OTTAWA

Justin Trudeau’s new cabinet: Bill Blair’s big promotion

The PM promoted five MPs to cabinet and shuffled five others. Here’s his new team.

Justin Trudeau unveiled a revamped cabinet at Rideau Hall, promoting five Liberals to the big table and shuffling five others into new portfolios. The new cabinet features 17 men and 17 women, plus Trudeau. Nearly half the cabinet is from Ontario, and eight ministers are from Quebec. Six ministers represent ridings west of Ontario, and six more hail from Atlantic provinces. The territories have no representation in cabinet.

Bill Blair, the government’s point-man on pot legalization, is now the minister of border security and organized crime reduction. Paul Wells dissects Blair’s elevation, and what it means for Doug Ford, Blair’s biggest enemy at Queen’s Park.

This is Trudeau’s new cabinet, starting with the ministers sworn in today at Rideau Hall.

New and shuffled ministers:

Bill Blair

Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction

Former job: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and to the Minister of Health

Riding: Scarborough Southwest, Ont.

READ MORE: Bill Blair: The former top cop in charge of Canada’s pot file


Jim Carr

Minister of International Trade Diversification

Former job: Minister of Natural Resources

Riding: Winnipeg South Centre, Man.


François-Philippe Champagne

Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Former job: Minister of International Trade

Riding: Saint-Maurice-Champlain, Que.

PAUL WELLS: François-Philippe Champagne has things to say


Mélanie Joly

Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie

Former job: Minister of Heritage

Riding: Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Que.

READ MORE: The sunniest Liberal, Mélanie Joly


Dominic LeBlanc

Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade

Former job: Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

Riding: Beauséjour, N.B.


Mary Ng

Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion

Former job: Member of Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, and member of Standing Committee on Natural Resources

Riding: Markham—Thornhill, Ont.


Pablo Rodriguez

Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

Former job: Chief Government Whip

Riding: Honoré-Mercier, Que.


Amarjeet Sohi

Minister of Natural Resources

Former job: Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Riding: Edmonton Mill Woods, Alta.


Filomena Tassi

Minister of Seniors

Former job: Deputy Government Whip

Riding: Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, Ont.

READ MORE: How Filomena Tassi won a three-way race in Hamilton


Jonathan Wilkinson

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard

Former job: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Riding: North Vancouver, B.C.


The rest of cabinet:

Navdeep Bains

Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Riding: Mississauga-Malton, Ont.


Carolyn Bennett

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Riding: Toronto—St. Paul’s, Ont.


Marie-Claude Bibeau

Minister of International Development
Riding: Compton-Stanstead, Que.


Scott Brison

President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government
Riding: Kings-Hants, N.S.


Bardish Chagger

Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Riding: Waterloo, Ont.


Jean-Yves Duclos

Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Riding: Quebec, Que.


Kirsty Duncan

Minister of Science and Sport
Riding: Etobicoke North, Ont.


Chrystia Freeland

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Riding: University-Rosedale, Ont.


Marc Garneau

Minister of Transport
Riding: Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount, Que.


Ralph Goodale

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Riding: Regina-Wascana, Sask.


Karina Gould

Minister of Democratic Institutions
Riding: Burlington, Ont.


Patty Hajdu

Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
Riding: Thunder Bay-Superior North, Ont.


Ahmed Hussen

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Riding: York South-Weston, Ont.


Diane Lebouthillier

Minister of National Revenue
Riding: Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.


Lawrence MacAulay

Minister of Agriculture
Riding: Cardigan, P.E.I.


Catherine McKenna

Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Riding: Ottawa Centre, Ont.


Maryam Monsef

Minister of Status of Women
Riding: Peterborough, Ont.


Bill Morneau

Minister of Finance
Riding: Toronto Centre, Ont.


Seamus O’Regan

Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
Riding: St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, N.L.


Ginette Petitpas Taylor

Minister of Health
Riding: Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, N.B.


Jane Philpott

Minister of Indigenous Services
Riding: Markham-Stouffville, Ont.


Carla Qualtrough

Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility
Riding: Delta, B.C.


Harjit Sajjan

Minister of National Defence
Riding: Vancouver South, B.C.


Jody Wilson-Raybould

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Riding: Vancouver Granville, B.C.

MORE ABOUT CABINET SHUFFLE:

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.