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Canadian Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau arrives to give a press conference in Ottawa on October 20, 2015 after winning the general elections.Nicholas Kamm/AFP / Getty Images

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POLITICS NOTEBOOK

By Jane Taber (@JaneTaber1)

Justin Trudeau will be the first Liberal Prime Minister who has never been a cabinet minister.

Some might say, "So what?" But it's an important point as he begins to build his cabinet, to be sworn in Nov. 4.

On the plus side of having no experience is that Mr. Trudeau won't be hidebound to follow certain rules; on the flip side, however, he will need guidance. Being a minister is considered an apprenticeship for being a prime minister. (There are some Conservative PMs who were not cabinet ministers, including Brian Mulroney and Stephen Harper.)

That's where Saskatchewan MP Ralph Goodale may play a big role, possibly as deputy leader, or finance minister. Mr. Goodale has a ton of experience; he was in the House in the 1970s, then entered provincial politics before returning to the House in 1993. Under Jean Chretien he had senior portfolios and was finance minister in Paul Martin's government.

There are others with cabinet experience, including Scott Brison, Stephane Dion, Carolyn Bennett, Wayne Easter and Lawrence MacAulay. Meanwhile, expectations are that the first Trudeau cabinet will be small, perhaps 25 ministers (Stephen Harper began with a similar size before ballooning to 40 ministers, among the most in Canadian history.) Keeping it lean gives Mr. Trudeau the opportunity to watch new MPs in action as they try to figure out Parliament Hill. He can expand it at any time.

It means, too, that fewer members of his caucus would have their noses out of joint for not being picked this time around — it's easier to justify not making it into a 25-member club, but not so easy when it gets to 35 or higher. This will keep some of the MPs (the ones with the bigger egos) from whining or leaking stuff to reporters for some time.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS MORNING

By Chris Hannay (@channay)

> B.C. Premier Christy Clark's government is in trouble for routinely thwarting access-to-information requests.

> After 12 years of strict message control under Stephen Harper, Conservatives are now speaking more freely and frankly about internal disagreements.

> Justin Trudeau has made some big promises to Canada's First Nations, but achieving them all will be difficult.

> Premiers will be accompanying Mr. Trudeau to the climate summit in Paris.

> Ridings with higher populations of immigrants were more likely to vote Liberal on Monday.

> The chief of staff to finance minister Joe Oliver, who was defeated in his bid for re-election, has been hired by CIBC.

> Gilles Duceppe resigned as Bloc Québécois leader. Parti Québécois stalwart Stéphane Bédard also bid adieu.

ONE YEAR LATER

Roy MacGregor reflects on the anniversary of the shooting in Ottawa, and a commemoration that brought together the incoming and outgoing prime ministers.

WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT

"Whether it was making sweeping generalizations about an entire faith – claiming that 'Islamicism' was the greatest threat facing Canada – or suggesting that Canadian mosques could be harbouring radical extremists – a decade of Stephen Harper changed perceptions about Canadian Muslims in deeper and perhaps more hurtful ways than even the aftermath of 9/11." – Amira Elghawaby on being a Muslim woman in Canada.

Jeffrey Simpson (Globe and Mail): "The 2011 election was a one-off triumph for the NDP, built on the so-called Orange Wave in Quebec. Outside Quebec, however, the party did not do much better than before."

Jack Mintz (Globe and Mail): "Mr. Trudeau could develop a legacy for himself through tax reform by shifting from income taxes to the GST, as well as by avoiding the boutique tax credits that Mr. Harper used to attract votes."

Valerie Pringle (Globe and Mail): "Laureen [Harper] has done a great job on so many worthwhile Canadian projects and deserves our thanks."

Gary Mason (Globe and Mail): "Justin Trudeau's central problem is this: How does he support Alberta's oil and gas sector and assist in getting the province's crude to new markets, while simultaneously honouring his pledge to make real inroads in reducing Canada's greenhouse gas emissions?"

Jen Gerson (National Post): "How is it OK to salivate over Trudeau's body, in a world where it has become taboo to make even an innocuous passing remark about a female politician's looks?"

This newsletter is produced by Chris Hannay and Steve Proceviat.


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