Who's in and ... who's out?

Since the results of last week's election were revealed, it's clear that while a Conservative party minority government has returned to Ottawa, the composition of this government will be different. 35 new MPs (new to Parliament) from the Conservatives were elected making a much stronger minority government from that of the 39th Parliament. Who are these new members of the government? Reviewing the list reveals the following:

Aglukkaq, Leona Nunavut, Nunavut
Ashfield, Keith Fredericton, New Brunswick
Block, Kelly Saskatoon--Rosetown--Biggar, Saskatchewan
Boughen, Ray Palliser, Saskatchewan
Braid, Peter Kitchener--Waterloo, Ontario
Brown, Lois Newmarket--Aurora, Ontario
Cadman, Dona Surrey North, British Columbia
Calandra, Paul Oak Ridges--Markham, Ontario
Dechert, Bob Mississauga--Erindale, Ontario
Dreeshen, Earl Red Deer, Alberta
Duncan, John Morris Vancouver Island North, British Columbia
Glover, Shelly Saint Boniface, Manitoba
Hoback, Randy Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Hoeppner, Candice Portage--Lisgar, Manitoba
Holder, Ed London West, Ontario
Kent, Peter Thornhill, Ontario
Kerr, Greg West Nova, Nova Scotia
Lobb, Ben Huron--Bruce, Ontario
McColeman, Phil Brant, Ontario
McLeod, Cathy Kamloops--Thompson--Cariboo, British Columbia
O'Neill-Gordon, Tilly Miramichi, New Brunswick
Payne, LaVar Medicine Hat, Alberta
Raitt, Lisa Halton, Ontario
Rathgeber, Brent Edmonton--St. Albert, Alberta
Richards, Blake Wild Rose, Alberta
Rickford, Greg Kenora, Ontario
Saxton, Andrew North Vancouver, British Columbia
Shea, Gail A. Egmont, Prince Edward Island
Shory, Devinder Calgary Northeast, Alberta
Uppal, Tim Edmonton--Sherwood Park, Alberta
Weston, John West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast--Sea to Sky Country, British Columbia
Weston, Rodney Saint John, New Brunswick
Wong, Alice Richmond, British Columbia
Woodworth, Stephen Kitchener Centre, Ontario
Young, Terence H. Oakville, Ontario

With 35 new MPs to choose from as well as a number of notable MPs who are not returning to this Parliament, the Prime Minister will have his work cut out for him in constructing a new cabinet. Most notable in those that I have had contact with in the past include Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development) and Rahim Jaffer (Chair of the National Conservative Caucus).

Of the MPs for which I have had some personal contact with, I would wager that some important MPs to watch would include James Moore (Port Moody-Coquitlam), Jason Kenney (my former boss), Maxime Bernier (even with the troubles experienced earlier in the year, the Prime Minister needs Quebec representation in the Cabinet), Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Lawrence Cannon, Stockwell Day, and Pierre Poilievre.

Mark Buzan is Principal of Action Strategies, a GR Consultancy for non-profits. Subscribe now to his Lobbying tips newsletter at www.actionstrategies.ca/Action_Strategies/Newsletter.html