Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Can Valcourt handle three portfolios?

Supporters say the new associate defence minister, Bernard Valcourt, is a gutsy and multitasking go-getter who can handle his new Cabinet portfolio on top of his previous two. But others say it shows just how negligible the jobs are and the government's lack of seriousness in dealing with procurement problems.

Observers and a former colleague of Bernard Valcourt have several words to describe the new associate minister of national defence: dynamic, gutsy, activist, a quick study, and a capable minister.

With little to go by from his latest year-long stint in Parliament, many of their memories date back to the Cabinet positions Mr. Valcourt held while Brian Mulroney was prime minister in the 1980s and early '90s.

But one Conservative strategist said Mr. Valcourt's new defence role could put the veteran minister back in the spotlight.

"If the debate on the F-35 is going to continue and if he's going to play a similar role to [his predecessor, Julian Fantino, who was shuffled to international co-operation], then that will make him more of a name with people who don't already know him," said Tim Powers, a vice-president of Summa Strategies.

People who follow Canadian politics regularly would know Mr. Valcourt, but mainstream Canadians might not have the same knowledge of him, said Mr. Powers.

Mr. Valcourt returned to federal politics last year after winning a seat for the Madawaska-Restigouche, NB riding.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on July 4 that Mr. Valcourt would take the defence job while keeping his other files as minister of state for La Francophonie and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

This has caused some to wonder how he'll juggle the three.

While some say that by giving him new responsibilities, the prime minister recognizes Mr. Valcourt's energy and capabilities, others question how much substance there will be to his defence job.

Capt. (ret'd) Peter Forsberg, a public affairs officer for the Conference of Defence Associations, said he expects Mr. Valcourt will carry on in Mr. Fantino's footsteps.

"We don't anticipate any change to the department as a result of the change," he said.

Peter Harder, who served as deputy immigration minister under Mr. Valcourt from 1991 to 1993, said he thinks Mr. Valcourt is up to juggling many files.

"This is a man with a very high work ethic and ability to do a number of things at any one time," Mr. Harder said.

Mr. Powers agreed. He said Mr. Valcourt could handle multiple files and controversial issues, after having overseen immigration and fisheries portfolios.

"He can handle controversy. He can handle communicating, and debating tough issues. So I think that's where he might add some new value to the F-35 case, if he in fact is going to pick up that role," he said.

But Matthew Kellway, the NDP critic for military procurement, sees the appointment differently.

"They've assigned this very important function to [Mr.] Valcourt without taking away any of his responsibilities. That suggests to me that they're not taking this issue of military procurement seriously," he said.

The Harper government is taking more and more heat for its handling of the proposed purchase of F-35 fighter jets to replace Canada's aging fleet of CF-18s.

In an April report, Auditor General Michael Ferguson noted that the F-35s could cost $10 billion more than the government had told the public.

Tom Flanagan, a former senior adviser to Mr. Harper, said on CBC TV's Power and Politics July 4 that having a minister of state for ACOA also take on the defence job struck him as "kind of a joke."

"You are taking Valcourt, a throwback to the Mulroney years, and...leaving him with these other negligible jobs and then making him associate minister of defence—it is almost giving the finger to people to say, 'Hey, this isn't a serious problem,'" he said.

Mr. Kellway added that having numerous ministers handling procurement, including Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose, has not worked.

"So without changing that setup, i.e. assigning military procurement back to the minister of defence...then one can only assume that they're happy with the way this process is working," he said.

Tim Page, president of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, said the prime minister created an associate minister of defence job to help manage the defence procurement file for the government.

"I can't imagine that the PM would have put anybody into that position without expecting that individual to be fully committed to the business of the government in respect of the defence environment," he said.

The Mulroney years

Mr. Valcourt served in numerous ministerial jobs under the Progressive Conservative government of Mr. Mulroney, including for consumer and corporate affairs, fisheries, immigration, and labour.

He resigned from his corporate affairs job in 1989 after pleading guilty to a drinking and driving offence, but was back months later, taking the lead on Canada's fisheries according to the Parliament of Canada website.

Mr. Mulroney wrote in his memoirs that he resolved to give Mr. Valcourt another chance.

"Valcourt is one of the most able and promising young politicians I know," he wrote.

Mr. Valcourt lost sight in one of his eyes after the motorcycle collision that prompted the drinking and driving charge. Mr. Mulroney wrote that he invited Mr. Valcourt to his summer residence to recover from the incident.

"He certainly was seen as a star performer, one of Mulroney's favourite guys," Mr. Powers said.

Mr. Harder recalled Mr. Valcourt as a "terrific" minister to work for, one who was able to deliver significant immigration reform in a short period.

"Mr. Valcourt was significantly younger. He was a very young, dynamic, energetic, new breed of minister from New Brunswick...a very gutsy and activist individual," he said.

The associate minister has been around for a long time and understands how politics works, said Colin Robertson, vice-president and a senior fellow at the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute.

Mr. Valcourt also went into provincial politics. He was the leader of the opposition Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick from 1995 to 1997.

Mr. Powers viewed Mr. Valcourt's appointment as a strategic move. Mr. Valcourt has interacted with Irving Shipbuilding, which locked down a $25-billion contract with the government to build combat ships.

The associate minister's office also noted that he has worked with the Atlantic provinces and other stakeholders to "ensure that Atlantic Canada's small and medium-sized businesses are prepared to capitalize on the enormous potential created by the shipbuilding strategy."

Original Article
Source: embassy mag
Author: Sneh Duggal

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