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Lots of Meetings
Innisfil Enterprise
December 20, 2006
By Peter Van Loan, MP, York-Simcoe
One of the changes that has struck me since
joining Cabinet is the immense demand on my
time for meetings and briefings. If I
did not push back to take control of my
time, I would spend almost every waking
minute in a meeting.
While I have ensured this does not happen,
there are numerous meetings that are not
optional. Most important of these are
Cabinet Committee and full Cabinet meetings.
I sit on the Cabinet Social Affairs
Committee, which covers my portfolio, as
well as subjects like Social Development,
Labour, Health, Immigration, Education and
training and more. (Notwithstanding my quip
at the first meeting I attended, this is not
the group that plans the Caucus Christmas
Party!). The Committee has been hard
working; sometimes meeting twice a week for
as long as four hours at a time.
I often attend meetings of the Cabinet
Operations Committee - the main workhorse of
the Government. As Intergovernmental
Affairs Minister, I am invited when issues
involving other levels of government are to
be discussed. Not surprisingly, I seem
to attend more often than not.
Of course, the full Cabinet commands my
attendance - and these meetings are chaired
by the Prime Minister (Committees are
chaired by Ministers).
The oath of secrecy a Cabinet Minister takes
makes it impossible for me to tell you the
details of what we discuss in all these
meetings - however, you usually learn of the
key points shortly after decisions are
taken, when they are made public. It
is probably sufficient to say that the
discussions range from profound and
exciting, to occasionally a bit dull.
From the perspective of one who is
interested both in public policy, and the
political implications of those decisions, I
do find it to be both exciting and a weighty
responsibility to be charged with the burden
of debating the decisions we face about the
future of our country.
Overall, if Canadians had the opportunity to
see what happens behind the closed doors of
Cabinet, I believe they would be both
pleased and proud. Our Cabinet is
composed of hard working, sincere and
conscientious individuals, who take their
responsibilities seriously, always putting
the question "what is best for Canada?"
first in their consideration.
I am genuinely impressed by the abilities
and judgment of my colleagues. Canada
is in capable and steady hands.
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