OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau has launched a new Liberal era with a 30-member cabinet that features predominantly fresh faces and an equal number of men and women.
Fully 18 of the newly minted ministers are rookies who won election for the first time on Oct. 19, including the all-important finance minister, millionaire Toronto businessman Bill Morneau.
Justin Trudeau sworn-in as Canada;s next Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau is officially sworn-in as Canada's 23rd Prime Minister.READ MORE: http://glbn.ca/Uf2xY
Posted by Global News on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
And two others are relative newcomers: former journalist Chrystia Freeland, who won a byelection in Toronto two years ago, will head up international trade, while Navdeep Bains, a former MP who was defeated in 2011, becomes minister of innovation, science and economic development.
Trudeau has put newbies in most of the senior portfolios, some of which have been reconfigured or renamed.
B.C. regional aboriginal chief Jody Wilson-Raybould takes on Justice; family doctor Jane Philpott takes Health; economist Jean-Yves Duclos takes Families, Children and Social Development; Catherine McKenna takes Environment and Climate Change; Harjit Sajjan takes Defence; Melanie Joly takes Canadian Heritage; and MaryAnn Mihychuk takes Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.
The rookies will be backstopped by seven veterans with previous federal or provincial cabinet experience, including: Ralph Goodale in Public Safety; Stephane Dion in Foreign Affairs; John McCallum in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Carolyn Bennett in Indigenous and Northern Affairs; Judy Foote in Public Services and Procurement; and Scott Brison in Treasury Board.
Veteran MP and lifelong Trudeau friend Dominic LeBlanc becomes government House leader, while fellow longtime MPs Marc Garneau and Kirsty Duncan take on Transport and Science, respectively.
John McCallum given Immigration postThe honourable John McCallum was named as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship on Tuesday at Rideau Hall.
Posted by Global News on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Trudeau's Liberals won a strong majority of 184 seats, with representation in every province and territory. His cabinet reflects that, with 11 ministers from Ontario, six from Quebec, three from British Columbia and two each from Alberta and Manitoba. Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island all have a single representative in cabinet, as does Nunavut.
The entire swearing-in event was aimed at demonstrating the new era Trudeau is ushering in after nearly a decade of what Liberals maintain was one-man, secretive rule under Stephen Harper's Conservatives.
Holding the hand of his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, Trudeau led his ministers-to-be on a walk up the long driveway leading to the Governor General's mansion, which was lined with a throng of well-wishers and onlookers.
For the final steps of the stroll, Trudeau was joined by his three young children, carrying toddler Hadrien in his arms.
Spectators spilled across the grounds of Rideau Hall under brilliant fall colours and warm autumn sunshine as the Liberal group stepped off a bus at the main gate and strolled up the drive. They waved to the crowd as bagpipes skirled a welcome.
They arrived shortly after a statement from a Rideau Hall spokesperson confirmed that Harper had resigned as the country's 22nd prime minister.
The happy crowd of onlookers ran the gamut from toddlers to pensioners.
Lisa Chrolavicius, 38, of Ottawa watched the arrival with five-month-old son Justin cradled to her chest.
The name of her son, she says, was a coincidence, "but we thought we'd see if Justin could meet Justin." Chrolavicius said she came to "feel the positive energy" of her country.
Bob Johnston recalled seeing Trudeau's father, Pierre, being sworn in some 47 years ago.
"Canada's been at a fork in the road," Johnston said. "We've taken the correct fork and I want to feel like I'm part of the first step."
Jack Skelly ,16, of Crofton, B.C., said he's been in Ottawa for three days.
"I can't vote yet, but it's the future of the country that I'm living in," Skelly said. "And when I can vote he's still going to be prime minister, so it doesn't really matter to me because this is the person I would like running our country.
"Seeing him getting sworn in is like maybe a once-in-a-lifetime chance."
The new Liberal prime minister and cabinet are scheduled to hold their first meeting later today. They are widely expected to take immediate action on their campaign promise to reinstate the long-form census.
FORMER TOP SOLDIER, TOP COP AMONG THOSE SHUT OUT OF TRUDEAU'S FIRST CABINET
A former top Canadian soldier and a former top Toronto cop are among the star Liberal MPs shut out of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's maiden cabinet.
Retired Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie and ex-Toronto police chief Bill Blair were two of the many star candidates recruited by the Liberals expected by some observers to take key cabinet posts as a result.
But they — alongside longtime Liberal stalwarts like Joyce Murray and Hedy Fry — were left out of the 31-member ministry that saw other veteran MPs rise to new heights.
Those included former Liberal leader Stephane Dion, who takes over Foreign Affairs, and John McCallum who takes over the immigration portfolio, as well as the marquee promise to resettle Syrian refugees.
At the same time, relative political rookies also find themselves in some of the top cabinet posts.
Retired Lt-Col. Harjit Sajjan, a Vancouver MP, was named as defence minister, while Amarjeet Sohi, a former city councillor from Edmonton, will be in charge of the Liberals' ambitious infrastructure plan.
WOMEN TAKE ON PRIORITY PORTFOLIOS IN NEW LIBERAL CABINET
OTTAWA — Fifteen women from different walks of life took positions Wednesday in the first gender-balanced cabinet in Canadian history, in portfolios that will include hot policy files for the new government.
Jody Wilson-Raybould, a lawyer and former regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, was sworn in as justice minister, becoming the first aboriginal person to hold the post.
She follows in the footsteps of Tory Kim Campbell and Liberal Anne McLellan. Wilson-Raybould will have to tackle the legalization of marijuana, physician-assisted death, and the retooling of anti-terror legislation introduced by the Conservatives.
Ottawa lawyer and NGO director Catherine McKenna takes on the environment and climate change portfolio, just as world leaders prepare to meet in Paris for international climate change talks.
Presenting the Justin Trudeau governmentPresenting the next Government of Canada.READ MORE: http://glbn.ca/Ufowa
Posted by Global News on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
McKenna's win over popular NDP MP Paul Dewar in downtown Ottawa was one of the most notable victories of the 2015 election.
Former journalist and media manager Chrystia Freeland becomes trade minister, the first women in the job since Pat Carney held the post in Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservative government in the 1980s. She will have the finalization of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on her plate.
Other women in cabinet include longtime MP Carolyn Bennett as minister of indigenous and northern affairs and former Manitoba politician and geoscientist MaryAnn Mihychuk as employment, workforce development and labour minister.
Duncan becomes Minister of Science, follows with big hug for T...Duncan becomes Minister of Science, follows with big hug for Trudeau
Posted by Global News on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
The overall swearing-in ceremony gave a high profile to several other women, including Clerk of the Privy Council Janice Charette, appointed by former prime minister Stephen Harper.
Trudeau's incoming chief of staff, Katie Telford, was cheered by Liberal activists as she walked up the drive to Rideau Hall before the swearing-in.
Two young Inuit girls began the ceremony with a throat-singing performance. Former governors general Michaelle Jean and Adrienne Clarkson were given prominent seats at the event.
Justin Trudeau on why his cabinet is 50% women: Cause it's 2015WATCH: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drops the mic with this outstanding answer about why his cabinet is gender balanced.
Posted by Global News on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
MEMBERS OF PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU'S NEW CABINET SWORN IN WEDNESDAY
OTTAWA — The 31 members of the new Liberal cabinet were sworn in Wednesday at Rideau Hall. The list:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also minister of intergovernmental affairs and youth;
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale;
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay;
Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion;
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship John McCallum;
Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett;
President of the Treasury Board Scott Brison;
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Dominic LeBlanc;
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Singh Bains;
Minister of Finance William Morneau;
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Jody Wilson-Raybould;
Minister of Public Services and Procurement Judy Foote;
Minister of International Trade Chrystia Freeland;
Minister of Health Jane Philpott;
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos;
Minister of Transport Marc Garneau;
Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau;
Minister of Natural Resources James Carr;
Minister of Canadian Heritage Melanie Joly;
Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier;
Minister of Veterans Affairs Kent Hehr, also associate minister of National Defence;
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna;
Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan;
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour MaryAnn Mihychuk;
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi;
Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef;
Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities Carla Qualtrough;
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Hunter Tootoo;
Children's choir leads new PM and cabinet in singing of 'O Can...Canada's next Prime Minister is now the current Prime Minister and his cabinet has been officially sworn in.But before anyone gets down to business, please rise for 'O Canada'.
Posted by Global News on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan;
Minister of Status of Women Patricia A. Hajdu;
Minister of Small Business and Tourism Bardish Chagger.
