Nearly the entirety of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet will be new, or find themselves in new roles after a federal cabinet shuffle on Wednesday, CTV News has learned.
In what is shaping up to be a sizeable shakeup of his front bench, seven ministers are confirmed to be leaving cabinet, opening up spots for new faces, while the majority of current members of the prime minister’s front bench are expected to be moved, according to a senior government source.
CTV News has confirmed that in addition to the four cabinet ministers that have announced they will be bowing out of federal politics before the next election, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, Justice Minister David Lametti, and Treasury Board President Mona Fortier will be leaving cabinet.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joyce Murray, Public Services and Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek, and Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett have all said they won’t be running again, and they will be losing their positions in cabinet as part of this shuffle.
In what’s set to be an hour-long ceremony at Rideau Hall on Wednesday—the first major shakeup of the cabinet since fall 2021—senior sources said to expect lots of moving pieces.
The four ministers set to hold on to their current jobs are Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, and Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Defence Minister Anita Anand is one of the ministers CTV News has learned will be getting a new gig, moving into an economic-focused portfolio at Treasury Board. This will leave the key role of defence minister to be taken on by Bill Blair, sources have confirmed. He will be taking on this high-profile international role amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and continued defence spending pressures.
With the Liberal minority roughly midway into its current mandate, this shuffle is being framed as an attempt by the minority Liberals to reset their messaging and “fortifying” as the well-placed source put it, what Trudeau already considers a strong economic team.
Indicating a desire to put a renewed focus on housing affordability, the cost of living, and preparing the country to leverage the transition to net-zero and green economy investments, the shuffle may see some organizational changes to certain ministers’ titles or portfolio responsibilities.
Deciding to move many of the other ministers around may also provide an opportunity for new or reassigned ministers to take a fresh approach to some of the hot files that the federal government faced intense political scrutiny on during the fall and spring sittings such as public safety, foreign interference, and policies involving online platforms.
Moving current ministers around and bringing in new ones now will also give the Liberals some runway to make progress on, and better communicate the work they’re doing, political analysts have suggested.
SEVEN MINISTERS OUT, FOUR NOT RUNNING AGAIN
The wave of announcements over Monday and Tuesday from ministers who won’t be re-offering comes after Trudeau and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) began a months-long process to assess who in the current cabinet planned on running again, should an election be called.
Bennett was the first to confirm on Monday that she will not be running again, opening up the downtown Toronto-St. Paul’s riding she has held since 1997.
Alghabra said Tuesday in a social media post that “after a lot of reflection,” he has decided not to run in the next election and “will be stepping aside from cabinet.”
Alghabra was first elected in 2006 in Mississauga-Erindale, Ont. and then returned to the House in 2015, representing Mississauga Centre, Ont. As post-pandemic travel ramped up, Alghabra faced a barrage of frustrated Canadians facing delays and baggage woes at overstretched Canadian airports, resulting in reforms to passenger protection rules.
“The prime minister deserves a cabinet who is committed to running in the next federal campaign,” Alghabra said.
Murray, who last month indicated to reporters she was planning to run again, said Tuesday that she now has changed her mind and will vacate her seat “after my current term.”
She has represented the B.C. riding of Vancouver Quadra since 2008, and was the government’s point-person on the search for the ill-fated Titan submersible.
“My work in politics and time serving my community both federally and provincially as an elected official has been the honour of my life,” Murray said.
Similarly, Jaczek said once the current Parliament ends, she will not re-offer, but will keep representing her riding until then. She took on her current portfolio less than a year ago when minister Filomena Tassi and Jaczek switched roles.
The former Ontario MPP-turned Markham-Stouffville, Ont. MP said she is looking forward to being able to dedicate more time in her riding in the interim, calling it an “immense honour and a privilege to represent” her community in cabinet.
Mendicino will be leaving cabinet after coming under fire for his handling of gun control legislation and the transfer of notorious killer Paul Bernardo, a move he was seemingly left out of the loop on in the months preceding it, leading him to issue a ministerial directive to order corrections to inform the minister of high-profile transfers going forward.
When asked last week whether Trudeau still had confidence in him amid Conservative calls for his resignation, the prime minister told reporters that anyone in his cabinet “by definition has my confidence.”
“I have an amazing team in Ottawa, and an amazing group of MPs right across the country who are committed to serving their country every single day,” Trudeau said.
Fortier made headlines this spring over her handling of one of the largest public service strikes in Canadian history, while Lametti wrapped up the last House sitting amid pressure to act faster on bail reform and judicial appointments, one of a handful of outstanding pieces of Criminal Code-reforming legislation he’s sponsored.
These ministers are expected to be replaced with high-performing members of Trudeau’s backbench caucus, allowing the prime minister to reset the deck and present Canadians with a refreshed roster of decision-makers before the next campaign, currently scheduled for 2025.
The source said that Trudeau wants a team that’s dedicated to working day-in and day-out on positioning the Liberals in contrast to their main opponents, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives.
On Monday night, Poilievre used the impending shuffle as political fodder at a campaign-style rally.
“Don’t we need some humility out of this Trudeau government in Ottawa? I guess they’ve got a cabinet shuffle coming. What do you think? Who do you think should be shuffled? All of them,” he said to an energized crowd.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh—whose party remains in a confidence-and-supply agreement propping up the Liberal minority—said he doesn’t think the shuffle will impact their relationship.
“A shuffle to me is not going to undo the fact that this government has had seven years to respond to serious crises,” Singh said, citing climate change, housing, and inflation.
“So whether the government shuffles or not, it will not change the fact that they have had seven years to respond to these challenges, and what I hope to see is that Justin Trudeau starts taking these challenges seriously, and starts responding with the urgency required.”
Ahead of the shuffle, Trudeau has been in “private meetings” with his ministers—prompting several to cancel scheduled public events—as he made preparations for this summertime rejig of his front bench.
It’s expected that with the shuffle less than 24 hours away, that most of the conversations with incoming, outgoing, and moving ministers have happened by now.
All ministers—even those who won’t be moving jobs— have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony, so expect to see some faces stroll up the drive that will be there just to watch.
There are currently 38 members in the gender-balanced cabinet, not counting the prime minister. Regional representation is always a core consideration in building cabinets as well, and these newly-announced departures mean Trudeau will be looking to current Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia MPs to fill these slots.
The new cabinet being revealed Wednesday will then have a few weeks to dive into their briefing or transition binders, before heading to P.E.I. for a cabinet retreat in August where ministers will prep for Parliament’s return in September.
CTV News has confirmed that there will be a cabinet meeting Wednesday afternoon with the new roster, on Parliament Hill.
“So they mean business right away,” said Liberal strategist and Bluesky Strategies principal Susan Smith. “They’ll be working all summer to get their portfolios under their belts, thinking up the fresh new approaches to take to Canadians. Come election time, I think they’ll be ready to go.”
With files from CTV News’ Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
