By John-Henry Westen
OTTAWA, February 6, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Canadian Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper was sworn in this morning with his new Cabinet. Campaign Life Coalition noted that nine pro-life Members of Parliament are among the 26 Cabinet Ministers, representing a third of the cabinet.
The pro-lifeÂcabinet ministers include Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl, Justice Minister Vic Toews, Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Monte Solberg, Minister for Democratic Reform Rob Nicholson, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn and National Revenue Minister Carol Skelton.
Many pro-life CanadiansÂwondered at the absence of Jason Kenney, one of the most capable MPs and a stalwart defender of life and family. LifeSiteNews.com has learned that Kenney has been appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.Â
Another pro-life MP of prominence within the Conservative Party who was passed over for a cabinet post, Diane Ablonczy, will be the parliamentary secretary to the Finance Minister.
A pro-family analysis of the cabinet reveals at least six of the new Ministers do not adhere to the Conservative Party’s official policy in support of traditional marriage. Two of the those known to oppose traditional marriage are Quebec MPs: Transportation Minister Lawrence Canon; and International Cooperation Minister Josee Verner – the pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia MP known as ‘Quebec’s impoverished Belinda Stronach’.
Other cabinet membersÂknown to oppose traditional marriage are: homosexual-activist MP John Baird who was named Treasury Board Minister; Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice; and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Michael Chong who, while he voted against the homosexual marriage Bill C-38, has reportedly reconsidered his position.Â
Finally, Liberal MP David Emerson was rewarded for switching to the Conservative Party with the position of Minister of International Trade. Emerson is pro-abortion and voted against traditional marriage on Bill C-38.
Unknown is the stand of Michael Fortier the new Minister of Public Works who was appointed to cabinet without being an elected MP. Fortier, a Montreal businessman was a close advisor to Harper.
Tomorrow the government is to announce its full list of parliamentary secretaries.
The official list of cabinet Ministers follows:
The Right Honourable Stephen Joseph Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
The Honourable Robert Douglas Nicholson
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform
The Honourable David Emerson
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
The Honourable Gregory Francis Thompson
Minister of Veterans Affairs
The Honourable Marjory LeBreton
Leader of the Government in the Senate
The Honourable Monte Solberg
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
The Honourable Chuck Strahl
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
The Honourable Gary Lunn
Minister of Natural Resources
The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The Honourable Loyola Hearn
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
The Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
The Honourable Carol Skelton
Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
The Honourable Vic Toews
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
The Honourable Rona Ambrose
Minister of the Environment
The Honourable Michael D. Chong
President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for Sport
The Honourable Diane Finley
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
The Honourable Gordon O’Connor
Minister of National Defence
The Honourable Beverley J. Oda
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
The Honourable Jim Prentice
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
The Honourable John Baird
President of the Treasury Board
The Honourable Maxime Bernier
Minister of Industry
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
The Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Health and the Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
The Honourable James Michael Flaherty
Minister of Finance
The Honourable Josée Verner
Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages
The Honourable Michael Fortier
Minister of Public Works and Government Services