Future Conservative Cabinet?
Patrick_Ross @ Wed Jan 25, 2006 1:04 pm
First off, Lawrie Hawn is the MP of EDMONTON Centre (bye bye Anne McLelland). Secondly, the Defense file has been in the hands of Leon Benoit for a good long while now. However, Hawn's experience as a fighter pilot does indeed make him a fantastic candidate for Minster of Defence.
BurytheNDPforgood @ Wed Jan 25, 2006 2:35 pm
SamIAm SamIAm:
Future Cabinet? Did anyone else take note that Harper sent Retired air force pilot Laurie Hawn MP Calgary Center to meet the returning medical flight from Germany yesterday. perhaps you saw the new defence minister and didn't know it.
In the past the picks were obvious, but this time around its a bit of a mystery. Defence was always the portfolio that no one wanted because it was the one with the most headaches and least respect in politics...when the Liberals were government. Perhaps the turnaround Harper talked about in the news for DND is giving them a Defence Minister that has been there and done that. Now that would be a major change.
Love always,
Samanatha
In the past the picks were obvious, but this time around its a bit of a mystery. Defence was always the portfolio that no one wanted because it was the one with the most headaches and least respect in politics...when the Liberals were government. Perhaps the turnaround Harper talked about in the news for DND is giving them a Defence Minister that has been there and done that. Now that would be a major change.
Love always,
Samanatha
Great stuff, Sam.
I love a smart woman.
hwacker @ Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:02 pm
Apparently rumors are flowing in Washington that the new Ambassador to the U.S. could be former Reform leader Preston Manning.
PTBC
SamIAm @ Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:35 pm
Patrick_Ross Patrick_Ross:
First off, Lawrie Hawn is the MP of EDMONTON Centre (bye bye Anne McLelland). Secondly, the Defense file has been in the hands of Leon Benoit for a good long while now. However, Hawn's experience as a fighter pilot does indeed make him a fantastic candidate for Minster of Defence.
Sorry, I knew it was Edmonton Center...I was just reading a report that highlited Calgary...I must work between visits. Guess it was hooked in my mind.
Leon Benoit was the critic and did a good job, but the reality is the cabinet portfolios must be given to someone who has a great deal of administative know how and if you can find someone who has a special area of knowledge in the field then you pick them. Laurie Hawn was a Lcol in the F-18 world commanding some 300 people, also the Wing operations Officer in Cold Lake. In both cases it proves he has the "Right Stuff" for the portfolio. My neighbour told me yesterday that Lcol Hawn was the air operations boss during the first Gulf War. Sounds to me that his ability to administrate and lead are not in doubt. If PM Martin was looking for the ideal man to look after the Defence Ministry, he couldn't get a better candidate for the job. Nothing like practical experience to make the job easier.
GunPlumber @ Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:15 pm
Patrick_Ross Patrick_Ross:
First off, Lawrie Hawn is the MP of EDMONTON Centre (bye bye Anne McLelland). Secondly, the Defense file has been in the hands of Leon Benoit for a good long while now. However, Hawn's experience as a fighter pilot does indeed make him a fantastic candidate for Minster of Defence.
Hawn doesn't have Peter Goldring's or Leon Benoit's credentials, so I can't see him getting Defence.
Benoit has been the Defence critic for a while and the fact his riding contains 4 Wing won't hurt. But I remember some rumours, from when I was posted to Cold Lake, and some old skeletons might come back to haunt him.
Goldring has served multiple terms as Defence and DVA critic, and has four terms as Chair of SCONDVA. He's also substantially more visible than Benoit, and seeing as it's highly unlikely that more than two portfolios will go to Alberta MP's, I'm betting he'll be the only candidate for MND.
I think Rona Ambrose had a good shot, she's young and a woman, but if Alberta is limited to two cabinet representatives, the other one will HAVE to be from the Calgary area. Can you guess who I'm thinking of?