Get government back on the job

Opinion

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This article was published 04/11/2014 (3995 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Can there be a more fitting example of Premier Greg Selinger’s desperation in constructing a new front bench of cabinet ministers than the elevation of an MLA to the finance portfolio from sheer obscurity. To punctuate this political resurrection of sorts, it must be pointed out Selkirk MLA Greg Dewar has been in the legislature for 25 years.

Mr. Selinger, in making a silk purse of a sow’s ear, stressed that Mr. Dewar, all smiles and confidence at Monday’s swearing-in ceremony, has been on the Treasury Board committee and worked as the legislative assistant to the finance minister. And now he will be writing the NDP government’s next budget.

But the premier himself made the more telling comment at the hastily called cabinet shuffle, at the end of his address following the vows of the 10 ministers newly minted or shuffled for new responsibilities. Mr. Selinger, having seen five of his front-bench ministers resign moments earlier out of dismay for the leadership of government, thanked the handful of remaining ministers for also showing up at the ceremony, along with a handful of caucus members and then added: “Do I see others in the room? Is there anybody I’m missing here?”

It was not an Academy Awards moment for the beleaguered premier who on Monday scraped together a new team from greenhorn MLAs and former front-benchers previously dumped or demoted. Among those elected in 2011, Melanie Wight (Children and Youth Opportunities) and Deanne Crothers (Healthy Living and Seniors), join Kevin Chief, who was promoted on Monday from Children and Youth to the high-profile Jobs and the Economy Department. Meanwhile, Drew Caldwell, dumped long ago from the Education Department, takes over Municipal Government from Mr. Chief and Peter Bjornson is promoted to Education, a department he also once led, from Housing and Community Development.

And indeed, Mr. Selinger found, when all the introductions were made, the vows taken and the tallying of support was done, he had at least half of his caucus to rely upon.

That underscores the political challenge ahead: He still must contend with dissidents in caucus and perhaps cabinet itself — not only are the five former ministers remaining as NDP MLAs, but there were at least three ministers — including Conservation Minister Gord Mackintosh — missing from the scene on Monday.

To the allegations of the five ministers, including his until-yesterday finance, health and justice ministers, that he was turning a deaf ear to all who did not support his direction, his priorities or who questioned his leadership skills, Mr. Selinger would say only he governs by listening to the concerns of Manitobans. A perfectly defensible and logical approach, but entirely ignoring the dismay and outright anger of Manitobans still sore over a tax hike from the man who last election promised there would be no tax hikes.

And now to the business of governing. Mr. Selinger leads a battered party, a government reeling from controversy and “challenges,” as he politely characterized the attempt at a coup over the last couple of weeks.

It is yet undecided when the new session will begin, or whether there will be a fall session at all. The NDP in the past few years has chosen to bring in a throne speech before Christmas, to allow the new year to be focus on budget preparations. But this is a new script for the Selinger government and the premier acknowledged he will need time to get his new cabinet ministers acquainted with the job of leading and governing.

He should announce this month when the next session will be called, so Manitobans can see the work of government back on the rails and the strength of the new cabinet on display in the legislature.