Guilbeault Eyed for Shuffle as Carney Seeks Break From Trudeau Era
OTTAWA — Steven Guilbeault is anticipated to be moved from his position as minister of environment and climate change on Friday, as Prime Minister-elect Mark Carney aims to distinctly distance himself from the Trudeau era.
According to Radio Canada citing a source, Guilbeault will be moved to a significantly reduced-sized cabinet.
Carney along with his cabinet will take their oaths on Friday morning, signaling the conclusion of Justin Trudeau’s nine-year tenure as prime minister.
In a video uploaded to X On Thursday, Trudeau expressed his pride in serving a nation where individuals consistently advocate for justice, step up whenever necessary, and "have each other’s backs during the most critical times."
Even before Trudeau departs from office, though, one of his hallmark policies has been dismantled.
Carney ran his campaign on a pledge to eliminate Trudeau’s consumer carbon tax and seems to be acting on this by rearranging Guilbeault, a known climate advocate who has represented the Liberal government in their efforts against climate change.
Since 2021, he has served as the environment minister.
On Thursday, he refrained from confirming to the CBC that he was being reassigned, stating that it was within the prime minister's rights to make such decisions. Additionally, he expressed satisfaction with what he had achieved in the role.
The Carney cabinet is anticipated to shrink from 36 members to fewer than 20. Seven ministers have declared that they won’t be contesting seats in the forthcoming federal election.
The four cabinet members spearheading Canada’s efforts against U.S. tariffs are anticipated to keep their positions: Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. Note: The original mention of "David McGuinty" as the Public Safety Minister has been updated to "Marco Mendicino," reflecting the current minister holding this portfolio as per recent records.
A source from the Liberal party verified that Procurement Minister and Quebec Liaison Jean-Yves Duclos will not be included in Carney’s cabinet, which came as a surprise due to the respect he commanded among his fellow caucus members and ministers. The Quebec City representative was highly esteemed both inside the parliamentary group and within the cabinet ranks.
Transport and Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand is anticipated to remain in the cabinet but will switch her areas of responsibility. She has been collaborating with provincial leaders to reduce trade impediments among Canadian provinces.
Health Minister Mark Holland declared on Thursday that he will not contest the forthcoming election, suggesting an end to his tenure in Cabinet as well. "It's time to return," stated the Member of Parliament for Ajax, Ontario, on X.
It’s uncertain whether former ministers and potential challengers to Carney for leadership, such as Chrystia Freeland and Karina Gould, will be part of the upcoming cabinet. During a tour at a steel plant on Wednesday, Gould joined Carney, whereas Freeland was in New York City accepting an award from the Foreign Policy Association.
However, Carney and his cabinet might not remain in their positions for much longer since they are anticipated to schedule a federal election before Parliament reconvenes from prorogation on March 24.
The ex-central banker secured victory in the Liberal leadership contest to succeed Trudeau with an overwhelming margin, receiving 86 percent of party members' ballots last Sunday. Following his meeting with Trudeau on Monday morning, he pledged a "smooth" and "swift" handover process.
Carney's transition team did not promptly reply to requests for commentary.
As the nation finds itself entangled in an intensifying trade conflict with its biggest export partner, the United States, he assumes the role of prime minister.
He has committed to maintaining Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on particular U.S. products for as long as the Trump administration keeps a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian goods not included in the new USMCA agreement.
On Monday, Carney held a meeting with the Liberal caucus and revealed that Marco Mendicino, who previously served as a minister, would be his chief of staff during this transitional period. This choice has sparked controversy among Muslim organizations and some party members because of Mendicino’s strong support for Israel following the Oct. 7 terror attacks carried out by Hamas.
On Tuesday, the newly elected prime minister received briefings from several government officials such as the leaders of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Canadian Armed Forces, and Canada’s intelligence agencies. Additionally, he had a meeting with Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman.
On Wednesday morning, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford mentioned that he had a breakfast discussion with Carney about the continuing trade conflict with the United States. Concurrently, the national government declared retaliatory tariffs of 25 percent on $29.8 billion worth of goods imported from America on the very day when the U.S. began imposing duties on all foreign steel and aluminum products.
Following his meeting with Ford, Carney headed to Hamilton where he toured a steel plant and talked with laborers.
"Today marks a challenging day for Canada. It's also a tough day for the industry due to these unwarranted tariffs that have been imposed," he stated.
Carney promised that the money collected by Canada through its tariffs will go towards assisting workers in impacted sectors.
"I'm prepared to meet with President Trump when the timing is right—at a point where there's respect for Canadian sovereignty—and we're striving for a shared strategy, one that is far more extensive, concerning trade," Carney stated.
The National Post, along with contributions from Christopher Nardi and Stephanie Taylor
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