Peering into the new Trudeau cabinet – Kamloops This Week

Local Conservative MP Cathy McLeod and Thompson River University political scientist Derek Cook agree the new federal cabinet unveiled this week will have its challenges.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled a larger cabinet that aims to advance Liberal campaign promises to tackle climate change and promote middle-class prosperity, while attempting to soothe regional tensions worsened by last months minority government election outcome.

Following the Oct. 21 election, Trudeau said Canadians voted to pull together the country, to focus on issues of economic growth for the middle class, to fight climate change and to keep Canadians and their communities safe.

That is our focus and this is the team to do that, Trudeau said on Wednesday, flanked by his 36 ministers outside Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

McLeod said there are many critical issues that will need to be top priorities for cabinet, with the Canadian National Railway strike at the forefront of Labour Minister Filomena Tassis agenda.

For B.C., McLeod stressed the need to renew the softwood lumber agreement with the U.S.

Cook views Catherine McKennas shuffle from Environment and Climate Change to Infrastructure and Communities as a move to an important portfolio that can impact her previous role.

If we want to do something about climate change, we have to put in infrastructural investments, Cook said, adding people need to be given an alternative to working in the fossil-fuel industry.

He said there is plenty of work in a green economy, in which infrastructure plays a big role.

North Vancouver MP Jonathan Wilkinson is McKennas replacement as environment minister, moving over from his last position as minister of fisheries and oceans.

Cook said the appointment is a smart move politically, but noted a conflict is inevitable for Wilkinson in that role as he represents a constituency that is has concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which the government is committed to completing.

His job will be to convince B.C.ers to support the pipeline or to at least stand aside, Cook said.

Wilkinson and three other Vancouver-area Liberal MPs were retained in Trudeaus cabinet and McLeod hopes they will be advocates for the forestry industry in B.C. regardless of their portfolios.

Harjit Sajjan (Vancouver South) remains minister of national defence, Joyce Murray(Vancouver Quadra) moves from president of the treasury board and minister of digital government to minister for digital government and Carla Qualtrough (Delta) is now minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, transferring from minister of public service.

Among the biggest moves, former foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland was replaced by former infrastructure minister Franois-Philippe Champagne, a move Cook views as an upgrade.

The person whos taking over for her is basically a trade expert and, if you want to do well economically, then international trade is important, he said.

Freeland was promoted to deputy prime minister and minister of intergovernmental affairs.

In her new role, Freeland will be the point person dealing with provincial leaders and is also the first deputy prime minister the country has had in more than a decade.

McLeod believes Freeland has been given a tough task, describing the deputy prime minister role with a focus on intergovernmental relations as a necessary portfolio.

Cook said Freeland will have a lot of work to do when it comes to dealing with the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan, where the Liberals were shut out in the election.

Theyre simply offside on the Liberal agenda and I dont see what could be done to bring them back, Cook said.

The Toronto MP, who has roots in Alberta, won praise as a tough, canny negotiator during the NAFTA trade talks. Her diplomatic and negotiating skills will be put to the test in dealing with Albertas Jason Kenney, Saskatchewans Scott Moe and Ontarios Doug Ford.

McLeod noted Canadian unity, the rise of the Bloq Quebecois and challenges facing Alberta and Saskatchewan are among the other issues Trudeaus minority government will have to address.

McLeod was most recently the Conservative Indigenous Affairs critic. The party will be confirming its new shadow cabinet to be named before Parliament resumes on Dec. 5.

McLeod said she does not know if she will retain the critic portfolio.

I havent had any conversations with him, she said of Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer.

Cook said the chairs of cabinet committees, where decisions are typically made, will be telling of who has power in the new cabinet.

Those are the people you write to if you want to lobby the cabinet, he said.

with files from Canadian Press

Chrystia Freelandbecomes Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Anita Anandbecomes Minister of Public Services and Procurement

Navdeep Bainsbecomes Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Carolyn Bennettremains Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

Marie-Claude Bibeauremains Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Bill Blairbecomes Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Bardish Chaggerbecomes Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth

Franois-Philippe Champagnebecomes Minister of Foreign Affairs

Jean-Yves Duclosbecomes President of the Treasury Board

Mona Fortierbecomes Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance

Marc Garneauremains Minister of Transport

Karina Gouldbecomes Minister of International Development

Steven Guilbeaultbecomes Minister of Canadian Heritage

Patty Hajdubecomes Minister of Health

Ahmed Hussenbecomes Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Mlanie Jolybecomes Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages

Bernadette Jordanbecomes Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

David Lamettiremains Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Dominic LeBlancbecomes President of the Queens Privy Council for Canada

Diane Lebouthillierremains Minister of National Revenue

Lawrence MacAulayremains Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

Catherine McKennabecomes Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Marco E. L. Mendicinobecomes Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Marc Millerbecomes Minister of Indigenous Services

Maryam Monsefbecomes Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

Bill Morneauremains Minister of Finance

Joyce Murraybecomes Minister of Digital Government

Mary Ngbecomes Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade

Seamus OReganbecomes Minister of Natural Resources

Carla Qualtroughbecomes Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

Pablo Rodriguezbecomes Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Harjit Sajjanremains Minister of National Defence

Deb Schultebecomes Minister of Seniors

Filomena Tassibecomes Minister of Labour

Dan Vandalbecomes Minister of Northern Affairs

Jonathan Wilkinsonbecomes Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Cabinet Committee on Agenda, Results and Communications

Cabinet Committee on Operations

Cabinet Committee on Global Affairs and Public Security

Cabinet Committee on Reconciliation

Cabinet Committee on Economy and the Environment

Cabinet Committee on Health and Social Affairs

Treasury Board

Incident Response Group

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Peering into the new Trudeau cabinet - Kamloops This Week