Toronto: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a major Cabinet shakeup, including naming Indian-origin Anita Anand as the new foreign minister, on Tuesday as he shapes a newly re-elected Liberal government.
Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau earlier this year and won election last month, named Anand foreign minister, replacing Mélanie Joly, who becomes the minister of industry. Anand previously served in roles including defence minister.
François-Philippe Champagne retains his job as finance minister, while Dominic LeBlanc remains minister of US trade at a time of a trade war between Canada and the United States.
Carney won the job of prime minister by promising to confront the aggression toward Canada shown by US President Donald Trump, while preserving the calm demeanour of an economist who has led the central banks of both Canada and the United Kingdom.
“Canadians elected this new government with a strong mandate to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States and to build a stronger economy for all Canadians,” Carney said.
Carney noted that King Charles III will deliver a speech outlining the Canadian government’s priorities on May 27, when Parliament resumes. Charles is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.
Carney has emphasised Canada’s founding nations, the United Kingdom and France, and has said the old relationship with the U.S. based on steadily increasing integration is over.
More than 10 people were dropped from the new Cabinet, including former defense minister Bill Blair. David McGuinty goes from public safety to defense.
Carney named former Goldman Sachs Canada CEO Tim Hodgson as natural resources minister. Carney, who worked for 14 years at Goldman Sachs, has said he wants to build Canada into an energy “superpower” and prioritize big, “nation building” projects.
Former journalist Evan Solomon is among the new ministers, serving in the new post of minister of artificial intelligence.
Women make up half of the Cabinet, as they did in Trudeau’s Cabinet.
Carney said the new Cabinet is built to deliver the change Canadians want and need.
PTI
