The second highest cabinet position after the prime Minister?

[1967100]

After the Prime Minister, who is the second highest ranking cabinet minister? I was just wondering, because the CBC once said the Finance minister was the second most powerful person in this country after the PM.

Is this true? How is it possible?

[Ricki Bobbi]

Technically it is the Deputy Prime Minister.

Which we don't have at the moment.

In the current Government it is fair to say it is Jim Prentice as chair of the Priorities and Planning Committee.

[jdobbin]

The federal government is quite clear on who has precedence.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/pe...guage=E&param=P

[Ricki Bobbi]

The federal government is quite clear on who has precedence.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/pe...guage=E&param=P

Ahhh poor uninformed jdobbin.

Precedence is for ceremonial purposes, seating at state dinners that sort of thing, only.

[jdobbin]

After the Prime Minister, who is the second highest ranking cabinet minister? I was just wondering, because the CBC once said the Finance minister was the second most powerful person in this country after the PM.

Is this true? How is it possible?

Further to the precedence listing (which has ministers listed according to seniority), several sources list the Treasury Board president as being more powerful than Finance.

Others list power based on who is on the planning committee.

In the end, it is the prime minister who has the most power as he can remove any cabinet minister. Cabinet cannot remove the prime minister. Not without help anyways.

Caucus has more power than the prime minister because they can remove the prime minister.

[geoffrey]

Prentice and Cannon have the ability to fill in for Harper if he was to be incapable of performing his duties, he set this out at the onset.

[Catchme]

And why was that again, that we do not have a Deputy Prime Minister?

Oh, that's right, Stephen doesn't like to share, in particular power in Canada, he is a what in essence? Besides being a consumate micro manager, because the rest of his MP's don't know nothing about nothing, that is.

[geoffrey]

And why was that again, that we do not have a Deputy Prime Minister?

Oh, that's right, Stephen doesn't like to share, in particular power in Canada, he is a what in essence? Besides being a consumate micro manager, because the rest of his MP's don't know nothing about nothing, that is.

Actually we never had one before Trudeau decided that more cabinet ministers meant more high paid friends in the HoC.

What exactly does the title do to Prentice or Cannon? Absolutely nothing.

So your arguing over a word, which I believe, is a big waste of time.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Actually we never had one before Trudeau decided that more cabinet ministers meant more high paid friends in the HoC.

What exactly does the title do to Prentice or Cannon? Absolutely nothing.

So your arguing over a word, which I believe, is a big waste of time.

Come on geoff. For catchme it is never a waste of time to paint the Prime Minister in the worst possible light.

Interesting how he can accuse the Prime Minister of wasting money on one thread while completely ignoring the money savings by not having a deputy PM on another.

[Catchme]

Oh come now, we Canadians, are not silly enough to believe that Harper does not have a back up Prime Minister for Canada, should something happen to him, because he wants to save us a couple hundred thousand. He couldn't give a damn about 200k, but he does not share limelight/title, or power. We know the CPC is top down, not grassroots.

How embarassing for us on the world stage, should something happen in the world major happen, and Harper is out of touch, but Canada or Canadians are part of it.

I can just hear it from BBC, CNN or even Fox News announcers:

"Now on behalf of Canada we have the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Jim Prentice? Mr Prentice, where is your Prime Minister, or Deputy Prime Minister that they can't speak on this very serious threat to canadians and Canada?" What you do not know where the Prime Minsiter is and you have no second in command?"

"Well Mr Prentice in the days coming, just who will be giving signals to other world leaders on what is transpiring, or what directing Canada and Canadians on what they are going to do?"

:angry:

My goodness he has turned us into a Banana Republic has he not?

[Slavik44]

The deputy Prime Ministership isn't worth a warm bucket of piss, and besides are we planing on assassinating harper any time soon? Why should you worry Catchme...won't he be gone in a few months anyway?

There is also another key factor being Ignored here. THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THE ROLE OF PRIME MINISTER UPOUN THE INCAPACITATION OF THE PRIME MINISTER. Making the position of deputy prime minister worth even less than an object worth less than a warm bucket of piss. And the reasons given for wanting a deputy prime minister factually flawed.

It is also a well published fact that when Harper took office he clearly outlined policy for succession. Which passes from Harper to Cannon. If Cannon is also unable to perform his duties, the position would fall on Jim Prentice. From there it follows the order of precedence that has been previously posted in this thread.

I am no harper Fan boy but even I feel like this is a pointless and un-based attack.

[geoffrey]

There is also another key factor being Ignored here. THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THE ROLE OF PRIME MINISTER UPOUN THE INCAPACITATION OF THE PRIME MINISTER. Making the position of deputy prime minister worth even less than an object worth less than a warm bucket of piss. And the reasons given for wanting a deputy prime minister factually flawed.

Exactly. The Deputy could be 308th in line, with Layton and Duceppe ahead of him if that was the PM's wish.

There is an order-in-council sometime in February that gives full PMO power to Cannon, then Prentice, in the case that Harper is unable to perform as PM. What else does one need?

[Ricki Bobbi]

My goodness he has turned us into a Banana Republic has he not?

No he has not.

Man, this hatred of yours really does lead to some ridiculous histrionics.

[geoffrey]

My goodness he has turned us into a Banana Republic has he not?

I'd take the warmth.

And the bananas.

[Ricki Bobbi]

I'd take the warmth.

And the bananas.

What's with the quote?

I *did not* write the banana republic line.

But we could follow through on that whack job suggestion to annex trinidad and tobago.

[geoffrey]

Fixed the quote, sorry.

That would be nice. They are a nice set of Islands. I'll write to Harper and try to get him to include it in his campaign next election. Who wouldn't vote for Canada's place in the sun?

[Ricki Bobbi]

I'm serious some backbencher MP made the proposal sometime in 2005 IIRC....

[geoffrey]

Perhaps it could be added to the Deputy Prime Minister portfolio... acquistion of foreign lands... since they don't do anything else in that role. But I'm sure catchme's got some other reasons for having the Dep. PM besides taking Canada's place in the sun.

I mean, it's kind of cool like a VP in the States! Oh wait?! Those people think Harper is American because GWB called him Steve... that must not be the reason?

[Slavik44]

I'm serious some backbencher MP made the proposal sometime in 2005 IIRC....

Isn't it the Turks and Caicos? I had to go running around looking for the name but I recall hearing about it a couple years ago....unless we have now switched Islands...why don't we just take on the Carribean...maybe we could send a diplomatic mission to Cuba and convince Castro to give us the country in his will.

[Saturn]

The deputy Prime Ministership isn't worth a warm bucket of piss, and besides are we planing on assassinating harper any time soon? Why should you worry Catchme...won't he be gone in a few months anyway?

Harper is overweight, under a lot of stress, and a male of the right age for a heart attack.

PS: Just joking

[Saturn]

I'm serious some backbencher MP made the proposal sometime in 2005 IIRC....

Isn't it the Turks and Caicos? I had to go running around looking for the name but I recall hearing about it a couple years ago....unless we have now switched Islands...why don't we just take on the Carribean...maybe we could send a diplomatic mission to Cuba and convince Castro to give us the country in his will.

Inviting the T&C into Canada was studied and rejected in the 70s. It's been a pet project of several MPs since. It's nice but not big enough. But Cuba - that would be really something Please, please Fidel.

[jdobbin]

Isn't it the Turks and Caicos? I had to go running around looking for the name but I recall hearing about it a couple years ago....unless we have now switched Islands...why don't we just take on the Carribean...maybe we could send a diplomatic mission to Cuba and convince Castro to give us the country in his will.

It started in the 1970s with Conservative MP Dan McKenzie. He used to be my MP and he was so right wing that Mulroney was uncomfortable with him.

http://andrewcoyne.com/2004_01_18_andrewcoyne_archive.php

[Ricki Bobbi]

Harper is overweight, under a lot of stress, and a male of the right age for a heart attack.

PS: Just joking

Wow, you have quite the sense of humour. Does that extend to stealing toys from the children's ward at the hospital and heckling at the special Olympics?

[Argus]

And why was that again, that we do not have a Deputy Prime Minister?

Oh, that's right, Stephen doesn't like to share, in particular power in Canada, he is a what in essence? Besides being a consumate micro manager, because the rest of his MP's don't know nothing about nothing, that is.

There never was a formal position of "deputy prime minister". That is a fictional "honourary" position created by the Liberals. The parliamentary system never really had any need for such a position. But it certainly went well with the Liberals' "style over substance" way of governing.

In fact, if something serious happened to Harper, the Tory caucus would simply elect another leader. I'm not sure if their party constitution would then require confirmation from the rank and file membership or not.

In Canada, unlike in the United States, our PM is not directly elected. Whomever can command a majority of the support in the House is prime minister. If enough Conservative MPs deserted the party and joined the NDP then Layton would become PM.

[Argus]

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