do the shuffle!

[meggo]

so peter mackay is the new defence minister. hmmmmmm....

i thought these mofo's had the summer off?

... and here is an article from the globe:

O'Connor dropped from Defence

BRODIE FENLON AND JANE TABER

Globe and Mail Update

August 14, 2007 at 3:44 PM EDT

Gordon O'Connor has lost his job as Minister of Defence in a cabinet shuffle widely viewed as an attempt by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reinvigorate Canada's politically sensitive mission in Afghanistan.

Mr. Harper will swear in Peter MacKay as the new Defence Minister at a ceremony this afternoon at Rideau Hall, while Mr. O'Connor moves to National Revenue.

Mr. MacKay leaves the Foreign Affairs portfolio, where he will be replaced by Maxime Bernier, a rising Quebec presence who served as the government's main French-language spokesman on its spring budget.

Mr. Bernier leaves Industry, replaced by former Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice.

Gordon O'Connor, left, seen in April with Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier, has lost his job as Defence minister.

Mr. O'Connor has struggled for months as Defence Minister, roundly criticized over his handling of the controversy over the treatment of Afghan detainees. His apparently tenuous relationship with Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier has resulted in public disagreement and contradictory statements about the future of Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

Until today, Mr. Harper stood by his embattled minister, suggesting this spring that Mr. O'Connor was beyond criticism because he had once served in the army.

But the scandals and lack of clear messaging have proven a liability for the Harper government, which faces dwindling support for Canada's military operation in Afghanistan and little hope at the moment of forming a majority government.

A poll by the Strategic Counsel for The Globe and Mail and CTV released last month found the Tories have support of 31 per cent of the electorate — tied with the Liberals and down from 37 per cent a year ago — with the Afghan mission weighing heavily on the numbers.

The poll found 46 per cent of men support sending troops to Afghanistan, but only 27 per cent of women.

Mr. Bernier's appointment from Industry to Foreign Affairs is seen as part of a larger emphasis by Mr. Harper on global economic productivity.

Mr. Bernier, 44, was instrumental in outlining the new softwood lumber agreement with the United States, and helped launch new Conservative attack ads against the Liberals.

It is a major step up on to the world stage for the member from Beauce, Que., who entered federal politics less than two years ago.

Mr. Harper met individually yesterday and on the weekend with most of his cabinet ministers at his official residence, 24 Sussex Dr., where he handed out the new assignments.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief statement about his new cabinet at 5:30 p.m. EDT.

Edited August 14, 2007 by Guest

[bouche]

The federal cabinet after Tuesday's shuffle (Cabinet-List)

OTTAWA (CP) _ The federal cabinet in order of precedence, which

generally follows length of service in Parliament:

Prime Minister _ Stephen Harper.

Minister of Justice; Attorney General of Canada _ Robert

Nicholson.

Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific

Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics _ David Emerson.

Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development

Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec _ Jean-Pierre Blackburn.

Minister of Veterans Affairs _ Gregory Thompson.

Leader of the Government in the Senate; Secretary of State for

Seniors _ Marjory LeBreton.

Minister of Human Resources and Social Development _ Monte

Solberg.

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal

Interlocutor for Metis and non-Status Indians _ Chuck Strahl.

Minister of Natural Resources _ Gary Lunn.

Minister of Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Canada

Opportunities Agency _ Peter MacKay.

Minister of Fisheries and Oceans _ Loyola Hearn.

Minister of Public Safety _ Stockwell Day.

President of Treasury Board _ Vic Toews.

President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of

Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic

Diversification _ Rona Ambrose.

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration _ Diane Finley.

Minister of National Revenue _ Gordon O'Connor.

Minister of International Co-operation _ Bev Oda.

Minister of Industry _ Jim Prentice.

Minister of the Environment _ John Baird.

Minister of Foreign Affairs _ Maxime Bernier.

Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities _ **>Lawrence

Cannon.

Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic

Development Initiative for Northern Ontario _ Tony Clement.

Minister of Finance _ Jim Flaherty.

Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Minister for

Official Languages _ Josee Verner.

Minister of Public Works and Government Services _ Michael

Fortier.

Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for

Democratic Reform _ Peter Van Loan.

Minister of Agriculture and Agrifood and Minister for the

Canadian Wheat Board _ Gerry Ritz.

Chief Government Whip and Secretary of State _ Jay Hill.

Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity _

Jason Kenney.

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Trade;

Secretary of State for Sport _ Helena Guergis.

Secretary of State for Agriculture _ Christian Paradis.

Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism _ Diane

Ablonczy.