They endorse an elected senate, closeness with the United States, free markets, and individualism to obscure the simple fact that they lost. The dream of the Upper Canada Tories and Parti Bleu is dead and buried; their successors now espouse the liberalism of yesteryear or else face oblivion.

We have Pearson’s flag, Trudeau’s Charter, bilingualism, multiculturalism, and the welfare state at the forefront of our national consciousness. So ReformaTories like PP and Harper look not back, not to the mother country, but south for their guiding star.

Meanwhile the PC campaign was non-existent and it showed with 16% of the vote. I highly doubt federal tories will fare better. Anecdotally, I have only seen NDP yard signs, Liberal signs elsewhere, and no Conservative signs.

Overall, I worry about the lack of portfolios tasked with addressing unequal impacts of economic turmoil. Progressives have a smaller presence in this cabinet, but not snubbed entirely. I expect if the Liberals win the general election, the cabinet will be expanded.

Cutting interprovincial trade barriers and building high speed rail in the Laurentian corridor have long been on the backburner, but with renewed political will, I think she can make a lot of progress on those issues. Karina Gould, formerly house leader, will not be in Carney’s cabinet.

Chrystia Freeland is now minister of transport and internal trade. Some might see this as a demotion from her position as finance minister and deputy PM (a position that has been eliminated), but I think her experience and negotiating skill will be very useful for this post.

LeBlanc and Joly, who have been the most involved in negotiations with the Americans, are keeping their role. A good idea to keep continuity, considering the importance of this task. Nate Erskine-Smith, a progressive and late arrival to cabinet will continue in his housing role.