Prime Minister Mark Carney made changes to his cabinet on Monday, appointing a new minister and redistributing responsibilities among existing ministers. Marc Miller now serves as the minister of Canadian identity and culture, as well as official languages. Joël Lightbound, the Public Works and Procurement Minister, was also named Carney’s Quebec lieutenant, while Minister of Environment and Climate Change Julie Dabrusin took on the additional portfolio of parks and nature, previously held by the resigned Steven Guilbeault.
Miller, who previously oversaw immigration and Indigenous services under Justin Trudeau, expressed his satisfaction at returning to the cabinet after being initially excluded when Carney assumed office. Lightbound, elected in 2015, and Dabrusin, who had been a parliamentary secretary under Trudeau before her cabinet promotion under Carney, also welcomed their new roles.
Lightbound emphasized his honor in becoming the prime minister’s Quebec lieutenant, highlighting the significance of the position in both federal and Quebec politics. Both Miller and Lightbound commended Guilbeault for his previous work, expressing confidence in his support as they move forward.
Guilbeault resigned from cabinet following a recent agreement with Alberta regarding a new bitumen pipeline to the B.C. coast, which involved suspending certain environmental policies introduced during his tenure. Carney had previously reversed some Trudeau-era environmental initiatives, such as the consumer carbon tax.
Despite Guilbeault’s departure, Miller expressed optimism about caucus unity under Carney’s leadership, acknowledging the prime minister’s role in the party’s successful election outcome. Carney’s recent cabinet shuffle marks the second rearrangement since the April election, following Chrystia Freeland’s departure and subsequent reassignment of ministerial roles. Freeland, a former finance minister under Trudeau, contested Carney for the Liberal leadership but finished as the runner-up.