Yesterday, Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a business-focused and streamlined cabinet, designed to tackle the most pressing issues facing the country, including economic growth and productivity, Canada-U.S. relations, trade and security challenges, affordable housing, cost-of-living, concerns over national unity, and crime.

The post-election reshuffle introduces several new Liberal MPs into cabinet, signalling a fresh start for the government following the April 28 vote. At the same time, Prime Minister Carney has retained key ministers from Prime Minister Trudeau’s previous cabinets, ensuring stability in critical portfolios and rewarding loyalty and institutional knowledge. A notable structural change is the consolidation of super ministries—most prominently the merger of Industry, Science and Economic Development— signaling a shift toward efficiency and cohesion.

The new cabinet also demonstrates the Prime Minister’s commitment to inclusion, maintaining gender parity while reflecting an important regional balance. Every province is represented by a minister or secretary of state, alongside voices from the territories, ensuring regional priorities are kept in conversation with national objectives.

Cabinet structure

The Prime Minister has adopted a “tiered” approach to structuring his cabinet, with a core set of ministers of the Crown leading delivery of government policy, and a subset of secretaries of state supporting on discrete policy areas.

Altogether, there are 28 ministers of the Crown in this cabinet and 10 secretaries of state. Of the 28 core ministers, 15 positions in the cabinet are occupied by members of the Liberal caucus who have never served in cabinet before, including nine first-time Members of Parliament (MPs). 

Ontario is represented more than any other province or territory, with 11 ministers of the Crown and three secretaries of state. appointed. Quebec is represented with seven core ministers, while British Columbia has two ministers of the Crown. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba each have a minister in the cabinet. Atlantic Canada is represented with five cabinet ministers.

Key appointments

Prime Minister Carney’s cabinet appointments reflect a strategy to advance the nation-building investments that will support the government’s core mission of building one strong, united economy while establishing a strong global position as Canada navigates an uncertain and unstable trade and security environment.

Minister Anita Anand takes the role of Foreign Affairs Minister, tasked with reasserting Canada’s presence on the international stage at a pivotal moment for Canada’s relations with the United States and beyond. Mélanie Joly moves out of Foreign Affairs and into a new domestic policy role as Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.

In a clear vote of confidence, François-Philippe Champagne has been given the powerful Finance and National Revenue portfolio. He is anticipated to table a budget during the Spring session of Parliament, which is widely expected to serve as a blueprint for Prime Minister Carney’s renewed economic vision.

Dominic LeBlanc will serve in an influential combined role as President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy. This carefully crafted structure signals deep trust between the Prime Minister and Minister Leblanc, as the government seeks to address interprovincial and international trade as interlinked policy areas.

With respect to defence and national security, David McGuinty, a veteran MP who served as Minister of Public Safety in Prime Minister Carney’s interim cabinet, takes a new role as Minister of National Defence. Minister McGuinty is poised to play a vital role in reorienting Canadian defence strategy, including an express goal of meeting NATO’s 2 per cent of GDP commitment for defence spending by 2030.

Minister Gary Anandasangaree takes over Public Safety. Minister Anandasangaree brings experience from his time in Justice and Crown-Indigenous Relations.

Sean Fraser, who served as a minister in various roles including Immigration and Housing under Justin Trudeau, will serve as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

New faces

Prime Minister Carney appointed many first-time ministers, including some first-time MPs:

  • Shafqat Ali assumes the pivotal role of President of the Treasury Board, while Maninder Sidhu takes on International Trade at a crucial time for Canada’s global trade relationships.
  • Immigration, a key policy area, will be led by Lena Metlege Diab, and public health responsibilities fall to Marjorie Michel as Minister of Health.
  • Julie Dabrusin now leads Environment and Climate Change, as the Carney government sets out a new climate agenda.
  • Former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson enters federal politics in the newly defined portfolio of Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, a key pillar of the government’s economic strategy.
  • Evan Solomon, a former broadcaster, makes a high-profile entrance into elected politics as Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation. The full scope and responsibilities of this novel portfolio are yet to be determined, but Minister Solomon will oversee the development of transformational new areas of the Canadian economy.
  • Tim Hodgson, a trusted confidant of the Prime Minister, a military veteran who is a former Goldman Sachs executive and Chairman of Hydro One, serves as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. For some political pundits, this appointment reinforces the government’s intention to approach energy through a lens of economic growth, major project development and national unity.
  • Joël Lightbound joins cabinet as Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, a newly restructured role reflecting Prime Minister Carney’s efficiency-focused agenda.
  • Given this country’s focus and commitment to reconciliation, the appointment of Mandy Gull-Masty, the first Indigenous MP to the position of Minister of Indigenous Services, is notably historic.

Exclusions

Eleven members of Prime Minister’s Carney March interim cabinet are no longer in cabinet, including some prominent names such as Jonathan Wilkinson, Karina Gould, Ginette Petitpas-Taylor, Bill Blair, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and Rachel Bendayan.

Newly elected Liberal Members of Parliament who were speculated to be part of the cabinet but were not appointed today include former CEO of IBM Claude Guay, and Carlos Leitão, who previously served as Finance Minister in Québec from 2014-2018 in the government of Philippe Couillard.

Full ministry listing

The full list of ministers is as follows:

  • Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board
  • Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
  • Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety
  • François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue
  • Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
  • Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
  • Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
  • Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
  • Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
  • Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services
  • Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
  • Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
  • Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
  • Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy
  • Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement
  • Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
  • Steven MacKinnon, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
  • David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence
  • Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
  • Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
  • Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health
  • Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
  • Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
  • Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade
  • Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
  • Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries
  • Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)

The new secretaries of State are as follows:

  • Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State (Rural Development)
  • Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)
  • Anna Gainey, Secretary of State (Children and Youth)
  • Wayne Long, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
  • Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors)
  • Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature)
  • Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)
  • Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development)
  • Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport)
  • John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour)

Comments from the Prime Minister

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Carney addressed the media, describing his newly appointed cabinet as “purpose-built for this hinge moment in Canadian history” and emphasizing a strong mandate to act with “urgency and determination.” He pledged a rapid start to the new Parliament, with immediate legislation aimed at reducing internal trade barriers and delivering targeted economic relief, including a middle-income tax cut by July 1, and a GST exemption on homes under $1 million for first-time buyers.

Prime Minister Carney further outlined plans to foster new industries and build a single, resilient Canadian economy capable of withstanding future shocks. He also committed to toughening the Criminal Code, implementing bail reform, and adding 1,000 new RCMP officers and 1,000 CBSA agents. In addition, he signaled a cap on temporary and international students, a more disciplined fiscal approach, and a bold investment strategy for national defence across land, air, sea and cyber.

Proclaiming a return to traditional governance by cabinet, Prime Minister Carney cited collaboration and bridge-building as central to his government’s approach, captured in his call to “Build Big, Build Bold, Build Now.”

Opposition reaction

In response to the announcement of the cabinet, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre congratulated the new ministers while making it clear that his party will hold the government to account. He emphasized that the Conservatives will not reflexively oppose government actions and will support measures that serve the national interest. He was also quick to note that many of the key figures from the Trudeau era remain in cabinet, dismissing the cabinet as lacking real change.

Pierre Poilievre reiterated his party’s focus on restoring economic growth, supporting energy development, and advocating for working Canadians, challenging the government to “steal my ideas” if they are serious about delivering results.

Next steps

Following the announcement of Prime Minister Carney’s new cabinet, the government is set to move swiftly. The first meeting of the new cabinet will take place on May 14. Parliament is scheduled to resume on May 26, followed by a historic Speech from the Throne delivered by His Majesty King Charles III on May 27. Shortly thereafter, on June 2, Prime Minister Carney will convene a first ministers meeting, bringing together provincial and territorial leaders to begin advancing the country’s priorities, which include economic growth and productivity, national unity, and intergovernmental collaboration.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Carney’s new cabinet represents a pivotal reset for the federal government, blending experienced leadership with fresh talent to tackle urgent national challenges. Designed for efficiency and impact, it reflects a focused agenda on the economy, national security, and collaborative federalism at a critical moment in Canada’s history, when the country's trade relationship with the United States is also being carefully addressed.