Prime Minister Trudeau adds 8 new MPs to cabinet, changes the roles of 4 others
'We are all here today because we absolutely support the prime minister,' said Transport Minister Anita Anand
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce eight new cabinet ministers Friday and change the roles of four others in a cabinet shuffle designed to ensure the government can function properly.
The shuffle comes days after former deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland resigned suddenly, spurring an emboldened movement within the Liberal caucus to push Trudeau out of the leadership.
One senior government source told CBC News the timing and size of the shuffle should not be taken as a signal that the prime minister has made up his mind about his future, adding Trudeau is still "reflecting" on his position.
Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has posted an open letter to Canadians on social media saying his party will bring forward a motion of non-confidence to bring down the Trudeau government in the next sitting of the House of Commons.
"The Liberals don't deserve another chance," Singh wrote in a letter on Friday. "That's why the NDP will vote to bring this government down."
Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre said he will write to Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to ask her to recall Parliament so MPs can hold a confidence vote in the House of Commons.
Poilievre said that since Singh has now joined Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet in expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister, Canadians need an election.
"What is clear is that Justin Trudeau does not have the confidence of Parliament," he said.
Trudeau spoke to reporters following a cabinet meeting on Friday afternoon. He said the meeting was entirely focused on Canada-U.S. relations in the wake of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's recent tariff threats.
"We know how important it is that we be there, not just to protect the Canadian economy, but their jobs … we have a lot of work to do and that's what we're focused on," he said. He didn't take any questions.
Current ministers changing jobs
- Anita Anand remains minister of transport, but adds the internal trade portfolio.
- Gary Anandasangaree remains minister of Crown-Indigenous relations and northern affairs, and becomes minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.
- Steven MacKinnon becomes minister of employment, workforce development and labour.
- Ginette Petitpas Taylor becomes president of the Treasury Board.
As ministers emerged from Rideau Hall after being sworn in, they presented a united front, insisting they want to serve the country for as long as possible despite the peril their government faces.
Anand said it's important for Liberal MPs to stand together to ensure Canada is prepared for what comes when U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is sworn in next month.
"We need to work together for the domestic economy and for our trade relationship with the United States," Anand said Friday. "If we don't all band in the same direction, the results are not going to be as strong as they otherwise would."
Petitpas Taylor said she can't speak for MPs who have asked Trudeau to step down but her support for Trudeau remains firm.
"I'm simply going to say that we are all here today because we absolutely support the prime minister," she said. "We are a united front and we are truly looking forward to working for Canadians."
MacKinnon said the shuffle has infused the cabinet with "new energy, obviously, coupled with experience and competence." He said he's not concerned about Singh's promise to bring down the government.
"Obviously we have confidence in the prime minister and the government, otherwise we would not be here," he said.
"Other opposition parties are free to vote as they will, but we will be continuing to offer solutions for Canadians right up to our last day."
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New ministers joining cabinet:
- Rachel Bendayan: Minister of Official Languages and Associate Minister of Public Safety
Bendayan was first elected to the House of Commons in a 2019 federal byelelction in the riding of Outremont following the resignation of former NDP leader Tom Mulcair. Before being elevated to her cabinet post she served as Freeland's parliamentary secretary.
- Élisabeth Brière: Minister of National Revenue
Brière was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2019 federal election for the Quebec riding of Sherbrooke. She previously served as the parliamentary secretary to Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jenna Sudds and to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health Ya'ara Saks.
- Terry Duguid: Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
Duguid was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2015 federal election in the Manitoba riding of Winnipeg South. Before taking on his new role, Duguid served as Trudeau's parliamentary secretary.
- Nathaniel Erskine-Smith: Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Erskine-Smith was first elected to the House of Commons for the Toronto riding of Beaches—East York in the 2015 federal election. Erskine-Smith has a reputation for being an outspoken and contrarian MP who is unafraid to take a stand on issues that may fall out of line with his government. Erskine-Smith has sat on multiple committees including Public Accounts, Industry and Technology and Canada—China relations.
Erskine—Smith previously said he was not going to run in the next federal election but on Friday said that he would run again and accepted the cabinet post to make a difference on the housing file.
"Housing is to me, outside of Canada-U.S. relations, the most important file," he said.
"I plan to run in the next election in order to protect the progress and really in the short term make the biggest difference that I can."
- Darren Fisher: Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
Fisher is also a class of 2015 MP, entering the House of Commons to represent the Nova Scotia riding of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. Fisher previously served as a member of National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, NSICOP. The committee, composed of MPs and senators from various parties, reviews highly classified information and provides advice to government.
Asked why he decided to stand by Trudeau despite a growing number of Liberal MPs demanding that he step down, Fisher said it's time for the party to stand together.
"We all ran to serve Canadians, and you will never have to ask me twice to serve Canadians," he said. "It's time that we all get on the same track and work hard to solve the issues that are facing us in the near future."
- David McGuinty: Minister of Public Safety
McGuinty was first elected in the Ontario riding of Ottawa South in the 2004 federal election. McGuinty has been the chair of NSICOP since its inception in November of 2017. McGuinty has also served on multiple parliamentary committees.
- Ruby Sahota: Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Sahota was first elected in the 2015 federal election to represent the Ontario riding of Brampton North. Before joining the cabinet table she served as the chief government whip and sat on multiple committees.
Sahota said she's focused on getting down to work and that cabinet is united behind the prime minister.
"The prime minister has all of our full support and he obviously has shown lots of confidence in us and that's why we're here today," she said.
- Joanne Thompson: Minister of Seniors
Thompson is one of the newest Liberal MPs to join the cabinet having been elected in the 2021 federal election for the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of St John's East. Thompson has been a member of the finance committee as well as the environment and government operations committees.
CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton and Power & Politics host David Cochrane are anchoring special coverage of the cabinet shuffle. You can watch the coverage live on CBC News Network, CBC.ca/news and CBC Gem.
- This Sunday, Cross Country Checkup is asking, "Do you still have confidence in the Trudeau government? Where do we go from here?" Fill out this form and you could appear on the show or have your comment read on air.