By Andrew Macdonald
Languishing 20 per cent behind the Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal prime minister has shaken up his cabinet – and a big winner is Nova Scotia’s Darren Fisher.
Fisher became Veterans Affairs Minister after the blockbuster political resignation from the Justin Trudeau cabinet of Central Nova MP Sean Fraser.
In Calgary, where Fraser worked as a corporate lawyer before becoming MP for the first time in 2015, there is Liberal chatter that Fraser has ambitions to become PM, if and when Justin Trudeau resigns or, more likely, is defeated.
Fraser was Immigration minister until 2023 when he became Housing & Infrastructure minister. The move was seen as a step up for Fraser, a job promotion if you will.
Fraser remained the sole MP from Nova Scotia in the federal cabinet, as Trudeau slights the province again. Despite taking all 11 seats for the Liberals in 2015, and maintaining a juggernaut in Nova Scotia, with just three Tory MPs, Trudeau has again slighted the province.
New Brunswick and Newfoundland each have two federal cabinet ministers, yet Trudeau gives Nova Scotia just one voice.
Fraser was a great Immigration minister. But he fails as a regional minister, not nearly having the clout of predecessors, Conservative Peter MacKay and Liberal Scott Brison during their tenure in cabinet.
Brison provided $90M to twin the 104 HWY over 40 km between New Glasgow & Antigonish. He found money to twin the 101 beyond Wolfville and he found $70M to twin the 103 to Hubbards.
MacKay’s political prowess and power included crucial funding to twin the 16 KM Antigonish bypass. His Ottawa clout gave pivotal monies to build the new Spring Garden Library, and he assured crucial funds to build the Nova Centre Convention facility. MacKay also found $100M to build a new RCMP bunker in Burnside.
Fraser during his time in cabinet did not announce any significant and meaningful goodies for his province. No highway twinning at all, for example.
Justin Trudeau, MP Sean Fraser and Wheel Pizza owner, Mike Hassin. Fraser’s Twitter page hoto
