David Marit will be a successful Saskatchewan Party government agriculture minister.
This assessment has little to do with the quality of this individual appointed agriculture minister earlier this month or his track record as a politician, as a former Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president or as Wood River MLA and highways minister.
Admittedly, Marit seems to be a quality individual and was a capable highways minister, notwithstanding the outstanding mess he inherited as a result of the $1.9-billion Regina bypass.
But the reason why he will be a good agriculture minister has little to do with that.
Nor will it have much to do with how he contrasts to his predecessors in the portfolio — Bob Bjornerud (the Sask. Party’s first agriculture minister) and Lyle Stewart (who had to leave the portfolio because of a battle with cancer).
Both were outstanding ministers and even better people. Marit might be their equal, but his success in the portfolio will have little to do with his personal character or ability.
Similarly, Estevan MLA Lori Carr is likely to be a successful minister of highways.
Again, this has next to nothing to do with any contrast she offers compared with Marit, her predecessor.
Nor does it really have anything to do with the obligatory hype you hear lavished on a new cabinet appointee.
“She’s very competent and deserving of this honour to serve in Executive Council, on behalf of not just the people of Estevan but on behalf of the people of the province and we look forward to serving with her,” Premier Scott Moe told reporters after promoting the Estevan MLA from the backbench.
This might be the case, but individual talents have little to do with why modern-day cabinet ministers do well.
Simply put, Carr and Marit will most likely be successful because it’s important to the Sask. Party that certain portfolios like agriculture and highways be seen as successful.
Today’s lesson is about how governing parties need to appeal to their base and how they assign certain ministers in certain portfolios to do just that.
Individual cabinet talent? Yes, it’s still important.
But the simple reality is that the need for regional representation and gender balance in the relatively small pool of caucus MLAs from which a premier must choose ministers is as important.
With all due respect to Carr, who said she was “really excited” and that Moe’s selection “came as a bit of surprise,” her appointment likely had little to do with any outstanding skill set she may have.
Asked about her priorities, she responded, “nothing specifically as a priority, other than safety is so important.”
This is not to belittle her appointment, but to reflect the reality that cabinet ministers are not expected to have a grand vision or intense knowledge of the multi-hundred-million-dollar business they are tasked to head.
Rather, they are expected to be good, solid people who make good choices that don’t embarrass the government. And they are expected to follow the lead of government. What that often means is justifying under-spending in certain portfolios and overseeing healthy budgets in other areas.
It just so happens agriculture and highways are critical to the Sask. Party’s rural base. As such, regardless of who has been minister, ministers running these portfolios under the Sask. Party government have received substantial program and funding support.
There will be bumps along the way.
Carr will hear the obligatory complaints about the roads. Marit will hear detailed, learned complaints about how the agriculture portfolio is run.
But it is in the Sask. Party government’s political interests to ensure these two are successful in their respective portfolios.
Ongoing funding in agriculture and highways should ensure the two new ministers do rather well.
