Home Election Tracker Canadian Federal 2025 Federal cabinet shuffle for stability into the new year

Federal cabinet shuffle for stability into the new year

Nine MPs are moved into cabinet.

Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Justin Trudeau, Mary Simon
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith is sworn in as iMnister of Housing and Urban Communities, on Dec 20, 2024, alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon. [CPAC livestream]
CANADA-USA NEWS & ANALYSIS

Friday December 20, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted 9:33 am | Updated 9:36 pm]

National news analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends


At this tail-end of an exceptionally eventful week in federal politics and the tail-end of the year just ahead of Christmas, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has shuffled his cabinet.

This spreads the loads among more ministers. At least a few ministers have been carrying the load of two or three portfolios.

The shuffle also stabilizes the cabinet for the holiday period into the new year. Trudeau is likely to take the holiday period to reflect on the pressures he is getting from many sides to step down from being prime minister.

justin trudeau, mary simon, cabinet swearing-in
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon arrive at the cabinet swearing-in at Rideau Hall, Dec 20, 2024. [livestream]

Trudeau still seems to have a vision for Canada and believes he is the only high-profile Liberal at this time who will be able to beat Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in the next federal election. But during today’s swearing-in ceremony he seemed more subdued than usual; it’s likel quite disappointing that the party he’s built from nearly nothing is now largely turning against him.

The next federal election is scheduled for October 20, 2025 but is now expected by most observers to end up happening in the spring of 2025, as the minority Liberal government continues to struggle to get anything done in the House of Commons.

royal roads university, new west shore campus

Former Deputy Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is no longer in cabinet; she resigned on December 16. In the wake of that — within hours in fact — Dominic LeBlanc was sworn-in as Finance Minister.

New housing minister:

Arguably the biggest crisis across Canada is the lack of housing, particularly in cities.

The new Minister of Housing and Urban Communities is Nathaniel Erskine-Smith (MP for Beaches—East York since 2015), age 40, who reportedly will speak his mind about the direction of things.

Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Justin Trudeau, Mary Simon
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith is sworn in as iMnister of Housing and Urban Communities, on Dec 20, 2024, alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon. [CPAC livestream]

In the past year now-exiting Sean Fraser (not seeking re-election) has made improvements in the Housing file.

Erskine-Smith has evidently not afraid to offer criticism to the Trudeau government in the past few years. He may have the temperament to shakeup some change in the months that remain, for further improvements in housing program delivery.

Alistair MacGregor, MP, Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, constituency services

Late in the game:

Most of the new cabinet ministers sworn in today have been MPs for several terms, reaching the front bench quite late in the Trudeau nearly 10-year run in government.

Attention to regional concerns is signaled in appointments to Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario (Ruby Sahota); Prairies Economic Development Canada (Terry Duguid); and Canadian Northern Development Agency (Garry Anandasangaree).

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Sworn in today:

In cabinet already, sworn in again:

  • Anita Anand – continues as Transport and Internal Trade (no longer President of the Treasury Board)
  • Garry Anandasangaree – now Minister for Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Minister Responsible for the Canadian Northern Development Agency
  • Stephen Garrett MacKinnon – now Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
  • Marie Ginette Petitpas Taylor – President of the Treasury Board (representing Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe since 2015)

New to cabinet:

  • Rachel Bendayan – Minister of Official Languages and Associate Minister of Public Safety
  • Élisabeth Brière – Minister of National Revenue
  • Terry Duguid – Minister of Sport, and Minister Responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
  • Nathaniel (Nate) Erskine-Smith – Minister of Housing and Urban Communities
  • Darren Fischer – Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence (MP in Nova Scotia since 2015)
  • Joseph McGinty – Minister of Public Safety – has won his riding in Ottawa South seven times
  • Ruby Sahota – Minister of Democratic Institutions and federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario; MP for Brampton North
  • Joanne Thompson – Minister of Seniors (St John’s East MP in Newfoundland and Labrador)

===== Continuing in cabinet:

Along withh the cabinet ministers announced today, there are now 38 cabinet ministers in Trudeau’s Liberal cabinet:

The new ministers will work with all members of Cabinet to deliver real, positive change for Canadians. They join the following ministers remaining in their portfolio:

  • Terry Beech, Minister of Citizens’ Services
  • Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence
  • François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
  • Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant
  • Karina Gould, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
  • Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
  • Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
  • Mark Holland, Minister of Health
  • Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development
  • Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
  • Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
  • Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities
  • Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
  • Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
  • Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
  • Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
  • Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
  • Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
  • Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
  • Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage
  • Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
  • Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business
  • Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
  • Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
ist main, alistair macgregor
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