Conservative leader Stephen Harper was sworn in Monday as Canada''s 22nd prime minister, 14 days after his party''s narrow victory in January’s general election which has paved the way for the country''s first Conservative government since 1993. Parliament would reconvene on April 3, he said.
"It is a great honour and a feeling of great responsibility to be sworn in as the 22nd prime minister of Canada," he said after the swearing-in ceremony at the Governor General''s official residence in Ottawa.
He named a 27-member cabinet, including himself, down from the 39 that outgoing Prime Minister and the Liberal leader Mr. Paul Martin named in 2004. The average age of the new cabinet is just under 51.
Out of his 27 ministers, nine are from Ontario, 10 from the West - including four from Alberta, four from B.C. and one each from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Harper appointed three from the Atlantic provinces. Prince Edward Island was shut out from cabinet, having elected no Tory MPs. Harper also appointed five representatives from Quebec.
"I''ve assembled a smaller cabinet, but one I believe is more focused and more effective," said Harper, adding that the new ministers are "talented and diversified and reflect Canada."
There are six women in Harper''s cabinet, including Rona Ambrose and Bev Oda.
But opposition Leader Bill Graham says he''s concerned by a number of Conservative cabinet appointments, including unelected minister Michael Fortier and former Liberal David Emerson.
And in a stunning political defection, former Liberal industry minister David Emerson has abandoned the Liberals to join the new Conservative cabinet. The move, which recalled last year’s surprise defection of Tory Belinda Stronach to the Liberals, puts the former business executive in charge of another economic portfolio: international trade.
The addition of Mr. Emerson brings the Conservative Party''s total number of seats to 125.
Since the Jan. 23 election, some have suggested that the Conservatives'' best bet for governing with a minority would be to join forces with the NDP, which holds 29 seats.
With the 29 NDP seats, that puts the overall number at 154 — one short of the magic number need to ensure a piece of legislation passes in the face of opposition from the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois.
The Conservative minority government will search for common ground with other parties in the House, Mr. Harper said, promising that his highest priorities will be cleaning up government, cutting the goods and services tax, reducing health care waiting times, and implementing a family child-care allowance.
"It is a great honour and a feeling of great responsibility to be sworn in as the 22nd prime minister of Canada," he said after the swearing-in ceremony at the Governor General''s official residence in Ottawa.
He named a 27-member cabinet, including himself, down from the 39 that outgoing Prime Minister and the Liberal leader Mr. Paul Martin named in 2004. The average age of the new cabinet is just under 51.
Out of his 27 ministers, nine are from Ontario, 10 from the West - including four from Alberta, four from B.C. and one each from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Harper appointed three from the Atlantic provinces. Prince Edward Island was shut out from cabinet, having elected no Tory MPs. Harper also appointed five representatives from Quebec.
"I''ve assembled a smaller cabinet, but one I believe is more focused and more effective," said Harper, adding that the new ministers are "talented and diversified and reflect Canada."
There are six women in Harper''s cabinet, including Rona Ambrose and Bev Oda.
But opposition Leader Bill Graham says he''s concerned by a number of Conservative cabinet appointments, including unelected minister Michael Fortier and former Liberal David Emerson.
And in a stunning political defection, former Liberal industry minister David Emerson has abandoned the Liberals to join the new Conservative cabinet. The move, which recalled last year’s surprise defection of Tory Belinda Stronach to the Liberals, puts the former business executive in charge of another economic portfolio: international trade.
The addition of Mr. Emerson brings the Conservative Party''s total number of seats to 125.
Since the Jan. 23 election, some have suggested that the Conservatives'' best bet for governing with a minority would be to join forces with the NDP, which holds 29 seats.
With the 29 NDP seats, that puts the overall number at 154 — one short of the magic number need to ensure a piece of legislation passes in the face of opposition from the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois.
The Conservative minority government will search for common ground with other parties in the House, Mr. Harper said, promising that his highest priorities will be cleaning up government, cutting the goods and services tax, reducing health care waiting times, and implementing a family child-care allowance.
