Tory MPs politely applauded Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet picks during his first caucus meeting. However, outside the reviews were mixed.
“When I get back home I’ll probably get an earful,” said Tory MP Myron Thompson.
Yesterday Harper announced the surprise defection of David Emerson from the Liberal ranks to the Conservatives. He will represent Vancouver at the cabinet table.
Also raising a few eyebrows, party organizer Michael Fortier was named to the Senate, and put in cabinet as Public Works Minister. Fortier didn’t even run in the last election.
Today, he told reporters he didn’t run because it wasn’t the right time.
"I didn't run in the election because I didn't want to run in the election," he said.
Such appointments have happened before in Canadian Politics. Previous governments have named senators to cabinet to represent areas with no elected government members; and many MPs have crossed the floor to join another party.
But such events were supposed to be a thing of the past under a Tory government which campaigned on accountability and respect for democracy.
However, even die-hard Tories disappointed by the moves seem willing to give Harper the benefit of the doubt for now.
"I don't think there's going to be that much of a backlash against something like this, my opinion, but we'll see," said Alberta Tory MP Rahim Jaffer.
Stay tuned to A-Channel News for the latest.
