He's got the title – give him the job

[daleo]

Upon exiting a meeting with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty yesterday, Liberal MPs Scott Brison and John McCallum described the session as “very constructive and businesslike.” That would be more encouraging if it were clear that Mr. Flaherty were actually running the Finance department.

Mr. Flaherty has spent the last three weeks being embarrassed by his own government. On Nov. 27, he rose in the House of Commons to deliver an ill-conceived fiscal update that by most accounts was dictated by the Prime Minister's Office. When the update's inadequate response to the global economic crisis and its gratuitous partisanship had disastrous consequences, Mr. Flaherty was left twisting in the wind while other cabinet ministers were dispatched to back away from its more controversial positions.
...
Not every Finance minister will enjoy the clout of Paul Martin or even Don Mazankowski, and Mr. Flaherty has not yet been given a chance to prove that he merits it. But now more than ever, Canada needs a strong hand at Finance. He or she must have command of the department, the respect of cabinet, and the ability to speak to the public with authority on the government's fiscal policy. Mr. Flaherty does not seem to meet any of those criteria, because he apparently lacks the most important qualification of all: the confidence of the Prime Minister.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081215.weFlaherty16/BNStory/politics
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It sounds like it's Flaherty's turn to take one for the team (i.e. fall guy for Harper).