# Liberal Cabinet
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [November 20, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721 "2019-11-20T19:40:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/1 "2019-11-20T19:40:40Z")
I was extremely pleased to see the new Liberal cabinet. A lot of people say that decision making is so centralized that the Cabinet composition does not matter.
Although I suspect they are right, I was quite pleased that some portfolios were not shuffled.
Only thing I don’t like? Freeland was a highly competent foreign minister. Champagne might be more discreet but less effective. I understand Trudeau needs to acknowledge the alienation of the Western provinces. It is not quite a lost cause, but it is a waste of Freeland’s acumen. The gain to intergovernmental politics is not balanced by the loss of international diplomacy. Though perhaps Chanpagne will sparkle.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/2 "2019-11-20T22:28:32Z")
My friends from the Maritimes always used to tell me that Canada was like a cow. The Weat was the breadbasket, where the cow could eat. Ontario and Quebec got most of the milk and meat. And Eastern Canada got… well, you can work it out.
My part of Ontario, though, doesn’t always get a lot of attention. It has some influence, but not like the GTA. I don’t mind the practicalities of balancing gender and regions, but they could elevate a local candidate once in a while.
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### Author:  [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/3 "2019-11-21T01:27:48Z")
I like Freeland as Deputy Prime Minister. She’s incredibly competent, and being Alberta born she may be helpful in promoting Canadian unity. I wish she was PM, and that might be part of the plan. The Liberals may be grooming her as a potential future party leader.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2019, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/4 "2019-11-21T03:28:50Z")
I didn’t realize that Freeland would still be doing American foreign policy. This is the best of both worlds - perhaps Canada can now do something more with China or Russia. I don’t see what, though.
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### Author:  [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/5 "2019-11-21T15:22:38Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> My part of Ontario, though, doesn’t always get a lot of attention. It has some influence, but not like the GTA. I don’t mind the practicalities of balancing gender and regions, but they could elevate a local candidate once in a while.
People who live “South of Toronto” are all wet!
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/6 "2019-11-21T18:41:09Z")
Referencing the above cow analogy, I think you’ll find that’s udder nonsense.
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### Author:  [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/7 "2019-11-21T19:03:55Z")
Well, when you consider that “South of Toronto” is Lake Ontario, I think my joke went swimmingly.
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### Author:  [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/8 "2019-11-21T19:45:20Z")
Here is a complete list.
> **[Who's who in Justin Trudeau's 2019 cabinet | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-full-cabinet-complete-list-1.5365026)**
>
> Here is the full list of cabinet ministers sworn today at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
The ones that caught my eye.
Replacing Freeland at Foreign Affairs. He seems fine. We won’t know for sure until he’s actually put to the test but he has some relevant experience.
> **[The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne](https://pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet/honourable-francois-philippe-champagne)**
>
> Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Environment. Also seems like a good choice. He’s from Saskatchewan so again hopefully he can bring in some Western experience to the role, while also ensuring that much needed climate change action takes place.
> **[Saskatoon-raised Jonathan Wilkinson named federal environment minister,...](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-wilkinson-enivornment-minister-1.5366361)**
>
> Saskatoon-raised Liberal MP Jonathan Wilkinson, a former advisor to Premier Roy Romanow and leader of the Saskatchewan Young New Democrats, has been named federal environment minister.
I’m glad to see Sajjan return as Minister of Defence.
Marc Miller seems like a good pick for Indigenous Affairs.
Morneau at finance. Meh.
There’s supposedly a controversy about Bill Blair at Safety, but I’ve not been able to look into it yet. (one of my friends on FB made a rant about it, sadly, the rant was unintelligible)
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/9 "2019-11-21T20:18:35Z")
Realized that Lake Ontario was south of Toronto. Didn’t think you could (or would want to) actually swim in it. But I was wrong; it has cleaned up its tract.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/10 "2019-11-22T16:37:12Z")
The media reaction has ranged from boredom to incredulous to slightly optimistic. Which might be a very Canadian reaction.
But Paul Wells didn’t like it. All optics and no light. Three ministers in charge of the economy, the rural economy and the middle-class economy. Meaning no one is in charge of the economy?
I wish politicians would stop naming bills and ministers in grandiose, passing fancy terms. For that matter, I can count on one hand the number of people I know who don’t consider themselves “middle class”, even very successful doctors and businessmen, at least in public.
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### Author:  [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/11 "2019-11-22T16:46:46Z")
It isn’t too surprising that most people consider themselves middle class since there’s no widely accepted definition. According to the article below, using the OCED definition it would be anybody with an income of 45,000 to 120,000. That a very broad range and certainly covers almost every professional.
I agree with you that it is a bizarre title, and I thought it was silly too. I think Canada would be fine with one economic minister. But whatever, sometimes these cabinets positions are handed out as political plums. Most of the truly important positions are the ones with a long tradition behind them: economy, defence, infrastructure, health, etc. It is likely these other ones have very specific projects in mind.
> [@](#):
>
> The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines a member of the middle class as anyone who earns between 75 per cent and 200 per cent of median household income after tax.
>
> Based on the most recent data available from Statistics Canada, in this country that means anywhere from about $45,000 to $120,000.
> **[Who is Canada's middle class? | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-votes-2019-middle-class-trudeau-scheer-definition-1.5317206)**
>
> Most Canadians consider themselves to be middle class. But could they define it?
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### Author:  [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/12 "2019-11-22T17:29:06Z")
So I understand the issues surrounding Bill Blair a bit more. It is all about the firearm ban. It seems that both gun control and gun advocates are both angry and happy (different ones of course, not at the same time) that Bill Blair is the minister in charge of this. Sooooooo, to me that makes him the perfect selection.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/13 "2019-11-22T19:06:18Z")
Few Canadians would object to a Minister of Silly Walks. If you’re not going to add that, forget about it. What are we to make of the disappearance of the Minister to Reduce Organized Crime? Where is the Minister of Those Aspiring to Join Them?
Hadn’t heard about Blair, who seems good. Canadians in rural areas like their guns and use them responsibly. Certain guns are not needed for hunting and should be banned. I don’t know anything about gun crime, but have read claims most of these guns come from other countries. This might make bans ineffective. I say it’s worth trying. There should be a gun registry. There is no need for it to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Craft an intelligent list of exemptions and thank someone that few Canadians would consider this their highest priority. Protect people first.
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### Author:  [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/14 "2019-11-23T00:21:56Z")
I like the fact the Cabinet looks like Canada.
I may not have felt the same way 20 or 25 years ago but after living since then in a city where over half the population wasn’t born here, and working at the U of T, surely the epicentre of this multiracial/ethnic/cultural metropolis, I do now. It’s the way the world might be.
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### Author:  [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2019, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/15 "2019-11-23T02:53:08Z")
I now insist that we have a Minister of Silly Walks.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/16 "2019-11-25T14:19:47Z")
Interesting that the Minister for Middle Class Prosperity, Aspiring Joiners and Silly Perambulation does not define the middle class with anything quantifiable. Something about being able to afford hockey for your kids and occasionally buy a beavertail or double double without too much angst.
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### Author:  [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/17 "2019-11-25T14:32:46Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> Interesting that the Minister for Middle Class Prosperity, Aspiring Joiners and Silly Perambulation does not define the middle class with anything quantifiable. Something about being able to afford hockey for your kids and occasionally buy a beavertail or double double without too much angst.
I agree. It feels very PR. Like “See, we care about the middle class! You guys have your own minister and everything.”
I suppose we could email the minister and ask them. I’m not doing much at the moment (applying for a new research job since my finding expires in May 2020) so maybe I’ll do that.
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### Author:  [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/18 "2019-11-25T15:10:37Z")
I _think_ the portfolio in question is just “Associate Finance Minister with a Goofy Subtitle” but holy hell who thought the subtitle in question was a good idea?
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/19 "2019-11-25T15:19:36Z")
Is there a “Minister of Rich Bastards Who Own Everything”, or is that just the rest of the cabinet?
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### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-cabinet/843721/20 "2019-11-27T18:16:11Z")
The Minister af Innovation, Science and Industry is a guy whose training and career was in 'administration and finance. I guess that is no worse than the Conservative minister who was a creationist chiropractor.
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