Categories
Alberta Politics International Politics

australian cabinet making.

According to wikipedia, “cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative edgings, and so on.” This process doesn’t sound too different than the actual process of political cabinet making which Tory Premier Ed Stelmach is currently undergoing.

Instead of speculating on which Tory MLAs will and won’t make the cabinet cut (though I do think it will be a challenging balance act and I may write a post about that), I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how cabinets are or have been selected in two other countries.

Down Under, the Australian Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party have a tradition of allowing individual caucus member to elect cabinet ministers from their among their peers. Though the Prime Minister had retained the right to decide portfolios, members of factions within the caucus exercised considerable influence over who was elected to cabinet. In 2007, newly-elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd did away with the substance of the tradition by selecting the cabinet but allowing the caucus to ratify it (which it did unanimously).

A similar cabinet selection process was proposed by Federal Liberal MP Belinda Stronach back in 2006 and was supported by former North West Territories Premier Joe Handley.

Categories
International Politics

walk for darfur.

A good friend of mine who is crazy – but passionate – asked me to post about this walk he’s doing…

Hey Everyone,

This Sunday, April 29th, Churchill Square, 5-7pm!

Help stop a Genocide!

Rally for the people of Darfur!

Walking from Calgary to Edmonton, 20 people have marched, to raise awareness and demand that action be taken to bring an end to the slaughter of innocent people in Darfur.
Speaking in schools, universities, on radio and television and arriving at Churchill Square at 5pm this Sunday to call on Governments to take swift action to halt the Genocide.

Let your voice be heard!

Join us, for the people of Darfur.
For more info, go to www.walkfordarfur.ca

From the shoulder of Highway 2 northbound,

Daniel Eggert

GOOD LUCK, DAN!