Well, it appears Greg Selinger has no more confidence in Drew Caldwell than Gary Doer did. After today's shuffle, Brandon still has no representation at the Cabinet table.  
 
Compare that to the Opposition, with Rick Borotsik in the fairly prestigious position of Finance critic.

honestly are we?  
 
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Selinger-unveils-new-cabinet-68927262.html  
 
Edited by Erwin (aka Flyboy), 2009-11-03 15:54:06

is no longer in charge of the Retired Teachers C.O.L.A. Is there a faint hope we will get the changes that we have been requesting for the last decade or so.  
 
Peter Bjornson - Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade

 
The only thing that does is reaffirm what everyone already knows.

The Brandon East NDP association should be pretty frustrated/confused/angry. They have made Brandon-East one of the safest NDP seats in Manitoba (its been NDP since it was created in 1969), but they still can't get their MLA into cabinet.  
 
Caldwell's the only NDP MLA in SW Manitoba, but he still can't crack a cabinet lineup that nobody would confuse for rocket scientists. That says a lot about Caldwell, and how little Selinger thinks of him.  
 
There's a clear message in this for the Brandon-East NDP association from our new premier: get rid of Caldwell and nominate somebody who is worthy of being in cabinet. Garth Rice, Errol Black, Mike Abbey, Jan Chaboyer, Vince Barletta and Brian Mayes are names that come to mind. Caldwell needs to understand that he doesn't have a job for life.  
 
The message is just as clear to Caldwell: even though you delivered every delegate in Westman for Selinger, you still get the snub. Get the hint: seek/find other employment, cuz you're going nowhere but the NDP backbenches. If only Shari Decter Hirst had waited a couple of weeks, he could have announced he was running for mayor. Oops. She beat him to the punch.  
 
Edited by Buck37, 2009-11-03 17:16:06

Here is a copy from an earlier post in another section.  
 
Caldwell getting into cabinet?  
I'm sorry, but it's a dumb question. Rick Borotisk has a better chance of getting into Selinger's cabinet that Caldwell.  
 
This post would have made more sense if it was posted on April 1st. He had his chance and he blew it big time. The NDP is more vulnerable now than it has ever been in the past 10 years. They are going to run as much as possible a risk free government for the next two years because they want to get back into power. Calwell is too much of a risk. He is going to get re-elected, (and don't believe the conservatives when they say they have a chance of winning Brandon East), so there is nothing to gain and everything to lose by getting this guy into cabinet.  
 
 
--- I told you so.

you think people are surprised?

What baffles me is you could paint a pig NDP orange and run it in Brandon East and the voters would elect it out of habit.  
 
The message that the east half of the city should be getting is that the NDP don't care enough about you to recognize the importance of your MLA sitting in Cabinet, lame duck or not. I hope that voters take a good hard look at other parties come the next election.

when you have a group of nothing to pick from, it's pretty hard to decide which nothing you are going to pick.

Kev said "What baffles me is you could paint a pig NDP orange and run it in Brandon East and the voters would elect it out of habit.     The message that the east half of the city should be getting is that the NDP don't care enough about you to recognize the importance of your MLA sitting in Cabinet, lame duck or not. I hope that voters take a good hard look at other parties come the next election. "

We NDP'ers still remember the absolute joke the Filmon Govt. was and by default we continue to vote for the lesser of two evils.  
Sadly as an NDP'er myself i could care less about whether or not Brandon East has a cabinet position.

1. Maybe he's just not into you..  
 
2. Somebody somewhere must have messed up real bad  
 
3. No need to reward a constituency with a cabinet minister if they're going to re-elect NDP every time no matter what. Save those posts for hotly contested seats in Wpg

Why the hate for Drew Caldwell? ANy discussion I have had with him have been very straightforward and in my opinion, honest.

JamesMcC said "Why the hate for Drew Caldwell? ANy discussion I have had with him have been very straightforward and in my opinion, honest. "

No hate here. Just facts.  
 
Brandon (and all of Westman, for that matter) suffers by not having a voice at the cabinet table. If Mr. Caldwell doesn't measure up (despite being a three-term MLA and Selinger's only choice from Westman), then Westman needs a stronger representative.  
 
Drew has been judged by our new premier and found wanting. The message could not be clearer. Time for someone new.

Ok... then what position would he be suited to be appointed to?  

Buck37 said "    JamesMcC said "Why the hate for Drew Caldwell? ANy discussion I have had with him have been very straightforward and in my opinion, honest. " No hate here. Just facts.     Brandon (and all of Westman, for that matter) suffers by not having a voice at the cabinet table. If Mr. Caldwell doesn't measure up (despite being a three-term MLA and Selinger's only choice from Westman), then Westman needs a stronger representative.     Drew has been judged by our new premier and found wanting. The message could not be clearer. Time for someone new. "

 
I believe it is Premier Selinger who has been found Wanting. The second largest city in the province deserve a voice in the cabinet.  
This is a slap in the face to Brandon and certainly must make the Brandon East delagates wonder why they voted for Selinger.

Kev said "What baffles me is you could paint a pig NDP orange and run it in Brandon East and the voters would elect it out of habit.     The message that the east half of the city should be getting is that the NDP don't care enough about you to recognize the importance of your MLA sitting in Cabinet, lame duck or not. I hope that voters take a good hard look at other parties come the next election. "

Former Mayor Reg Atkinson once lamented that a dead body could win for the NDP in Brandon East & this still remains true.  
But I was heartened to see 3 PC signs in a row on my street during the last election,smack in the middle of this socialist enclave.  
Change will happen as it did with the demise of Scott Smith in the west end.Any of the six possible candidates listed off earlier in this thread would represent a much more vocal & radical viewpoint & a loss of votes from the less-lefty NDP voters,but Mr.Caldwell would have to retire first.

Sheep of a different colour. I wish that Brandonites would vote for the man or the platform not the party that they've always voted for. NDP provincially and Conservative Federally. Don't get me wrong, I voted for Drew because I like him and his honesty but he has not had the chance to do anything for Brandon because he is too honest and a wild card if in cabinet. As for Merv Tweed, what has he done for Brandon and why is he getting re-elected?

JamesMcC said "Ok... then what position would he be suited to be appointed to?   "

according to his bio was that of a substitute teacher.

To steal a line from a movie his biggest accomplishment during 3 terms in office has been being elected 3 times

Cheeky Chuck said "Sheep of a different colour. I wish that Brandonites would vote for the man or the platform not the party that they've always voted for. NDP provincially and Conservative Federally. Don't get me wrong, I voted for Drew because I like him and his honesty but he has not had the chance to do anything for Brandon because he is too honest and a wild card if in cabinet. As for Merv Tweed, what has he done for Brandon and why is he getting re-elected? "

ROTF  
LMFAO  
 
 
 
 
 
 
I agree though, what has tweed done for brandon lately