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Prime minister- designate Justin Trudeau has already said he wants his cabinet, which will be smaller than the one predecessor Stephen Harper had, to be made up equally of men and women.

Now, media reports citing Liberal insiders involved in the process say he also wants cabinet to be representative of the diversity of the Canadian population — and that some veteran Liberals have already learned they’ll be consigned to the backbenches. Obviously, there are highly qualified potential cabinet ministers among the Liberal caucus, but the selection always needs to be made first and foremost on merit and capability. Being a cabinet minister is about governance; it should never be solely about gender, ethnicity or skin colour.

Choosing cabinet ministers based on some notion of representing Canadian diversity is a flawed perspective if it means some eminently capable people get passed over because they’re deemed to be of the wrong ethnicity or gender. Further, although Trudeau grew up at 24 Sussex Drive, he has served as an MP only a short while and is brand new to the reins of power. He needs some veteran MPs in his cabinet, regardless of what gender or ethnic background they are, to provide him with the kind of good, solid advice that comes only from insight borne of years of experience in office.

He would be foolish to shun these people because of some preconceived, if well- intentioned, ideal of proportional diversity.

Trudeau does need some rookies in cabinet, but their selection should be based on who is the best person for the job. To choose based on physical characteristics does everyone a disservice — the public, who expects that highly qualified people will be running the country, and the ministers themselves, who may not be up to the job.

Further, someone who isn’t up to the job will, in the end, do Trudeau a disservice because he or she is far more likely to make an embarrassing gaffe in such a high- pressure position — the kind of mistake that will see the individual shuffled out of cabinet at the earliest possible opportunity. In choosing his cabinet, Trudeau should indeed aim for diversity, but that diversity must be based on merit.

We’re sure there is no shortage of prospective cabinet ministers who fit that description. We are equally sure there is no shortage of veteran Liberals who merit a place at the cabinet table because of their experience and wisdom.

Among these qualified people, ethnicity and gender are irrelevant.

We look forward to the unveiling of Trudeau’s cabinet on Wednesday. May it represent the best candidates available.