When Prime Minister Mark Carney released his new cabinet this week, there were 15 fresh faces among the group. There were also 13 that had served in the previous cabinet of Justin Trudeau.
Carney insists that his entire cabinet the appropriate balance between “new perspectives” and experienced voices, but opposition critics have seized the retreats from the Trudeau era as evidence that the new liberal government represents more of the same.
“There is a great change in this cabinet, out of necessity,” said Carney after Tuesday’s sworn ceremony at Rideau Hall. “The Canadians voted for change, and part of it is bringing those new perspectives.
“But it also means that half of the cabinet has experience,” he added. “Maybe they were in different roles, but they will be around the table … half and half, for me it is perfect.”
Many of those old hands have assumed roles that will be instrumental as Carney tries to implement his agenda, particularly transforming Canada’s economy against the tariff threats of US President Donald Trump.
Anita Anand, who held several cabinet positions in the Trudeau government, is one of the ministers who lead the relations of Canada-states united in her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Minister of Finance, François-Philippe, and the Minister of Commerce of Canada, Dominic Leblanc, maintain similar roles, as well as transport and the Minister of Internal Commerce, Chrystia Freeland.
Defense Minister David McGuinty and Gary Anandasangaree, who take care of the Public Security portfolio, are also former Trudeau ministers, as well as the new Minister of the Industry, Mélanie Joly.
Sean Fraser, Steven Guilbeault, Patty Hajdu, Steven Mackinnon, Joanne Thompson and Rechie Valdez are also capable of the anterior cabinet.
That continuity led the conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to criticize the Carney front bank for its resemblance to that of the former prime minister.
“The first disappointment is, unfortunately, its cabinet,” Pailievre said on Tuesday. “He appointed the former Trudeau team and the old advisors of Trudeau.”
The vice president of the conservatives, Melissa Laintsman, published a photo on the social networks that showed the front ranks at the juror ceremony of the new cabinet on Tuesday. They consisted only of ministers who were also part of the Trudeau Cabinet.
“No, you’re not wrong, this image is today,” Lantsman joked.
Guilbeult told Nil Köksal on CBC’s radio As happens that the cabinet needs experience together with the new blood.
“If you get rid of all the previous cabinet ministers, many people would have said: ‘These are new people, where are all people who have experience with the cabinet?” Guilbeault said.
Stéphanie Chouinard, associate professor of Political Science at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, said that the new faces are necessary to show the Canadians that a new chapter has begun, but the rookies must start working.
At the same time, the ministers who return must demonstrate that they have what is needed to carry out their new mandates.
“It will depend on each of these ministers to demonstrate that they can advance the mandate that has been given,” said Chouinard. “If you don’t comply, I think they will listen to the boss sooner rather than later.”
Two of the key ministers of Carney, Anand and Fraser, had announced their intentions to get out of federal policy before the elections. Now, they serve as Foreign Ministers and Justice, respectively.
Fraser, who directed the housing and immigration portfolios under Trudeau, announced his departure in December due to the tension that the work could in his family life.
Anand was president of the Treasury Board, a role she said she was central to go to the federal government’s expense. He had planned to return to her previous career as a law teacher when Trudeau resigned, but reversed the course when the tide began to resort to the liberals under the leadership of Carney.
The new cabinet has 29 ministers, including Carney, with eight novice parliamentarians jumping directly to the front bank. They will be supported by 10 states secretaries.
Carney said Tuesday that he wants his Cabinet to reflect Canada “in all its diversity, greatness and experience.”
“I don’t want a cabinet that looks like me,” he said.
