The Top Line
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Cabinet appointed today was crafted with three clear objectives in mind: to signal a definitive break from the style and substance of his predecessor’s government; to build out the team Members that will be tasked with driving the Prime Minister’s ambitious economic growth and productivity agenda; and, to establish a refreshed team of Ministers to support the Prime Minister on the crucial Canada–U.S. file.
This is a Cabinet defined by change. A majority of the new Ministers are serving in Cabinet for the first time, with many also new to the House of Commons. The scale of renewal is striking—and ambitious. Given the fast-paced, decision-oriented style the Prime Minister has already shown since taking office, the challenge of onboarding so many inexperienced ministers should not be underestimated, especially with the House of Commons set to return in under two weeks and a full Spring agenda awaiting action.
Today’s shuffle has also quietly transformed the Ministers whom the Prime Minister will be relying on to handle the government’s most important and unpredictable file, Canada–U.S. relations. While today’s Cabinet shuffle signalled significant change, this team by contrast is long on experience, with two of the team Members having significant and varied Cabinet experience, and all of them long-serving MPs with a strong understanding of the role of Cabinet and Parliament.
The full Ministry, including the ten Secretaries of State, also underscores a strong commitment to regional balance. Every province is represented within the Ministry, Saskatchewan’s Buckley Belanger is the Secretary of State (Rural Development), which is not part of the full Cabinet, along with a dedicated voice for the North. This ensures that the government’s economic and policy agenda reflects the full diversity of Canada’s federation. Equally historic is the appointment of Mandy Gull-Masty as Minister of Indigenous Services—the first Indigenous Member of Parliament ever to hold the portfolio.
A New Team
This Cabinet represents a deliberate departure from the status quo under Prime Minister Trudeau. Of the 29 members in the Cabinet, a significant portion—15 individuals—are first-time Ministers, including nine first-time MPs. This signals Carney’s readiness to bring in new voices and perspectives, regardless of previous experience in Cabinet. Eleven Members of the Cabinet Prime Minister Carney appointed in March are no longer in Cabinet, despite only one losing their seat in the recent election. This reflects a clear willingness to make bold personnel decisions based on alignment with the Prime Minister’s strategic direction, rather than continuity or internal politics.
The 10 Secretaries of State appointed today are also all new to the Ministry, adding to the change theme of today’s announcement.
Economic Growth and Productivity
Prime Minister Carney’s priority since becoming Prime Minister is to focus on economic growth and productivity. This is no surprise as these issues have been a focal point for his whole career. Today’s shuffle fleshes out the team he has assembled to help drive this priority. Quebec emerges with substantial influence, as Minister François-Philippe Champagne remains in the powerful role of Finance Minister, and now also assumes responsibility for National Revenue. Mélanie Joly takes over as Minister of Industry, essentially switching roles with Anita Anand, who moves to Foreign Affairs. The renaming of the portfolio from Industry, Science and Economic Development to Industry has raised questions as to how science will fit into the Prime Minister’s economic growth agenda.
In a move that was previewed in the Liberal election platform, the Prime Minister has created an entirely new economic portfolio. Evan Solomon, a newcomer and former journalist, becomes Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation. This new portfolio reflects the Prime Minister’s belief that AI can play a transformative role in Canada’s economic future.
Gregor Robertson takes on the newly defined portfolio of Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. This portfolio is expected to be a critical pillar of the government’s economic strategy, linking affordability, labour mobility, and productivity. Finally, Tim Hodgson, a trusted confidant to the Prime Minister and the former Chairperson of Hydro One, becomes Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. His appointment reinforces the government’s intention to approach energy policy through a lens of economic growth, major project development and national unity.
Canada–U.S. Relations
The team charged with managing Canada–U.S. relations has also been meaningfully restructured. Anita Anand steps into the role of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Minister Anand was front and centre during the election campaign and her move to Foreign Affairs is a reflection of the confidence that the Prime Minister has in her experience. She is joined by Gary Anandasangaree, now Minister of Public Safety, whose work will be central to cross-border cooperation. Together, they will join Dominic LeBlanc, whose many Cabinet duties include Minister responsible for Canada–U.S. trade. Minister Leblanc has quickly evolved from Justin Trudeau’s trusted fixer to Mark Carney’s anchor of experience—a key voice in Cabinet and a figure the new Prime Minister is relying on to achieve results on the government’s most important agenda item. Rounding out this realignment, David McGuinty moves from Public Safety to Defence, where he will be tasked with delivering on Prime Minister Carney’s pledge to significantly boost defence spending. That commitment is likely to be closely watched in Washington.
What This Means to You
Today’s Cabinet appointments mark another decisive step toward the return of a significant and ambitious government and parliamentary agenda. With Parliament set to resume in less than two weeks—and a packed Spring calendar that includes a G7 Summit, a First Ministers’ meeting, and a full Budget or mini-Budget—Ministers will immediately begin intensive departmental briefings and then rapid assembly of their ministerial offices and staff teams.
The structure and composition of this Cabinet reflects the Prime Minister’s broader governing philosophy: a desire to have a disciplined, focused approach that prioritizes fewer initiatives, accelerates decision-making, and is more transparent about the trade-offs involved. This orientation creates a window of opportunity for stakeholders who can clearly define how their priorities align with the government’s policy direction.
For those able to adapt to this new dynamic, there is a strong opening to shape outcomes—particularly if proposals are framed within the government’s central themes of stabilizing Canada–U.S. relations, diversifying trade including internal trade, building public infrastructure and major new energy projects, catalyzing private investment in these areas and addressing affordability concerns particularly housing concerns. The coming weeks will be critical for engaging Ministers and their teams as Ministerial offices and mandates take shape and political momentum builds.
Full Ministry Listing
Ministers
- Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board
- Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
- Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety
- François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue
- Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
- Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
- Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
- Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
- Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
- Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
- Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services
- Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
- Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
- Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy
- Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement
- Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
- Steven MacKinnon, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
- David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence
- Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
- Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health
- Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
- Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
- Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade
- Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
- Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries
- Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
Secretaries of State
- Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State (Rural Development)
- Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)
- Anna Gainey, Secretary of State (Children and Youth)
- Wayne Long, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
- Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors)
- Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature)
- Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)
- Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development)
- Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport)
- John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour)
