OTTAWA – Paul Martin was sworn in as Canada’s 21st prime minister today and moved quickly to put his stamp on government by appointing a dramatically new cabinet and promising changes to the way the country is run.
Martin’s cabinet will have two westerners – Ralph Goodale of Saskatchewan and Anne McLellan from Alberta – in the most senior portfolios as finance minister and deputy prime minister respectively.
The move is seen as a bid to woo western voters who have long been alienated from the Liberals.
Martin promised a “new approach” to government.
“As prime minister, I look forward to the opportunity to rally Canadians toward a new sense of national purpose and around a new agenda of change and achievement,” he said in a statement.
“We are going to change the way things work in Ottawa in order to re-engage Canadians in the political process and achieve demonstrable progress on our priorities.”
Martin said he will focus on three goals:
– Strengthening social foundations.
– Fostering economic growth and creating well-paying jobs.
– Promoting Canada’s role internationally.
Martin is also creating new super-departments, including public security, while trimming some traditional ministries.
In addition to deputy prime minister, McLellan will head up the new security super ministry.
McLellan had been health minister, while Goodale was in charge of public works.
Martin dropped 23 of the 38 members of Jean Chrétien’s cabinet, retaining 15 veteran ministers and filling out the ranks with longtime backbench supporters. The size of cabinet – 39 members including the prime minister – does not change.
Among those 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 and Justice Minister Irwin Cotler.
Allan Rock, former industry minister, becomes Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Martin and his cabinet were sworn in at Rideau Hall by the clerk of the Privy Council less than an hour after Chrétien met with Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson to submit his resignation.
Just before the swearing-in, a native elder conducted a cleansing ceremony for Martin, fanning sweet-grass smoke over the incoming prime minister with an eagle feather. Martin has promised to make native poverty a priority.
Like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Canada’s new Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Department will combine the tasks of several current bodies to oversee the RCMP, CSIS and border and port security.
Another major change is a beefed-up role for backbenchers who serve as parliamentary secretaries to ministers. Those secretaries will also be sworn in to the Privy Council, giving them some cabinet privileges.
One of the secretarial roles went to new Liberal Scott Brison, a young Nova Scotia MP who defected from the Tories this week.
The majority of the new ministers fought long and hard for Martin in his battle for the Liberal party leadership.
