Martin becomes prime minister
Last Updated Fri, 12 Dec 2003 11:43:50
OTTAWA - Paul Martin became Canada's 21st prime minister on Friday morning, at the same time installing a new cabinet designed to signal a break from the previous government of Jean Chrétien.
Martin appointed 39 cabinet members, most of them newcomers to the inner circle.
Anne McLellan becomes deputy prime minister and minister of public safety and emergency preparedness.
Her appointment, along with that of Ralph Goodale, who takes on the finance portfolio, marks an effort by Martin to reach out to western Canada, where Liberals have long had trouble electing members of Parliament.
A native cleansing ceremony preceded the swearing in by Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson at Rideau Hall.
Jean Chrétien handed his resignation to Clarkson earlier Friday, closing a 40-year career in federal politics, and a decade as prime minister.
Martin brings with him sweeping changes to cabinet and a promise to usher in broad reforms to the federal government.
"As prime minister, I look forward to the opportunity to rally Canadians toward a new sense of national purpose and around a new agenda of change and achievement," Martin said.
"We are going to change the way things work in Ottawa in order to re-engage Canadians in the political process and achieve demonstrable progress on our priorities."
Nonetheless, 15 ministers from Chrétien's cabinet stay, some of them retaining their former roles, including Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham and Environment Minister David Anderson.
Pierre Pettigrew gets both health and intergovernmental affairs. John McCallum moves to veterans affairs. Lucienne Robillard becomes head of the Treasury Board.
Former industry minister and leadership hopeful Allan Rock becomes Canada's ambassador to the United Nations.
Martin has long spoken of the need to address a "democratic deficit" in Parliament.
Backbenchers who serve as parliamentary secretaries to ministers will have larger roles. They are being sworn in to the Privy Council, which gives some of the privileges of cabinet.
Martin has always said his campaign for the prime minister's job wasn't inspired by his father, who grasped for but never got the Liberal leadership in the 1950s and '60s.
But for his swearing in, Martin gave a nod to his dad by bringing the flag that flew at half-mast on Parliament Hill on Sept. 14, 1992, the day Paul Martin Sr. died.
Written by CBC News Online staff
Last Updated Fri, 12 Dec 2003 11:43:50
OTTAWA - Paul Martin became Canada's 21st prime minister on Friday morning, at the same time installing a new cabinet designed to signal a break from the previous government of Jean Chrétien.
Martin appointed 39 cabinet members, most of them newcomers to the inner circle.
Anne McLellan becomes deputy prime minister and minister of public safety and emergency preparedness.
Her appointment, along with that of Ralph Goodale, who takes on the finance portfolio, marks an effort by Martin to reach out to western Canada, where Liberals have long had trouble electing members of Parliament.
A native cleansing ceremony preceded the swearing in by Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson at Rideau Hall.
Jean Chrétien handed his resignation to Clarkson earlier Friday, closing a 40-year career in federal politics, and a decade as prime minister.
Martin brings with him sweeping changes to cabinet and a promise to usher in broad reforms to the federal government.
"As prime minister, I look forward to the opportunity to rally Canadians toward a new sense of national purpose and around a new agenda of change and achievement," Martin said.
"We are going to change the way things work in Ottawa in order to re-engage Canadians in the political process and achieve demonstrable progress on our priorities."
Nonetheless, 15 ministers from Chrétien's cabinet stay, some of them retaining their former roles, including Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham and Environment Minister David Anderson.
Pierre Pettigrew gets both health and intergovernmental affairs. John McCallum moves to veterans affairs. Lucienne Robillard becomes head of the Treasury Board.
Former industry minister and leadership hopeful Allan Rock becomes Canada's ambassador to the United Nations.
Martin has long spoken of the need to address a "democratic deficit" in Parliament.
Backbenchers who serve as parliamentary secretaries to ministers will have larger roles. They are being sworn in to the Privy Council, which gives some of the privileges of cabinet.
Martin has always said his campaign for the prime minister's job wasn't inspired by his father, who grasped for but never got the Liberal leadership in the 1950s and '60s.
But for his swearing in, Martin gave a nod to his dad by bringing the flag that flew at half-mast on Parliament Hill on Sept. 14, 1992, the day Paul Martin Sr. died.
Written by CBC News Online staff
