Deputy Prime Minister
On being sworn-in as Prime Minister on December 12, 2003, Paul Martin showed renewed confidence in McLellan and sent a message to the west about his plans to reduce western alienation by naming her his Deputy Prime Minister. McLellan was also named minister for the newly created Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
During the 2004 federal election, she was re-elected by 721 votes, or just over 1% of the vote, defeating Laurie Hawn of the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Edmonton Centre.
In the 2006 federal election on 23 January 2006, McLellan was defeated by Hawn in a rematch, taking 38.36% to Hawn's 45.01% of the popular vote in Edmonton Centre.
McLellan has so far been the last Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, as the succeeding Harper government has opted not to use this title. Interestingly, she is one of the few parliamentarians to have never served as a government backbencher or in opposition.
Read more about this topic: Anne McLellan
Famous quotes containing the words prime minister, deputy, prime and/or minister:
“One wants in a Prime Minister a good many things, but not very great things. He should be clever but need not be a genius; he should be conscientious but by no means strait-laced; he should be cautious but never timid, bold but never venturesome; he should have a good digestion, genial manners, and, above all, a thick skin.”
—Anthony Trollope (1815–1882)
“Not all the water in the rough rude sea
Can wash the balm off from an anointed king;
The breath of worldly men cannot depose
The deputy elected by the Lord.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Weekend planning is a prime time to apply the Deathbed Priority Test: On your deathbed, will you wish you’d spent more prime weekend hours grocery shopping or walking in the woods with your kids?”
—Louise Lague (20th century)
“Rosalynn said, “Jimmy, if we could only get Prime Minister Begin and President Sadat up here on this mountain for a few days, I believe they might consider how they could prevent another war between their countries.” That gave me the idea, and a few weeks later, I invited both men to join me for a series of private talks. In September 1978, they both came to Camp David.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)