In a major cabinet shuffle on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promoted seven rookies to his front bench, dropped seven ministers, and reassigned the majority of cabinet roles.
In a ceremony at Rideau Hall, presided over by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, Trudeau orchestrated one of, if not the most consequential reconfigurations to his cabinet since 2015, meant to reset the minority Liberal agenda after eight years in power.
“What a team,” Trudeau said, kicking off his post-shuffle press conference, backed by his new roster of ministers.
While the prime minister denied that such a sizeable shakeup was a signal that 2023 hasn’t been going as the Liberals had hoped, the occasion certainly was the federal political event of the summer so far that will have ripple effects in the months to come.
Trudeau acknowledged this shuffle comes at a time where “there are storm clouds all around the world,” that are having real impacts on Canadians, from the war in Ukraine, to the rise in authoritarianism and foreign interference, to the cost-of-living crunch.
“This is a positive step in a moment of consequential impact in the world, and in the country. We know times are challenging, but this is the team that is going to be able to continue the hard work rolling up their sleeves and delivering for Canadians… as we build a brighter and ambitious future for all Canadians,” Trudeau said.
“Making sure that we have the best possible team, aligned to respond to Canadians’ challenges with the supports necessary, but also show that optimism, that ambition for getting us through these consequential times… That’s what we’re focused on.”
BIG NAMES MOVED TO NEW FILES
As Liberals arrived to a spray of television cameras and political reporters, few said much about what awaited them inside, though a few indicated that it was a good morning and were looking forward to their new roles.
While most ministers were in high spirits, all eyes were on Anita Anand, who was handed one of the most high-profile reassignments on Wednesday. She was bumped from defence to become Treasury Board president.
Asked by reporters how she felt leaving defence with unfinished business, Anand said she was “extremely excited” to work as part of the enhanced economic policy team, while indicating Blair is committed to pick up where she left off.
President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand takes the oath of office as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on during a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Former police chief and emergency preparedness point-man Bill Blair replaces Anand as minister of defence, taking on the high-profile international cabinet post amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and continued defence spending pressures.
Taking on the re-prioritized housing file at a time of affordability concerns is Sean Fraser, who moves from immigration to become minister of housing, infrastructure and communities. Combining the infrastructure and housing files at a time where the need for cross-jurisdictional collaboration on building more houses
Also picking up key economic roles are Randy Boissonnault, who is now the minister of employment, workforce development, but also official languages minister; and Mary Ng who has a similar portfolio to what she held a day ago, now formally titled as minister of export promotion, international trade and economic development.
Trudeau’s close ally and longtime friend Dominic LeBlanc becomes public safety, democratic institutions, and intergovernmental affairs minister, seeing him maintain his relationships with the provinces and the ongoing foreign interference public inquiry negotiations, while adding in responsibility for key gun control legislation and RCMP reform.
In a move many predicted, Pablo Rodriguez becomes transport minister tasked with ensuring Canadian travellers are well-treated by Canadian air and rail services, while maintaining the Quebec lieutenant role, while Pascale St-Onge takes over the minister of Canadian heritage portfolio.
This will make the first out lesbian in cabinet Trudeau’s new lead on some hot online platform policies, including the ongoing debacle over implementing online news regulations following the passage of Bill C-18. Heritage is a file sources close to St-Onge have said she’s interested in and fits as a next step following her time overseeing the sport portfolio.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is applauded at a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Jean-Yves Duclos becomes minister of public services and procurement, a move he said he didn’t see as a demotion after helping navigate the last few post-COVID-19 years.
I am an economist by training… we want to focus very much on the cost of living, helping Canadians put food on the table, also helping grow the economy. And in my new role, I will have many tools to do that,” he said.
Taking over the health file is outgoing House leader Mark Holland. Karina Gould is the new leader of the government in the House of Commons, poised to lead the Liberals in the Chamber, a key role during question period.
Trudeau announced that when Gould takes parental leave this winter, given she’s expecting her second child, Chief Government Whip Steven MacKinnon will take over as House leader until she returns, and current deputy whip Ruby Sahota will fill in for MacKinnon.
Jonathan Wilkinson is now Canada’s minister of energy but maintains the natural resources portion of his title. Similarly, Seamus O’Regan maintains his minister of labour role, but has been given the additional responsibility of minister of seniors.
As for other Atlantic Canadians given new roles: Gudie Hutchings holds her role as minister of rural economic development, while adding in responsibility for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Lawrence MacAulay becomes agriculture and agri-food minister, and Ginette Petitpas Taylor takes over for MacAulay as veterans affairs minister and associate minister of national defence.
Harjit Sajjan becomes King’s Privy Council president and the minister of emergency preparedness, where his past military experience will be tapped into as Canada continues to evolve its natural disaster response plans and respond to a devastating wildfire season. He also becomes the minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada.
Fellow B.C. minister and Paralympian Carla Qualtrough becomes minister of sport and physical activity, picking back up a file she’s previously held.
Close Trudeau ally Marc Miller becomes minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, after years spent building relationships with Indigenous communities. Ahmed Hussen has been dropped from housing and becomes minister of international development. Picking up the diversity, inclusion, and persons with disabilities files is Kamal Khera.
A few other ministers who have held their roles over successive previous shuffles are also on the move: Marie-Claude Bibeau becomes Canada’s minister of national revenue, aka the minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency.
And, former CRA minister Diane Lebouthillier is now the minister of fisheries, oceans and the Canadian coast guard. Should there be further findings regarding the ill-fated Titan submersible, expect this francophone minister to front those questions.
SEVEN ROOKIES IN, SEVEN MINISTERS OUT
As senior government sources confirmed ahead of Wednesday’s shuffle, seven ministers are out of cabinet: Omar Alghabra, Joyce Murray, Helena Jaczek, Carolyn Bennett, Marco Mendicino, David Lametti, and Mona Fortier.
These departures have paved the way for the prime minister to promote several backbench Liberal MPs from key battleground ridings in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
Mississauga-Streetsville MP Rechie Valdez arrives for a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 26, 202. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The seven rookie MPs who have clinched cabinet posts are
Scarborough-Rouge Park, Ont. MP Gary Anandasangaree, who becomes minister of Crown-Indigenous relations after serving as a parliamentary secretary and a Liberal MP since 2015;
Parkdale-High Park, Ont. MP Arif Virani, who was first elected in 2015, and now has a major new role: Canada’s minister of justice and attorney general, picking up several bills left by Lametti before the House;
Burnaby North-Seymour, B.C. MP Terry Beech, who has also been in the House since 2015, now gets a brand new title, becoming the minister of citizens’ services;
Hochelaga, Que. MP Soraya Martinez Ferrada, becomes minister of tourism and is responsible for the Quebec economic development agency. She was first elected in 2019;
York Centre, Ont. MP Ya’ara Saks, first elected in a 2020 byelection becomes minister of mental health and addictions, holding on to a role held by a nearby former minister Bennett;
Kanata-Carleton, Ont. MP Jenna Sudds, first elected in 2021 becomes minister of families, children and social development, picking up the Ottawa-area vacancy left by Fortier’s cabinet departure; and
Mississauga-Streetsville, Ont. MP Rechie Valdez, first elected in 2021 as Canada’s first Filipina MP, becomes minister of small business.
“It just really demonstrates that decoupling small business from the larger portfolio shows the importance, and I’ve been advocating it, for it since I began as an MP, Valdez said to reporters after becoming emotional during her oath-swearing. “It’s incredibly important that we focus on the small businesses, because they are the backbone of our economy and I truly believe that, being that I was a small business entrepreneur myself.”
Asked by reporters why he chose to remove those three, Trudeau was unspecific, beyond saying it was about “putting forward the strongest possible team, with fresh energy, and a range of skills.”
In a statement posted to social media Wednesday morning, Mendicino—who was at the centre of shuffle chatter over his handling of hot files—said it had been “an honour” to serve as a minister in the immigration and public safety portfolios for nearly four years, and said he plans to stick around as the Liberal MP for Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.
“Those who know me well know that politics is in my blood… I have every intention of continuing to serve for the remainder of this mandate, and into the next election,” Mendicino said.
“To my cabinet and caucus colleagues, it remains a privilege to work with you. The seating arrangements may move around in the House of Commons from time to time, but we are family and committed to the same cause.”
In his lengthy public comment, Lametti called his time as justice minister the privilege of his life, congratulated two of his former parliamentary secretaries for their promotions, and reflected on his accomplishments from passing a conversion therapy ban, to tabling a new process for wrongful convictions.
JUST 8 MINISTERS MAINTAIN ROLES
A sign of just how seismic Trudeau’s cabinet reconfiguration is, only eight ministers were left untouched:
Francois-Philippe Champagne, left to right, Chrystia Freeland and Mary Ng arrive for a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland;
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne;
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly;
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault;
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu;
Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien;
Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal, who also oversees Prairie economic development; and
Minister Filomena Tassi who is responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Trudeau defended his decision to keep these ministers in their current roles, particularly Freeland, at a time where Canadians continue to feel the pinch of inflation and are uncertain about the country’s economic trajectory.
“We need to continue to put our very best foot forward and work even harder,” he said, adding that he’s “so proud” to continue this work alongside his deputy prime minister.
“We’re bolstering that economic team with the likes of Jean-Yves Duclos, Sean Fraser, Anita Anand and others that are going to continue to step up and make sure Canadians know that we’ve got their backs, but we’ve also got them into the kind of ambitious and optimistic future I know Canadians want, and that is a clear contrast from the ‘brokenness’ philosophy that the leader of the Conservative Party continues to put forward,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau’s entire top tier was invited to attend the ceremony at the governor general’s residence, regardless of if they were on the move or not. Also there to watch were some of Trudeau’s top PMO staffers, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre, and a number of ministers’ aides. The shuffle is now likely to also trigger a considerable staffing shakeup.
WHY SHUFFLE NOW?
A senior government source told CTV News that Trudeau and his inner circle have looked at this shuffle as “fortifying” the prime minister’s economic team around issues such as housing affordability and the clean energy transition, to present a clear contrast to their main Conservative opponents when it comes to how they view and communicate on these issues.
It’s also been widely discussed that elevating high-performers into key posts today may help the Liberals, after eight years in power, present a refreshed face to make the case to the Canadian public that they’re re-electable.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Wednesday’s changes have not changed the size of the cabinet, with 38 members—19 men and 19 women— in the gender-balanced cabinet, not counting the prime minister. Maintaining gender parity is a standard Trudeau set when his first cabinet was sworn-in in 2015.
This shakeup is the first major change since the Liberals’ 2021 election win, and the prime minister is hoping with these changes to lock in the team he will lead into the next election, currently slated for 2025.
Asked Wednesday whether he could commit to not pulling the plug on the current minority Parliament and launching the country into an early election, Trudeau was not absolute, but said they still have “so much work to do over the coming years.”
With all parties continuing to prepare for the next election, the opposition is already signalling that these changes aren’t going to be enough to turn around slipping Liberal polling numbers.
From Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stating Trudeau should be the one getting a new job, to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, and Green Party Deputy Leader Jonathan Pedneault all noting several problem files remain, the reset team has their work cut out for them.
“Despite the appearance of a new beginning, this government is poised to continue in the same direction at a time when the problems facing Canadians warrant foundational changes to our economy, our politics and our federation,” Pedneault said in a statement. “Just like Pierre Poilievre taking off his glasses, Justin Trudeau’s cabinet reshuffle has more to do with cosmetics than politics.”
Last on the itinerary for the new cabinet on their big day, was a 4 p.m. EDT meeting in West Block.
Holding cabinet meetings shortly after a shuffle is something Trudeau has done in the past, with analysts suggesting it’s an effort to signal that the team is rolling up their sleeves and getting to work right away.
Trudeau’s office confirmed Wednesday that “in the coming weeks” changes will be announced to the makeup of cabinet committees, and the membership of a new “National Security Council” that is being billed as “a new forum for ministers to deliberate on and address issues of pressing concern to Canada’s domestic and international security.”
Then, it’ll be on the new ministry to get down to work on the refocused promises Trudeau mandates them to prioritize, a prepare for the September return of Parliament.
HALIFAX – When legal scholar Elaine Craig started researching pornography, she knew little about websites such as Pornhub or xHamster — and she did not anticipate that the harsh scenes she would view would at times force her to step away.
Four years later, the Dalhousie University law professor has published a book that portrays in graphic detail the rise of ubiquitous free porn, concluding it is causing harm to the “sexual integrity” of girls, women and the community at large.
The 386-page volume, titled “Mainstreaming Porn” (McGill-Queen’s University Press), begins by outlining how porn-streaming firms claim to create “safe spaces” for adults to view “consensual, perfectly legal sex,” as their moderators — both automated and human — keep depictions of illegal acts off the sites.
But as the 49-year-old professor worked through the topic, she came to question these claims. Depictions of sex that find their way onto the platforms are far from benign, she says.
“Representations of sex in mainstream porn … that weaponize sex against women and girls, that represent it as a tactic to be deployed against unconscious women or unsuspecting ‘daughters’ when their mothers are not home … do not promote sexual integrity and human flourishing,” she writes in her closing chapter.
Joanna Birenbaum, a Toronto-based lawyer who has worked with sexual assault victims for 20 years, said in a recent email that Craig’s work is the first to “really make the connection between porn, its impact on women and girls … and the ways in which it has evolved to become part of the tech industry.”
“It is eye-opening because it is so frank and concrete … for those who are unaware of what can be found on these mainstream platforms.”
For example, Canadian criminal law is clear that when a person is asleep, they lack the capacity for sexual consent. But Craig’s online searches of porn platforms found “countless videos” depicting the perpetration of sexual assault on “sleeping or unconscious women.” The difference in the pseudo-reality of porn was the women were almost always depicted as pleased and accepting.
Meanwhile, the book finds that “incest-based” porn — and the associated “tags” designed to draw viewers — are “as prolific as they are popular.” Craig said during an interview at her campus office that she believes a subset of this category, showing male family members having sex with female performers depicted as girls, meets the definition of child pornography.
Then there are the depictions of the surreptitious filming of sex without the knowledge of those being recorded, “another relatively common phenomenon on porn-streaming platforms,” she writes. In her closing chapters, she urges all provinces to pass laws to allow rapid removal of such material from sites.
For Craig, a mother of two boys, her journey into this world was draining. After writing the chapter on incest-themed porn, she had to take three months away from the project. “I found it challenging to watch some of it,” she said.
In her book, Craig notes how last year, after a judge sentenced an Ottawa man to seven years in prison for posting secret sex videos, a vice-president with Ethical Capital Partners — which owns Pornhub’s parent Aylo — said the site no longer allows individuals to search for videos under the tag, “hidden camera.”
But when Craig checked she found that, while the term “hidden camera” yielded no videos on Pornhub, using just the term “hidden” did produce results. Titles on the first page of her search results included, “Dragged a sexy classmate into bed and filmed sex on a hidden phone.” Other categories including “secret voyeur,” “real amateur hidden” and “spy” also yielded videos.
A Pornhub spokesman said in an emailed statement this week that the company has a list of more than 35,000 banned keywords and millions of permutations “that prevent users from trying to search for words that may violate our terms of service.” He said the list is “constantly evolving, with new words regularly added in multiple languages.”
In her closing chapters, Craig questions whether using criminal law to go after the producers and possessors of the porn she considers illegal will be effective. Instead she prefers a human rights approach that identifies “hateful” porn and monitors remedies over time.
Her research found that certain graphic slurs directed at women yielded links to hundreds of videos last year on Pornhub, and Craig argues these expressions can be seen as part of a “taxonomy of misogyny and racism” that the sites are building.
She argues for federal legislation to prohibit streaming companies from promoting videos with titles, tags and categories that meet the definition of hate speech — “vilification and detestation on the basis of sex or race, for example.”
The author notes that the Online Harms Act — currently before Parliament — would create a digital safety commission and impose a “duty of responsibility” on porn sites to prevent harmful content toward children. However, Craig calls for the same approach to be applied to “the unique harms” the streaming platforms are creating for women.
Craig argues against an “absolutist” ban on porn, making the case that this is unrealistic, but she calls for a landscape where “sex should not be mean” and where parents and schools start to educate teenagers about the harmful forms of sexuality they may encounter on the free platforms.
“Mainstream porn-streaming platforms should be held more responsible for preventing these harms and for bearing their costs when they fail,” she writes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
WASHINGTON – Donald Trump’s second administration is filling up with some of his most loyal supporters and many of the people landing top jobs have been critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and security at Canada’s border.
One expert says there are not many Canadian allies, so far, in the president-elect’s court.
“I don’t see a whole lot of friends of Canada in there,” said Fen Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa and co-chair of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.
As the Republican leader starts making crucial decisions about his administration, designations for foreign policy and border positions have sent signals to Canada, and the rest of the world, about America’s path forward.
Trump campaigned on imposing a minimum 10 per cent across-the-board import tariff. A Canadian Chamber of Commerce report suggests that would shrink the Canadian economy, resulting in around $30 billion per year in economic costs.
The president-elect is also critical of giving aid to Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression and has attacked the United Nations, both things the Liberal government in Canada strongly backs.
Trump tapped Mike Waltz to be national security adviser amid increasing geopolitical instability, saying in a statement Tuesday that Waltz “will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!”
Waltz, a three-term congressman from Florida, has repeatedly slammed Trudeau on social media, particularly for his handling of issues related to China.
He also recently weighed in on the looming Canadian election, posting on X that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was going to “send Trudeau packing in 2025” and “start digging Canada out of the progressive mess it’s in.”
Like Trump, Waltz has been critical of NATO members that don’t meet defence spending targets — something Canada is not doing, and won’t do for years.
Trudeau promised to meet the target of spending the equivalent of two per cent of GDP on defence by 2032.
Immigration and border security were a key focus for Republicans during the election and numerous key appointees have their eyes to the north.
It’s been reported that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a vocal critic of China, is expected to be named Secretary of State.
Rubio has pointed to concerns at the Canada-U.S. border. He recently blasted Canada’s move to accept Palestinian refugees, claiming “terrorists and known criminals continue to stream across U.S. land borders, including from Canada.”
Trump’s choice for ambassador to the United Nations, New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, has also focused on the border with Canada.
Stefanik, as a member of the Northern Border Security Caucus, called for Homeland Security to secure the border, claiming there had been an increase in human and drug trafficking.
“We must protect our children from these dangerous illegal immigrants who are pouring across our northern border in record numbers,” she posted on X last month.
Stefanik has little foreign policy experience, but Trump described her as a “smart America First fighter.” She repeatedly denounced the UN, saying the international organization is antisemitic for its criticism of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
U.S. media reports say longtime Trump loyalist Kristi Noem, South Dakota’s governor, has been chosen to run Homeland Security. She was on the shortlist to be vice-president until controversy erupted over an anecdote in her book about shooting a dog.
“She doesn’t seem to have very warm feelings (toward Canada),” Hampson said
Last year, she claimed to be having conversations with a Canadian family-owned business looking to relocate to her state because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
But Noem has also said that the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, negotiated under the first Trump administration, was “a major win.”
The trilateral agreement is up for review in 2026.
Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s former trade representative , has been an informal adviser for the president-elect’s transition and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said they remain in contact.
He has been touted by analysts as an option for several jobs in Trump’s second administration, including a return to the trade file, though Hampson said he is unlikely to go back to the trade representative role.
Hampson said there are still significant questions about how sweeping the tariffs could be and if there will be carve-outs for industries like energy. Trump and his team may also hang the tariff threat over upcoming trade negotiations.
“Is he going to stick us with a tariff Day 1 or shortly after?” Hampson asked.
Some experts have called for Canada to remain calm and focus on opportunities rather than fears. Others have called for bold action and creative thinking.
Canada revived a cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations a little more than 24 hours after Trump’s win was secured.
Trudeau said Tuesday in Fredericton that under the first Trump presidency, Canada successfully negotiated the trilateral trade deal by demonstrating that the country’s interests and economies are aligned.
“That is going to continue to be the case,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
The Toronto Sceptres have opened training camp for the upcoming PWHL season, with a new logo, new colours, new jerseys and a new primary venue in Coca-Cola Coliseum. The team has a lot to look ahead to after a busy off-season and successful inaugural campaign. (Nov. 12, 2024)
President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand takes the oath of office as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on during a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is applauded at a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Mississauga-Streetsville MP Rechie Valdez arrives for a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 26, 202. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Francois-Philippe Champagne, left to right, Chrystia Freeland and Mary Ng arrive for a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
