The Globe and Mail is not usually so positive about Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
In Stephen Harper’s first cabinet, a rookie prime minister who had never run anything of any significance relied on powerful cabinet ministers in key portfolios: Stockwell Day at Public Safety, David Emerson at International Trade, Jim Flaherty at Finance, Chuck Strahl at Agriculture and Jim Prentice at Indian and Northern Affairs.
Apart from Mr. Flaherty, they’re all gone now. Mr. Harper’s critics are correct when they accuse him of running virtually a one-man government.
But it’s not easy. Mr. Harper is the hardest-working prime minister in living memory. Those who have watched him say he reads everything; he has a better grasp of the files than most of the ministers responsible for them. He involves himself intimately in the budget; Mr. Flaherty is already one of Canada’s longest-serving finance ministers, but he is far from sovereign in his portfolio.
The Prime Minister has gone from being an inexperienced newcomer in foreign affairs to one of the developed world’s longest-serving heads of government. He takes a personal interest in aboriginal affairs issues, in natural resources, in trade, in – well, you name it.
In short, Mr. Harper exercises near-total control over his government because it’s in his nature and because he can.
I always say to people, Stephen Harper gets things done. I’m just not crazy about most of the things he does, though.
Comment by Danny Melvin — July 25, 2012 @ 15:56
Oh, well played, sir. Well played.
Comment by Nicholas — July 25, 2012 @ 16:05