Carney speaking outside Rideau Hall in front of his cabinet.
Carney speaking outside Rideau Hall in front of his cabinet. Credit: Mark Carney / X Credit: Mark Carney / X

Liberal leader Mark Carney was sworn in as prime minister on Friday, March 14. Canada’s 24th prime minister unveiled his cabinet, and conspicuously, has eliminated the position of labour minister.

There are 24 positions in Carney’s new cabinet, including Carney himself. Former labour minister Steven MacKinnon now has a new title: Jobs and Families.

The absence of a dedicated minister of labour did not go unnoticed by some of Canada’s labour leaders such as Lana Payne, president of Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union.

The lack of a labour minister marks an interesting departure from the tenure of Carney’s predecessor as Liberal leader and prime minister, Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau engaged in a supply-confidence agreement with the NDP, who supported the minority Liberal government in exchange for key legislation, much of which were priorities for the labour movement, like pharmacare, childcare, dental care and of course, federal anti-scab legislation.

Trudeau also eagerly embraced a pro-union stance for if nothing else, political effect, as recently as last spring when he was invited to speak to the US based Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

“In Canada, we can’t spell ‘labour’ without the ‘u’ for unions,” Trudeau said at the SEIU conference in May of 2024.

No Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth either

Another position eliminated from the Carney cabinet is the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth.

The position had existed in one form or another since 1971 and was last held by Marci Ien, who does not return to cabinet at all.

A new position was created in cabinet however: the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Services and Procurement, which will be helmed by Ali Ehsassi, MP for Willowdale.

Long time feminist activist and rabble founder Judy Rebick was quick to condemn Carney for cutting women from his cabinet.

Many familiar faces return

Carney’s new cabinet contains many familiar faces from the previous Trudeau government.

Mélanie Joly will remain in her position, although the title has been changed back to the old version of “Foreign Affairs.” Trudeau had changed the name of that ministry to “Global Affairs” back when he was first elected in 2015.

Likewise, Bill Blair will be remaining at National Defence.

Other familiar names are staying in cabinet with new jobs, like Anita Anand, who has been moved to the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry from Transport, and Steven Guillibeault who has been moved from Environment Minister to Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada.

Even Chrystia Freeland is remaining in cabinet. Freeland had triggered the events that lead to the resignation of Trudeau as prime minister and the ascension of Carney after she resigned as Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Freeland was Carney’s closest rival for the Liberal leadership, but finished a distant second.

Freeland will be the new Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. Freeland’s other old job, Deputy Prime Minister, has been eliminated altogether.

Here is the full cabinet list:

  • Mark Carney: Prime Minister.
  • Dominic LeBlanc: International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada.
  • Mélanie Joly: Foreign Affairs and International Development.
  • François-Philippe Champagne: Finance.
  • Anita Anand: Innovation, Science and Industry.
  • Bill Blair: National Defence.
  • Patty Hajdu: Indigenous Services.
  • Jonathan Wilkinson: Energy and Natural Resources.
  • Ginette Petitpas Taylor: President of the Treasury Board.
  • Steven Guilbeault: Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant.
  • Chrystia Freeland: Transport and Internal Trade.
  • Kamal Khera: Health.
  • Gary Anandasangaree: Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
  • Rechie Valdez: Chief Government Whip.
  • Steven MacKinnon: Jobs and Families.
  • David McGuinty: Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
  • Terry Duguid: Environment and Climate Change.
  • Nate Erskine-Smith: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.
  • Rachel Bendayan: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
  • Élisabeth Brière: Veterans Affairs and responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency.
  • Joanne Thompson: Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
  • Arielle Kayabaga: Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Minister of Democratic Institutions.
  • Kody Blois: Agriculture and Agri-Food and Rural Economic Development.
  • Ali Ehsassi: Government Transformation, Public Services and Procurement.
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Nick Seebruch

Nick Seebruch has been the editor of rabble.ca since April 2022. He believes that fearless independent journalism is key for the survival of a healthy democracy. An OCNA award-winning journalist, for...