Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet Monday in a bid to replace a veteran minister who stepped down last week and to reinvigorate his front bench with some fresh blood ahead of federal elections in October.
In a carefully orchestrated game of musical chairs, Trudeau has moved former Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott, seen as one of the most effective ministers in the Liberal government, into the crucial position of the president of the Treasury Board.
This cabinet post was left vacant after long-time MP Scott Brison announced last week that he was resigning from cabinet because he will not be seeing re-election in 2019.
The president of the Treasury Board oversees the federal public service and intergovernmental spending.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Treasury Board President Jane Philpott and Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette attend a swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Trudeau called Philpott, an Ontario MP, a “natural choice” for the new job given her experience as vice-chair of the Treasury Board cabinet committee.
Her former position as the Indigenous Services minister went to Newfoundland MP Seamus O’Regan, who had served as the Veterans Affairs minister since joining the cabinet in 2017.
In his new role as Indigenous services minister, O’Regan will lead the newly created federal department that oversees work on delivering programs to First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, including education and housing.
Veterans Affairs Minister Jodie Wilson-Raybould attends a swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould has been shuffled to fill in the vacancy at the Veterans Affairs, a move seen by many as a demotion.
However, Trudeau said Wilson-Raybould was “extraordinarily capable” and the department of Veterans Affairs requires a steady hand.
Wilson-Raybould said she was “incredibly proud” of the work she did as justice minister, including seeing through big files such as the cannabis legalization legislation, physician-assisted dying legislation and advancing legislation to reform Canada’s criminal justice system.
New Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti addresses the media following a swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Quebec MP David Lametti, who had been serving as a parliamentary secretary to the minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, was promoted to replace Wilson-Raybould as the new justice minister and attorney general of Canada.
Lametti, a former law professor, has inherited the politically sensitive file of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and will have to make the final decision on her extradition to the United States, where she faces charges of breaching U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Minister of Rural Economic Development Bernadette Jordan addresses the media following a swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Trudeau also promoted to cabinet Nova Scotia MP Bernadette Jordan, who had been serving as a parliamentary secretary for Democratic Institutions. In her new role she will serve as minister of Rural Economic Development.
The shuffle left the federal cabinet with 36 members, equally divided between men and women. Trudeau said it was “an illustration of the depth of bench strength” of the Liberal caucus.
Barring some unexpected changes, experts see this as the Liberal cabinet roster going into the 2019 campaign.
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