The Star’s view
Trudeau’s team reflects nation,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has hammered together a cabinet that nudges Canada’s government firmly into the 21st century and faithfully reflects a nation that has changed beyond recognition since his father’s early days in office nearly half a century ago.
The ministry Trudeau unveiled at Rideau Hall — amid the skirl of bagpipes, Cree dancers and Inuit throat singers — is credible, fresh-faced, fully gender-balanced, diverse, inclusive, urban and crammed with talent. It looks nothing like Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s first, all-male cabinet in 1968, to those with long memories.
Moreover, judging from the cheering crowd at Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony and the exuberant reaction on social media, people feel it is right for the times.
Canadians voted for change on Oct. 19, and Trudeau has begun to deliver it in the corridors of power. Fully 18 ministers in his 31-member cabinet are rookies. Trudeau drew on a deep talent pool of successful Liberal candidates, to good effect. The contrast with Stephen Harper’s mediocre, submissive wrecking crew could not be greater.
“Canada . . . came together around an ambitious agenda for this country,” Trudeau said after he was sworn in. Government “by cabinet is back” after an era of virtual one-man governance, he stressed. He promised transparent, ethical, accountable government, and he acknowledged that there’s “an awful lot of work to do.”
Given the challenges facing the new government — the Liberals have made a lot of promises to a public fed up with years of Tory misrule, and expectations are exceedingly high — the cabinet team will need to hit the ground running and negotiate a steep learning curve. Indeed, ministers were being publicly lobbied within hours of the swearing-in.
Astrong contingent of ministers from the Greater Toronto Area, featuring a combination of solid parliamentary experience and fresh energy, anchors the new team and ensures that the country’s economic heartland has an effective voice at the table.
It includes Bay Street business figure Bill Morneau, the rookie MP who will handle the daunting finance portfolio, former journalist Chrystia Freeland in international trade, Carolyn Bennett in indigenous and northern affairs, John McCallum in citizenship and immigration, family physician Jane Philpott in health, Kirsty Duncan in science and Navdeep Bains in innovation, science and economic development.
The sheer breadth of Trudeau’s GTA options meant that other high-profile MPs, including Adam Vaughan and Mark Holland, didn’t make the cut. Nor did Ottawa’s retired Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie. All deserve a chance to prove themselves on committees and in other service.
Amid the influx of fresh faces, Trudeau has wisely surrounded himself with battle-tested veterans as well, as he turns the page on Harper’s devaluation of Parliament and national institutions, begins to address the corrosive income gap and looks to making good on a raft of promises. They range from bringing in 25,000 Syrian refugees to investing heavily in infrastructure, cutting middle-class income taxes, shepherding national action on climate change and reforming overreaching anti-terror legislation.
Dominic LeBlanc, Trudeau’s lifelong friend, will serve as government house leader. Ralph Goodale promises to be a firm hand in public safety. Stéphane Dion will bring a critical approach to foreign affairs. And Scott Brison is a good bet for treasury board president, as is Marc Garneau in transport and Judy Foote in public services. Moreover, this clutch of experienced ministers brings a wealth of cross-portfolio expertise to the table.
Trudeau himself will serve as intergovernmental affairs minister, raising hopes for a new era in federal-provincial co-operation, and as minister for youth, a key constituency.
The new cabinet contains welcome surprises, too. Amarjeet Sohi will be in charge of infrastructure, a key Liberal priority. There’s Catherine McKenna in environment and climate change. British Columbia regional chief Jody Wilson-Raybould in justice. Retired Lt.-Col. Harjit Sajjan in defence. Maryam Monsef in democratic institutions. Nunavut’s Hunter Tootoo in fisheries and oceans. And Kent Hehr in veterans affairs.
Importantly for national cohesiveness, Quebec is fairly represented once again.
The prime minister is a Quebecer and that counts for more than a little. Dion and Garneau, too, are both heavy hitters in major portfolios. And Quebecers were handed responsibility in areas that are likely to grow in importance under this government: MarieClaude Bibeau in international development and la Francophonie; Jean-Yves Duclos in the new families, children and social development portfolio; Diane Lebouthillier in revenue; and Mélanie Joly in heritage.
Overall, this is a well-balanced cabinet that gets a lot right, even as it takes calculated risks by putting rookies in charge of more than a few big files. It reflects Canada’s diversity by including MPs from every region, sharply raises the profile of women holding serious portfolios, and features groundbreaking aboriginal, minority and disabled representation.
As Trudeau said, it is a government that “looks like Canada.” That in itself is worth celebrating, whatever challenges lie ahead.
Importantly for national cohesiveness, Quebec is fairly represented once again