Ottawa

Your Team Iggy starting line-up

Posted without comment for the moment. Some attempt at analysis to follow after some consideration now offered below.

Intergovernmental Affairs Michael Ignatieff
House Leader Ralph Goodale
Deputy House Leader Marlene Jennings
Whip Rodger Cuzner
Deputy Whip Marcel Proulx 
Finance John McCallum
Foreign Affairs Bob Rae
Defence Denis Coderre
Environment & Energy David McGuinty
Health Carolyn Bennett
Industry, Science & Technology Marc Garneau
Public Safety & National Security Mark Holland
Natural Resources Geoff Regan
Justice and Attorney-General Dominic LeBlanc
International Trade Scott Brison
Public Works and Government Services Martha Hall Findlay
Indian Affairs Todd Russell
Arctic Issues & Northern Development Larry Bagnell
Transport Joe Volpe
Infrastructure, Communities and Cities Gerard Kennedy
Citizenship & Immigration Maurizio Bevilacqua     
Veterans Affairs, Seniors & Pensions Judy Sgro   
National Revenue Yasmin Ratansi     
Fisheries & Oceans Gerry Byrne    
Atlantic Gateway and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Jean-Claude D’Amours
Canadian Heritage & Official Languages Pablo Rodriguez
Labour Maria Minna 
Treasury Board, Consumer Affairs and Consular Affairs Dan McTeague
Human Resources & Skills Development Mike Savage  
Status of Women Anita Neville
Agriculture, Agri-food and Canadian Wheat Board Wayne Easter 
Asia-Pacific Gateway & Western Economic Development  Sukh Dhaliwal   
Youth & Multiculturalism Ruby Dhalla            
Amateur Sport, Health Promotion and the Vancouver Olympics Keith Martin    
Economic Development Agency for Regions of Quebec Alexandra Mendes         
International Cooperation Glen Pearson         
La Francophonie Raymonde Folco

Various thoughts of varying relevance.

1. Denis Coderre is a suitable rejoinder to Peter MacKay and perhaps he has some political value as a Quebec lieutenant, but would Prime Minister Michael Ignatieff entrust his military to him?

2. Bob Rae v. Maxime Bernier might’ve been one of the more glaring mismatches in modern Parliamentary history, but how confident is the Prime Minister feeling about Lawrence Cannon’s chances right now?

3. Most of their strongest performers are here, but a lot of who you might consider the usual suspects. I count only three rookies (Kennedy, Garneau, Mendes). And I can think of a few new and newish Liberals who might’ve made interesting additions (Rob Oliphant, Siobhan Coady, Scott Simms) in the place of some suspects.

4. The science file now pits an astronaut against a chiropractor

5. On international trade, Scott Brison and Stockwell Day could have some entertaining debates.

6. Nice to see Mark Holland and Peter Van Loan get to renew hostilities

7. Same for Wayne Easter and Gerry Ritz, the latter having once wished hilarious death upon the former.

8. No Irwin Cotler?