Ottawa

Who goes where

Peter Kent goes from Minister of State for Foreign Affairs to Minister of Environment. Diane Ablonczy goes from Minister of State for Seniors to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Julian Fantino becomes Minister of State for Seniors. Ted Menzies goes from parliamentary secretary for finance to Minister of State for Finance.

With the promotion of Mr. Menzies and the addition of Mr. Fantino, the ministry and the cabinet will once again number 38—one short, on both counts, of the historical high mark.

Official news release after the jump.

PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO THE MINISTRY

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced changes to the Ministry at a swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall.

“Canadians have just come through a year during which the rewards of prudent financial stewardship, and of appropriate, well-timed stimulus measures have yielded dividends in jobs and growth” said Prime Minister Harper.  “It is a good note upon which to start a new year. However, the global recovery is fragile.  And there are still far too many jobless Canadians for whom the recovery has yet to become a full reality.  That is why the economy remains the number one priority for Canadians, and must remain the number one priority for our government.”

The following changes to the Ministry are effective immediately:

The Honourable Peter Kent, as Minister of the Environment, will keep advancing efforts to protect Canada’s environment and address climate change at home and abroad.

The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, as Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), will further promote Canada’s political and trade interests in the Americas and help protect Canadians travelling and working outside of the country.

The Honourable Julian Fantino, as Minister of State (Seniors), will work towards ensuring the well-being of Canadian seniors and promote the sharing of their skills, knowledge and experience in their communities; and,

The Honourable Ted Menzies, as Minister of State (Finance), will continue to help provide economic stability and financial security for Canadians.

“This fine tuning of the Ministry will be consistent with our intention to stay the course, ” added the Prime Minister.  “This is a time for stability, not uncertainty.”

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