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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce eight new ministers on Friday and change the roles of four others as part of a cabinet shuffle intended to ensure the government runs smoothly.

The reshuffle comes days after the sudden resignation of former deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland, sparking an emboldened movement within the Liberal caucus to oust Trudeau from leadership.

A senior government source told CBC News that the timing and scale of the shuffle should not be taken as a signal that the prime minister has made up his mind about his future, adding that Trudeau is still reflecting on its position.

Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh posted an open letter to Canadians on social media, saying his party would present a motion of no confidence to oust the Trudeau government at the next sitting of the House of Commons.

Liberals don’t deserve another chance, Singh wrote in a letter Friday. This is why the NDP will vote to overthrow this government.

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Current ministers change positions

• Anita Anand remains Minister of Transport, but adds the portfolio of Internal Trade.
• Gary Anandasangaree remains Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, and becomes Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.
• Steven MacKinnon becomes Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.
• Ginette Petitpas Taylor becomes President of the Treasury Board.

As ministers filed out of Rideau Hall after being sworn in, they presented a united front, emphasizing their desire to serve the country as long as possible despite the peril their government faces.

Anand said it’s important for Liberal MPs to come together to ensure Canada is prepared for what happens when U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in next month.

We must work together for the national economy and for our trade relationship with the United States. Anand said on Friday. If we don’t all come together in the same direction, the results won’t be as strong as they otherwise would be.

Petitpas Taylor said she couldn’t speak for the MPs who called on Trudeau to step down, but her support for Trudeau remains firm.

I’m just going to say that we are all here today because we absolutely support the Prime Minister, she said. We are a united front and we really look forward to working for Canadians.

MacKinnon said the shuffle gave the Cabinet a new energy, obviously, associated with experience and competence. He said he was not concerned about Singh’s promise to overthrow the government.

We obviously have confidence in the Prime Minister and in the government, otherwise we would not be here. he said.

Other opposition parties are free to vote as they wish, but we will continue to offer solutions to Canadians until our dying day.

New ministers joining the cabinet:

• Rachel Bendayan: Minister of Official Languages ​​and Associate Minister of Public Safety

Bendayan was first elected to the House of Commons in a 2019 federal by-election in the riding of Outremont following the resignation of former NDP leader Tom Mulcair. Before being elevated to her ministerial post, she served as Freeland’s parliamentary secretary.

• Élisabeth Brière: Minister of National Revenue

Brière was first elected to the House of Commons during the 2019 federal election in the Quebec riding of Sherbrooke. She previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna Sudds, as well as to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Ya’ara Saks.

• Terry Duguid: Minister of Sports and Minister responsible for Prairie Economic Development Canada

Duguid was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2015 federal election in the Manitoba riding of Winnipeg South. Before assuming his new role, Duguid served as Parliamentary Secretary to Trudeau.

• Nathaniel Erskine-Smith: Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Erskine-Smith was first elected to the House of Commons in the Toronto riding of Beaches—East York in the 2015 federal election. Erskine-Smith has a reputation as an outspoken, contrarian MP who is not afraid to take a stand on issues that might not correspond to his government’s expectations. Erskine-Smith has served on several committees, including Public Accounts, Industry and Technology, and Canada-China Relations.

Erskine—Smith previously said he would not run in the next federal election, but said Friday he would run again and accepted the cabinet position to make a difference on housing.

Housing is for me, apart from Canadian-American relations, the most important issue, he said.

I intend to run in the next election to protect the progress that has been made and, in the short term, to make the biggest difference possible.

• Darren Fisher: Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defense

Fisher is also part of the 2015 class of MPs, entering the House of Commons to represent the Nova Scotia riding of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. Fisher previously served as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, NSICOP. The committee, made up of representatives and senators from various parties, reviews highly classified information and provides advice to the government.

When asked why he decided to support Trudeau despite a growing number of Liberal MPs demanding his resignation, Fisher said it was time for the party to come together.

We all ran to serve Canadians, and you will never have to ask me twice to serve Canadians, he said. It is time that we all get on the same path and work hard to solve the problems that we will face in the near future.

• David McGuinty: Minister of Public Safety

McGuinty was first elected to the Ontario riding of Ottawa South in the 2004 federal election. McGuinty has chaired NSICOP since its creation in November 2017. McGuinty has also served on several parliamentary committees.

• Ruby Sahota: Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

Sahota was first elected in the 2015 federal election to represent the Ontario riding of Brampton North. Before joining Cabinet, she served as Chief Government Whip and served on several committees.

Sahota said she was focused on work and the cabinet was united behind the prime minister.

The Prime Minister has our full support and he has obviously shown great confidence in us and that is why we are here today. she said.

• Joanne Thompson: Minister of Seniors

Thompson is one of the newest Liberal MPs to join cabinet after being elected in the 2021 federal election in the riding of St John’s East in Newfoundland and Labrador. Thompson was a member of the Finance Committee as well as the Environment and Government Operations Committees.

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