OTTAWA 鈥 Prime Minister Mark Carney will reveal his first post-election cabinet on Tuesday, with a revamped front bench that will feature many new faces from the bolstered ranks of the governing Liberal party.聽
Carney’s office confirmed Monday that the new cabinet will have less than 30 members, including “up to 10” secretaries of state 鈥 a revitalized position for junior ministers devoted to specific issues. At least half the total cabinet will consist of MPs who have never sat on the governing council before, including some just elected for the first time in the April 28 national vote that returned the Liberals to power.
That means several members of Carney’s current 23-member cabinet will be shown the door on Tuesday.聽
With Carney himself getting elected for the first time in the Ottawa riding of Nepean, the new cabinet is seen in Liberal circles as the prime minister’s chance to set the tone for his government in the upcoming minority Parliament.聽
Billing the cabinet as smaller and more focused than those under prime minister Justin Trudeau, Carney’s office said the return of secretaries of state 鈥 not seen since Stephen Harper was prime minister聽鈥 is part of an effort to highlight the key priorities of the new administration.聽An official from Carney’s office, who spoke on condition of anonymity Monday, said the new junior ministers will be assigned to specific 鈥 even “very specific” 鈥 issues for the government.
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Elected just two seats shy of a majority, as of the latest count, the Liberals won a fourth straight mandate in power, with Carney vowing to “build, baby, build” to supercharge economic growth and combat American trade tariffs and U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to annex Canada. The prime minister has also promised to eradicate federal trade barriers within Canada by July 1, fast track major “nation-building” development projects, and double the annual pace of new homebuilding to confront a shortage that has helped drive up the cost of housing.聽
Further details of the new cabinet were kept under tight wraps on Monday, as rumours and speculation about Carney’s plans dominated Liberal circles 鈥 along with talk about how they would indicate whose star was rising, and whose influence was fading in the new government.聽
Speaking to dozens of MPs, staff and party insiders in recent days, the Star found that many did not know precise details of how Carney planned to shape his first cabinet since the election, though several confirmed moves they expected to happen.聽
Three sources told the Star that Agriculture Minister Kody Blois, a re-elected MP from Nova Scotia, is expected to be dropped from cabinet, while former cabinet minister Sean Fraser 鈥 who planned to leave federal politics before changing his mind to run again under Carney’s leadership 鈥 is anticipated to be brought back in.聽
Two other sources said former Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is also expected to join Carney’s cabinet, while Trudeau-era ministers M茅lanie Joly, Steven Guilbeault, and Steven MacKinnon are believed to be staying on Carney’s front bench. The Prime Minister’s Office did not confirm any of the moves and cabinet decisions can be subject to change.聽
With 67 new MPs elected in April, the prime minister had many options to bring in new faces. In conversations with the Star, several Liberal insiders spoke of the need to include figures from various diverse communities, as well as regions of Canada. Carney has also said he would continue Trudeau’s practice of appointment an equal number of men and women to cabinet.聽
In last month’s election, the Liberal’s lost Health Minister Kamal Khera in Brampton, raising questions about who from Peel Region might replace her in cabinet. They also won two seats in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan, meaning Carney could choose from Calgary’s Corey Hogan, Edmonton’s Eleanor Olszewski and northern Saskatchewan’s Buckley Belanger for cabinet representation from the provinces.聽
Carney’s cabinet choice will also feature filling several secretary of state roles. The position was created in 1993 under former prime minister Jean Chr茅tien, in order to offer additional support to ministers. While not formal members of the front bench, secretaries of state are nevertheless members of the Privy Council, which supports the prime minister and cabinet.聽
Former prime minister Stephen Harper also made use of the title to support members of his cabinet during part of his tenure. The term is also used in the United Kingdom, where Carney previously served at Governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020.聽
According to the official from Carney’s office, the new secretaries of state will have a small number of staff, and participate in cabinet meetings 鈥 and cabinet committee meetings 鈥 only when their designated issues are on the agenda.聽
Tuesday’s cabinet swearing-in ceremony is set for 10:30 a.m. at Rideau Hall.聽
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