Open Con government

You have to love it when the party of openness and inclusion, Canada's Greatest GovernmentTM, makes two gadzillion appointments after consulting only their belly buttons. In a story in the Hill Times (I am hoping that they have more sources than they did with the PP love-in story!), the government announced the following appointments:

Effective beginning of August, Simon Kennedy, currently deputy secretary to the Cabinet for operations, will be the deputy secretary to the Cabinet for plans and consultation, replacing Margaret Biggs, who became president of CIDA on July 1.

Daniel Jean will take over Mr. Kennedy's post 15 days later, leaving the position of associate secretary to the Treasury Board to Bob Hamilton, who is currently the senior ADM, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance.

Andrew Treusch becomes ADM of the Environment on Aug. 1, leaving his position as executive director of the Competition Policy Review Panel Secretariat, Industry Canada.

On Aug. 15 Greta Bossenmaier will leave her duties as executive vice-president, Canada Border Services Agency to Luc Portelance, currently deputy director, Operations, Canadian Security Intelligence Service to become Foreign Affairs ADM.

The newly-appointed Minister of Public Works and Government Services Christian Paradis announced the appointment of Robert Presser as chair of Defence Construction Canada (DCC). DCC is a federal Crown corporation that provides contracting, construction contract management and related infrastructure services to the Department of National Defence.

Minister of Industry Jim Prentice, appointed Natalie E. Dakers to the Board of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

Mr. Prentice also announced the appointment of Brian Hayward and Henry Lee as members of the board of directors of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). Mr. Prentice, as the minister responsible for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), also announced the appointment of S.C. (Chan) Wirasinghe, Michael John Irwin, Charles Richard Bridges, David A. Robbins and Elaine C. Phénix as members of the council. Mr. Wirasinghe is a civil engineering professor at the University of Calgary's Schulich School of Engineering with over 30 years of experience in the field of transportation engineering and planning.

Diane Finley, minister of Citizenship and Immigration, meanwhile, announced nine full-time appointments and 12 full-time reappointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Éveline Fiset and Normand Leduc were each appointed for a three-year term; Guy Lebel was reappointed for a three-year term; Michel Jobin and Anna Maria Silvestri Corriveau were each reappointed for a one-year term, all in the Montréal office. Barry D. Barnes, Kirk Dickenson, Joseph Hunter, Judy Lewis, Michael Sterlin and Cynthia L. Summers were each appointed for a three-year term in the Toronto office. Clifford Daniel Berry, Stephen C. Budaci, Ana C. Costa, and Hazelyn Ross were each reappointed for a three-year term and Stuart J. Mutch and Harvey Savage were each reappointed for a five-year term, also in the Toronto office. Negar Azmudeh was appointed for a three-year term and Paulah Jean Dauns was reappointed for a one-year term and designated to be assistant deputy chairperson in the Vancouver office. Erwin Nest and Ross Anthony Pattee were each reappointed for a five-year term in the Vancouver office.

David Emerson, then minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, announced the appointments of Jeff Burghardt and Donald MacLeod to the Board of Directors of Export Development Canada (EDC). Mr. Emerson also announced the appointment of Rémy M. Beauregard as president of the Montreal-based International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development. Rights & Democracy contributes to Canadaís objectives of promoting democracy and human rights abroad.

Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day announced four full-time and two part-time appointments to the National Parole Board.

were appointed as full-time members and Mr. Lafrenière was also appointed vice-chairperson of the Prairie Region. Catherine A. Kennedy, Harvey Cenaiko, Sharon Perrault, and Michel LafrenièreHélène Lacroix and Gilles Roussel were appointed as part-time members.

Josée Verner, minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages and minister for La Francophonie, announced the appointment of Michael J. Tims as vice-chair of the board of trustees of the National Gallery of Canada, as well as the appointment of Luc LaRochelle as a member of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Lawrence Cannon announced the appointment of Claude Francoeur to the board of directors of the Federal Bridge Corporation Limited. Mr. Cannon also announced the appointment of Franco Pietracupa as a member of the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada and Denis Durand to the board of directors of VIA Rail Canada Inc. for a term of four years.

Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec Jean-Pierre Blackburn, announced appointments to the Council of Governors of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS); Matthew Firth as a governor representing workers, Gordon Lloyd and Murray P. Sunstrum as a governors representing employers and Susanna Zagar as governor representing the Province of Ontario.

Mr. Blackburn also announced the appointment of Sébastien Dhavernas as part-time Chairperson of the Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal (CAPPRT).

Minister of Health Tony Clement announced the reappointment of Harvey Max Chochinov to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Governing Council for a three-year term.

Anybody notice that Minister of Pro Salute Imperii, Sockdrawer Day, made six appointments but gave no names? What ever can that mean?

Can you say election time?