I’m not entirely sure what to make of the news that Wajid Khan has taken an appointment with the Harper government. On the one hand, he may be able to have a moderating influence on the Harper government, but on the other he may serve as political cover for the Conservatives and make it harder to criticize their government, making it more difficult for the opposition to have a moderating influence on policy.
I think I’ll have to call it a wash. From a purely partisan point of view, I think this helps the Conservatives and gives Khan a much higher profile than he would have otherwise had within the opposition party at the expense of the Liberals. I think the Conservatives’ and Khan’s agreement need to be understood from that perspective.
