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    • Don Martin: The good, bad and ugly of the new Trudeau cabinet

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    OTTAWA -

    Keeping in mind that being a Justin Trudeau cabinet minister means you鈥檙e a force-fed enabler of the Prime Minister鈥檚 agenda more than influencer of policy direction, there are good, bad and ugly moves to be observed in Tuesday鈥檚 swearing-in ceremony.

    The over-arching theme is how this gaggle of ministers is more lapdog than usual, where a long, loyal, sycophantic friendship to the prime minister appears to be THE critical consideration for a ticket to The Show.

    How else to explain Melanie Joly being elevated from mid-level cabinet underachiever to become the high-profile face of Canada as foreign affairs minister?

    From botching Canada鈥檚 150th birthday - including that infamous $5-million skating rink on Parliament Hill - to her recent invisibility in Tourism, there is precious little sign she鈥檚 primed to take on the diplomatic world.

    But her friendship with Trudeau and her Liberal party organization skills are allegedly strong, so apparently that鈥檚 enough of a qualifier for what is traditionally the third most influential post in cabinet.

    Then there鈥檚 the hot-potato-drop of Canada鈥檚 first astronaut from cabinet, the kicking of Marc Garneau out of prime ministerial orbit for a reward to be named later.

    Although Garneau was a mediocre force of personality in Foreign Affairs, he hardly rated becoming the shooting star of this shuffle.

    That should鈥檝e been former defence minister Harjit Sajjan, a chronic force of ineptitude who clings to the perks of cabinet with a hard-to-botch gig in International Development that鈥檚 mostly handing out humanitarian cheques.

    His replacement, Anita Anand, will be well received as a woman in charge of finally cleaning up the epidemic of sexual misconduct allegations rifling the ranks of military leadership.

    While her claim to political fame in Procurement was basically buying every COVID-19 vaccine on the world market with price being no obstacle, things will get a lot more complicated as she sets out to exorcise the cultural demons in national defence ranks. She needs to succeed.

    And then there鈥檚 Trudeau flipping the bird at Alberta鈥檚 energy industry.

    He shuffled energy sympathizer Seamus O鈥橰egan aside from Natural Resources (demoted to Labour) and replaced him with former environment minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who probably wouldn鈥檛 know a pumpjack from a tire iron.

    That sure sign of rough oilpatch waters ahead went whitecap when Trudeau elevated former Greenpeace anti-oil activist Stephen Guilbeault to the portfolio of his dreams in Environment. Cue the outrage from Alberta premier Jason Kenney.

    That one-two punch of bad oilpatch news landed in a cabinet lineup where Newfoundland, with barely half the population of Calgary, got two ministers while Alberta was given one low-level minister in Tourism.

    Now that鈥檚 an equalization problem to get miffed about but, of course, it would help if Alberta elected more than two MPs in the governing party.

    Suffice to say there are empty drawers in this curious cabinet, veterans and rookies appointed for geography, gender or ethnic reasons over merit, but I will spare analysis of that list because, in most cases, it would be the last time you ever heard of those ministers.

    So the 2021 post-election poodle patch sets out to tackle a probable two-year minority government lifespan with a very clear mandate - deliver a legacy for Justin Trudeau before he bows out.

    That suggests few difficult or controversial policies ahead beyond an enhanced emphasis on fighting climate change, taking Indigenous reconciliation to the next level and making progress on easing the housing supply crisis with a dedicated minister to the task.

    (As an aside, gender parity should鈥檝e been abandoned in this cabinet. Many of the rookie MPs are very impressive women, suggesting men could鈥檝e and arguably should鈥檝e been pushed into the minority to produce an even stronger group.)

    But with early signs of Trudeau checking out, starting with that inexplicable Tofino surfing debacle, the most powerful ministerial promotion in this cabinet was never explicably named.

    That would be Chrystia Freeland: Minister of post-Trudeau Transition.

    That鈥檚 the bottom line.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

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    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

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    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

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    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

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    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

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    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    • Legend has it that on a dark evening in 1988, friends of Supt. Joe Atherton quietly buried his body on the site of the old provincial RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

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    • Brittany La Torre and her husband Marc moved into their West Vancouver home just six months ago, but after last weekend's storm brought a torrent of muddy water and debris into their basement, knocking out power, they're not sure whether they'll be living in it six months from now.

    • He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    • Brampton is looking to the federal and provincial government to address the growing number of its vulnerable international students being exploited and trafficked.

    • A proposed inner-city apartment complex development by Anthem Properties is raising concerns for some residents of Hillhurst and West Hillhurst.

    • A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

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      The City of Ottawa is hoping to learn this week just how many residents in the capital are homeless.

    • One person has died and others have been injured after a two-vehicle collision involving a tractor trailer and a car on Highway 7 in eastern Ontario, according to police.

    • Homeowners with a variable rate mortgage in Ottawa can expect to see some savings thanks to a significant rate cut by the Bank of Canada.

    • A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a car in Saint-Michel Wednesday evening.

    • Nigel Berkley and CRARR plan to file complaints with the police ethics commissioner and the human rights commission after Berkley was repeatedly stopped while driving his mother's car over four months.

    • Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante will not be seeking re-election.

    • An Edmonton tow truck operator has been charged after police say he refused to release a vehicle to its owner.

    • The City of Edmonton has a long road ahead to replace aging ice arenas as demand for ice time increases.

    • The leader of Alberta's Official Opposition rolled up his sleeves for his COVID-19 and flu shots today, opting to receive them in front of media because he's concerned about vaccine uptake.

    • A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    • A volunteer treasurer is facing charges after funds went missing from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston鈥檚 riding.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    • A 59-year-old man has died following a crash involving three vehicles that started after a tire fell off a car on the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday morning in the RM of Tache.

    • A Manitoba inmate who was released from custody by mistake has been arrested, according to Winnipeg police.

    • Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal is defending his conduct and disagreeing with a recent report from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) 鈥 which found he broke rules that prohibit MLAs from being involved with government contracts.

    • Southey RCMP say drivers should expect delays on Highway 6 Wednesday night after a serious crash.

    • Regina police says officers will provide an update Thursday in its search for the suspect of a homicide that took place in the city during the summer of 2023.

    • Detective Robert Hofstetter examined Erb鈥檚 home after her death and came to several conclusions based on the blood stains he found there.

    • A psychologist who recently assessed Geovanny Villalba-Aleman believes he may have experienced a psychotic break before stabbing three people in a gender studies class at a University of Waterloo.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    • The race to form government is heating up ahead of the provincial election on Monday. Both the Saskatchewan NDP and the Saskatchewan Party feel they have the momentum as each leader has been focusing on different areas of the province as the campaign trail nears its end.

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • The Saskatoon civic election is drawing closer, with mayoral candidates outlining their visions to keep the city competitive and attract businesses.

    • A Sudbury jury has found Felicity Altiman guilty of second-degree murder in the December 2020 stabbing death of a Sudbury man.

    • It only took minutes for North Bay pharmacist Brian Chute to be out $1,500 after fraudsters deceptively swapped his bank card with another.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • More cancer-fighting isotopes will be produced by Bruce Power thanks to a new partnership between Bruce Power, the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, and two international partners.

    • Under tough cross-examination at the London courthouse on Wednesday, Rachel Johnson, 21, was asked a number of times why there was a delay in calling 911

    • A 27-year-old man is miraculously alive after his pickup went over Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley. Fire fighters estimate that from the top to bottom of the embankment is around 270 feet.

    • A haunted house in the Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • Barrie police conducted a search on Wednesday of the last place Autumn Shaganash was seen in hopes of giving her family some answers to her mysterious disappearance.

    • A 34-year-old motorcyclist has died following a collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end on Tuesday.

    • The Windsor Jewish Federation responded on Wednesday evening to a decision by the board of governors for the University of Windsor concerning its agreements with pro-Palestinian protesters.

    • Windsor Fire and Rescue Services has been working to prepare for heightened HAZMAT risk ahead of relaxed restrictions around the transportation of some hazardous materials across the Ambassador Bridge.

    • As hospitals elsewhere in Ontario reintroduce mask mandates due to rising respiratory illnesses, Windsor hospitals are taking a more measured approach.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • When 16-year-old Kaydence Bourque was struck and killed in a crosswalk on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich in 2021, the community was shaken to the core.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.

    • As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    N.L.

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