Key Cabinet Appointments

[Urbane]

And what would that "tough love" for Education be, Nabsy?

More whacks and cuts aka CCCHHHRRRIIISSSTTTYYY???



I don't know about further cuts yet issueman, but a bunch of whacks up side the head to get their full attention might do a lotta good.

Nab

"Further cuts"??? What cuts? Increases that don't match what the BCTF requests are called "cuts." That doesn't make them cuts though. Schools are closed when enrolment falls below the viability level and new schools are opened where the population is growing. But schools are only being closed we're told. I think a reality check is necessary and if that means a bunch of whacks on the side of the head I'm all for it.

[NAB]

How about Deputy Premier?

House leader?

As for the list you predict will ALL remain in cabinet Al, I sincerely hope you are wrong on a number of them. De Jong Gone heads my list LOL. I have a lot of difficulty trusting that guy, and from following his mutterings on the campaign trail, I'm not convinced he is very bright either, particularly when we consider how he bent over on the BC Rail affair. "Yes Man" comes to mind.

Edit: By the way, I hope you are right about Hansen. He's an incompetent "yes man" too IMO.

Nab

[Al Czervic]

How about Deputy Premier?

House leader?

As for the list you predict will ALL remain in cabinet Al, I sincerely hope you are wrong on a number of them. De Jong Gone heads my list LOL. I have a lot of difficulty trusting that guy, and from following his mutterings on the campaign trail, I'm not convinced he is very bright either, particularly when we consider how he bent over on the BC Rail affair. "Yes Man" comes to mind.

Edit: By the way, I hope you are right about Hansen. He's an incompetent "yes man" too IMO.

Nab

I would also like to see DeJong expelled from Cabinet as well….Sadly I submit it will not happen. My biggest hope is that at least his roll will be diminished….in other words I am crossing my fingers for a new house leader who IS NOT Mike Dejong. I am still trying to figure out where I think people will end up. I am going to do some more reading tonight and try and make more predictions as to who will go where tomorrow…I will say that I do NOT see either Abbott or Falcon as Deputy Premier though. I hope I am right on that one.

[NAB]

Agreed on both counts but not for the same reaosns. Falcon needs to have his wings clipped a bit and get to specialize in something that doesn't wash off on the entire government (I like him for the Education portfolio as I said). Abbott needs to be higher profile than he has been in the past, and very broad and long range thinking in his next assignment, as well as use his talents to be able to deal effectively with various stakeholders in whatever. I really do like him for transportation with a view to bringing areas and transportation issues outside the lower mainland into better focus for discussion.

I'm sure you will probably be giving a lot of thought to the Mining portfolio?

Oh, and Stillwell for health might be worthy of consideration.

And I do agree that Cabinet needs to be smaller, MUCH smaller, and not have cabinet positions created just to reward a few cronies with higher pay. And that goes for useless committee chairs too, like the one Terry Lake occupies and did nothing with the whole time. And put Chong out to committee work where she can use her initiative and be useful, rather than in Cabinet.

Nab

[Al Czervic]

Agreed again. And you are correct that Christy Clark will need to put Falcon into a post where his “wings” remain “clipped” (I understand this is a saying) to me this means that he cannot go back into Transportation where he will invariably prefer to go. One option as you suggest would be to put Falcon as Minister of Education….it is a challenging Ministry as there is no greater adversary in government then the BCTF. They are ideological to the core, have massive resources, basically unlimited tax free cash at their disposal and if all else fails they can always revert to holding our children’s education as hostage (even illegally if need be). Given that Falcon already unwisely made the stupid comments over merit pay for teacher’s here would be an ideal situation for Clark to keep Falcon in check and see if he can really put his wonderings into reality (I bet on the BCTF).

However Clark also has to question if she really is looking for another holy war against the BCTF….they kicked her *bleep* when she was the education Minister and if she is really intending to call an early election the last thing she needs is a war against the BCTF Unionists so maybe common sense will most likely prevail and she will find someone else. It really does not matter who you get as education Minister the BCTF will wage a war against any of them but someone who can better roll with the punches may be a better fit.

I thought Abbott had some potential in this Ministry…too bad he quit so soon. Clark will likely surprise us and come up with someone that none of us had expected. Lekstrom ? Who knows.

[Al Czervic]

How about Deputy Premier?

House leader?

As for the list you predict will ALL remain in cabinet Al, I sincerely hope you are wrong on a number of them. De Jong Gone heads my list LOL. I have a lot of difficulty trusting that guy, and from following his mutterings on the campaign trail, I'm not convinced he is very bright either, particularly when we consider how he bent over on the BC Rail affair. "Yes Man" comes to mind.

Edit: By the way, I hope you are right about Hansen. He's an incompetent "yes man" too IMO.

Nab

On a related theme....

Who Will Be The Next Attorney-General?
Victoria/CKNWAM980
Sean Leslie | Email news tips to Sean
3/3/2011


Attorney-General Barry Penner says he's ready to do whatever job he's assigned by incoming Premier Christy Clark, including staying on as the AG.

Penner is one of only two lawyers in the Liberal caucus, and while there's no rule that the top lawmaker be a member of the bar, Penner says it helps.

"I find on a daily basis I’m making use of the things that I learned when I was in law school and also the time that I was practicing law, there are a lot of legal concepts that are pretty fundamental in the things that we do every day, so it's a helpful tool if not strictly required."

Former Attorney-General Mike De Jong is the only other lawyer in caucus, former caucus member Bill Bennett also has a law degree

Let's hope Penner stays as AG.

[Urbane]

I coulda sworn somebody said you used to be a teacher. Is that really true?[/quote][/list]
I'm not particularly religious but right now I'm praying his answer is no. It is a shame to see one person derail a number of threads simultaneously with incorrect information and rude little barbs just designed to spoil a good discussion. So far anyway cabinet members haven't been resigning, Blair Lekstrom didn't stay away, Bill Bennett has asked to be allowed to return to caucus etc. etc. . . . so much misinformation from one poster. And I believe some beer is owed from a previous error.

I'm thinking that cabinet making these days is as difficult as the real cabinet making a carpenter would be involved with because you have to have regional balance, gender balance, left - right balance of some sort given this is a coalition, and you also want to have the best people. It's always difficult, never resulting in a perfect result, and in this case it will be fascinating to see who gets in and in which portfolios. As a retired teacher I'm always interested in the education portfolio and that needs a strong person who can stand up to the BCTF. Falcon maybe?

[issueman]

*personal attack/removed/Jo*

[flamingfingers]

Falcon? for Education.

And you a retired teacher?? Urbane!

For shame.

Ah, but I think it would be VERY interesting to see what and how Falcon would deal with that ministry. Perhaps he would get his *bleep* kicked like Christie did; but then again, he may, MAY be able to make some changes that would be amenable to both sides. I would like to see that agenda.

[NAB]

I think it would very good to put Falcon in education for two reasons. 1. It would give him a chance to show what he is REALLY made of, and 2. It might give him some on the job training and experience in how to deal with situations where not everyone in the room thinks like he does and he has to learn what compromise means..

Nab

[Urbane]

I agree with both of you. Falcon might just shake things up a bit in education and maybe some new ideas will emerge. Past education ministers haven't had a very good relationship with the BCTF - often not even the NDP education ministers - so regardless of who is chosen it'll be a tough job. Christy Clark knows that first hand of course.

[Al Czervic]

My gut feeling and analysis is that Christy Clark is going to come up with a smaller cabinet. Obviously that is something I believe most of us support, however that will also make the cabinet challenges more difficult. If the cabinet is going to be smaller it is more difficult to include deadwood and you have to use your key people very effectively…that of course all comes down to what are the priorities going to be.

I believe that Christy Clark WILL move up the referendum precisely as she has promised to do and given that I believe she will do that, I have a hard to time envisioning that she could keep Colin Hansen in as the Finance Minister. Falcon already said he does not want this job so this one will be interesting.

Obviously Education and Health are also going to be massive challenges as well…..lord knows whenever they release the current demands from the BCTF in this go ‘round on “talks” they will be through the roof. Of course a smaller cabinet also means more axes from those who do get snubbed. I don’t envy Clark, she has a very tough road to navigate up ahead.

[NAB]

Did I understand you to say somewhere that you thought Hansen might retire from politics anyway Al? If so, and Falcon is definitely not the right individual for Finance Minister, then who? Next to the Premier, I consider the position of Finance Minister the most important portfolio in government, and Hansen is obviously not up to the job. But then he really didn't need to be with Campbell at the helm.

Nab

[Al Czervic]

I am of course only speculating that Hansen will retire but he is not unlike Campbell….his time is up and the HST has expired him. Although Falcon has said he does NOT want the job of Finance Minister (and who would these days) perhaps he could be convinced to take the job anyways. I think Falcon would be wise to say no, however given that he is about the only current Minister who will stand up to interest groups I hope he reconsiders. I am still trying to figure out who else could do the job, not to mention I remain terrified of wherever Mike DeJong ends up. To me the real man who needs to answer for the BC Rail BS is him.

[NAB]

Agreed, but not with respect to Falcon. I'm not so concerned about his ability to stand up to some "special interest groups" as I am about his inability to stand up to some "special interest groups" (the one's he is biased towards and supports to the exclusion of others).

Nab