Seven ministers out, new faces expected in major Trudeau cabinet shakeup coming Wednesday

At least seven ministers are expected to be moved out of cabinet portfolios and new faces will be brought on board, with Defence Minister Anita Anand moving into an economic portfolio, in a significant shuffle to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s front bench.

Mr. Trudeau is set to unveil the cabinet makeover on Wednesday at Rideau Hall, just shy of two years since the last federal election and after a challenging spring sitting of the House of Commons.

The shuffle is seen by political insiders as a much-needed refresh for the Liberals who have been facing challenges and political pressure from Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives. While considerable changes are expected to be made, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, is expected to stay in her role.

According to a Liberal government source, the seven ministers confirmed to be leaving cabinet are David Lametti, Marco Mendicino and Mona Fortier, along with four other ministers who have said they are not running in the next election: Joyce Murray, Omar Alghabra, Helena Jaczek and Carolyn Bennett. The Globe and Mail is not identifying the source as they are not authorized to speak publicly about internal deliberations.

The source also said Ms. Anand, seen to be one of the government’s strongest performers, will move into an economic portfolio. Pablo Rodriguez, currently Heritage Minister, will be taking over the transport file, while Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge will move into heritage, according to the source.

On Tuesday, three of the cabinet ministers – Ms. Murray, Mr. Alghabra and Ms. Jaczek – publicly announced they would not be seeking re-election. On Monday, Ms. Bennett, a long-time Liberal stalwart, announced her decision to not run again.

A second senior government official confirmed Wednesday’s shuffle. The Globe and Mail is not identifying the official as they are not authorized to speak publicly.

The official said that governments face moments when adjustments need to be made and when new people are tapped on the shoulder to step up, while experienced hands take on new portfolios.

The team will be tasked with immediately getting to work, the official added, noting that for the next two years of its mandate, the government will look at Canada’s position in the global economy and supporting Canadians during this time. The economic team will focus on housing and affordability and policies that help Canada build a stronger, cleaner economy, the official said.

Mr. Mendicino, the Public Safety Minister and a Toronto MP, has been under fire since it was revealed last month that notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo was transferred from a maximum-security to a medium-security institution, sparking outrage from his victims’ families. Mr. Mendicino has been unable to explain why staff in his office did not inform him about the transfer, despite them knowing about it three months before it happened.

Mr. Lametti, the Justice Minister, has also faced scrutiny over the delay in appointing judges. He was also accused of intimidating a Conservative MP after sending an e-mail that seemed to threaten the MP’s reputation in the legal community.

Ms. Fortier, an Ottawa-area MP, was recently involved in acrimonious negotiations with the striking federal public service union.

Ms. Murray, who represents the British Columbia riding of Vancouver Quadra, said Tuesday that her decision not to run came after much thought and reflection. She holds the fisheries portfolio in cabinet and was first elected as an MP in 2008. She previously served as digital government minister and as president of the Treasury Board.

“I have decided not to run again in the next election after my current term,” Ms. Murray said in a statement. “My work in politics and time serving my community both federally and provincially as an elected official has been the honour of my life, and I would like to thank all who made that possible.”

Ms. Murray was also a provincial cabinet minister in British Columbia and challenged Mr. Trudeau for the leadership of the federal Liberals, placing second in the race that he won.

Mr. Alghabra, who represents the Toronto-area riding of Mississauga Centre, also announced he would not be running in the next election and is leaving cabinet. In a video posted to Twitter, Mr. Alghabra said after 11 years as a member of Parliament, 2½ of them as a minister, and six elections, “I’ve made the difficult decision to not run in the next election.”

Until then, he will continue to serve as MP for Mississauga Centre, he said.

“As a result of this decision, I’m also stepping aside from my role as minister because the Prime Minister deserves a cabinet who is committed to running in the next federal campaign,” Mr. Alghabra said. “This was not an easy decision to make. It’s always tricky to figure out the best timing for such a step, but I feel it’s the right time for me.”

As Minister of Transport since January, 2021, Mr. Alghabra oversaw the transportation industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was responsible for the file when airports faced numerous flight delays and cancellations last summer, as air travel surged while airlines experienced significant staffing shortages.

He also faced criticism for his handling of a train delay last December, when a Christmas storm left hundreds of passengers stranded on a VIA rail train for 18 hours near Cobourg, Ont.

Mr. Alghabra was also minister when the government rewrote the rules on how airlines must treat passengers, making it harder to dodge responsibility when flights are cancelled or delayed and raising the fines for those who violate the regulations.

Ms. Jaczek, the minister for Public Services and Procurement who represents the riding of Markham-Stouffville, also said Tuesday she will not run again.

“After 50 years of public service as a family doctor, Regional Medical Of Health and Commissioner of Health Services, Member of Provincial Parliament, and now Member of Parliament for Markham-Stouffville, I have decided that I will not seek re-election after my current term,” she posted on Twitter.

“I want to thank the Prime Minister for entrusting me with two Cabinet portfolios as well as including me on numerous Cabinet Committees as we debated the important issues facing Canadians.”

The increase in spending on government outsourcing has been a top issue during Ms. Jaczek’s tenure. The Globe and Mail reported last November that Ottawa’s annual spending on outsourcing climbed by 74 per cent since 2015.

Total spending on outsourcing, which is officially described as professional and special services, reached $14.6-billion in the 2021-22 fiscal year, according to the most recent data available.

The Globe’s reporting on federal outsourcing has led to numerous House of Commons committee studies into the matter. Members of Parliament have called federal ministers, senior public servants and academics to appear as witnesses to offer their assessments of why the spending has increased.

Government officials have generally said that that outsourcing allows them to quickly address their short-term needs, especially in fields such as IT where workers are in high demand. But some experts, including Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux, have said the government needs to better explain why outsourcing is increasing at the same time as the number of public servants is on the rise.

Robert Asselin, a senior vice president at the Business Council of Canada who specializes in economic policy and previously served as an adviser to Prime Ministers Martin and Trudeau, said the economy remains the top priority now for almost all Canadians as they face a very difficult period of high inflation and very slow growth.

He said that more than changes in portfolios, he will be looking for a “change of direction” and a signal from the government that it grasps the importance of long-term growth and the need to shift toward an intentional, long-term plan for growing the economy.

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