Stability. Continuity. Cynicism.

These are the early hallmarks of Stephen Harper’s majority.

It is the third pillar that should be the main preoccupation of Canadians.

In appointing his Coalition of Losers to the Senate Wednesday, Harper managed to insult voters in two provinces, provoke a backlash inside his own party, overshadow his own cabinet announcement, give the back of his hand to the Ottawa press gallery and exhibit his disdain for Parliament.

In becoming the first prime minister since the 19th century to reappoint senators after they lost elections, he managed to draw fire from Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and his Nova Scotia counterpart, Darrell Dexter.

But there is more to come.

The Senate is fine but it can’t compare to Paris in the spring.

The reason defeated former foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon is not in the Senate today is that Harper will reward him with a posting to either London or Paris.

It is said to be Cannon’s choice.

Harper has also specifically put a hold on diplomatic appointments to Chicago and Denver so he can make his own choices.

Harper has been a patronage machine when it comes to stacking the Senate, but has shown restraint in his diplomatic appointments.

Even when he reaches into the political ranks, Harper has often shunned partisanship, the most notable example being his choice of former Manitoba NDP premier Gary Doer as his ambassador in Washington.

But Harper is generally distrustful of the foreign service and he could be ready to shake up the traditional mix of career diplomats and politicians in Canadian missions worldwide.

Harper has so far used the well-worn patronage path of Ireland and Boston.

A former Harper cabinet minister, Loyola Hearn, is in Dublin.

Harper has twice rewarded former Prince Edward Island premier Pat Binns, first handing him the ambassador to Ireland after he lost the 2007 election, then giving him the consulate job in Boston.

The Boston Boneyard has long been a home for defeated politicians.

Mary Clancy, Ron Irwin and Stan Keyes are all Liberals who landed in Beantown after defeat or retirement.

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When Harper defeated Paul Martin, he yanked Keyes out and gave Boston to Nova Scotia’s former Conservative finance minister, Neil LeBlanc.

The most intriguing chatter in diplomatic ranks revolves around Conservative Senator Hugh Segal, seen as a potential high commissioner to the United Kingdom, a move that would free up another Senate seat for a Harper loyalist.

“A number of people will be surprised to read this, none more so than me,’’ Segal said Thursday

He says he has not been approached and does not consider himself a candidate.

The senator heaped praise on High Commissioner Jim Wright, with whom he has had extensive dealings through his work as the Canadian representative on the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group.

It is an open question, however, as to how much Segal is enjoying his work in the Senate.

He said Thursday it offers him a “certain capacity to put out some fresh ideas,’’ and he enjoys the committee work.

But the former adviser to Brian Mulroney often sees the world differently than Harper, even though he sits as a Conservative.

Early in his Senate tenure, his outspoken nature was believed to be behind his removal from the chair of a high-profile committee.

Either Wright or our man in Paris, Marc Lortie, could be candidates to move to the United Nations, but since Ottawa bungled its bid for the Security Council seat that job has lost much of its allure.

The chief bungler, of course, was Cannon, the man headed for his great reward.