Kicking some tires

A former Tory staffer and a current one have been kicking some tires to see if there’s enough support for them to make a run at a future Tory nomination.

Davidson is Tory staffer turned PR guy, while Squires took the opposition route, starting off in journalism for the Sun and Free Press, briefly did some PR work here and then moved over to the other side. Both are looking at south Winnipeg ridings with Squires having her eyes set on this MLA.

Just sharing what I’ve heard…

That's how you do it

For those of you who read this post. Same day, different suit and great photo-op.

And the award for the worst dressed politician goes to...

Minister Kerri-Irvin Ross

Previous winners include, Ron Lemieux for his crazy ties and Ron Schuler for his suits that are a little too hip (and tight) for a forty-something year old politician.

The worst thing about this photo is that it appears on the government's own website.

Couldn't they find a better shot of the Minister at the announcement?

Or maybe they should of skipped on a photo altogether.

Post number 100; a little fun

“Tories 'represent renewal' says McFadyen”

This was the Free Press headline our teacher brought to school.

"Your assignment", the teacher said, "is to pretend you are journalists and research whether this headline is true or not".

"You have one hour".

"This is great", I proclaimed. “I’ve always wanted to be a journalist”.

"They always walk around like they know everything, so they must be important".

As I started thinking about the task at hand, something just didn’t seem right about that headline.

For one, this is not what I had heard my dad tell my mom about the Tories.

He always said that diversity for the Tories meant being of Scottish descent rather than of English heritage.

I didn’t really know what that meant.

"England and Scotland are far way places", I thought. "My dad must be wrong".

For one, McFadyen himself looks pretty young.

"If Hugh is saying that they are the party that best represents Manitoba’s diversity, it must be true", I concluded.

"Politicians wouldn't just make something up would they"?

But before I buy this line hook, line and sinker, I should probably do what the teacher told me and do my own research.

"Now I'm being like a real reporter", I thought.

And so, I sat down at the computer.

"If a party was going to renew itself", I told myself, "what better time than at election time".

So I googled the Tory election class of 2007.

First was Rick Borotsik and Blaine Peterson.

"They don’t look that old", I thought.

I proceeded to read that one had been a Mayor of Brandon, an MP and an MLA.

"WOW! That’s pretty impressive".

"But I imagine you can’t be that young, if you’ve had the time to do all of that", I realized.

The other was a farmer.

"Well that’s an honourable profession, working the fields and feeding the world".

The next two I looked up were Stu Briese and Ciff Graydon.

"They both kinda of look like my Grandpa", I said out loud, "but they seem really nice".

They were also farmers.

"There sure are a lot of farmers in this party", I said.

Then I randomly looked up other MLAs, since the class of 2007 seemed pretty small.

Len Derkach, Larry Maguire, Peter George Dyck.

"More old white men and more farmers".

"5 more minutes", the teacher yelled.

Great, just enough time to see if the NDP class of 2007 is as bland and boring as these bunch of Tories.

You can take the teacher out of the classroom but …

Health Minister Theresa Oswald, a former high school teacher, recently started asking reporters to raise their hands in order to ask questions at H1N1 press conferences.

While this isn’t in the same ballpark as Prime Minister Harper asking reporters to submit their names or even Premier McGuinty asking reporters to stand back 5 feet during scrums, it did seem a bit condescending to reporters.

After a bit of grumbling from the press gallery, the old system of shouting out questions was returned.

Shuffle, the morning after

Last Minister to do an announcement in her old portfolio and first Minister to do an announcement in her new portfolio.

McFadyen on Andrew Swan as Justice Minister:

“If you don’t have the fortitude to follow through on a leadership race, it’s hard to imagine that you're going to be effective standing up to gangs”, Hugh McFadyen, November 3, Global Winnipeg.

This is from the same man who didn't have the fortitude to follow through in an election against Reg Alcock and resigned his nomination in Winnipeg South.

+/- Cabinet Style

+ for changing the name of the Department of Competitiveness Training and Trade because nobody could say the word “competitiveness” let alone spell it.

- for replacing it with another equally unpronounceable name “entrepreneurship” that even the government’s backgrounder spelled incorrectly.

- for not putting Sport with Healthy Living, an obvious fit.

+ for naming Eric Robinson co-Deputy Premier.

+ for elevating two female backbenchers to Cabinet for a grand total of eight.

- to one of them for spilling the beans early.

- to a few of the old guard for not doing the “honourable” thing. You know who you are.

- to Yellow Snow who only correctly predicted 50 % of new Cabinet personnel.

Winners
The new Ministers (Blaikie, Marcelino, Howard).

Andrew Swan, for the new high profile position.

Ashton, for picking up a fairly prominent position he once held, retaining Emergency Measures and getting additional duties (Lotteries).

Rosann Wowchuk, first female Manitoba Finance Minister.

Losers
Ron Lemieux, the Intergovernmental Affairs Department has been pretty much gutted. Emergency Measures gone, Neighborhoods Alive! gone. Not much left in the new “Local Government Department”.

Jim Rondeau, back to where he started.

Peter Bjornson, a slight demotion.

Shuffle part 1

MANITOBA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

Greg Selinger
Premier of Manitoba
President of the executive council
Minister of federal-provincial relations
Minister responsible for francophone affairs

Steve Ashton
Minister of infrastructure and transportation
Minister responsible for emergency measures
Minister charged with the administration of the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation Act

Dave Chomiak
Minister of innovation, energy and mines
Minister charged with the administration of the Gaming Control Act

Rosann Wowchuk
Deputy premier
Minister of finance
Minister charged with the administration of the Manitoba Hydro Act
Minister responsible for the Civil Service Commission
Minister responsible for Crown corporations review and accountability
Minister responsible for the Manitoba Securities Commission

Gord Mackintosh
Minister of family services and consumer affairs
Minister charged with the administration of the Liquor Control Act
Minister charged with the administration of the Manitoba Residential Tenancies Act

Eric Robinson
Deputy premier
Minister of Aboriginal and northern affairs
Minister charged with the administration of the Community Economic Development Fund Act
Minister responsible for sport
Minister responsible for Aboriginal education
Minister responsible for the East Side Road Authority

Diane McGifford
Minister of advanced education and literacy
Minister responsible for international education

Ron Lemieux
Minister of local government

Stan Struthers
Minister of agriculture, food and rural initiatives

Nancy Allan
Minister of education

Jim Rondeau
Minister of healthy living, citizenship and youth
Minister responsible for seniors

Minister responsible for Healthy Child Manitoba
Minister responsible for mental health
Minister responsible for recreation

Peter Bjornson
Minister of entrepreurship, training and trade

Christine Melnick
Minister of water stewardship

Theresa Oswald
Minister of health

Kerri Irvin-Ross
Minister of housing and community development
Minister responsible for Neighborhoods Alive!
Minister responsible for Community Places
Minister responsible for co-operative development

Andrew Swan
Minister of justice and attorney general
Keeper of the Great Seal
Minister responsible for constitutional affairs

Jennifer Howard
Minister of labour and immigration
Minister charged with the administration of the Workers Compensation Act
Minister responsible for the status of women
Minister responsible for persons with disabilities

Flor Marcelino
Minister of culture, heritage and tourism
Minister responsible for multiculturalism

Bill Blaikie
Minister of conservation
Minister responsible for recycling and environmental education
Minister responsible for climate change
Minister responsible for green initiatives
Government house leader