Multiple ministers being dropped from cabinet in upcoming shuffle, sources say
Sources tell CBC News the shuffle is expected Wednesday
Multiple ministers are being dropped from federal cabinet in a shuffle expected to take place Wednesday, sources tell CBC News.
Those senior government sources say the shuffle is intended to put the focus on the government's economic priorities —including housing — and shore up the cabinet ahead of the next federal election campaign. The government also wants to put key communicators on important files.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called ministers back to Ottawa for meetings on Monday and Tuesday, said sources with knowledge of the shuffle who are not authorized to speak publicly.
Such meetings typically happen just before a cabinet shuffle to allow the prime minister to present ministers with their new portfolios. The prime minister's public itinerary shows he will be in private meetings on Tuesday. His Monday itinerary also said he was in private meetings.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will keep her position, said sources with knowledge of the meetings.
According to Radio-Canada, CBC's French-language arm, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault are not changing portfolios.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett announced she will not be seeking re-election in the Toronto—St. Paul's riding. While she is staying on as an MP, it would not be surprising if Trudeau replaced the veteran politician in cabinet with someone re-offering for the next election.
Like Bennett, Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra will not be seeking re-election and will be shuffled out of cabinet as a result, sources tell CBC. He is expected to make an announcement about his future on Tuesday.
Sources said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the minister responsible for official languages and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, are among those who have been asked to return to Ottawa.
Several ministerial announcements that had been scheduled for early this week have been cancelled. They include events originally set for Monday with Petitpas Taylor in Montreal, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra in Vancouver and Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen in St. John's.
It's not clear if those ministers will be changing jobs. Cancelled ministerial events are often a sign that a cabinet shuffle is pending.
Last month, several Liberal sources told Radio-Canada they believe Marco Mendicino is at risk of being removed as minister of public safety.
Mendicino has been under intense pressure due to the controversy over the transfer of serial killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison. The minister also has come under fire over his management of the government's gun control legislation and the foreign interference file.
Asked last week in Kingston, Ont., whether he had confidence in Mendicino, Trudeau did not answer directly.
"I have an amazing team in Ottawa and an amazing group of MPs right across the country who are committed to serving their country every single day, and anyone in my cabinet by definition has my confidence," he said.
Shuffle expected to be Trudeau's largest since 2021
The shuffle is expected to be the biggest change to Trudeau's cabinet since October 2021, when the Liberals' second minority mandate was a month old.
It comes ahead of a scheduled cabinet retreat next month in P.E.I., which should give new ministers a few weeks to familiarize themselves with their portfolios.
This shuffle will put the prime minister's team in place for the next federal election.
Trudeau undertook a similar retooling of his cabinet in July 2018, prior to the 2019 federal election campaign. That shuffle saw five ministers added to cabinet and new portfolios created for seniors, intergovernmental affairs and border security.
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With files from David Cochrane, Catharine Tunney and Kate McKenna