Thursday, February 5, 2026
ADVT 
National

Five things to know about Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Mar, 2025 04:50 PM
  • Five things to know about Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet

Mark Carney was sworn in Friday as Canada's 24th prime minister in a ceremony in Rideau Hall, alongside his new cabinet.

Here are five things to know about the new prime minister's plans and his new cabinet.

Fewer ministers

The most noticeable difference between Justin Trudeau's cabinet and Carney's is its size. The new cabinet is made of 24 MPs — 13 men, including Carney, and 11 women. Trudeau's last cabinet had 37 members.

Carney said his cabinet has two main priorities: protecting Canadians from the effects of the trade war with the U.S. and reining in government spending.

Who's in, who's out? 

Carney's former leadership rival Chrystia Freeland was named minister of transportation and internal trade, but Karina Gould, the only other sitting MP on the leadership ballot, was left out. Gould left cabinet in January to join the race.

Internal trade has become a bigger priority since U.S. President Donald Trump began his trade war with Canada and much of the world. After being sworn in, Carney said that he wants to shift Canada from 13 economies to one national economy.

Nine ministers who previously talked about running for another term were left out: Marc Miller, Ahmed Hussen, Terry Beech, Diane Lebouthillier, Darren Fisher, Jenna Sudds, Ya'ara Saks, Jean-Yves Duclos and Ruby Sahota.

There are three new faces in the new cabinet: Agriculture Minister Kody Blois, Government Transformation Minister Ali Ehsassi and government House leader Arielle Kayabaga.

Carney's first international trip

Carney said that he will be heading to Europe in the coming days to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Carney said the focus of these talks will be to reinforce trade relationships between the two countries and discuss national security. He said that he will have similar discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Carney said he received invitations to visit from France and the U.K.

The Republican elephant in the room

Carney said he has no current plan to travel to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump.

He said he intends to speak with him in the coming days but nothing has been scheduled.

Carney reiterated that Canada will never become a U.S. state — something that Trump has called for in exchange for lifting his tariffs.

Carney called the notion of Canada becoming a U.S. state "crazy."

The prime minister said that Canada is the United States' biggest commercial client, and clients "expect respect" and the ability to work together in a "proper" way.

He also made a specific move to appoint a new minister of Canadian culture and identity. The role is being filled by Steven Guilbeault, formerly the minister of environment, and replaces the heritage file.

Carney said the job will be focused on "reinforcing" all aspects of Canadian identity.

Ending the consumer carbon price

After suggesting he would remove the consumer carbon price by the end of the day, Carney signed an order-in-council Friday to terminate it "as of April 1, 2025."

Carney also said people who have been getting a rebate on the carbon price will get one final payment for the next quarter in April.

The price was scheduled to rise from $80 to $95 per tonne on April 1.

While Carney has long supported carbon pricing as an effective way to reduce emissions, he promised to end the consumer levy during his Liberal leadership campaign.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre made opposition to the carbon price a central theme of his attacks on the government, blamed it for cost of living increases and repeatedly called for a "carbon tax election."

When asked when Canadians can expect to go to the polls, Carney said "before November."

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada calls for unity, pushes back on U.S. tariffs as G7 ministers gather in Quebec

Canada calls for unity, pushes back on U.S. tariffs as G7 ministers gather in Quebec
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is welcoming her counterparts from some of the world's most powerful countries to Quebec this week, as Ottawa works to maintain unity between Washington and its Group of Seven partners and pushes back on U.S. tariffs. The ministers are scheduled to have an early afternoon news conference on Friday.

Canada calls for unity, pushes back on U.S. tariffs as G7 ministers gather in Quebec

Fire at residential building in downtown Vancouver displaces dozens

Fire at residential building in downtown Vancouver displaces dozens
A fire at a high-rise building in downtown Vancouver has displaced 42 residents. Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says crews were called to the building on Nelson Street on Tuesday and arrived to find flames coming from the building's seventh storey, extending into the eighth floor. 

Fire at residential building in downtown Vancouver displaces dozens

Carney transition team met with PMO staff Tuesday, hope for PM swearing in by Friday

Carney transition team met with PMO staff Tuesday, hope for PM swearing in by Friday
Liberal Leader Mark Carney is hoping to be sworn in as Canada's 24th prime minister by the end of the week but there are some logistical hurdles like security clearances for senior members of his transition team that must happen first. Carney won a landslide victory to take the helm of the Liberals from Justin Trudeau on Sunday night but he isn't yet the prime minister.

Carney transition team met with PMO staff Tuesday, hope for PM swearing in by Friday

Canadian pride surges in face of Trump's tariff, sovereignty threats: Leger poll

Canadian pride surges in face of Trump's tariff, sovereignty threats: Leger poll
A new poll suggests Canadians' sense of national pride has surged in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and threats against the country's sovereignty. The poll, conducted by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies, says that the number of people saying they're proud to be Canadian has jumped from 80 per cent in November 2024 to 86 per cent this month.

Canadian pride surges in face of Trump's tariff, sovereignty threats: Leger poll

In America's 'most Canadian town,' Trump's trade war wounds wallets and hearts

In America's 'most Canadian town,' Trump's trade war wounds wallets and hearts
The tiny community of Point Roberts is a little bit of America, firmly fixed to British Columbia. It's the result of a cartographic quirk, occupying the southern tip of the otherwise-Canadian Tsawwassen peninsula that is surrounded by water, but dangles south of the 49th parallel.  The exclave gets water and electricity from Metro Vancouver and sometimes Canadian firefighters come to the rescue.

In America's 'most Canadian town,' Trump's trade war wounds wallets and hearts

Bank of Canada cuts benchmark rate to 2.75%

Bank of Canada cuts benchmark rate to 2.75%
The Bank of Canada announces an interest rate cut as a cloud of uncertainty looms over the Canadian economy. Economists polled by Reuters widely saw the central bank lowering its key lending rate to 2.75 per cent, which marks its seventh consecutive cut.

Bank of Canada cuts benchmark rate to 2.75%