Leblanc Promoted, Trudeau Shuts Down Parliament Ahead of New Throne Speech
LeBlanc promoted, Trudeau shuts down Parliament ahead of new throne speech Moncton Times & Transcript (Print Edition)·Adam Huras CA|August 19, 2020·08:00am Section: B·Page: B9 OTTAWA • Dominic LeBlanc is back in a higher position within Justin Trudeau’s inner circle as part of a cabinet shuffle that has named Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland the country’s first female Finance minister.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is shutting down Parliament so it can return with a throne speech next month, forcing a confidence vote that will give opposition parties the opportunity to decide whether there will be a fall federal election or not.
Bill Morneau’s abrupt resignation Monday night has set in motion a series of moves that the Liberal government is attempting to use to reset its agenda amid the economic crisis brought on by the global pandemic, but also briefly escape the WE Charity controversy.
Trudeau has named Freeland to take Morneau’s place.
That has also resulted in New Brunswick’s most senior federal politician returning as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, taking over that part of Freeland’s job.
The prime minister then announced on Tuesday he has asked Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament until Sept. 23, when his government will deliver a throne speech.
“We have lots of work ahead of us in the weeks and months to come,” Trudeau said on Tuesday. “And I know that the deputy prime minister and Minister LeBlanc, who have both taken on new roles today, are the people we need for the job.”
Trudeau framed Canada as at a “crossroads,” while repeating that his government will now lay out its plan, while almost daring opposition parties to defeat it by stressing that the throne speech constitutes a confidence vote.
“In the coming weeks, we will present our plan to rebuild a strong, more resilient Canada,” Trudeau said. “This will be our roadmap out of the pandemic toward a society that is fairer and more welcoming.”
Opposition ire
Trudeau’s proroguing of Parliament drew immediate criticism from the opposition benches. The move puts a stop to parliamentary committees, including those probing the WE Charity controversy, and stops any debate of Ottawa’s COVID-19 response both for the next month.
“Justin Trudeau is walking out on Canadians in the middle of a major health and economic crisis,” Conservative Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore said. “New Brunswickers deserve a federal government focused on supporting them.
“Instead, Justin Trudeau is focused on covering-up the chaos and corruption he has created in his government.”
Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre labelled the cabinet shuffle on Tuesday as “musical chairs” that won’t allow the Liberals to overcome the government’s failures.
But asked repeatedly if the Conservatives would try to trigger an election, Poilievre wasn’t saying yes or no.
“At some point in the future, that decision will have to be made,” he said.
LeBlanc is back
Meanwhile, LeBlanc has been tasked with a much tougher portfolio that sees him as the direct link between the country’s premiers and the federal government.
It was the job that he previously had to leave amid a battle with cancer.
Trudeau had hinted that the Beauséjour MP was poised to receive a bigger role in the prime minister’s inner circle as soon as his health improved.
LeBlanc was the sole New Brunswicker in a new 37-member cabinet unveiled by Trudeau last November in the aftermath of the federal election, while named president of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.
But a mandate letter later issued by Trudeau revealed that Trudeau’s set of responsibilities will only grow as his health strengthened.
“I will assign you additional duties as your health continues to improve,” Trudeau wrote.
That time is now, said Donald Savoie, the Canada Research Chair in public administration and governance at l’Université de Moncton.
“I saw Dominic a few weeks ago and it’s clear to me that he is healthy as a bull,” Savoie said.
“Frankly, he’s beaten cancer. He’s ready to take on more responsibilities.” That’s in stark contrast from November’s swearing-in, where LeBlanc didn’t walk the driveway of Rideau Hall with his colleagues, wore a surgical mask when not directly in the line of cameras, and sported a bald head after rounds of chemotherapy in a fight with cancer.
He’s since been cleared by specialists that his fight with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is over.
LeBlanc has headed public press conferences earlier this month in both Moncton and Shediac.
He was also scheduled to host a fundraiser on Monday night in Dieppe with Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers.
Savoie said the cabinet shuffle is a chance for the Liberals to pay the region back for their support.
“Trudeau has not been friendly to Atlantic Canada since he became prime minister,” Savoie said, despite Atlantic Canada delivering a large number of seats for the Liberals. “We have had very weak representation.
“I think it is high time for him to correct that.”
Savoie adds that LeBlanc has proven himself politically and “has certainly earned a cabinet promotion,” noting his rise in politics.
In 2015, Trudeau appointed LeBlanc as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.
He then proudly took over the role that once belonged to his father, Roméo LeBlanc, who was Minister of Fisheries and Oceans under the Pierre Trudeau Liberals.
LeBlanc and Trudeau are also childhood friends.
That familiarity comes as a benefit amid Morneau’s turbulent exit.
Morneau and Trudeau are embroiled in ethical investigations after they both didn’t recuse themselves from a decision to award a multimillion-dollar contract to WE Charity, despite both having close ties to the organization.
“The most important ingredient of a politician is loyalty,” Savoie said. “Politicians value loyalty more than anything else. If Dominic has been anything, he’s been extremely loyal to the prime minister through thick and thin.”