Steve MacKinnon Appointed Labour and Seniors Minister, Replacing Seamus O’Regan

In a recent cabinet reshuffle, Gatineau MP Steve MacKinnon has been appointed as the new Labour and Seniors Minister, succeeding Seamus O’Regan, who announced his resignation on Thursday.

MacKinnon, who has been serving as the interim government House leader during Karina Gould’s maternity leave, will continue his political journey with this significant role. Gould is expected to resume her duties at the end of July.

MacKinnon, representing the Ottawa area, entered the political scene in 2015 when the Trudeau government first came to power. Throughout his career, he has held key positions including government whip and deputy House leader.

In a statement regarding the cabinet change, Prime Minister Trudeau’s office highlighted MacKinnon’s extensive experience in “building consensus and working with partners.”

O’Regan, a prominent figure and close ally of Trudeau, announced his departure from the cabinet citing a need to spend more time with his family. Although he plans to maintain his parliamentary seat until the next election, he has declared that he will not be running again.

Following O’Regan’s announcement, Trudeau’s office confirmed that the identity of “the new minister of labour and seniors” would be disclosed on Friday.

Today, Trudeau is scheduled to conduct a brief virtual meeting with his cabinet to discuss these new “appointments.” This meeting is notable as it marks the first since last month’s significant byelection loss in Toronto.

This cabinet adjustment occurs amid speculation of a more extensive summer shuffle and discussions about bringing in former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, as the prime minister faces pressure to rejuvenate his minority Liberal government.