The times they are a-changin'

Leona got HEALTH?!?!

So the cabinet has been unveiled. And our dear Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq has been appointed health minister.

Now, I had expected Harper not to take the whole "she'll be in cabinet" bit seriously. At one point the National Post speculated that she'd be given something like minister for the economic development agency for the North (that non-existant organization that Harper has promised "us"). That was about what I expected. A nothing profile for a newbie MP. Sounds about "right".

But this, now this is interesting. And a bold move. And could mean some good news, and some good changes for the Nunavut health system.

But the cynical part of me questions this appointment. Is Aglukkaq the most qualified person for the job? Maybe, I don't know. My world is very Nunavut-centric right now... so I have no clue if an MP has been elected who would have more experience at the national level, or more years logged as a provincial health minister, or who has worked in health etc. Personally, I would really like to see people elected to positions like health, environment etc. who WORKED in those portfolios prior to having become a poliician. But that's kind of a utopian look at things.

After all, there is no "department of law."

In more fun news, the following commentary happened while watching the appointments on a fellow journalist's laptop.

Fellow jounalist: Man I hate Diane Finley. I hate those stupid glasses.
Me: Yah, they look kinda weird, what's the deal
FJ: I don't know, she doesn't like TV lights
Me: Okay, I can sympathesize with that. I get migraines. But couldn't she wear those transition glasses? That would be helpful. Or maybe those hypnotizing ones, with the swirls.
*mutual cackle*
FJ: The honourable member of the opposition is getting sleeeeepy

Okay, maybe you had to be there