Julian Fantino new "Associate Minister of National Defence"

[The Bread Guy]

No change in the Minister, but this add on, according to CBC.ca:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's new cabinet was appointed Wednesday morning at Rideau Hall, ushering new leadership into the majority Conservative government.

Former House Leader John Baird was tapped as the new foreign affairs minister to fill the vacancy left by Lawrence Cannon, who was defeated in the May 2 election.

Former Industry Minister Tony Clement will become the president of the Treasury Board, as former Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis moves in to fill his old position.

Rookie MP Joe Oliver, who defeated long-time Liberal MP Joe Volpe in the central Toronto riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, is Canada's new natural resources minister.

New cabinet ministers also include:

    Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) Maxime Bernier.
    Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Denis Lebel.
    Minister of National Revenue Gail Shea.
    House Leader Peter Van Loan.
    Minister of Veterans Affairs Steven Blaney.
    Minister of Fisheries Keith Ashfield.
    Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Peter Penashue.
    Minister of State (Seniors) Alice Wong.
    Minister of State for Transport Steven Fletcher.
    Minister of International Trade Ed Fast.
    Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) Bernard Valcourt.
    Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Diane Ablonczy.
    Minister of State (Sport) Bal Gosal.
    Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino ....

I would have been less surprised to see Fantino linked to a Public Safety portfolio, but good luck in the new post nonetheless.

 

[wannabe SF member]

Any reason the PM would create a second portfolio for defense, does this point to larger ressource allocations in the future?

 

[Container]

He is a polarizing figure. I wonder whats up with this appointment?

AT one point he had been whispered as the next commish for the mounties- skys the limit for him it appears.

I did enjoy his book however.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Maybe a try-out?

 

[mariomike]

AT one point he had been whispered as the next commish for the mounties- skys the limit for him it appears.

23 years with Metro Police. Here is a medal you do not see very often:
http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=24797&t=5&ln=Fantino

That represents 40 years of full-time police service and experience.

 

[GAP]

23 years with Metro Police. Here is a medal you do not see very often:
http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=24797&t=5&ln=Fantino

That represents 40 years of full-time police service and experience.

So what? Just because he put 40 years in doesn't mitigate his abysmal failure as head of the OPP or of chief of police....he just got out before he got canned....

As you can tell, I am no fan of Fantino's.....he was a selfserving bureaucrat now he's a self serving politician....

 

[dapaterson]

Any reason the PM would create a second portfolio for defense, does this point to larger ressource allocations in the future?

It's not a new position - Laurie Hawn was in it before, and others preceded him.

 

[The Bread Guy]

It's not a new position - Laurie Hawn was in it before, and others preceded him.

Isn't Hawn (and still appears to be) Parliamentary Secretary?

- edited to fix ham-fisted grammar -

 

[dapaterson]

Isn't Hawn was (and still appears to be) Parliamentary Secretary?

Mea culpa.  But it's still not new; there have been prior Associate ministers.

 

[Good2Golf]

Isn't Hawn was (and still appears to be) Parliamentary Secretary?

Yes, Bill Pentney was the previous Associate Minister.

 

[dapaterson]

Yes, Bill Pentney was the previous Associate Minister.

No, Pentney was the Associate Deputy Minister.  According to Wikipedia, there hasn't been an Associate Minister since Mauril Belanger filled the position in 2004-06.

 

[observor 69]

So what? Just because he put 40 years in doesn't mitigate his abysmal failure as head of the OPP or of chief of police....he just got out before he got canned....

As you can tell, I am no fan of Fantino's.....he was a selfserving bureaucrat now he's a self serving politician....

I would regard this man as the "Boss from hell." A very dangerous person as can be attested to by various OPP Inspectors and a long list of casualties in this Wikipedia bio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Fantino

Let us hope that the Minister of National Defence is strong enough to stand up to him.

 

[Good2Golf]

No, Pentney was the Associate Deputy Minister.  According to Wikipedia, there hasn't been an Associate Minister since Mauril Belanger filled the position in 2004-06.

My bad, DP, I thought CBC dropped out the D from the Assoc DM position.

Cheers
G2G

 

[dapaterson]

My bad, DP, I thought CBC dropped out the D from the Assoc DM position.

Cheers
G2G

The CBC make a mistake?  That's unpossible!

 

[observor 69]

@TondaMacC
Tonda MacCharle
Julian Fantino's corrects reporters: "I'm not the junior defence minister."
1 hour ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

 

[The Bread Guy]

@TondaMacC
Tonda MacCharle
Julian Fantino's corrects reporters: "I'm not the junior defence minister."
1 hour ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

Wonder if THAT'LL make it into the CBC report.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Any reason the PM would create a second portfolio for defense, does this point to larger ressource allocations in the future?

This appointment shouldn't be taken as any sign that more resources (or importance, or increased activity) is in the CF's future.  The position of Associate Minister was included in the National Defence Act in part as a holdover from the Second World War when the War Measures Act provided for the position to assist the Minister.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/N-5/page-2.html

PART I
DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENCE
Establishment of the Department
Formation of department

3. There is hereby established a department of the Government of Canada called the Department of National Defence over which the Minister of National Defence appointed by commission under the Great Seal shall preside.

R.S., c. N-4, s. 3.

Minister
Duties

4. The Minister holds office during pleasure, has the management and direction of the Canadian Forces and of all matters relating to national defence and is responsible for

(a) the construction and maintenance of all defence establishments and works for the defence of Canada; and

(b) research relating to the defence of Canada and to the development of and improvements in materiel.

R.S., 1985, c. N-5, s. 4; R.S., 1985, c. 6 (4th Supp.), s. 10.

Designation of person to execute Minister’s functions

5. The Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister, may designate any other person in addition to the Minister to exercise any power or perform any duty or function that is vested in or that may be exercised or performed by the Minister under this Act.

R.S., c. N-4, s. 5.

Associate Minister

6. The Governor General may, by commission under the Great Seal, appoint an Associate Minister of National Defence to hold office during pleasure and to exercise and perform such powers, duties and functions of the Minister as may be assigned to the Associate Minister by the Governor in Council.

R.S., c. N-4, s. 6.

Since then it has been a convenient means for the Prime Minister to reward (or provide a sinecure to) someone in his larger caucus during a majority government, or as a learning post to someone with potential, or to have someone available to actually take responsiblity for some (lesser important?) files that may not have been the priority of the Minister.  This last item was much the case with a previous Associate Minister, Mary Collins, who apparently had much of the responsibility for gender intergration issues resulting from the CREW trials and the 1989 Human Rights Tribunal decision mandating employment of women in all CF occupations.

There have other Associate Ministers of note - some who later became the Minister, such as a guy named Helleyer (of course there was a break in his parliamentary service before he came back and became MND); and then there was Pierre Sévigny, who became well known for dropping his artificial leg (acquired due to combat service) as well as his trousers on Gerda Munsinger's bedroom floor.

 

[marshall sl]

23 years with Metro Police. Here is a medal you do not see very often:
http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=24797&t=5&ln=Fantino

That represents 40 years of full-time police service and experience.

It's quite common actualy, Al the emerg and correctional services have one.  I have the Corrections one. it's just for doing a littlemore than required and not being in crap for 20 years.  http://archive.gg.ca/honours/medals/hon04-esm_e.asp

 

[GAP]

Wonder if THAT'LL make it into the CBC report.

The CBC's in a snit.....yes "The World at 6" mentioned the shuffle, and named the important posts, and moved on to some twit who was roughed up in Toronto.....

hmmm.....deficit reduction coming....all departments/agencies will be impacted, some more than others.....foolish, foolish people.... :

 

[Container]

It's quite common actualy, Al the emerg and correctional services have one.  I have the Corrections one. it's just for doing a littlemore than required and not being in crap for 20 years.  http://archive.gg.ca/honours/medals/hon04-esm_e.asp

I THINK he's referring to the bars. I dont see many 40 year medals with bars. But it is becoming more common- the RCMP has a ton of 35 and up year members right now.