Goodale to be Finance Minister

[TOM4CWB]

Everest;

I wonder if the new Finance Minister will be responsible for the CWB as well?

Or will this be Wayne Easter's new job?

[Everest]

TOM4CWB, I sure don't have any insider information on this matter. However, I don't recall the Minister of Finance ever having another portfolio as well. It would make sense to me that because the Finance Minister has control of the purse strings, he would not have another Ministry as well. I would put him in real and percieved conflicts.

Wouldn't it be interesting though, if Mr. Goodale was Minister of Finance and CWB, considering the near $100million deficit the Minister of Finance is going to have to put into the CWB pool accounts? How would he handle that hot potato?

Wayne Easter for CWB Minister? GOD, give me strength... IF Mr. Martin where to make a mistake this colossal, any credence to his public comments about listening to the West would immediately be dismissed. His star would diminish so rapidly, it would cause a political black hole to form where I believe he really wants to make inroads.

[TOM4CWB]

Everest;

Early bets are for Reg Alcock to be CWB Minister, since he is treasury board minister.

VERY Interesting!

[AdamSmith]

In a National Post online article which lists a new Cabinet posts, a CWB Minister is conspiculously (sp?) absent. Maybe Martin has no takers for the post? Could be Goodale can't do it and no one else wants to touch it?

[TOM4CWB]

AdamSmith;

I see the new CBC online listing confirms Reginald as CWB Minister.

[TOM4CWB]

"Reginald Alcock

Portfolio:
President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
MP, Winnipeg South (Man.)

Past roles:
Minister of the Environment (August 1999-December 2003), Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Minister of Transport, Minister of National Revenue.

Education:
BA, M.P.A.

Born April 16, 1948 in Winnipeg, Alcock was first elected to the federal riding of Winnipeg South in 1993. He has held on to leadership of the riding in each subsequent election.

From 1988 to 1993, Alcock was a Member of Manitoba's Legislative Assembly. He was House Leader from 1988 until 1990.

The businessman's most recent parliamentary posting was as Secretary to the President of the Queen's Privy Council for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was appointed to the position in 1998."

Strange,

I don't remember him in transport of fisheries.

[Incognito]

I think he was Chair of the Standing Committee on Transport

I dont remember him as Minister, either

[Everest]

It is interesting that one of the first expenditures the Treasury Board is going to have to approve is nearly $100 million to cover the deficit in the CWB's pool accounts.

If you go to the Prime Minister's web site at

http://www1.pm.gc.ca/eng/accountability.asp

you will see that Mr. Alcock has a pretty important role as President of the Treasury Board. Unless the new approach by Martin is just political posturing, all government spending is going to get pretty close scrutiny.

Does anyone suppose that the President of the Treasury Board might tighten the screws a bit on the CWB?