Canada's New PM: Paul Martin

[Isaac Brock]

Things look they might change a little bit North of your border.

Paul Martin becomes 21st prime minister, promises big change
10 minutes ago

ALEXANDER PANETTA AND LOUISE ELLIOTT

OTTAWA (CP) - An emotional Paul Martin was sworn in as Canada's 21st prime minister Friday with a Canadian flag tucked under his arm, a slew of new cabinet ministers in tow, and a vow to make drastic changes in the way the country is run.


Martin promised measures to reform democracy, toughen ethical guidelines and review spending as he outlined an ambitious agenda for change, hailing "an era of great opportunity."


"To realize this agenda, we are going to have to change the way things work in Ottawa," Martin said.


"We must re-engage Canadians in the political process . . . I look forward to the opportunity to rally Canadians to a new sense of purpose."


He focused on three goals:


- Strengthening social foundations.


- Fostering economic growth and creating well-paying jobs.


- Promoting Canada's role internationally.


Martin's grand scheme - highlighted by the swearing-in of his 38 cabinet ministers, including 22 new faces - was poignantly overshadowed by the past.


As he entered the elegant swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall, Martin carried the flag that was lowered to half-mast on Parliament Hill when his father Paul Martin Sr., died in 1992.


The elder Martin, a longtime Liberal cabinet minister who thrice sought unsuccessfully to lead the country, was his son's strongest influence in his drive to the top.


"I brought a flag today, that flag that flew at half mast on the Hill," he told a news conference as he choked up with tears, before laying out his agenda.


Swiftly fulfilling a longstanding pledge, Martin announced a plan to immediately grant MPs more free votes, greater power to review government appointments, and expanded roles for parliamentary committees and secretaries.


"Democratic reform will be at the very centre of our government's every effort," he said. "It is going to be the new environment in which our agenda is advanced."


Martin also acted to dispel questions about his commitment to ethical reforms initiated by his predecessor, Jean Chretien, who resigned less than an hour before Martin was sworn in.


He pledged to quickly reintroduce Chretien's bill to create an independent ethics commissioner as a first order of business. The bill died late this fall after the Senate voted to amend it.


Martin also announced that travel by ministers on non-commercial aircraft will be banned, "except in exceptional circumstances" and only then with the prior approval of the ethics counsellor.





Martin recently declared he regretted his own failure to immediately publicly reveal trips he took on corporate jets owned by some of his friends during the years when he was finance minister.

Other ministers had also come under fire for accepting free trips, including Allan Rock, Robert Thibeault, David Anderson and Claudette Bradshaw.

Expenses incurred by ministers and their staff must now be filed quarterly, Martin said, and tougher rules will apply for gifts over $1,000, which must be returned.

Martin enhanced the role of backbenchers who serve as parliamentary secretaries to ministers. Those secretaries were sworn in Friday to the Privy Council, giving them some cabinet privileges. Three of those secretaries will now report directly to him, including MP Scott Brison, who defected this week from the Tories and who will report directly to Martin on Canada-U.S. relations.

Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper said Martin won't truly devolve powers to backbenchers.

Instead, he said control will lie with Martin's "unelected aides and advisers.

"What Paul Martin has begun today is the wholesale purging of his political enemies and future challengers and the rewarding of his friends," Harper said.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said Martin's cabinet is a sign that the government is moving to the right.

Martin also announced structural changes to departments and reforms to federal-provincial relations, health care and international affairs.

A new Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness headed by newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan will oversee the RCMP, CSIS and border and port security, and coordinate national responses to disasters and emergencies.

The sprawling Human Resources Development Canada has been split into two entities, one for social development, the other for skills development, to address what Martin called "two very, very different aspects of social policy."

Treasury Board will be streamlined and a controller-general established, to whom all departments will report.

Martin also announced several new cabinet committees, including four which he will chair himself: native affairs, cities, Canada-U.S. relations, and foreign affairs.

When asked whether he was playing too strong a role in all the reforms he's introducing, Martin said his approach is consultative, not dictatorial. He said he appointed a full roster of ministers to get the job done.

Martin spoke highly of the 22 former cabinet colleagues he decided to expel, saying it was a difficult decision to make.

Two of the 16 cabinet veterans who survived the shuffle will hold top roles in Martin's government - McLellan and Ralph Goodale of Saskatchewan, who is the new finance minister. Both hail from the west as Martin tries to woo a region usually cool to Liberal governments.

The size of cabinet - 39 members including the prime minister - has not changed.

There will be 11 women in cabinet, one more than there was under Chretien.

The regional breakdown of cabinet is: six ministers from Atlantic Canada, nine from Quebec, 16 from Ontario, four from the Prairies, three from B.C. and one from the Territories.

Just before the swearing-in, a native elder conducted a cleansing ceremony for Martin, fanning sage smoke over the incoming prime minister with an eagle feather. Martin has promised to make native poverty a priority.

He wasted no time stepping into the role he coveted for so long. His smiling face was posted on the prime minister's website almost immediately after he was sworn in.

Among the prominent ministers ousted from cabinet: Sheila Copps from heritage, Lyle Vanclief from agriculture, Elinor Caplan from revenue, Martin Cauchon from justice and David Collenette from transport.

Among those kept on: David Anderson retains environment; Pierre Pettigrew will hold the dual portfolios of health and intergovernmental affairs; Bill Graham keeps foreign affairs; John McCallum is moved to veterans affair from defence; and Lucienne Robillard is shuffled to industry from Treasury Board.

Prominent newcomers include: Defence Minister David Pratt, Transport Minister Tony Valeri, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler and Agriculture Minister Bob Speller.

Allan Rock, former industry minister, becomes Canada's ambassador to the United Nations.

 

[jimnyc]

How long was Chretien Prime Minister, 10 years?

In your experience, what is Canada's feeling on Martin? Does the country as a whole look at this as good change?

I admit, I've been so wound up in national affairs this year that I haven't read up on much Canadian news. From the sounds of things it looks like Martin will do fine.

 

[jon_forward]

may chretien have a nice retirement. I understand that the new PM. Paul Miller wishes to get things warmer between the two countrys. I hope the contract thing does not blow things up before they can get started. good luck to your country and the new PM.