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Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada, has announced a major cabinet shake-up, including a new foreign minister, as he shapes a newly re-elected Liberal government.
Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau earlier this year and won the election last month, named Anita Anand as foreign minister, replacing Mélanie Joly, who becomes the minister of industry. Anand previously served in roles including defense minister.
Women make up half of the cabinet, as they did in Trudeau’s cabinet.
François-Philippe Champagne retains his job as finance minister, while Dominic LeBlanc remains minister of US trade and intergovernmental trade at a time of trade war between Canada and the United States.
Carney won the job of prime minister by promising to confront the aggression toward Canada shown by Donald Trump , while preserving the calm demeanor of an economist who has led the central banks of both Canada and the United Kingdom.
“Canadians elected this new government with a strong mandate to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States and to build a stronger economy for all Canadians,” Carney said.
“My government will work relentlessly to keep Canada secure as a sovereign nation,” he added.
Carney noted that King Charles III will deliver a speech outlining the Canadian government’s priorities on 27 May, when parliament resumes. Charles is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.
Carney has emphasized Canada’s founding nations, the United Kingdom and France, and has said the old relationship with the US based on steadily increasing integration is over.
More than 10 people were dropped from the new cabinet, including former defense minister Bill Blair. David McGuinty goes from public safety to defense.
Carney named former Goldman Sachs Canada chief Tim Hodgson as natural resources minister. Carney, who worked for 14 years at Goldman Sachs, has said he wants to build Canada into an energy “superpower” and prioritize big, “nation-building” projects.
Former journalist Evan Solomon is among the new ministers, serving in the new post of minister of artificial intelligence.
Carney said in a statement that the new cabinet is built to deliver the change Canadians want and need. The Liberal government is in its fourth term.
