Copps, Rock on Martin's hit list

By DREW FAGAN
From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Jean Chretien's best-known ministers are expected to be left out of Paul
Martin's cabinet as Heritage Minister Sheila Copps and Industry Minister
Allan Rock appear destined for the back bench after John Manley's
announcement yesterday that he is leaving politics.

Sources said yesterday that Ms. Copps, who won just 6 per cent of the vote
at the Liberal leadership convention two weeks ago, and Mr. Rock, who
withdrew from the race before the first delegates were chosen, are among a
large group of ministers who likely will not make it into the Martin
cabinet, although the list is not yet final.

The RCMP is now doing background checks, a requirement for inclusion in
cabinet, on as many as 50 MPs who are under consideration for his team when
he takes office on Dec. 12. Mr. Martin has been holding individual meetings
with ministers for more than a week, informing about a dozen of the
38-member cabinet that they should, in the words of one government
official, "consider their options."

On Wednesday, Mr. Manley, the Deputy Prime Minister, informed Mr. Martin
that he was leaving politics, and Mr. Martin responded by offering him the
post of ambassador to the United States.

Mr. Martin announced two senior appointments in the Prime Minister's Office
yesterday. Tim Murphy, a former Ontario MP who has served recently as Mr.
Martin's executive assistant, will become chief of staff, and Francis Fox,
who was a cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau, will be principal
secretary.

But much of the focus at a press conference Mr. Martin held yesterday was
on Mr. Manley, who the Liberal Leader suggested had surprised him on
Wednesday with a "categorical" decision to leave politics, at
least for the moment.
"John Manley has made a tremendous contribution," Mr. Martin said
of the man who succeeded him as finance minister 18 months ago after
serving in Foreign Affairs and Industry. Mr. Manley, since shortly after
the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, has also had
overarching responsibility for border ties with the Bush administration. He
withdrew from the Liberal leadership race last summer. "He has worked
..... on matters that are extremely important for this country and I know
that in the future John will continue to make a significant
contribution," Mr. Martin said.


--- GoldED/W32 3.0.1