Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to reveal a major shakeup to his cabinet this morning as he enters his third mandate.
Liberal sources tell CBC News they are expecting significant promotions and demotions in a cabinet shuffle that will include the heads of multiple senior portfolios ahead of Parliament’s return late next month. Two to three current ministers are expected to be dropped from the cabinet entirely, sources also said.
The next cabinet will be sworn in during a ceremony at Rideau Hall at 10:30 a.m. ET.
- Chief Political Correspondent Rosemary Barton will have full coverage of the swearing-in of the Trudeau cabinet on Tuesday, starting at 9 a.m. ET on CBC News Network, cbc.ca, CBC Gem and wherever you stream CBC News.
Canada is getting a new environment and climate change minister just days ahead of the United Nations climate change conference in Glasgow (COP26). Long-time environmental activist Steven Guilbeault, who has worked with groups such as Equiterre and Greenpeace, is taking on the role following his previous posting as heritage minister.
Sources also said embattled Harjit Sajjan will be losing his job as national defence minister amid a growing sexual misconduct crisis in the military and will be receiving a new portfolio in today’s shuffle.
Trudeau is expected to select a woman as Canada’s next defence minister. Anita Anand, who raised her profile as minister of public services and procurement during the pandemic, is considered one of the top candidates for the job.
Patty Hajdu will also be moved to a new job, say sources. She took on the job as health minister just months before the pandemic. There are plans to add a second junior minister to the health portfolio.
At least one senior minister will be sitting in the same spot at the cabinet table. Trudeau has previously said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland has agreed to remain in both roles.
Gender parity, regional questions
Trudeau has already said the cabinet will have both gender parity and what he has called “proper regional distribution.” That commitment to gender parity and the loss of four women ministers is part of the catalyst for several of the changes expected to be revealed today.
Ministers Maryam Monsef, Bernadette Jordan and Deb Schulte were all defeated in September’s election while Catherine McKenna, the minister of infrastructure and communities and the former environment minister, did not seek re-election.
Politics-watchers say an MP from Alberta is very likely to get a seat at the cabinet table as political tensions between Ottawa and the province continue to flare on issues including climate change and equalization.
Trudeau has two Albertans to choose from: Randy Boissonnault in Edmonton Centre and George Chahal in Calgary Skyview, although the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections is investigating the latter following a doorbell camera recording of him removing an opponent’s flyer and replacing it with one of his own.
WATCH | Trudeau to unveil new cabinet Tuesday:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new cabinet is expected to include gender parity, regional distribution and a new minister of defence. 1:58
