A look at who is in – and who is out – of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet

Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada: Before entering federal politics, Martinez Ferrada was involved with municipal politics for more than 10 years, serving as a city councillor for Saint-Michel. She was a chief of staff for the City of Montreal’s executive committee and a senior advisor to the minister of Canadian heritage. In 2019, she was elected in her Montreal riding of Hochelaga, and has served as parliamentary secretary to ministers of transport and immigration. She is also taking on responsibility for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks: A long-time community advocate, Saks was first elected in York Centre in a 2020 byelection and has served as the parliamentary secretary to the families minister. Before entering politics, Saks owned and directed a Toronto-based mental health charity: Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities. She is also becoming the associate minister of health.

Families Minister Jenna Sudds: The rookie MP’s new ministerial assignment is the latest promotion in her meteoric rise in politics. She joined the federal Liberal campaign in 2021 while taking on her first term on Ottawa’s city council. Before she joined politics, Sudds was the founding president of the Kanata North Business Association, representing Canada’s largest tech park.

Justice Minister and Attorney General Arif Virani: Virani first came to Canada as a Ugandan Asian refugee when he was a child. He had a law career focused on human rights before entering federal politics in 2015 as the member for Parkdale-High Park in Toronto. He was also one of the founders of the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario. Virani worked on the Liberal government’s justice file as the parliamentary secretary to outgoing minister David Lametti.

Minister of Small Business Rechie Valdez: The first Filipino woman elected as a member of Parliament, the rookie MP is a former television personality and advocate. Valdez serves Mississauga-Streetsville in the Greater Toronto Area. She has been a member of various parliamentary committees and associations, including the House veterans affairs committee and the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association.

Here’s who’s out:

Omar Alghabra: The transportation minister announced he would not run for re-election and resigned his seat in cabinet Tuesday. Alghabra was initially elected as an MP in 2006, but lost his seat in 2008. He returned to the House of Commons in 2015 and served as parliamentary secretary on several files before taking over the transportation file — and the government’s response to pandemic travel woes — in 2021.

Carolyn Bennett: The longtime Liberal was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 after working as a family physician and an associate professor at the University of Toronto. In response to the 2003 SARS outbreak, Bennett oversaw the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada and the appointment of Canada’s first chief public health officer as the minister for the state of public health. She also served as minister of Crown-Indigenous relations and, most recently, mental health and addictions minister. She announced Monday she does not intend to run for re-election.

Mona Fortier: The Ottawa-area MP was the first and only minister for middle-class prosperity before she was appointed president of the Treasury Board in 2021. She was responsible for negotiating a new contract with public servants in May during one of the largest strikes in Canadian history.

Helena Jaczek: Jaczek was promoted to the procurement minister’s post less than a year ago but says she’s not planning to run in the next election. She served in the Ontario legislature as health minister and social services minister before successfully running against former Liberal cabinet minister Jane Philpott in 2019 for a federal seat.

David Lametti: Lametti took over as justice minister and attorney general from Jody Wilson-Raybould in 2019, just as the office erupted into turmoil. Shortly after he took over the job, allegations surfaced that the prime minister put undue pressure on Wilson-Raybould in what would come to be known as the SNC-Lavalin affair. Lametti was a law professor at McGill University for 20 years before entering politics.

Marco Mendicino: The former federal prosecutor served as immigration minister before taking over public safety in 2021. He juggled several challenging and contentious files, including the Afghan refugee crisis, gun control, the response to “Freedom Convoy” protests and foreign interference. He most recently came under fire for his office’s handling of the transfer of convicted killer Paul Bernardo from maximum- to medium-security prison, sparking calls for his resignation from the Opposition.

Joyce Murray: Murray served in the British Columbia cabinet before she was elected federally, and served as digital government minister and president of the Treasury Board before taking over the fisheries file. She announced Tuesday that she plans to retire from politics after the next election.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2023

Alessia Passafiume and Laura Osman, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

A look at who is in – and who is out – of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet

Our Community