New B.C. premier names her cabinet

hollywoodnorth · #1 Posted **Mar 14, 2011, 10:21 PM**

New B.C. premier names her cabinet

Clark cut the size of cabinet to 18 from 23, including herself, meaning a large number of former premier Gordon Campbell's ministers will now be sitting on the backbenches of the legislature.

The new cabinet comprises:

* Kevin Falcon, deputy premier and minister of finance.
* Mary Polak, minister of aboriginal relations.
* Naomi Yamamoto, minister of advanced education.
* Don McRae, minister of agriculture.
* Barry Penner, attorney general.
* Mary McNeil, minister of children and family development.
* Ida Chong, minister community sport and cultural development.
* George Abbott, minister of education.
* Rich Coleman, minister of energy and mines, and minister responsible for housing.
* Terry Lake, minister of environment.
* Steve Thomson, minister of forests, lands and natural resource operations.
* Mike de Jong, minister of health.
* Pat Bell, minister of jobs, tourism and innovation.
* Stephanie Cadieux, minister of labour, citizens services and open government.
* Shirley Bond, minister of public safety and solicitor general.
* Harry Bloy, minister of social development and minister responsible for multiculturalism.
* Blair Lekstom, minister of transportation and infrastructure.
* Rich Coleman will serve as the government house leader.
* Terry Lake will be the deputy government house leader.
* Ben Stewart will be the government whip.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...w-cabinet.html

can I get a .... GO CLARK GO! ?

good picks by me. gonna be a good 2 years!

Stingray2004 · #2 Posted **Mar 14, 2011, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

New B.C. premier names her cabinet

* Kevin Falcon, deputy premier and minister of finance.
* Barry Penner, attorney general.
* Mary McNeil, minister of children and family development.
* George Abbott, minister of education.
* Rich Coleman, minister of energy and mines,
* Pat Bell, minister of jobs, tourism and innovation.
* Blair Lekstom, minister of transportation and infrastructure.

These have always been a good core group of competent ministers. BTW, election this fall after Labour Day weekend is virtually guaranteed.

Just one thought - I sure wish that Clark would have dumped Mary Polak and put Moira Stillwell in her place.

hollywoodnorth · #3 Posted **Mar 14, 2011, 10:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingray2004

These have always been a good core group of competent ministers. BTW, election this fall after Labour Day weekend is virtually guaranteed.

Just one thought - I sure wish that Clark would have dumped Mary Polak and put Moira Stillwell in her place.

so there would be a by-election in June-ish then .... so she can get a seat .... most likely Gordo's old seat. followed by a full election with HST Referendum as well.

I wonder if she will lower the HST by 1% in time for the referendum to hep sway the masses. That's what I would do and thats what Gordo should have done ... seems Falcon said something alone those lines a few months back as well.

Stingray2004 · #4 Posted **Mar 14, 2011, 11:13 PM**

Each point drop in the provincial portion of the HST would represent a drop in annual provincial revenues of about $700 million. That's big coin.

Perhaps a .5% drop in the HST, which equates to about $350 million/year (That would eat up the $1.6 billion federal HST transition funds spread out over 4 years).

It's doable in the context that if the HST is gone, $1.6 billion in federal HST transition funds would have to be returned.

And then another .5% drop in the HST when provincial revenues recover (1, 2, perhaps 3 years down the road?)

trofirhen · #5 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 12:31 AM**

Not to be ignorant, irreverent, or rude, but from across the planet, I would simply like to chime in, saying "GOOD-BYE GORDO..."

flight_from_kamakura · #6 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 12:34 AM**

surprised at hansen, wonder if that means he's retiring from politics. polak, damn, a shame she made it in there. with the way this team looks though, i'm thinking that if clark somehow loses to farnworth of whoever (which i think everyone realizes could happen), falcon is going to oust that broad, no prob.

hollywoodnorth · #7 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 12:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Not to be ignorant, irreverent, or rude, but from across the planet, I would simply like to chime in, saying "GOOD-BYE GORDO..."

*yawn*

hollywoodnorth · #8 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingray2004

Each point drop in the provincial portion of the HST would represent a drop in annual provincial revenues of about $700 million. That's big coin.

Perhaps a .5% drop in the HST, which equates to about $350 million/year (That would eat up the $1.6 billion federal HST transition funds spread out over 4 years).

It's doable in the context that if the HST is gone, $1.6 billion in federal HST transition funds would have to be returned.

And then another .5% drop in the HST when provincial revenues recover (1, 2, perhaps 3 years down the road?)

sounds about right. I think a .5 and then another .5 much like happened with the PST a few years back. I really hope Clark see's the shrewdness in such a move as it really will help shore up support from the Center & Right and snuff out HST dissension.

Stingray2004 · #9 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 12:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by flight_from_kamakura

i'm thinking that if clark somehow loses to farnworth of whoever (which i think everyone realizes could happen), falcon is going to oust that broad, no prob.

Kudos to Clark for snatching CTV's Chris "On Your Side" Olsen as her press secretary. Probably most respected media person in BC. This is where the political honeymoon period for Clark begins.

As for the NDP, Dix already has the thing sewn up with his massive endorsements, mass Indo-Canadian/Filipino sign-ups, and senior NDP officials have already conceded same. Dix will represent a left-ward shift for the NDP and a shrinking of its base.

BTW, did you see the federal opinion poll results for BC today by Leger?

CPC - 45%
Liberal - 22%
Green - 17%
NDP - 13%

Incredible.

SpikePhanta · #10 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 1:00 AM**

Hmm, strange about Hanson not being on the cabinet...

I think the whole cabinet is pretty good, and Chris Olsen as mentioned above, is a smart move.

^^Very surprising how weak the NDP are federally in this province, even in former Tommy Douglas riding, Burnaby-Douglas.

whatnext · #11 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 1:34 AM**

Quite the bitch slap for Moira Stilwell. And why keep wastes of space like Polak or Ida Chong?

And to echo trofirhen, Bye Bye Gordo.

trofirhen · #12 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 2:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

*yawn*

Please kind sir, give me a break. I'm 11,000 km away, and I can't even buy a Globe and Mail in this burg. Not surprising I'm a bit out of sync.

dleung · #13 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 3:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

Hmm, strange about Hanson not being on the cabinet...

I think the whole cabinet is pretty good, and Chris Olsen as mentioned above, is a smart move.

I hvn't been following the news... why is it a good move?

And what's the point of shuffling cabinet ministers... it makes it seem like none of them need any previous knowledge about their departments to get the job.

SpikePhanta · #14 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dleung

I hvn't been following the news... why is it a good move?

And what's the point of shuffling cabinet ministers... it makes it seem like none of them need any previous knowledge about their departments to get the job.

Stingray touched on it, the mans trusted among BC CTV viewers.

LeftCoaster · #15 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 1:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Please kind sir, give me a break. I'm 11,000 km away, and I can't even buy a Globe and Mail in this burg. Not surprising I'm a bit out of sync.

Then why bother commenting?

wrenegade · #16 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 5:17 PM**

Isn't all this talk of lowering the HST moot? I thought that under the agreement with the federal government BC isn't allowed to touch the HST rate until July 1, 2012? And if this stupid province opts to reject the HST the BC taxpayers are on the hook for the $1.3B (or whatever the number was) that the feds gave us as an incentive.

I think Clark would be much better off changing how the HST is applied, namely removing HST from services such as real estate commissions and investment services. She should also bring back the income tax cuts that Gordo announced then shortly thereafter recanted. Restaurants and new homes themselves should remain taxed. Ultimately a consumption tax is a much more fair and effective tax.

As for the cabinet, I suspect Colin Hansen got the shaft because of his connection to the HST.

vancity2010 · #17 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Kudos to Clark for snatching CTV's Chris "On Your Side" Olsen as her press secretary. Probably most respected media person in BC. This is where the political honeymoon period for Clark begins.

Quote:

If there was EVER any question about CTV Vancouver’s despicable bias in encouraging a Clark coronation, let Dr. Alex, defuzzify the spinning, whirling fuzzification…

Guess who Premier Clark’s new Deputy Communications Director is?

Rebecca Scott.

Don’t know her? Let me help. She is the immediate past producer of ‘The Bill Good Show’ (she just left). I know, I know, queue the maniacal laughter. But here’s where it gets interesting, and a CONFLICT! She is engaged to be married to Stephen Smart, formerly of CTV Vancouver and now the CBC Vancouver-Victoria Bureau Chief. So, let’s do the math: Not-So-Sweetie and Smartie are NEVER going to talk shop at home on the couch or the breakfast nook? Of course not. No plums there, nope, none. The CBC needs to clean this up pronto considering the Belle Puri fiasco (they put Puri on political ice permanently, now they need to take some steps with Smart).

Scott, who has forever and a day, had an Alex G. Tsakumis VooDoo Doll sitting on her desk (she wore out the dartboard), has revealed herself to be the devout, shameless, BIASED, glassy-eyed, bubble-headed partisan, who I always said she was. I have no clue how Bill Good can even pretend anymore…..

Then CTV Vancouver’s Chris Olsen, who was clearly NOT ever ‘On Your Side’ but rather on Christy’s side, is her Communications Chief–Scott will report to him, you can bet on it; how cozy.

Add this to CTV Vancouver’s head bloviator Jim Beatty, who cherry-picked a narrow sliver of ‘Basi-Virk’ documents–that he erroneously claimed “exonerated” Clark, to release ONE WEEK prior to the BC Liberal leadership vote–and CTV alum Pamela Martin joining the Clark campaign, AND (!!!!) CTV alum Bill Good, Martin’s former co-talking-head playing the role of head cheerleader at CKNW through the campaign, and you get the idea….CTV Vancouver CANNOT be trusted to do any honest reporting on the Clark government, or for that matter, the NDP. It makes sense now, of how the NDP are so negatively covered by the locals at CTV. The CTV family are in the drink for Clark, it’s painfully obvious and a complete preforation of their journalistic integrity.

How any of these people can show their faces on camera, for whatever reason, ever again is beyond me. The NDP have EVERY RIGHT to refuse interviews with the CBC or CTV until the apparent bias of CBC and the complete bias of CTV have been

Thats whats really going on here.... Clark has many secrets to hide from her past in Government and she is stopping at nothing to make sure they don't get out...

SOURCE

hollywoodnorth · #18 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 8:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vancity2010

Thats whats really going on here.... Clark has many secrets to hide from her past in Government and she is stopping at nothing to make sure they don't get out...

SOURCE

GO CLARK GO!

city-dweller · #19 Posted **Mar 15, 2011, 9:15 PM**

Don't usually comment in the politics section, but I have a bit to add:

1-For all the Gordo hate, he did turn us back into a "have" province and reversed the net migration out of the province. I didn't support his entire platform, but will give credit where it is due. I think running for office is a thankless job and the rhetoric in this country is getting worse. He became out of touch with the electorate and it cost him his job.

2- Clark's connections are not suprising and the conspiricy theories are ridiculous. Smart articulate people will be found in politics and media. A lot of the stronger personalities in the public eye come from political families. e.g. Bill Good's father was a politician. Guilt by association is a weak criticism. If the government uses the media to tell me what they are up to great. If government subverts the media they will get burned. (eg. CTV vs. CBC/Global coverage of VOC emails)

3- I am in favour of the HST. I think it was brought in inappropriately, and a bit higher than necessary. If we go back to pst, the government will return the liberal exceptions. And, then the NDP, if elected will add their exceptions.
(sidenote: I believe the blood-alchol rules affect the restaurants more than hst)

4- Give Clark a chance. You are getting the referendum. You are getting a by-election. I don't know what "family-first" translates to in policy, but I am willing to give it a chance.

5- Give the new leader of the NDP a chance. I am not pro-NDP, but I do want a compentant opposition leader. Our post-secondary and social housing policies need change. There is an opportunity to affect change here. Anti-HST sentiment will disappear. What substance will the opposition offer once the dust settles? Is this the same old NDP? (since that's what the liberals are labelled as.)

hollywoodnorth · #20 Posted **Mar 16, 2011, 4:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by awvan

Isn't all this talk of lowering the HST moot? I thought that under the agreement with the federal government BC isn't allowed to touch the HST rate until July 1, 2012? And if this stupid province opts to reject the HST the BC taxpayers are on the hook for the $1.3B (or whatever the number was) that the feds gave us as an incentive.

as long as the Federal Govt gets their fair share .... 5% .... I would think BC could do what ever they want with their end of the tax ....