Did Stephen Harper miscast Pierre Poilievre?

What was Stephen Harper thinking?

It's a phrase we're hearing more and more of lately with regard to things like Dimitri Soudas, Nigel Wright, Arthur Porter and the prime minister's Senate choices.

Perhaps it's time we start asking the question: What was Stephen Harper thinking when he appointed Pierre Poilievre as the Minister of State for Democratic Reform last summer?

To be fair, the 34 year old MP from Ontario is a very bright and competent and has been a loyal foot soldier for the Harper government. Since 2011, he's been the Conservative Party's attack dog, standing up for PM in the House and on television panels.

So, he probably did deserve a promotion to cabinet.

But, the promotion to Democratic Reform now seems like the wrong move.

The hyper-partisan Poilievre has become a lightning rod for all the opposition to so-called Fair Elections Act which will, among other things, eliminate 'vouching' for voters who lack proper identification at the ballot box.

Instead of being a tactful consensus builder — as a government might want when introducing electoral reform — Poilievre has reverted to his attack-dog style, launching personal attacks at those who disagree with elements of the bill.

On Tuesday, at a Senate committee meeting, Poilievre questioned the integrity of Elections Canada electoral officer Marc Mayrand, suggesting he opposes the bill for personal reasons.

"His recommendations really boil down to three broad requirements for him," Poilievre said. "He wants more power, a bigger budget and less accountability."

That has won Polilievere the rebuke of the opposition parties and has exacerbated the problems for a bill that most Canadians aren't even paying attention to.

"For a minister of the Crown to engage in such blindly partisan attacks is weakening the fabric of our democracy and is absolutely unacceptable," Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday, according to CBC News.

[ Related: More voices speak out against the Fair Elections Act: Do Canadians care? ]

Upon his appointment, many predicted challenging times for Poilievre in cabinet.

Here was Sun News columnist and Liberal insider Warren Kinsella's take on Poilievre's appointment last July.

The NDP even went after him in a statement they released on cabinet shuffle day.

"Pierre Poilievre’s appointment as minister of state for Democratic Reform shows the rest of caucus exactly what it takes to get ahead in Conservative Ottawa. Forget about competence or working with other parties – to become a minister for Stephen Harper, you must leave the truth behind and embrace mean-spirited attacks," they wrote.

"Canadians deserve ministers who work for them, not for their party.

"Ministers willing to work with all Canadians, not just those who agree with them. Ministers who are respectful and competent, not hyper-partisan pit bulls who specialize in mean-spirited, unfounded attacks."

There are no guarantees that opposition parties would have embraced the Fair Elections Act if Poilievre wasn't the minister pushing it.

But I think it's fair to say, it would have been a smoother process for the Tories.

That's something Prime Minister Harper has to wear.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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