Less than three weeks after proroguing Parliament, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made significant changes to the federal Cabinet. While minor adjustments had been anticipated following the resignation of Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson last week, the shuffle on Tuesday included moves by 10 different ministers in a variety of senior portfolios. As expected, no changes were made in the critical areas of Finance, Industry or National Defence.
The most senior changes included those made at International Trade, Public Safety and Treasury Board. Vic Toews, until today the President of the Treasury Board, was named Minister of Public Safety replacing Peter Van Loan. Minister Van Loan has been named the Minister of International Trade, while his predecessor in that role, Stockwell Day, has been selected to serve as President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.
Lisa Raitt, formerly the Minister of Natural Resources, has been named Minister of Labour and has been replaced by former Public Works Minister Christian Paradis. Rona Ambrose, most recently the Minister of Labour, has been moved to replace Minister Paradis at Public Works and Government Services Canada. The move is seen as a promotion for both Paradis and Ambrose, both of whom have performed well in their most recent positions.
Jean-Pierre Blackburn has replaced Greg Thompson as Minister of Veterans Affairs, but retains his responsibilities as Minister of State (Agriculture). The National Revenue portfolio has been given to Keith Ashfield, who will also serve as Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway. New Brunswick MP Rob Moore has been elevated to Cabinet as Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism).
Below is a complete list of Prime Minister Harper's new Cabinet:
The Right Honourable Stephen Joseph Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
The Honourable Robert Douglas Nicholson
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State
(Agriculture)
The Honourable Marjory LeBreton
Leader of the Government in the Senate
The Honourable Chuck Strahl
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development,
Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians and
Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay
Minister of National Defence
The Honourable Stockwell Day
President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the
Asia-Pacific Gateway
The Honourable Vic Toews
Minister of Public Safety
The Honourable Rona Ambrose
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
The Honourable Diane Finley
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
The Honourable Beverley J. Oda
Minister of International Cooperation
The Honourable Jim Prentice
Minister of the Environment
The Honourable John Baird
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
The Honourable James Michael Flaherty
Minister of Finance
The Honourable Josée Verner
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, President of the
Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister for La
Francophonie
The Honourable Jay D. Hill
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
The Honourable Peter Van Loan
Minister of International Trade
The Honourable Gerry Ritz
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the
Canadian Wheat Board
The Honourable Jason Kenney
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and
Multiculturalism
The Honourable Christian Paradis
Minister of Natural Resources
The Honourable James Moore
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Labour
The Honourable Gail Shea
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
The Honourable Keith Ashfield
Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister for the Atlantic
Gateway
The Honourable Gary Lunn
Minister of State (Sport)
The Honourable Gordon O'Connor
Minister of State and Chief Government Whip
The Honourable Helena Guergis
Minister of State (Status of Women)
The Honourable Diane Ablonczy
Minister of State (Seniors)
The Honourable Rob Merrifield
Minister of State (Transport)
The Honourable Lynne Yelich
Minister of State (Western Economic Diversification)
The Honourable Steven John Fletcher
Minister of State (Democratic Reform)
The Honourable Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal
Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)
The Honourable Denis Lebel
Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada
for the Regions of Quebec)
The Honourable Peter Kent
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)
The Honourable Rob Moore
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)
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