Alice Wong awarded cabinet post
Prime Minister Stephen Harper named Alice Wong to cabinet Wednesday morning, anointing the Richmond MP as Minister of State for Seniors.
Sworn in at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Wong, 62, jumps into the junior cabinet role after serving her first term as Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism. Parliamentary secretary posts are widely seen as cabinet training grounds for MPs.
Ontario MP Julian Fantino last served in the role, albeit briefly, having been appointed in January. Fantino moves into the job of Associate Minister of Defence.
Kevin Milligan, associate professor of economics at University of B.C., said on Twitter yesterday Wong's post could be a position with teeth to tackle the pensions issue.
"Alice Wong may have many charms, but few econo chops," he wrote.
Wong, a Hong Kong immigrant, easily won the May 2 election, capturing 54.2 per cent of the vote.
Fellow Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, representing Delta-Richmond East, did not get an appointment.
Harper's new cabinet is tied with Brian Mulroney's as the largest ever, with 39 members. Wong joins three other B.C. MPs in cabinet: Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages James Moore (Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam), Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development John Duncan (Vancouver Island North) and Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway Ed Fast (Abbotsford).
Harper is expected to unveil his picks for Parliamentary Secretary positions—MPs appointed to serve as aides to ministers—at a later date.
Harper's new cabinet:
The Honourable Robert Douglas Nicholson
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
The Honourable Marjory LeBreton
Leader of the Government in the Senate
The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay
Minister of National Defence
The Honourable Vic Toews
Minister of Public Safety
The Honourable Rona Ambrose
Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women
The Honourable Diane Finley
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
The Honourable Beverley J. Oda
Minister of International Cooperation
The Honourable John Baird
Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Honourable Tony Clement
President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
The Honourable James Michael Flaherty
Minister of Finance
The Honourable Peter Van Loan
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
The Honourable Jason Kenney
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
The Honourable Gerry Ritz
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
The Honourable Christian Paradis
Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)
The Honourable James Moore
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
The Honourable Denis Lebel
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
The Honourable Keith Ashfield
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
The Honourable Peter Kent
Minister of the Environment
The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Labour
The Honourable Gail Shea
Minister of National Revenue
The Honourable John Duncan
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
The Honourable Steven Blaney
Minister of Veterans Affairs
The Honourable Edward Fast
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
The Honourable Joe Oliver
Minister of Natural Resources
The Honourable Peter Penashue
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada
The Honourable Julian Fantino
Associate Minister of National Defence
The Honourable Bernard Valcourt
Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
The Honourable Gordon O’Connor
Minister of State and Chief Government Whip
The Honourable Maxime Bernier
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)
The Honourable Diane Ablonczy
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs)
The Honourable Lynne Yelich
Minister of State (Western Economic Diversification)
The Honourable Steven John Fletcher
Minister of State (Transport)
The Honourable Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)
The Honourable Ted Menzies
Minister of State (Finance)
The Honourable Tim Uppal
Minister of State (Democratic Reform)
The Honourable Alice Wong
Minister of State (Seniors)
The Honourable Bal Gosal
Minister of State (Sport)
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