New Federal Cabinet Sworn In

Following his minority win on April 28, Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced his cabinet appointments. It includes 28 ministers plus the prime minister, with 10 secretaries of state. This means there will be a core group of senior ministers and a secondary group of junior ministers, with smaller groups of staff and no new ministry created for them. 

The new cabinet is made up of more than half new ministers. Of the 24 new faces, 13 were elected for the first time last month. The cabinet represents a continued commitment to gender parity with 14 women and 14 men (plus the prime minister) appointed. 

Of particular interest to AMCTO members are the following appointments:

  • Domenic Leblanc – President of Privy Council and Minister responsible for Canada-US Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs, and One Canadian Economy
  • Patty Hajdu – Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Agency for Northern Ontario
  • Francois-Phillipe Champagne – Minister of Finance and National Revenue
  • Chrystia Freeland – Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
  • Gary Anandasangaree – Minister of Public Safety
  • Eleanor Olszewsko – Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience
  • Gregor Robertson - Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
  • Evan Solomon – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
  • Julie Dabrusin – Minister of Environment and Climate Change
  • Joël Lightbound – Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement

Several former cabinet ministers were dropped, including Arielle Kayabaga (Democratic Institutions) and Ali Ehsassi (Procurement) who were appointed for the first time less than two months ago, and experienced cabinet ministers such as Bill Blair (Defence), Ginette Petitpas Tayler (Treasury Board), Terry Duguid (Environment), Jonathan Wilkinson (Natural Resources), Nate Erksine-Smith (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities), and Kody Blois (Agriculture).  See the full list of appointments.

A federal speech from the throne is expected to be delivered by His Majesty King Charles III on May 27. This will outline the government’s priorities and legislative agenda for the upcoming session of parliament. We will be following the speech from the throne for updates that may be relevant for the municipal sector.