Tuesday, February 15, 2011

De-constructing the cabinet

The Opposition wants Bev Oda, the Minister of International Co-operation, to resign because she doctored a document.

The first thought that struck me when I heard this story was, "Why do we even need a Minister of International Co-operation?"

I mean what is the purpose of this ministry? To get Canada to co-operate with the world? To get other countries to co-operate with each other? To urge more international co-operation when it comes to co-operating?

OK, I am just joking.

I actually know the real purpose of this Ministry is to perform the important and necessary function of giving a politician a nice paying job.

But anyway, the Oda story got me thinking about other federal cabinet posts and if we could eliminate any of them for the purpose of making government smaller.

So I did some research while waiting for my toast to pop and came up with the following list of cabinet posts that should be abolished:

* Ministry of Public Safety
Wasn't this what they once called the KGB?.

* Public Works
Actually that's probably is a misprint. It should read "Public Porks"

* International Trade
Seems to me international trade existed for centuries before this post was invented.

* Citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism
Otherwise known as the "Recruiting immigrants to support our party department"

* Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
Main purpose is to figure out inventive ways to finance arenas in Quebec.

* Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Manages to waste tax dollars in both French and English.

* Sport
Organizes tail gate parties for party donors.

* Chief government whip
Not a figure of speech. I think somebody actually wields a whip!

And in order to ensure there is no regional bias when tax money is squandered in vote-buying splurges we have the following ministries:.

* Western economic diversification

* Science and technology, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario 

* Economy Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec 

Of course, I don't expect any of these posts to ever be eliminated.

But a guy can dream, can't he?

6 comments:

Hugh MacIntyre said...

The whip is a necessary functionary of Canada's Parliamentary democracy and as far as I know he is not actually a cabinet minister.

Everything else I can get behind though.

maryT said...

What is the population of the US, how many Secretaries of State do they have as compared to Canada. What a way to balance the budget, cut out a lot of those useless Ministries.
Maybe we could start copying the US, appoint the best and brightest from the the general population. That would save millions and a lot of bickering.

Anonymous said...

Minister for Status of Women? I would expect this ministry requires an urgent posting in light complexities introduced by the transgender bill.

I'm confused about my sexuality. Can someone from the government please help?

Ken S from Ramara said...

Hasn't every Min of Int'l Co-op been female? That is all I have to say.....

Anonymous said...

Every ministry should have a lifespan which means expiry upon uselessness. Excepting the core functional areas of course, most of your list seems to typify the waste, excess and incompetence of modern government. (real conservative)

Anonymous said...

You guys aim for crumbs.
I'm sure it would make a showy display but it wouldn't take that much from the debt compared to chiselling away at some of the bureaucracies & liberal programs.

That isn't to say most of those don't need to go.

But the ministry of trade also works to break down trade barriers or keep them from propping up in the first place.

Part of being a conservative libertarian is being a bulwark.


p.s.

lose the multi-culteralism from immigration. replace it with Assimilation if they are going to get into specifics. Let cultures develop naturally if thats how the cookie crumbles but we don't have to pay to force it into place. So long as those cultures we import aren't out to eradicate the cultures of others including the host!