Prime Minister Mark Carney made changes to his cabinet on Monday, appointing Marc Miller as the new minister of Canadian identity and culture, along with official languages. Furthermore, Joël Lightbound, the Public Works and Procurement Minister, was assigned the additional responsibility of being Carney’s Quebec lieutenant, while Minister of Environment and Climate Change Julie Dabrusin added parks and nature to her portfolio. These roles were previously held by Steven Guilbeault, who resigned from the cabinet the previous week.
Miller, who previously oversaw immigration, Crown-Indigenous relations, and Indigenous services under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, expressed his happiness at returning to the cabinet. Lightbound, first elected in 2015, and Dabrusin, who served as a parliamentary secretary under Trudeau before being promoted to cabinet under Carney earlier this year, also welcomed their new roles.
Lightbound emphasized his honor in becoming the prime minister’s Quebec lieutenant, highlighting the importance of the role in both federal and Quebec politics. Both Miller and Lightbound acknowledged Guilbeault’s past contributions and expressed their confidence in his support moving forward.
Guilbeault resigned from cabinet due to disagreements over the memorandum of understanding with Alberta regarding a new bitumen pipeline to the B.C. coast. Carney’s government has also made changes to environmental policies, such as suspending the proposed federal oil and gas emissions cap and removing Alberta’s requirements under the Clean Electricity Regulations.
Carney’s reshuffling of the cabinet came after former transport and internal trade minister Chrystia Freeland left her role in September. Freeland, who previously held various cabinet positions under Trudeau, including finance, decided to step down from federal politics. Carney reassigned the internal trade and transport portfolios to other ministers following Freeland’s departure.
This recent cabinet adjustment marks the second time Carney has made changes since the April election. The reshuffle reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to address key responsibilities and ensure effective governance.
