Barry Ellsworth
26 October 2021•Update: 27 October 2021
TRENTON, Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named his new Cabinet ministers Tuesday to fulfill a list of stated government priorities, including climate change.
Some old faces disappeared, including Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan who has been replaced by former procurement Minister Anita Anand -- only the second woman to be named defense chief, the first being Kim Campbell in 1993. First elected in 2019, Anand was also the first Indian of Hindu descent to become a Cabinet minister.
She has a tough job ahead, as a series of top heads of the Canadian military have been dismissed after charges of sexual improprieties were made public, creating a crisis in the armed forces. Sajjan becomes international development minister.
Foreign Minister Marc Garneau is out of the Cabinet, while others shuffled into new posts, like Jonathan Wilkinson, who moves to natural resources from Environment Minister. Garneau has been replaced by Melanie Joly, who was formerly economic development minister.
Three constants remain, including that Cabinet ministers represent all parts of the country and Trudeau's unique insistence on gender parity, meaning Cabinet members are split equally between men and women. That was achieved with 38 ministries - a new one was added: mental health.
The third constant since Trudeau and the Liberals were first elected in 2015 is Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. She often appears at Trudeau's news conferences and appears to be his minister-of-everything, earlier inhabiting the role as foreign minister. Before that, Freeland held the international trade portfolio and presided over the renegotiation of the new free trade agreement with the US and Mexico.
Political pundits have speculated Freeland may at some point assume the role of leader of the Liberals, taking the reins from Trudeau who has won three elections, the first in 2015 with a majority government, then minorities in 2019 and most recently on Sept. 20. Trudeau's father, Pierre Trudeau, won two terms as prime minister, but served 15 years, the third-longest in Canadian history.
Somali-born Ahmed Hussen, a Muslim, moves to minister of housing and diversity and inclusion from minister of families. Mary Ng, born in British Hong Kong, moves from minister of small business to the international trade portfolio.
Omar Alghabra, who was born in Saudi Arabia and is Muslim, remains minister of transport. India-born Kamal Khera moves into the Cabinet as minister for seniors.
Muslim Bardish Chagger, minister of diversity and inclusion, was dropped from Cabinet.
Sources speculate that Trudeau has several priorities for this 44th Parliament, including climate change, finishing the battle against the coronavirus and its impacts on Canada's economy and health system, and reconciliation with the Indigenous community.
The new Parliament will convene Nov. 22.
