hajdu, Guilbeault!!, Freeland, Anandasangaree, Champagne and McGuinty. That is 13 out of 28 that are retreads. If my math is correct, that is close to 50%. Someone needs to walk me slowly through the thought process that is required to convince oneself that this represents change. I’ll wait.
Oops-Thompson not the second McGuinty and didn’t list Valdez.
I’m glad Mélanie Joly isn’t in Foreign Affairs.
I look forward to her bringing that experience to sorting out the Honda file.
I see firm handshakes are back in vogue. I will take small victories where I can get them.
It is hilarious that the NDP fell for Carney’s shite.
https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/mark-carney-is-already-betraying-voters-who-made-him-pm
Thinking they will have buyer’s remorse soon enough if folks like Wayne Long keep talking like this.
“I think we’re going to see our government run like a corporation, which I think is long overdue”
The funny thing is that no corporation could get away with not reporting results on a timely basis to its shareholders. As a matter of fact, it is illegal. Shouldn’t the former head of Brookfield know that? If a lower level government entity like a hospital board tried to get away with that, the province would step in.
What till the Lieberal groupies see who really calls Carney’s tune.
Of course they denied the true nature of Justin for years…….
So far he sure is not living up to expectations. Shouldn’t “The Smartest Guy In The World”(TM) at least let us know when we might get some sort of indication of what our finances are like given that was literally the issue when this whole gamed out fiasco started when Freeland quit FIVE MONTHS AGO? That is how we all function out here in the real world(where he allegedly spent a bunch of time). A local hospital or school board would be relieved of their duties and the province would step in if they were this financially incompetent.
Why exactly are we all making fun of Trump’s dramatic signing of executive orders(which actually do have power) and at the same time letting Carney get away with doing the same thing when they have precisely no power. I thought he was supposed to be a serious person.
Actually, check that:
https://x.com/rpnenter/status/1922987294975295928
Warren,
When a minister goes out of their way to publicly deny that a lateral move is a demotion that immediately tells you that said move is a demotion.
Actually, it’s called a promotion on a downward scale
Warren,
Now, Carney will have to poach two non-Liberal MPs. Why? Because just a month ago, the first Carney cabinet represented partial renewal and to everyone’s amazement, quite a few new ministers were quickly given the heave-ho. What does that suggest? A) that Carney can’t pick talent for beans and/or B) that those newbies having been summarily ejected will be looking for a means to get even. As a result, it’s now imperative to poach at least two MPs. Bet May is about to become the next Speaker.
Some glaring omissions here. Carlos Leitao and Claude Guay from Montreal, Corey Hogan from Calgary, Jennifer McKelvie and Charles Sousa from the GTA.
Some of these new Ministers have been around since 2015: Dabrusin, Long, Lightbound, Sarai. The Trudeau government was not exactly known for having a deep bench so there was probably a good reason they weren’t in Cabinet.
I’m fine with most of the retreads although it astounds me that Patty Hajdu is *still* there.
Odd that he dumped a bunch of MPs he just appointed to cabinet a couple months ago: Erskine-Smith, Briere, Duguid, Bendayan, Ehassi, Kayabaga, Blois.
All in all I give it a C grade.
Gord,
That Carney judgment: sharp as a tack. Not.
Jennifer McKelvie and Charles Sousa?
Have you done your homework?
Another Liberal government, run entirely from the PMO.
I think that a new Prime Minister who takes the reins of a tired 10 year old government would be foolish to toss all the seasoned Cabinet ministers overboard and start from scratch. (He might end up doing that by attrition if Canadians give Carney the rope to do so.)
We have to remember that Carney is a political neophyte, has never navigated Parliament and therefore is in many ways just as green as many others brought into Cabinet as rookie MPs.
Where the trouble starts is the long list of underachievers that Trudeau tolerated in his Cabinet for years, and some of that deadwood is still occupying seats around the Cabinet table. A better scouting report might have been sought. Also, considering that Trudeau was a failure at succession planning, Carney is already playing small ball on that file. Karina Gould has youthfulness on her side and room for growth in her political skills but no room was made for her to compete with the heavyweights from Quebec that are biding their time.