Amidst voter frustration over issues such as inflation, housing prices, and climate change, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s newly reshuffled cabinet gathered for a “family photo” on Wednesday.
According to Jeni Armstrong, an instructor at Carleton University and a former political staff member, the photo resembled a portrait introducing a new cabinet after an election.
The question remains whether this reset will be enough to win over more voters, Armstrong added.
After eight years in office, Trudeau is facing voter fatigue and a loss of confidence, with the latest polls showing the Liberals, led by Trudeau, trailing behind the Conservatives.
Trudeau aimed to bring “fresh energy” to Parliament Hill through the cabinet reshuffle, stating, “We need to continue to put our very best foot forward and work even harder to deliver for Canadians.”
The presence of almost the entire cabinet at the swearing-in ceremony indicates the scale of the shake-up ahead of the next scheduled election in October 2025.
A total of 23 ministers were reassigned, including key portfolios such as defense, justice, immigration, procurement, health, and transport. Eight ministers retained their current titles.
Seven new ministers were introduced, with four filling vacancies left by peers who announced they would not seek re-election. The remaining three replaced ministers who were removed from the cabinet.
Unlike in Britain, where ministers have more influence in shaping their portfolios, in Canada, the expectation is that ministers will execute the prime minister’s vision. The impact of most cabinet reassignments on voters remains uncertain.
Robert Drummond, a retired politics professor at York University, expressed skepticism about the reasons behind some of the changes, stating, “There are a lot of movements that don’t seem to have any particular reason for doing it.”
Some of the changes appear to be attempts to divert attention from persistent issues faced by ministers, such as Mr. Mendicino, who faced criticism for not being alerted about the transfer of a notorious serial killer to a medium-security prison.
Pablo Rodriguez, the former heritage minister, had become…
2023-07-29 05:00:07
Source from www.nytimes.com
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