Prime Minister Mark Carney made changes to his cabinet on Monday, appointing Marc Miller as the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, along with Official Languages. Additionally, Joël Lightbound, the Minister of Public Works and Procurement, was given the added responsibility of serving as Carney’s Quebec lieutenant. Environment and Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin also saw an expansion in her portfolio, now including parks and nature. These roles were previously held by Steven Guilbeault, who resigned from his cabinet position the previous week.
Miller, who previously oversaw immigration, Crown-Indigenous relations, and Indigenous services under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the cabinet. Lightbound, elected in 2015, and Dabrusin, who had served as a parliamentary secretary under Trudeau, were both promoted to their first cabinet posts under Carney’s administration.
In response to Guilbeault’s departure over an agreement with Alberta regarding a new bitumen pipeline, Carney suspended the proposed federal oil and gas emissions cap and removed Alberta’s obligations under the Clean Electricity Regulations, which were introduced during Guilbeault’s term as the environment minister. Carney had also reversed other environmental policies from the Trudeau era, including suspending the consumer carbon tax on his first day in office.
Guilbeault, who remains a Liberal MP, expressed concerns over the dismantling of key climate action measures that he had championed during his tenure. Despite Guilbeault’s resignation, Miller assured reporters that he was not concerned about caucus unity, emphasizing the importance of Carney’s leadership in securing an election victory for the Liberal Party.
This cabinet reshuffle marked Carney’s second since the April election, following the departure of former Transport and Internal Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland in September. Freeland, who held various cabinet positions, including finance, under Trudeau, announced her plan to exit federal politics. Carney reassigned the internal trade portfolio to Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and the transport file to House Leader Steven Mackinnon. Freeland had previously contested against Carney for the Liberal leadership, finishing as the runner-up.
