A cabinet reshuffle expected in Ottawa on Wednesday

On the eve of a “substantial” reshuffle expected on Wednesday, speculation is rife in Ottawa as to the identity of the men and women who will form the next Prime Minister’s Office Justin Trudeau.

“I met the Prime Minister, and I told him [fait part de ma décision] not to run for me in the next election,” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Caroline Bennett said Monday. The 72-year-old Torontonian seemed well aware that she could lose her Cabinet seat as soon as this week, as she added that she was ready to do “whatever the Prime Minister will [lui] ask to do”.

Two well-placed government sources confirmed to the Duty that a cabinet reshuffle was scheduled for this week, Wednesday at the earliest. One said the reshuffle would be “substantial,” and could see many Ontario and Quebec ministers inherit new responsibilities.

Several political employees with whom The duty spoke were still making their predictions Monday about the formation of a new Liberal cabinet poised to make it through to the next federal election. None of them were authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Modified hours

Prime Minister Trudeau’s public calendar showed Monday that he was in the National Capital Region for “private meetings.”

Official Languages ​​Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor canceled a planned announcement in Montreal at the last minute. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra also canceled a scheduled press briefing at Vancouver airport. Across the country, in Nova Scotia, Housing, Diversity and Inclusion Minister Ahmed Hussen has postponed an announcement indefinitely.

Justin Trudeau brought in nine recruits in his ministerial team after his election victory in 2021. The cabinet that leads his minority government is equal – 19 men and 19 women – and is mainly made up of MPs from Ontario (16) and Quebec (11). The unique and minusass change What he has since done on his team has been the swapping of two Ontario ministers, Filomena Tassi (responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) and Helena Jaczek (Public Services and Procurement).

Despite his alliance with the New Democratic Party (NDP), no ministerial post has been reserved for this party located on the left of the Canadian political spectrum. Under this agreement, Justin Trudeau does not have to worry about losing the confidence of Parliament until the fall of 2025, when the next election is scheduled.

THE Conservative Party of Canada demands the resignation of the Minister of Public Security, Marco Mendicino. The Official Opposition in Ottawa accuses him of inconsistencies in his public statements about the transfer of serial killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison. The Commissioner of Correctional Service Canada however, clarified that in Canada, a minister does not have the power to prevent the transfer of an inmate.

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