Ted Menzies’ rise in the federal government continued Jan. 4 when he was named to cabinet as junior finance minister.
Menzies, a grain farmer from Claresholm, Alta., is past president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers’ Association, past president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, a promoter of agricultural exports and an opponent of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.
Menzies was elevated to cabinet in a mini-shuffle announced by prime minister Stephen Harper.
He becomes minister of state for finance and could end up championing the government’s proposal of a national securities’ regulator despite fierce opposition from the Alberta government, in alliance with Quebec.
Since 2008, Menzies has been parliamentary secretary to finance minister Jim Flaherty.
The cabinet shuffle strengthened Alberta’s influence in the Harper cabinet.
Menzies represents a riding south of Calgary.
Calgary MP Diane Ablonczy was promoted from responsibility for seniors to minister of state of foreign affairs with responsibility for the Americas.
Peter Kent, a former broadcaster and Alberta native who now represents a Toronto-area riding, was promoted to environment minister, replacing Jim Prentice of Calgary who quit late last year to move to a Toronto private sector job.
Opposition politicians immediately dismissed the cabinet shuffle as meaningless, a reaffirmation of failed Conservative policies.
NDP deputy leader Thomas Mulcair said Kent will be “yet another environment minister who will put the best interests of the oil lobbyists and polluters well in front of Canadians.”
Menzies’ rise in federal politics has been rapid since he was first elected in the Macleod riding after a lifetime of farming and farm politics, despite the fact that Alberta MPs were already well represented in Harper’s shadow cabinet.
He was named international trade and international co-operation critic while in opposition and became parliamentary secretary for those responsible ministers when the Conservatives formed the government in 2006.
In late 2007, he became parliamentary secretary to the finance minister and became the Conservative government’s public face on budget consultations with Canadians and financial industry players.
