The combination of Brian Tobin’s resignation and the cabinet shuffle revealsyet another shift to the right for Jean Chrétienand his government.

John Manley has moved to the top of the totem poll because of hisperformance post-September 11. Ottawa insiders tell us that Manley hasperformed superbly as foreign minister but it’s hard to see from outside thecharmed circles of the Parliamentary press gallery.

I guess if kissingUncle Sam’s backside qualifies as doing well these days, then Manleyqualifies.

It is true that Manley has managed to convince Canadians that our troopsshould be in combat. But he had an awful lot of help from the massiveAmerican propaganda machine that makes invisible what must by now bethousands of civilian casualties in a hundred days of intensive bombing ofAfghanistan.

Manley first came to prominence as the industry minister. Now Allan Rock hasmoved from the health portfolio to industry. This is seen as a promotion. Since whendid industry minister become a stepping stone to greatness? I can nameseveral prime ministers who earned their stripes as justice minister but nota one that came from the industry portfolio.

These days, all that matters is money. In industry, you get to meet and greetthe moneybags that finance the party. The captains of industry are thereal powers behind the throne of government, today more than ever. It’samazing how portfolios — like labour, multiculturalism and women’s issues — affectingthe majority of people are considered junior, with industry now the prizepost.

Then there is Brian Tobin’s resignation. Tobin came to Ottawa, probably atthe PM’s request, leaving his post as premier of Newfoundland. It was nosecret that his ambition was to be prime minister. And now, only one yearlater, he has resigned. No one has had a more rapid fall from grace, withthe possible exception of Stockwell Day.

It looks to me like Tobin is cutting his losses in a cabinet that is movingincreasingly to the right. With John Manley as the PM’s newfavourite and Paul Martin as his chief opponent for leadership, therightwing vote inside the party would be split.

Tobin must figure that heis better off outside of politics for a while than getting all his projectstrounced upon in a rightwing cabinet. The timing also indicates that hemight not have done well in the cabinet shuffle.

It is really starting to annoy me that male politicians are using the excuseof family to cover up their real reasons for quitting. First was LucienBouchard who claimed the call of family, even though it was clear he wasleaving because the sovereignty option was on the ropes.

Ontario PremierMike Harris did it a few months ago, when everyone knew he was leaving withthe rats deserting the sinking ship of his government. And now Tobin. Whobelieves that these guys are really quitting to be with theirfamilies? If you do, I have a bridge I can sell you.

Now let’s look at women in the cabinet. Only one, Anne McLellan, seems tohave done well in this shuffle. I suppose turning your back on a lifetimeas a civil-rights defender to shepherd the most serious attack on civilrights since the declaration of the War Measures Act deserves a reward.

It seems to me that we have gone back to the Pearson days as far as women incabinet are concerned. When the then-prime minister was asked why he wasn’t appointingPauline Jewitt to cabinet, he responded, “we already have one,” meaning awoman. Chrétien in essence seems to have to same attitude.

The current Prime Minister dropped two women and added one. Is it just acoincidence that so many of theministers in Chrétien’s cabinet who run into trouble are women, or is itsomething to do with the continuing male domination of parliamentarypolitics?

The only positive sign in the cabinet shuffle is that Chrétien has droppedAlfonso Gagliano. It was beginning to look like cabinet accountability wasa thing of the past.

We were told that September 11 would change everything. Looking at thisshuffle, the only conclusion one can draw is the more things change, themore they remain the same only more so.

Judy Rebick

Judy Rebick

Judy Rebick is one of Canada’s best-known feminists. She was the founding publisher of rabble.ca , wrote our advice column auntie.com and was co-host of one of our first podcasts called Reel Women....