Canada PM Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet tomorrow: Sources

Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is preparing to shuffle his cabinet, with the rejig of his front bench scheduled to take place as early as Wednesday, reported CTV News citing senior government sources.

PM Trudeau is holding private meetings with ministers in Ottawa ahead of an ensuing trip to Rideau Hall after rumours of a planned summer shuffle got around the federal political scene for weeks. The ministers who called off announcements were Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Minister Ahmed Hussen, and Minister of Official Languages and Minister Responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Ginette Petitpas Taylor, as per CTV News. CTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada.

After intense political scrutiny of the government's handling of issues like housing affordability, public safety, and policies involving online platforms during the autumn and spring sittings, the minority Liberals are attempting to reset their messaging on a few hot files with this impending and potentially significant shuffle.

Several ministerial announcements across the nation slated for Monday were postponed over the weekend, possibly to allow the cabinet members to return to the capital to consult with the prime minister before the shuffle. However, some ministers have continued to travel outside of Ottawa on Mondays, according to CTV News.

If an election is called, it is expected that ministers will have informed the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) of their plans to run again. Since those who have indicated they won't run again are likely to be moved out, PM Trudeau may be able to promote high-performing members of his backbenches to the cabinet before the next election, which is currently slated for 2025.

Carolyn Bennett, a longtime member of the Liberal Party and the current Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, declared on Monday that she will not seek re-election, making the downtown Toronto seat open for the upcoming election. Bennett informed the media that she had previously met with Trudeau to convey her message. The last time Trudeau changed his cabinet was in 2022, when he only switched Helena Jaczek's and Filomena Tassi's portfolios, reported CTV News.

That tweak was the first time the prime minister had shuffled his ministerial roster since the 2021 election, when he significantly changed who was in charge of some crucial portfolios and the Liberals managed to retain power with a second minority government. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is one minister who many believe is about to be reassigned after receiving criticism for his handling of gun control legislation and the transfer of serial killer Paul Bernardo.

Last week, amid calls from the Conservative Party for him to leave, reporters questioned whether Trudeau still had confidence in him. The prime minister responded by saying that anyone in his cabinet "by definition has my confidence."

"I have an amazing team in Ottawa, and an amazing group of MPs right across the country who are committed to serving their country every single day," Trudeau said. Presently there are 38 members in the gender-balanced cabinet, not counting the prime minister.
The timing of this expected shuffle comes before an August cabinet retreat in PEI and the return of Parliament in late September, CTV News reported.