"Mark Carney's cabinet selections spark intense competition among liberals": Inside Circle braces for the appointments
Unfiltered Take:
Alex BallingallDeputy Ottawa Bureau Chief | Tonda MacCharlesOttawa Bureau Chief | OTTAWA - The newly-elected Prime Minister Mark Carney is juggling a plethora of challenges and critical decisions as he kicks off his first term in office for the minority Parliament of Canada.
Days ahead, the Liberal prime minister is anticipated to name his Chief of Staff and select key players within his office, reshuffle his cabinet on Tuesday, and try to advance his governing priorities under Trump's looming trade war. With a parliamentary seat secured for the first time during the April 28th federal election, Carney is also set to join the House of Commons later this month as a legislative rookie. Members of his party - now holding 169 seats - are a few shy of a majority, sparking speculation about the potential of opposition members crossing the aisle to bolster the government's strength.
According to senior Liberal sources, background discussions indicate Carney has already identified someone for the role of Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office, and this decision is set to be made within the following weeks. Two other sources cited uncertainty about whether the current Chief of Staff, former Liberal MP and cabinet minister Marco Mendicino, will remain in the position.
Upon the appointment of the top staffer, the identity of other key positions within Carney's Prime Minister's Office is expected to be revealed, as reported by the senior Liberal source. This source emphasized that the staffing process is taking longer than usual, partly due to Carney's recent travel to Washington, D.C. for his initial meeting with U.S. President Trump amid ongoing trade tariffs and Trump's stated desire to annex Canada.
In a recent email to Liberal political staff members, Mendicino requested them to fill out a form indicating their desired roles within the government. With Carney pared down the cabinet to 23 ministers in March - a reduction from Trudeau's team that ballooned from 31 in 2015 to a high of 40 ministers in 2024 - several political aides found themselves without positions.
One senior staffer described the competition for remaining jobs as similar to "a Hunger Games version" of cabinet forming, due to the diminished size of the cabinet compared to Trudeau's but a potential increase from the pre-election version Carney chose the week before calling the election.
Goldy Hyder, CEO of the Business Council of Canada, demanded significant changes in cabinet, particularly in portfolios dealing with cross-border trade, energy, and business development, during an interview in Washington. Hyder expressed fatigue among Americans regarding similar faces in cabinet, hinting at a strong desire to see fresh faces.
Housing advocates and industry insiders, however, have expressed concerns over potential changes in the housing minister role, specifically with regards to local MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith. Altering the housing minister role could slow down necessary efforts to increase affordable housing, as Carney promised to rapidly expand housing construction with his new mandate.
Another demand from the LGBTQ+ community is for Carney to assign a minister responsible for women and gender equality - a Trudeau-era role omitted from Carney's pre-election cabinet.
Aside from the drama surrounding cabinet composition, Carney's government must navigate the complexities of a minority Parliament. Short of a majority expected in the election's final days, Carney's administration will rely on opposition parties to help pass legislation, approve budgets, and prevent early elections. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet expressed no rush to bring down the government, while Conservative parliamentary leader Andrew Scheer hinted at potential support for measures to address the ongoing trade war with the U.S. The NDP, reduced to seven MPs, has stated their priorities as progress on affordable housing and expanding public healthcare.
While discussions about opposition members crossing the aisle have taken place, according to senior Liberal sources, no substantive progress has been made in such discussions. NDP interim leader Don Davies conveyed no expectation of his MPs joining the Liberals, while Green MP Elizabeth May declared she would "never cross the floor."
Meanwhile, May mentioned she will maintain her candidacy for the position of Speaker of the House of Commons, responsibility for mediating debates and votes. Toronto Liberal MP Rob Oliphant has begun campaigning for the Speaker position, while former Speaker Greg Fergus, along with Conservative MPs Chris d'Entremont and Tom Kmiec, have also shown interest.
Parliament is expected to reconvene on May 26, with King Charles III slated to deliver the throne speech on May 27.
With files from Mark Ramzy
Error! Sorry, there was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again.
You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply.
Want more of the latest updates? Sign up at our newsletter page.
- The new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, faces numerous challenges and significant decisions as he commences his first term in Canadian Parliament.
- The Liberal prime minister is expected to name his Chief of Staff and announce key appointments within his office in the coming days, as well as reshuffle his cabinet next Tuesday.
- Additionally, Carney will enter the House of Commons later this month, marking his first time as a legislative rookie.
- Despite the parliamentary seat secured during the April 28th federal election, the Liberal party falls short of a majority, stirring speculation about possible opposition members joining the government.
- According to senior Liberal sources, Carney has already identified someone for the position of Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office.
- The prospective Chief of Staff's identity, along with other key appointments, is anticipated to be revealed once the staffing process is finalized.
- Marco Mendicino, the current Chief of Staff, may or may not remain in his position, according to two sources.
- In a recent rally, Goldy Hyder, the CEO of the Business Council of Canada, demanded significant changes in cabinet, specifically in portfolios dealing with cross-border trade, energy, and business development.
- Housing advocates and industry insiders have expressed concerns regarding potential changes to the housing minister role, which could affect the pace of affordable housing construction.
- The LGBTQ+ community has requested a minister responsible for women and gender equality, a role omitted from Carney's pre-election cabinet.
- The minority Parliament necessitates collaboration with opposition parties to pass legislation, approve budgets, and prevent early elections.
- While discussions about opposition members crossing the aisle have taken place, no substantial progress has been made in such negotiations as of yet.
- The race for Speaker of the House of Commons has begun, with Toronto Liberal MP Rob Oliphant campaigning for the position, while other potential candidates, such as former Speaker Greg Fergus, Chris d'Entremont, and Tom Kmiec, have shown interest.
