Canadian Polemic

John Efford has to go, really, I don't think there's any question. The former natural resources minister resigned from that job in September, citing health problems. He hasn't been in Ottawa since the confidence votes in the spring, and yet still holds onto the regional minister job, pulling in an extra cabinet minister's salary. Now, according to a Globe and Mail report found here, he's heading off to Florida, even though he can't make it to Ottawa.

I know that PM Paul Martin is probably just trying to be a nice guy here and be considerate about Mr Efford's health concerns, but there's two good reasons to turf him from Cabinet. First of all, I would think that you'd want a regional minister who's showing a continued commitment to the job and who is actually going to work. I've heard that Mr Efford has been a great representative for his consitutency in the past, and I don't challenge that. But when he can find it in him to fly to Florida but not Ottawa, I think it's time for a change. Secondly, the optics of the situation. It certainly doesn't hinder Stephen Harper's case about a culture of entitlement within the LPC when the PM continues to pay a Liberal MP taxpayer dollars for something that he's not really doing. At worst it smacks of that culture of entitlement, at worst, the PM's incompetence and not realizing when a Minister isn't doing his job.

I'm sure John Efford is a great guy with lots of wonderful qualities - but at this point in time, I'm not convinced that he's demonstrating all of them (granted, for some reasons beyond his control), and the PM needs to put someone new in that position who is able to handle the workload and portfolio effectively. I don't think Canadians will like the idea of paying for Mr Efford's trips to Florida, and Martin shouldn't, either.