Hastings-Lennox and Addington Conservative MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman has issued a statement on Wednesday’s Cabinet shuffle:
“The Prime Minister’s historically large cabinet shuffle is extraordinarily telling. By changing so many Ministers throughout, the Prime Minister refuses to accept responsibility for the issues his poor leadership has created and continues to foist blame for his continued failure onto the backs of his personally appointed Cabinet. This abdication of accountability has resulted in record inflation as Canadians, especially those in rural communities like ours, struggle to afford groceries, pay their fuel bill, or pay their rent or mortgage.”
“Since his election in 2015 there has been a single constant in the same position in Cabinet; the Prime Minister himself. Ministerial accountability is a fundamental principle of the constitution, a principle the Prime Minister himself acknowledged in 2015’s Open and Accountable Government. This massive shuffle makes one thing clear: this cabinet has failed Canadians. An accountable Prime Minister should hold themselves to the same standards that Canadians expect from all of Cabinet. Justin Trudeau should be no exception.”
“At a time when the Canadian Armed Forces are desperate for accountable, transparent leadership, particularly with regards to sexual harassment, the Prime Minister has made the baffling decision to appoint Bill Blair, a Minister whose track record includes allegations of applying inappropriate political pressure on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and failing to seriously address the allegations of foreign political interference in Canada. This appointment shows that the Prime Minister is not committed to addressing the very serious issues facing our Canadian Armed Forces including housing and equipment shortages, ineffective service provisions, and the ongoing recruitment crisis.”
“Today’s massive Cabinet shuffle is nothing more than the actions of a desperate, impetuous Prime Minister in panic, and Canadians will continue to bear the burden of its incompetence.”
