Trudeau’s Major Cabinet Reshuffle: Seven Promoted, Seven Ministers Dropped, and Key Role Reassignments

In a significant cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made notable changes to his front bench by promoting seven rookie MPs, dropping seven ministers, and reassigning the majority of cabinet roles.

Governor General Mary Simon presided over the ceremony at Rideau Hall, where Trudeau orchestrated one of the most consequential reconfigurations to his cabinet since 2015.

Among the high-profile reassignments, Anita Anand has been moved from the defence portfolio to become the President of the Treasury Board. Bill Blair, former police chief and emergency preparedness point-man, replaces Anand as the Minister of Defence, taking on the critical international cabinet post amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and ongoing defence spending pressures.

Sean Fraser, now Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities, has taken over the re-prioritized housing file during a time of affordability concerns, transitioning from his previous role in immigration. Randy Boissonnault now serves as the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages. Mary Ng continues her work in economic roles, now formally titled as Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade, and Economic Development.

Dominic LeBlanc, a close ally of Trudeau, is now the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs. He will continue to manage relationships with provinces and handle ongoing foreign interference public inquiry negotiations, while also taking responsibility for key gun control legislation and RCMP reform.

Other key appointments include Pablo Rodriguez as the Minister of Transport, Pascale St-Onge as the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Jean-Yves Duclos as the Minister of Public Services and Procurement. Mark Holland has been assigned to take over the health file, and Karina Gould is now the leader of the government in the House of Commons.

Trudeau announced plans for Steven MacKinnon to take over as House leader when Karina Gould takes parental leave, with Ruby Sahota filling in for MacKinnon during that time.

Jonathan Wilkinson is now Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Seamus O’Regan will be the Minister of Labour and Minister of Seniors.

Among other Atlantic Canadians taking on new roles are Gudie Hutchings, Lawrence MacAulay, and Ginette Petitpas Taylor.

Harjit Sajjan assumes the roles of King’s Privy Council President and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, leveraging his past military experience to oversee Canada’s natural disaster response plans and address the ongoing wildfire season. Carla Qualtrough becomes the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity once again.

Trudeau’s close ally Marc Miller becomes the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, following his extensive work in building relationships with Indigenous communities. Ahmed Hussen is now the Minister of International Development, and Kamal Khera takes over the Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities files.

Additionally, several rookie MPs have been promoted to cabinet positions. Gary Anandasangaree becomes the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Arif Virani becomes the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Terry Beech becomes the Minister of Citizens’ Services, Soraya Martinez Ferrada becomes the Minister of Tourism, Ya’ara Saks becomes the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Jenna Sudds becomes the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and Rechie Valdez becomes the Minister of Small Business.

With only eight ministers maintaining their roles, Trudeau’s cabinet reshuffle has resulted in a significant transformation. Trudeau expressed confidence in his new team, emphasizing their accomplishments, diversity, and talent, as they work together to address the needs of the middle class and build a strong future for all Canadians.