Bains exit triggers cabinet shuffle

O T T AWA • For the second time in less than six months, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to conduct a small shuffle of his cabinet Tuesday morning, namely to replace Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Navdeep Bains.

Bains indicated to the Prime Minister’s Office that he does not intend to run in the next federal elections, according to multiple sources who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak of the shuffle publicly.

Since an election could come at any time during a minority government, the PMO has decided to replace him immediately with Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne, thus ensuring that a full team is already in place for a possible spring election.

Sources confirmed that Transport Minister Marc

Garneau would take the reins at Global Affairs, while Mississauga Centre MP Omar Alghabra will make his entry into cabinet as the new transport minister.

Alghabra is currently the parliamentary secretary to both the prime minister for public service renewal as well as to the deputy prime minister and minister of intergovernmental affairs.

Sources also confirmed that the shuffle would be conduc t ed vi r t ually f or the first time in Canadian history because of the

COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the second shuffle by Trudeau since he won a second mandate in the 2019 election.

Last August, he was forced to conduct a small shuffle when then Finance Minister Bill Morneau resigned after his relationship with the PMO devolved over his management of COVID-19 financial aid programs as well as his involvement in the WE Charity scandal.

Chrystia Freeland, who is also deputy prime minister, replaced him, while Dominic LeBlanc took over her former post as minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.