By John Wilmot, special contributor to HockeyDirt.com
Hockeydirt.com is pleased to see the appointment of Michael Chong as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Sports in the new Canadian cabinet. Michael is a former pr guy for the NHLPA and will have front row seats to the Olympic hockey finals. With Prime Minister Harper working on his first book about hockey, he will need a strong observer at the games for his chapter on amateur hockey, and Mike got the nod. Hockeydirt.com is currently negotiating with agents close to the Minister for exclusive live podcast updates to be broadcast from Torino. Stay tuned.
In a blockbuster trade announcement, Stephen Harper announced today that the defections of Belinda Stronach and Scott Brison to the Liberals were in fact part of a blockbuster trade involving former Industry Minister David Emerson, a functioning Quebec based campaign team and future considerations. Further, it now appears that the trade may be a three or even four way trade involving Bob Rae, a contender for the Liberals and Mario Dumont, who is currently considered the top draft pick for the Tories.
It is not clear yet how the NDP are to benefit from the trades, unless there is constriction in the league and a merger between the two left-leaning parties. It is widely rumoured that Lloyd Axworthy is being wooed by anti-Rae forces to lead this united party. A key factor behind the rumours is the lack of depth in the Liberal farm system. "It's exactly like the Yankees, we're going to have to buy new players or even a whole team" one insider told hockeydirt.com.
how not to be a bit cynical again ? PM Harper who always pushed for an elected senate and more recently for a different and more ethical way of doing politics has in his first day in office decided to have an non elected senator in his Cabinet...and look where the non elected minister is going...at Public Works the department at the center of the AdSCAM...monsieur Fortier is a key high level conservative political organizer in Québec...and the new PM is giving him as a non elected official the Public Works ministry on a silver plater...same old song and dance...good old fashioned politics in québec...
Jean-Pierre Racine
Posted by: jean-pierre racine | February 06, 2006 at 12:17 PM
Having a good team is a big part of winning, but it also involves understanding and exploiting the rules to the fullest extent. I don't recall any NHL team giving up hooking prior to the changes that were made; why would Mr. Harper give up an advantage?
Harper is shrewdly putting a winner together. I'm sure his team will produce many wins over the course of the schedule. Let's hope that this team gets a reasonable chance to show us plenty of new plays.
Posted by: freethinca | February 06, 2006 at 08:43 PM
OK, but who is in charge of International Strippers, and where is the Minister for Belindas Shoes?
Posted by: DazzlinDino | February 06, 2006 at 09:33 PM