A very important photo of Steve and notes on the shuffle

Here's the Big Guy, signing the docs for his new cabinet appointments.

Because, you know, it isn’t about the Ministers.  It’s all about Steve.  All the time.

I'm rather disappointed that there's no new Harper on the phone with some important guy for my collection.   I almost have enough of them that if I put one on each page, I can make a little flip book and make it look like he's having an actual conversation, complete with hand movements.

About that cabinet shuffle (in which the government takes time off to re-calibrate,  tweak, and fine-tune his ministry)  – what the media is saying:

There is general agreement by journalists that the shuffle was a “minor make-over” meant to:

Reward some members – Christian Paradis, Rona Ambrose

Punish some Ministers such as Lisa Raitt and Peter Van Loan for poor performance

Focus on two main priorities: Security and fiscal restraint

Vic Toews ‘ background in Justice and move to Public Safety suggests more attention will be paid to implementing  tough security laws and policies.

The shuffle was largely viewed by journalists as signaling “no significant change” in the government’s course and offering no new message.  Focus of the government is expected to remain on the economy when Parliament resumes March 3, 2010.  The agenda deals nearly exclusively with the economy and law and order/security.  Actual funding, according to a leaked memo is to go only to projects dealing with health and safety as well as security.

Jack Layton came out with a clever line as he criticized Raitt’s move to Labour: “Jobs, jobs creation and the issue of our labour force should be a top priority and not seen as some kind of penalty box for a misbehaving minister.”  

Economy

Despite the economy coming up in speeches related to the shuffle, senior economic portfolios remain unchanged (Finance, Industry, Infrastructure and transport, Human Resources)

This leaves the government with the same talented team of Ministers under which spending went up by 17.6 % from 2006-2009 and under which revenues were cut, resulting in a 56 billion dollar deficit.

Stockwell Doris Day

Considered to most significant appointment in the shuffle.

Day’s job will be to help plan restraint following the March 4, 2010 budget as the government plans to end stimulus spending and must find areas where cuts to spending can be made.

Journalists agree that Day,  already being called the “new Dr. No in Ottawa,”  was apparently chosen by Harper for his experience as treasurer in Alberta where he preached restraint.  Most believe the real dude behind money matters (other than Harper himself, that is) will remain Flaherty.  Day’s appointment sends a message that Harper plans to stay focused on the economy.  Day can also tow the line although he is prone to making monumentally stupid comments - which I am very much looking forward to.

When he was treasurer for Alberta, Day famously wore a loonie pinned to his lapel to recognize how hard taxpayers work for their “sweat-soaked” dollars. 

That turned out to be laughable, however.

But Day’s fiscal reputation as a penny-pincher is exaggerated.  As Alberta treasurer in the late 1990s, he pledged to respect every loonie he spent as soaked with the taxpayer sweat, but then presided over hefty leaps in government spending as oil prices soared. 

I expect we’ll see more of the same.  Dorky words and gimmicks delivered by Day, meant to sound all folksy in order to pretend the CONs can relate to real people during economic hard times.  Yeah, Day is just a regular guy - who happens to make a hell of a lot more than the rest of us, and who believes humans walked with dinosaurs.

Day’s bland face can easily be mistaken for innocence, at a glance, and Harper may hope that will appeal to people as well.  However, it is simply a lack of any kind of imagination, and indication of an intellect so dim it must remain in shallow water or risk being lost in concepts that include more than one main, overstated principle.

Samples from yesterday showing Day’s brilliance with rhetoric:

“I think we’ll be hearing two words: no and no.”  

“We’ll all sit down and sharpen our pencils and look at the best way to keep the message out: that we’ve got a strong economy, but we need to keep spending under control.”

Be prepared to hear a lot of euphemisms.  There won’t be job cuts;  positions will be declared surplus and that surplus will be eliminated through attrition.

There won’t be cuts to programs and departments;  there will be re-allocation of resources.

Benefits won't be cut; benefits will be equalized.

Soldiers won't be killed; Canada will make contributions on the international stage.

And remember – CONs never, ever lie.  They just occasionally miss-speak.

Bonus: exciting news!!!!!!!  Straight from the PMO!!!!!!!!!!!

 (emphasis mine)

 Truro, Nova Scotia

1:30 p.m. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will hold a photo opportunity.  He will be joined by Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence; Scott Armstrong, Member of Parliament for Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley; Darrell Dexter, Premier of Nova Scotia; Bill Mills, Mayor of Truro; and Bob Taylor, Mayor of Colchester.

I can hardly wait.  I hope he finds a phone near by...