Mark Carney to Swear in Smaller Cabinet of 15-20 on Friday, Assigns Freeland and Guilbeault New Roles

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Updated Mar 14, 2025, 03:30 AM

Prime minister-designate Mark Carney is set to unveil a significantly smaller cabinet on Friday, reducing the number of ministers from 37 to between 15 and 20. This move comes as part of Carney's strategy to address the ongoing trade war with the U.S. and economic uncertainty. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT on Friday. Chrystia Freeland, a former Liberal leadership rival, has been offered the role of transport minister, while Steven Guilbeault, the current environment minister, will be reassigned to a new portfolio that includes biodiversity and Canadian heritage, and will also serve as Quebec lieutenant. Guilbeault, a staunch defender of the carbon tax, will no longer lead the fight against climate change, reflecting Carney's campaign promise to eliminate the consumer carbon tax. Several ministers from the previous cabinet will not be included in Carney's new lineup, including Jean-Yves Duclos, Marc Miller, and Karina Gould. Gary Anandasangaree is expected to transition from Crown-Indigenous Relations to justice minister, replacing Arif Virani, who has announced he will not seek re-election. Health Minister Mark Holland and International Trade Minister Mary Ng have also confirmed they will not be running in the next election. Key players in managing U.S. relations, such as Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, and Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, are expected to retain their positions. Carney's transition team includes Tim Krupa as policy director, Marco Mendicino as chief of staff, and David Lametti assisting with the transition. Former Quebec premier Jean Charest has been approached for a role, though he has no intention of becoming a minister. Carney's cabinet reshuffle is seen as a clear break from the policies of outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, particularly in relation to the carbon tax and the size of the cabinet. The new cabinet is anticipated to be a 'wartime cabinet,' focused on navigating the challenges posed by the U.S. trade war and preparing for a potential snap election.

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Sources

ipolitics.ca(2)thestar.com(2)cbc.ca(2)nationalnewswatch.com(2)

6ixBuzzTV

@6ixbuzztv

Mark Carney has offered Chrystia Freeland the role of Transport Minister https://t.co/pmrNv6xBec

iPolitics

@iPoliticsCA

As prime minister-designate Mark Carney prepares to roll out a trimmer cabinet on Friday, sources say that Gary Anandasangaree will stay in the government's front bench #cdnpoli #cdnelxn https://t.co/zsjZMfSp3b

CP24

@CP24

Freeland offered transport, Miller and Duclos among ministers to be dropped from Carney’s new cabinet: sources https://t.co/pjpQMKQW0R