Political drama eclipsed Prime Minister Justin TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 move to rejuvenate his cabinet with fresh faces following a tumultuous week, underscoring questions about how much gas he has left in the tank as Liberal leader.
The shuffle came five days after Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned as finance minister Monday after Trudeau had told her he was going to demote her to a different job. The move prompted a new uprising against Trudeau, with more than a dozen Liberal MPs now openly calling for him to resign.
Trudeau said in brief remarks Friday after a cabinet meeting that itB次元官网网址檚 exactly one month until president-elect Donald Trump takes office and his cabinetB次元官网网址檚 focus must be to prepare for that.
B次元官网网址淲e know how important it is for Canadians that we be there to protect not just the Canadian economy, but their jobs, the cost of living challenge that theyB次元官网网址檙e facing that could get even worse,B次元官网网址� he told reporters camped outside of his office in parliament. B次元官网网址淲e have a lot of work to do and thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e focused on.B次元官网网址�
The typical excitement and celebratory vibes of a cabinet shuffle were absent earlier Friday, as eight backbench Liberals were promoted to cabinet and four existing ministers got new or additional roles.
They wanted to talk about being united in the face of tariff threats from Trump. But the only real questions for them were about why theyB次元官网网址檇 join cabinet now, whether they still support the prime minister and how much longer the government can survive.
Montreal MP Rachel Bendayan, the new minister of official languages and associate minister of public safety, said her decision to join the cabinet came because her decision to enter politics was to serve Canadians, not focus on partisan fights.
B次元官网网址淚 have an incredible opportunity to help protect CanadiansB次元官网网址� safety and I will do that with every ounce of my being,B次元官网网址� she said, shortly after being sworn into cabinet.
But being in cabinet long enough to do that seems in doubt, after NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh declared just ahead of the shuffle that he is now ready to vote down the government and will attempt to trigger an election in the new year.
Trudeau, who did not take questions after the cabinet shuffle, had told his caucus he would reflect on his leadership following an emergency caucus meeting following FreelandB次元官网网址檚 resignation on Dec. 16. None of the ministers seemed to know how long that reflection would take, and at least one B次元官网网址� new Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, said he hadnB次元官网网址檛 even asked Trudeau about it when they spoke about the cabinet job.
Bendayan, a lawyer before she was elected in a byelection in 2019, appeared to acknowledge the road is a bit tricky for the prime minister right now.
B次元官网网址淧olitics is about choices, very often those are difficult choices,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think the prime minister was quite clear that he has a choice that heB次元官网网址檚 reflecting on.B次元官网网址�
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree, at the shuffle because he had northern affairs added to his portfolio, suggested the reflection will happen B次元官网网址渙ver the next few weeks.B次元官网网址�
Most ministers who stepped up to the microphone after the ceremony tried to focus on a need to be prepared for the tariff battle expected to play out when Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
B次元官网网址淚 believe this is a moment where we need to stand united,B次元官网网址� said Transport Minister Anita Anand.
B次元官网网址淚 would ask at this time, this very critical juncture, that we all push in the same direction,B次元官网网址� implored new Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Fisher. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time that we all get on the same track.B次元官网网址�
FridayB次元官网网址檚 shuffle plugged gaps in TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 front bench and reassigned roles, after several cabinet ministers decided not to run in the election next year. Though, he did not move the major players on his team.
Dominic LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister Monday night, and his public safety portfolio was given to McGuinty on Friday.
In addition to Bendayan, Fisher and McGuinty, Brampton, Ont. MP Ruby Sahota, becomes minister of democratic institutions and responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for southern Ontario, St. JohnB次元官网网址檚, N.L. MP Joanne Thompson becomes minister for seniors, Winnipeg MP Terry Duguid is sport minister, and Toronto MP Nate Erskine-Smith becomes housing minister.
About a year ago, Erskine-Smith said after his failed provincial leadership bid that he would not seek re-election so he can spend more time with his family. Now he says he thinks he can make a difference in his new role dealing with the countryB次元官网网址檚 housing crisis, even if he has a short runway with the next election just around the corner.
Upward of 17 Liberals have called for Trudeau to step down.
Nepean, Ont. MP Chandra Arya made a post on social media calling for Trudeau to step aside and for caucus to rally behind Freeland as a B次元官网网址渃redible and stableB次元官网网址� alternative to Trudeau as leader.
Toronto MP Rob Oliphant, who held an emergency meeting in his riding with constituents this week to hear their thoughts, also said Friday itB次元官网网址檚 time for Trudeau to step aside for the good of the party and the country. In a letter posted to social media Friday Oliphant said party faithful in his riding told him Trudeau has B次元官网网址渂ecome a key obstacleB次元官网网址� to progress on the governmentB次元官网网址檚 progressive agenda and its B次元官网网址渞ecord of achievements is now at risk.B次元官网网址�
Singh vowed he will attempt to bring down the government in a vote of non-confidence once Parliament resumes in the new year, although he waited until the House of Commons had adjourned for the holidays to take this position and had prevented the government from being defeated throughout the fall sitting.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre sought to up the ante on SinghB次元官网网址檚 move Friday by saying Parliament should immediately reconvene for a non-confidence vote to bring an end to what he called a B次元官网网址渃haotic clown showB次元官网网址� of a government.
BlocQu茅b茅coisLeader Yves-Fran莽ois Blanchet recently said he believes Canadians should go to the polls in the new year as the country faces president-elect TrumpB次元官网网址檚 tariff threats.
Parliament is not scheduled to return until Jan. 27, but opposition parties may not get a chance to pose non-confidence votes for weeks after that.
Trudeau has several options to delay such a vote that could bring down his government, including by pausing parliament through proroguing. That could buy his party time to hold a quick leadership race, or reset the agenda while the governing party waits out the threat as long as possible until parliament has to return to pass spending measures.
