 One of his first challenges was to craft a cabinet satisfactory to all factions ; this he did by excluding the leaders of all sides . He himself took the portfolios of Public Works and Provincial Treasurer . Charles R. Mitchell , who like Sifton had been a judge during the scandal and had accordingly played no part in it , became Minister of Education and Attorney @-@ General . Archibald J. McLean was named Provincial Secretary . His support for the insurgents ( though not as one of their leaders ) was offset by the continuation of Rutherford 's Agriculture Minister Duncan Marshall , who had played no particular role during the scandal but had remained loyal to Rutherford . To the consternation of the opposition Conservatives , Bulyea prorogued the legislation before this new government 's strength could be tested by a vote of confidence . Still , its acceptance by the Liberal caucus can be measured by the fact that only one member , Ezra Riley , resigned in protest . Riley objected to the exclusion from cabinet of insurgency leader W. H. Cushing ; after his resignation he ran as an independent Liberal in the ensuing by @-@ election , but was defeated by Sifton supporter Archibald J. McArthur . As time began to heal old wounds , Sifton expanded his cabinet to include several of the old adversaries : in February 1912 Cross was re @-@ instated as Attorney @-@ General and rebel leader John R. Boyle was made Minister of Education ( Mitchell , who had previously held both of these posts , was transferred to the Public Works portfolio ) . The other new additions to cabinet — Malcolm McKenzie as Provincial Treasurer and Charles Stewart in the new position of Minister of Municipal Affairs — had voted with the Rutherford government during the scandal . 
