I would like to see Nate get enough National coverage as Housing Minister so that Canadians become familiar with him and then he takes a run at the federal Liberal leadership. He would be my top pick out of the possible known contenders.
I'm disappointed that he's doing it. I would have loved to have seen him become housing minister say 5 years ago. Hell even 1-2 years ago. At this point he's tying himself to Trudeau who is mortally wounded politically. He's also silencing himself at a critical time. You can't speak out of line in cabinet. Not Trudeau's anyway.
NES is making the right decision. The ideas he will get to initiate for the next 1-10 months should to some degree, help the country. I think the electorate is smart enough to see that this is a big opportunity to add very meaningful cabinet experience, and can overlook who is appointing him to the role. He's not LeBlanc.
Too much of "leftist" thought - not specifically targeted at this column, but moreso broadly speaking - appeals to thinking about what is philosophically commendable and worthy of moral praise vs practically just fucking getting shit done.
Screw the "decorum" of not aligning with a failure of a PM. This is the closest any left leaning politician will get to a Federal Cabinet role for the better part of the next decade. Passing that up because of optics would make NES a moron.
Let's say he passes it up - what does that accomplish? That wouldn't be the final straw for this PMO - Trudeau would appoint someone else who will be worse at filling the role. It *might* catch the eye of Chrystia Freeland's camp. She will almost certainly never be PM or appointing cabinet ministers. But it could also just piss off one of the existing Trudeau loyalists that could very well be next up for the leadership.
It will be interesting to see if he tries to run it as an independent ministry, with his own policy focus and agenda, or if he ends up being another front man for PMO press releases
If it’s the first I think he could both do good work and put himself in a strong political position. But by habit and temperament the PMO is going to be absolutely pushing for the second
Nate Erskine-Smith stepped up, when others stepped out. I believe that cabinet members genuinely are in the job to improve things for Canadians, Erskine-Smith has more and better developed ideas than others. In addition, he is an excellent communicator. I hope Trudeau will appoint more independent thinkers with communications skills and let them loose. The PMO always wants to be in control, but it is not working and they have nothing to lose by giving ministers more freedom.
The contrast with Freeland is stark. When she was asked to take charge of the most important file at the moment, she not only declined, she also used it as an opportunity to inflict maximum damage to PM. Philippe Champagne did not use the request to take on the finance minister role as an opportunity to resign (“I understand you do not want me to be minister of ISED anymore and you deserve a cabinet of your choosing, blah, blah”) and undermine his party leader at departure with a public letter while moving a book release up by 3 months.
I was so glad to hear that he is staying in politics. Maybe a future party leader??!!
I would like to see Nate get enough National coverage as Housing Minister so that Canadians become familiar with him and then he takes a run at the federal Liberal leadership. He would be my top pick out of the possible known contenders.
I'm disappointed that he's doing it. I would have loved to have seen him become housing minister say 5 years ago. Hell even 1-2 years ago. At this point he's tying himself to Trudeau who is mortally wounded politically. He's also silencing himself at a critical time. You can't speak out of line in cabinet. Not Trudeau's anyway.
NES is making the right decision. The ideas he will get to initiate for the next 1-10 months should to some degree, help the country. I think the electorate is smart enough to see that this is a big opportunity to add very meaningful cabinet experience, and can overlook who is appointing him to the role. He's not LeBlanc.
Too much of "leftist" thought - not specifically targeted at this column, but moreso broadly speaking - appeals to thinking about what is philosophically commendable and worthy of moral praise vs practically just fucking getting shit done.
Screw the "decorum" of not aligning with a failure of a PM. This is the closest any left leaning politician will get to a Federal Cabinet role for the better part of the next decade. Passing that up because of optics would make NES a moron.
Let's say he passes it up - what does that accomplish? That wouldn't be the final straw for this PMO - Trudeau would appoint someone else who will be worse at filling the role. It *might* catch the eye of Chrystia Freeland's camp. She will almost certainly never be PM or appointing cabinet ministers. But it could also just piss off one of the existing Trudeau loyalists that could very well be next up for the leadership.
'clapping seals'. Mazel Tov Evan, you write so well!
It will be interesting to see if he tries to run it as an independent ministry, with his own policy focus and agenda, or if he ends up being another front man for PMO press releases
If it’s the first I think he could both do good work and put himself in a strong political position. But by habit and temperament the PMO is going to be absolutely pushing for the second
NES will be an excellent Minister. Good to see such a smart MP get elevated and brought back into politics after wanting to quit.
And it's ok -- JT is leaving soon!
He serves at the pleasure of a narcissist and the PMO. Anyone thinking otherwise is a fool.
Nate Erskine-Smith stepped up, when others stepped out. I believe that cabinet members genuinely are in the job to improve things for Canadians, Erskine-Smith has more and better developed ideas than others. In addition, he is an excellent communicator. I hope Trudeau will appoint more independent thinkers with communications skills and let them loose. The PMO always wants to be in control, but it is not working and they have nothing to lose by giving ministers more freedom.
The contrast with Freeland is stark. When she was asked to take charge of the most important file at the moment, she not only declined, she also used it as an opportunity to inflict maximum damage to PM. Philippe Champagne did not use the request to take on the finance minister role as an opportunity to resign (“I understand you do not want me to be minister of ISED anymore and you deserve a cabinet of your choosing, blah, blah”) and undermine his party leader at departure with a public letter while moving a book release up by 3 months.
*waves arm* Yes to all of that.