PM to unveil new roster of ministers in sizable shakeup

OTTAWA —
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will soon be unveiling who he’s selected to be a part of his second minority Liberal cabinet, in what sources have told CTV News will include new faces in several key positions.

The swearing-in ceremony is taking place at Rideau Hall, and already ministers, ministers-designate, and their guests have begun arriving.

Jonathan Wilkinson will be shuffled from environment to natural resources, and long-time environmental activist Steven Guilbeault will become the new environment minister.

Deciding to put new faces in the foreign affairs and environment files comes just days before Trudeau’s trip to the G20 Summit in Italy and then the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Scotland.

Maintaining gender parity and enhancing regional representation have been priorities for Trudeau and his team in sculpting this cabinet roster.

After losing four female cabinet ministers after the election—three were defeated and one, Catherine McKenna, did not run again—the prime minister may be expanding the size of his front bench.

Other ministers widely speculated to be on the move are Harjit Sajjan, who could potentially be replaced by a female minister of defence, and Patty Hajdu who after 19 months of the COVID-19 pandemic may be moved from the health file and given a new mandate.

Who Trudeau picks on certain files may also be an indication of what his priorities will be in the 44th Parliament, with expectations that COVID-19’s economic and health impacts will remain agenda item No. 1. Indigenous relations, climate change, and child care were also key Liberal focuses during the 2021 federal election campaign.

In late September, Trudeau announced that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland would stay put and continue to be his second in command.

The new Parliament will kick off on Nov. 22, with a speech from the throne.