The Liberals announced their Shadow Cabinet today and I guess you can call it an “evening shadow”, since the 26 man Tory Cabinet has given birth to a shadow Cabinet of well over 40 individuals. Throw in the helper monkeys and it seems that over 85 Liberals MPs now have tasks; you’ve got to wonder how the 15 or 20 who got snubbed are feeling right now.

All in all, I like it. Big names in the big portfolios, but almost everyone has been given something new to signify a “new start”. Among the Highlights:

Leadership Contenders
Maurizio Bevilacqua – Competitiveness and the New Economy
Joe Volpe – Treasury Board (I’m not sure how wise it was to put “Mr. 100$ Pizza” as the Treasury Board critic)
Belinda Stronach – Transport (from what we hear, it’s a very complicated critic portfolio)
Ken Dryden – Health
Scott Brison – Environment
Stephane Dion – Foreign Affairs
Joe Fontana – Science and Research
Carolyn Bennett – Social Development
Denis Corderre – Economic Development
John Godfrey – Intergovernmental Affairs
Dominic LeBlanc – International Trade (him and Heddy get to tag team against Emerson)

The Snub
Michael Ignatieff becomes Geoff Regan’s assistant at Human Resources and Skills. So the Liberal Party feels Belinda Stronach is competent enough to run the department but that Michael Ignatieff isn’t ready to be its critic. Ouch.

Big Hitters
Jean Lapierre – Industry
Ralph Goodale – House Leader
Irwin Cotler – Public Safety (which puts him up against Stockwell Day)
Ujjal Dosanj – National Defense

Big Promotion
Sue Barnes – Justice
John McCallum – Finance ( good choice)