Government

Here’s where B.C. sits in Trudeau’s cabinet

By Jacob Parry /

Three Vancouver-area MPs made cabinet, but they aren’t the only ones who will matter to B.C.

After two weeks of speculation, we know the names of the new ministers in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s incoming cabinet, and few of the B.C. members should come as a surprise. Three B.C. MPs made Trudeau’s 30-person roster, down from five in Harper’s much larger cabinet: Vancouver-Granville’s Jody Wilson-Raybould as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Vancouver South MP Harjit Sajjan as Minister of National Defence, and Carla Qualtrough (Delta) as Minister of Sport, and Persons with Disabilities. 

B.C.’s new slate of ministers were also appointed to prominent positions in cabinet committees, which play a vital role in setting and implementing policy. Wilson-Raybould has been appointed vice-chair of two national security cabinet committees, the Cabinet Committee on Intelligence and Emergency Management (chaired by the Prime Minister) and Canada in the World and Public Security, which is responsible for domestic and global security. Qualtrough has been appointed vice-chair of the cabinet committee responsible for reform of democratic institutions and processes, i.e., electoral reform.

There are also a number of new cabinet ministers from other provinces who will play a role in issues of great importance to B.C.’s economy, and whom you’re sure to hear a lot more from in the future. They include:

Bill Morneau (Ontario): Finance 
Chrystia Freeland (Ontario): International Trade, responsible for the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the renegotiation of the Softwood Lumber agreement
Navdeep Bains (Ontario): Innovation, Science and Economic Development; his portfolio will include agencies like Western Economic Diversification and programs that support Canada’s technology sector
Bardish Chagger (Ontario): Small Business and Tourism
John McCallum (Ontario): Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees
MaryAnn Mihychuk (Manitoba): Employment Workforce Development and Labour; her portfolio includes the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which will definitely play a role in mortgage policy and could play a role in federal affordable housing initiatives

Shortly after the cabinet was announced, Christy Clark issued a statement offering congratulations and then outlining her legislative priorities for the new government: renegotiating the softwood lumber agreement, LNG development, trade, infrastructure, immigration and economic opportunities for First Nations.

A handful of prominent names did not make cabinet. Long-time Vancouver Liberal stalwarts Hedy Fry and Joyce Murray, and newly elected MPs like West Vancouver’s Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, North Vancouver Jonathan Wilkinson and Kelowna MP Stephen Fuhr, a former fighter pilot, were not appointed to cabinet.