Mark Carney has unveiled a cabinet that prioritizes economic growth and U.S.-Canada relations, two weeks after the Prime Minister won the federal election on those ballot-box issues.
Mr. Carney’s new cabinet includes experienced ministers in key economic portfolios, such as Finance, Canada-U.S. relations, Internal Trade and Foreign Affairs.
But Mr. Carney told reporters Tuesday that he will be personally responsible for Canada’s relationship with the White House.
“I’m the Prime Minister, so I play that role,” he said at a news conference after the swearing-in of his cabinet at Rideau Hall.
The new cabinet, which will meet for the first time on Wednesday, comprises a core group of 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of state. Half of the main group and nine of the 10 secretaries of state are new to cabinet.
The secretaries of state will not manage federal departments or attend all cabinet meetings. Instead, they have been assigned specific policy priorities, such as defence procurement, seniors and nature.
“We will advance the nation-building investments that will support the core mission of this government, which is to create the strongest economy in the G7, an economy that works for everyone,” Mr. Carney said.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and Governor General Mary Simon pose for a family photo with newly sworn in cabinet members, at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa on May 13, 2025.Blair Gable/Reuters
The Prime Minister said the new government’s policy priorities will be outlined in the May 27 Speech from the Throne, but the content will be in line with the issues that the Liberals proposed during the election campaign.
He also said the federal government is already working with the provinces, territories and Indigenous Peoples to identify projects of national significance that will generate long-term economic growth. He said that will be the primary focus of the June 2 first ministers’ meeting in Saskatoon.
He said Ottawa will introduce legislation to “take immediate action” to fast-track such projects and to eliminate all remaining federal barriers to internal trade. The Liberals had pledged during the campaign to eliminate such barriers by Canada Day.
François-Philippe Champagne retains the Finance portfolio and takes on the additional role of Revenue Minister, a portfolio that had its own minister under former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
The three senior ministers who joined Mr. Carney on his recent trip to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House – Mélanie Joly, Dominic LeBlanc and David McGuinty – also remain in cabinet, but in different roles.
Ms. Joly moves from Foreign Affairs to Industry, and Mr. LeBlanc‘s responsibilities shift from trade and intergovernmental affairs to President of the King’s Privy Council and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy.
Mr. McGuinty moves from Public Safety to National Defence, replacing Bill Blair, who was dropped from cabinet.
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Among the secretaries of state appointed by Mr. Carney is one responsible for combatting crime, a post he gave to Brampton Liberal MP Ruby Sahota, whose riding is in an area that saw thousands of car thefts last year.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said his party will support the government when it proposes good ideas and will oppose bad ideas. He also criticized the size of Mr. Carney’s cabinet and the fact that it includes many familiar faces.
“Fourteen Trudeau ministers are now in Carney’s cabinet. It’s more of the same,” he said.
He also said he‘d like to see the Liberals “steal” Conservative policies in the new Parliament.
Former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson joins the cabinet as Minister of Housing.
Former housing minister Nate Erskine-Smith was dropped from cabinet entirely.
“It’s impossible not to feel disrespected and the way it played out doesn’t sit right,” he said in a Tuesday afternoon post on X. “But I’m mostly disappointed that my team and I won’t have the chance to build on all we accomplished with only a short runway.”
Gregor Robertson, left to right, Rebecca Alty, Tim Hodgson, Marjorie Michel arrive for a cabinet swearing-in at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer ColbySpencer Colby/The Canadian Press
Steven Guilbeault, who was Mr. Carney’s Quebec adviser during the federal election campaign, remains as Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture. He is also responsible for official languages.
That languages responsibility was dropped from his title when Mr. Guilbeault took on the role in Mr. Carney’s first cabinet, a decision met with sharp criticism from francophone communities.
With the appointment of Rechie Valdez, Mr. Carney also reinstated the position of minister for women and gender equality, which he had dropped from his first cabinet and which also created political pushback.
Mr. Carney filled the lack of cabinet representation from Alberta by naming new Edmonton MP Eleanor Olszewski as Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister for Prairies Economic Development Canada.
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The lone Liberal MP elected in Saskatchewan, Buckley Belanger, is now Secretary of State for Rural Development.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe publicly expressed congratulations to Mr. Belanger, noting it is the province‘s first federal minister since 2019.
Some of the other former ministers who have been dropped from cabinet include Rachel Bendayan, Kody Blois, Terry Duguid, Ali Ehsassi, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Jonathan Wilkinson and Élisabeth Brière.
Mr. Carney also opted to keep some MPs with past experience in cabinet on the backbenches, including Terry Beech, Jean-Yves Duclos, Karina Gould, Ahmed Hussen and Jenna Sudds.
The Liberals are currently two MPs short of a majority government, but not all recounts are complete.
The NDP emerged from the election with just seven seats, five short of the 12 required for official party status in the House of Commons.
Mr. Carney did not directly answer when asked if he is trying to court any NDP MPs to join the Liberals. He was also asked if the Liberals would support giving the NDP official party status, which comes with extra funding for staff and research.
“It’s a question for Parliament,” he said in French. “I take note that Canadians made a decision. There are not many NDP MPs. Canadians decided that, not me.”