OTTAWA — Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet may only be around for a short time before an election is called, but he has made some intriguing changes to his ministers’ responsibilities.
Carney unveiled his picks for cabinet in a swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall on Friday, five days after winning the leadership of the Liberal party.
With Canada in the midst of a trade war and seven former ministers not seeking re-election, Carney trimmed the size of the federal Liberal cabinet to 24 including himself, down from its previous size of 37 under Justin Trudeau, who officially resigned on Friday.
The slimmer cabinet meant former ministers were dropped from their roles and that some portfolios were combined, if not left out altogether. Here are five notable changes in Carney’s cabinet.
Missing ministries
Some high-profile, politically-sensitive portfolios were excluded from Carney’s cabinet on Friday.
That was the case for women, gender equality and youth, a portfolio last held by Toronto MP Marci Ien who announced she was not seeking reelection.
Mental health and addictions, which Trudeau had made a standalone portfolio, also disappeared, as did diversity, inclusion and disabilities, as well as sport.
In many cases, these files did not come with their own departments. Such was the case for mental health and addictions, which was held by Toronto MP Ya’ara Saks, and which was part of Health Canada.
Many of the priorities Trudeau named under the banner of women and gender equality were housed in departments like Finance Canada and Health Canada. However, Women, and Gender Equality is its own department.
Dropping such portfolios marks a departure from Trudeau’s approach to cabinet, which had been to assemble a team that signalled its values as not only a progressive, but a feminist government.
In speaking to reporters Friday, Carney says protecting workers was one the smaller cabinet’s top priorities, especially in the face of the U.S. tariffs, which business and union leaders fear could lead to mass layoffs.
But Unifor national president’s Lana Payne took to social media to point out the portfolio of labour had also been dropped.
Identity crisis
Carney’s cabinet does not include any ministers who are LGBTQ. It does appear to be within striking distance of gender parity, which had been a priority of Trudeau’s.
The new cabinet also lacked some geographical representation, with no Albertans named as ministers on Friday. Asked about the omission and whether he might run for a seat in Alberta, Carney wouldn’t commit to it.
“I grew up in Alberta, I launched my campaign in Alberta but, today, the story is behind me,” said Carney, referencing his newly-appointed cabinet ministers.
No deputy prime minister
Carney also bucked another Trudeau tradition by not naming a deputy prime minister.
That role was previously held by newly named Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland from 2019 until 2024. Freeland’s shocking resignation in December was the catalyst for a caucus revolt that ultimately brought Trudeau down.
Trudeau managed his first term, from 2015 to 2019, without a deputy prime minister, a role that has undefined responsibilities and no department attached to it.
Canadian culture gets a boost… in Quebec
Carney also told reporters he wants to reinforce Canadian sovereignty by designating Steven Guilbeault as the minister responsible for “Canadian Culture and Identity,” as well Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant.
The role is one of the few new additions in Carney’s slimmed down cabinet.
Previously, that file had been known as Canadian Heritage, which remains the name of the sprawling department, which covers everything from arts and community funding, to the mandate of CBC/Radio-Canada and official languages.
No more hugs
In what may be the cleanest break from the Trudeau era, Carney’s cabinet ministers were not rewarded with hugs at Friday’s swearing in ceremony.
After a hug-filled ceremony in 2015, some reporters started timing and counting the embraces, which could sometimes be uncomfortably long. In 2019, Maclean’s noted that Chrystia Freeland, who would go on to spark Trudeau’s resignation, was one of the few ministers who didn’t get a hug from her boss.
On Friday, Carney seemed to institute a no hugs policy at his cabinet swearing in.
The tradition may have been declining anyway. In 2015, Trudeau’s longest hug was 12 seconds, while in 2019 it was a mere six seconds.
National Post
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