Sweeping changes in Trudeau's cabinet

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a major cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, as was promised. Seven newcomers were promoted to ministerial positions, while most of those already serving in ministerial positions were given new ones.

In a ceremony at Rideau Hall presided over by Governor General Mary Simon, the Prime Minister undertook perhaps the most significant cabinet reorganization since 2015. It is designed to reboot the program of the Liberal Party, which as of 2019 does not have a majority in the House of Commons.

"What a team," Trudeau said, begainning his press conference following the cabinet reorganization, "This is a positive step in a moment of consequential impact in the world, and in the country. We know times are challenging, but this is the team that is going to be able to continue the hard work rolling up their sleeves and delivering for Canadians… as we build a brighter and ambitious future for all Canadians. Making sure that we have the best possible team, aligned to respond to Canadians' challenges with the supports necessary, but also show that optimism, that ambition for getting us through these consequential times... That's what we're focused on."

Trudeau denies that such a major reshuffle signals that 2023 is not going the way the Liberal Party had hoped. Nevertheless, everyone acknowledges that the cabinet reorganization has become the main political event of the summer in Canadian life. And its effects will be seen in the coming months.

Seven Liberal MPs have become ministers for the first time in their careers:

• Arif Virani, MP for Toronto, was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada;
• Soraya Martinez Ferrada, MP for Quebec, has been appointed Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for Quebec Regions;
• Gary Anandasangaree, the MP for Ontario, has been appointed Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations;
• Ya'ara Saks, MP for Toronto, has been appointed Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health;
• Jenna Sudds, MP for Ottawa, has been appointed Minister of Families, Children and Social Development;
• Rechie Valdez, MP for Ontario, has been appointed Minister of Small Business;
• Terry Beech, MP for British Columbia, was appointed Minister of Citizens' Affairs.

Several ministers retained a seat in the cabinet but changed roles:

• Sean Fraser — former Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship — became Minister for Housing, Infrastructure and Communities;
• Mark Holland — former minister for relations with the House of Commons — became Minister of Health;
• Pascale St-Onge — former Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec — became Minister of Canadian Heritage;
• Pablo Rodriguez — former Minister of Canadian Heritage — became Minister of Transport;
• Lawrence MacAulay — former Minister of Veterans Affairs — became Minister of Agriculture;
• Jean-Yves Duclos — former Minister of Health — became Minister of Public Services and Procurement;
• Marie-Claude Bibeau — former Minister of Agriculture — became Minister of National Revenue;
• Gudie Hutchings remains Minister of Rural Economic Development, but she will now also become the head of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency;
• Diane Lebouthillier — former Minister of National Revenue — became Canada's Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Coast Guard;
• Harjit S. Sajjan — former Minister of International Development — became President of the King's Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, and retains his role as Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada;
• Carla Qualtrough — former Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion — has become Minister of Sport and Physical Activity;
• Ahmed Hussen — former Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion — became Minister of International Development;
• Seamus O'Regan remains Minister of Labor, but he will now also become Minister of Seniors;
• Ginette Petitpas-Taylor — former Minister of Official Languages of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency — has become Minister of Veterans' Affairs;
• Mary Ng remains Canada's Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, but she is no longer in charge of small business affairs;
• Jonathan Wilkinson remains in office, but his position is being renamed "Minister of Energy and Natural Resources";
• Mark Miller — former Minister of Indigenous Relations — became Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship;
• Randy Boissonnault — former Minister of Tourism — became Minister of Workforce Development and Official Languages;
• Kamal Khera — formerly Minister for Senior Citizens — became Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and People with Disabilities;
• Karina Gould — former Minister for Families, Children and Social Development — became Government House Leader.

Gould recently announced she is expecting her second child, due next year. Trudeau announced Wednesday that while Karina is on maternity leave, current Government Whip Steve MacKinnon will take over House leader duties, with MP Ruby Sahota taking over as Government Whip for the time being.

Eight ministers retained their positions in the cabinet:

• Chrystia Freeland is the Minister of Finance;
• Mélanie Joly is the of Foreign Affairs Minister;
• Steven Guilbeault is the Minister for Environment and Climate Change;
• François-Philippe Champagne is Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry;
• Patty Hajdu is the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and the Minister responsible for the Federal Northern Ontario Economic Development Initiative;
• Filomena Tassi is the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario;
• Dan Vandal is the Minister of Economic Development of the Northern Territories and the Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada;
• Marci Ien is the Minister of Women, Gender and Youth.

The Cabinet now consists of 19 women and 20 men, including the Prime Minister.

7 ministers have dropped out of the Cabinet. Four of them announced in advance that they were not planning to be re-elected:

• Helena Jaczek is the former Minister of Public Services and Procurement;
• Omar Alghabra is the former Minister of Transportation;
• Carolyn Bennett is the former Minister of Mental Health and Addictions;
• Joyce Murray is a former Fisheries Minister.

Former Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino, former Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti and former State Treasury Board Chair Mona Fortier have been removed from the cabinet. Mendicino will be replaced as Minister of Public Security by Dominic LeBlanc. When asked by reporters about the reasons for their absence from the new cabinet lineup, Justin Trudeau did not answer.

Of other changes: Bill Blair, who until recently was Minister of Emergency Management, became Canada's Minister of Defense and Canada's representative to NATO. Former Defense Minister Anita Anand became president of the Treasury Board.