DOWNSIZING: Carney Scales Back Cabinet While Keeping Main Trudeau Team

(Image courtesy of CBC)

Mark Carney was sworn in on Friday to become Canada’s 24th Prime Minister. While Carney has reduced the number of ministers in his cabinet, the top Trudeau lieutenants remain in eminent roles.

Carney Reshuffles Trudeau’s Team

Carney has retained nearly all of Trudeau’s appointees. However, Carney did shuffle some ministers around. The major change came in finance where Dominic LeBlanc was replaced by François-Phillip Champaign. Champaign was in charge of the innovation file but was an ally of Carney early on. LeBlanc will remain in the cabinet as Minister of International Trade with a focus on Canada-US relations and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Chystria Freeland, whose resignation set in motion this change in government, has been named Transportation Minister and Minister of Internal Trade. This role, while notable, is a considerable step down from her role as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister in the Trudeau government. 

Other changes include Anita Anand becoming Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry; Gary Anandasangaree being named Justice Minister; and Terry Duguid taking over the Environment and Climate Change portfolio. 

However, with these changes, some ministers stayed in their spots. Most notable of these was Mélanie Joly, who will stay in her post as Foreign Affairs Minister. Bill Blair keeps his National Defence file, and Nate Erskine-Smith will keep his job as Minister of Housing. 

Notable MPs/Figures Left Out

That being said, some prominent MPs departed the cabinet or were left out. Marc Miller, Immigration Minister and close friend of Trudeau, was left out of the new cabinet along with Jean-Yves Duclos, who was Public Services and Procurement Minister. Karina Gould, who ran for the Liberal leadership from the left flank of the party, was left out entirely. 

It was also rumored that former Quebec Premier and 2022 Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest and former BC Premier Christy Clark were offered spots in Carney's government. However, neither were named today in the swearing in. Carney said that his cabinet will be “action-oriented” and “made to meet the moment.” Carney demurred on questions about his calling an early election.

Reactions to the New Cabinet

Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservatives and the Official Opposition, said that Carney’s cabinet was the same as Trudeau’s, with 87 percent of the ministers being carried over from his government. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh criticized Carney’s government for not having a minister for women, youth, and labour. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet accused Carney of ignoring regions of Quebec with his cabinet picks. 

Carney’s new government also lacks western representation. Despite Alberta and British Columbia together composing a quarter of the Canadian population, only 8 percent of the total cabinet hold seats west of Ontario. Carney defended the cabinet, saying that the smaller western representation is a result of his cabinet contraction and that prominent figures like he and Chrystia Freeland are from the west. 

Carney Takes Over a Nervous, Reeling Country

Carney comes into the Prime Minister’s Office in a time of great domestic and international turmoil, with immigration and housing top issues for Canadians and US relations at their lowest point in decades. With an election expected to be called sooner rather than later, Carney will make his case to voters as to why he, not Poilievre, should guide Canada through what will be a turbulent time for the country.