Unelected Carney becomes PM, lines cabinet with Trudeau ministers

Central banker Mark Carney is now officially Canada’s 24th Prime Minister despite never holding an elected seat in Canada.

Source: Facebook

Central banker Mark Carney is now officially Canada’s 24th Prime Minister despite never holding an elected seat in Canada.

Governor General Mary Simon swore in Carney and his 20-seat cabinet at 11 a.m. Friday. While Carney’s new cabinet is smaller than that of former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government, several familiar faces remain.

“We’ll be a very focused government and we will get to action right away,” Carney said before walking into the ceremony.

While Carney’s cabinet is smaller than Trudeau’s, several familiar faces from the former prime minister’s inner circle remain in the new government, which may be short-lived if an election is called.

Anita Anand, the former transport and trade minister was appointed as Carney’s Innovation Minister. Other cabinet members who were formerly loyal to Trudeau and now hold positions in Carney’s government include Steven Guilbeault, Bill Blair, Jonathan Wilkinson and Chrystia Freeland.

Defence Minister Blair will remain in his role at a time when Canada’s defence is a major concern for U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson will stay on in his position also. However, former environment minister, Steven Guilbeault is now the Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, as well as Carney’s Quebec Lieutenant.

Although vying for the Liberal leadership, Freeland has taken a role as Minister of Transport and Internal Trade.

As for former labour minister Steven MacKinnon, he has secured a place in Carney’s cabinet as the Minister of Jobs and Families.

Several key figures on the U.S.-Canada file remain in positions to continue their work. Former finance minister Dominic LeBlanc was sworn in as Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs, Foreign Affairs Minister Melany Joly will remain in that file but will also add innovation to her portfolio. Francois-Philippe Champagne was appointed as Carney’s Finance Minister.

Public Safety Minister David McGuinty will continue in the same position.

Carney appointed three Liberal MPs who were previously not in Trudeau’s cabinet: Toronto MP Ali Ehsassi, London MP Arielle Kayabaga and Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois were appointed Public Services Minister, Government House Leader and Agriculture Minister, respectively.

Other familiar faces from Trudeau’s 37-seat cabinet will also stay on, including Gary Anandasangaree, who will take on the role of Attorney General of Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations. Housing Minister Nathaniel Erskine Smith will keep his job, and Kamal Khera, Trudeau’s former DEI minister, will now be Carney’s Health Minister.

Rechie Valdez was appointed as the Government Whip, Patty Hajdu takes on the role of Minister of Indigenous Services, Terry Duguid the new Environment Minister, and Élisabeth Brière​ will be Carney’s Minister of Veteran Affairs and will be responsible for the Canadian Revenue Agency. Rachel Bendayan will replace Marc Miller as Canada’s Immigration Minister.

Joanne Thompson was appointed as the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Ginette Petitpas Taylor, President of the Treasury Board.

Mary Ng did not receive a ministerial role in the new cabinet despite holding former positions in the Trudeau government. Ng was the subject of foreign interference accusations in recent years.

Former health minister Mark Holland and justice minister Arif Virani have both declared they are not running in the next election and did not receive a cabinet position.