che le au ' s ▁brief ▁st int ▁in ▁the ▁B loc , ▁the ▁r iding ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁Liberal ▁hands ▁without ▁inter ruption ▁since ▁its ▁creation ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Cab inet ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Inter g overn ment al ▁Affairs , ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Queen ' s ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁for ▁Canada ▁and ▁Minister ▁responsible ▁for ▁Public ▁Service ▁Ren ew al . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁a ▁Cab inet ▁sh uffle ▁moved ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁positions ▁of ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁Board ▁and ▁Minister ▁responsible ▁for ▁In frastr ucture . ▁ ▁Mass é ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁election , ▁but ▁retired ▁from ▁Cab inet ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁res igned ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁an ▁Officer ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Canada . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Canada ' s ▁leadership ▁convention ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁he ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁transition ▁team ▁of ▁newly ▁elected ▁leader ▁St é ph ane ▁D ion . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁D ion ' s ▁Princi pal ▁Secretary ▁in ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁the ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁Official ▁O pp osition ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁after ▁D ion ' s ▁selection ▁as ▁leader . ▁ ▁He ▁later ▁left ▁the ▁post ▁for ▁health ▁reasons . ▁