Justin Trudeau’s new cabinet: Bill Blair’s big promotion
Justin Trudeau unveiled a revamped cabinet at Rideau Hall, promoting five Liberals to the big table and shuffling five others into new portfolios. The new cabinet features 17 men and 17 women, plus Trudeau. Nearly half the cabinet is from Ontario, and eight ministers are from Quebec. Six ministers represent ridings west of Ontario, and six more hail from Atlantic provinces. The territories have no representation in cabinet.
Bill Blair, the government’s point-man on pot legalization, is now the minister of border security and organized crime reduction. Paul Wells dissects Blair’s elevation, and what it means for Doug Ford, Blair’s biggest enemy at Queen’s Park.
This is Trudeau’s new cabinet, starting with the ministers sworn in today at Rideau Hall.
New and shuffled ministers:
Bill Blair
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Former job: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and to the Minister of Health
Riding: Scarborough Southwest, Ont.
READ MORE: Bill Blair: The former top cop in charge of Canada’s pot file
Jim Carr
Minister of International Trade Diversification
Former job: Minister of Natural Resources
Riding: Winnipeg South Centre, Man.
François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
Former job: Minister of International Trade
Riding: Saint-Maurice-Champlain, Que.
PAUL WELLS: François-Philippe Champagne has things to say
Mélanie Joly
Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie
Former job: Minister of Heritage
Riding: Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Que.
READ MORE: The sunniest Liberal, Mélanie Joly
Dominic LeBlanc
Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade
Former job: Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Riding: Beauséjour, N.B.
Mary Ng
Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion
Former job: Member of Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, and member of Standing Committee on Natural Resources
Riding: Markham—Thornhill, Ont.
Pablo Rodriguez
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
Former job: Chief Government Whip
Riding: Honoré-Mercier, Que.
Amarjeet Sohi
Former job: Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
Riding: Edmonton Mill Woods, Alta.
Filomena Tassi
Former job: Deputy Government Whip
Riding: Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, Ont.
READ MORE: How Filomena Tassi won a three-way race in Hamilton
Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard
Former job: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Riding: North Vancouver, B.C.
The rest of cabinet:
Navdeep Bains
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic DevelopmentRiding: Mississauga-Malton, Ont.
Carolyn Bennett
Minister of Crown-Indigenous RelationsRiding: Toronto—St. Paul’s, Ont.
Marie-Claude Bibeau
Minister of International DevelopmentRiding: Compton-Stanstead, Que.
Scott Brison
President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital GovernmentRiding: Kings-Hants, N.S.
Bardish Chagger
Leader of the Government in the House of CommonsRiding: Waterloo, Ont.
Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentRiding: Quebec, Que.
Kirsty Duncan
Minister of Science and SportRiding: Etobicoke North, Ont.
Chrystia Freeland
Minister of Foreign AffairsRiding: University-Rosedale, Ont.
Marc Garneau
Minister of TransportRiding: Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount, Que.
Ralph Goodale
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency PreparednessRiding: Regina-Wascana, Sask.
Karina Gould
Minister of Democratic InstitutionsRiding: Burlington, Ont.
Patty Hajdu
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and LabourRiding: Thunder Bay-Superior North, Ont.
Ahmed Hussen
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipRiding: York South-Weston, Ont.
Diane Lebouthillier
Minister of National RevenueRiding: Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.
Lawrence MacAulay
Minister of AgricultureRiding: Cardigan, P.E.I.
Catherine McKenna
Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeRiding: Ottawa Centre, Ont.
Maryam Monsef
Minister of Status of WomenRiding: Peterborough, Ont.
Bill Morneau
Minister of FinanceRiding: Toronto Centre, Ont.
Seamus O’Regan
Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceRiding: St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, N.L.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of HealthRiding: Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, N.B.
Jane Philpott
Minister of Indigenous ServicesRiding: Markham-Stouffville, Ont.
Carla Qualtrough
Minister of Public Services and Procurement and AccessibilityRiding: Delta, B.C.
Harjit Sajjan
Minister of National DefenceRiding: Vancouver South, B.C.
Jody Wilson-Raybould
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaRiding: Vancouver Granville, B.C.
MORE ABOUT CABINET SHUFFLE:
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