The New Canadian Ministry

by Eduardo del Buey

The New Canadian Ministry

On April 28, Canadians elected a minority Liberal government.

On May 13^th, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his new cabinet, which consists of twenty-eight ministers (members of the inner cabinet) and ten secretaries of state (junior-ranked ministers).

Cabinet ministers must be elected members of the House of Commons or Senators (though it is not usual, it is permitted).

When selecting a cabinet, a Canadian prime minister typically takes several key criteria into account.

The first is competence and experience.

A cabinet minister must be a quick study, an excellent communicator, and a proven manager capable of overseeing hundreds or thousands of civil servants under their authority.

S/he must have a background that inspires confidence that s/he will be able to master the files and guide the Prime Minister effectively.

This is especially true when facing the kind of existential crisis that Canada confronts due to a hostile U.S. administration and the effects of massive tariffs on automobiles, steel, and aluminum, which have led to significant unemployment in various sectors of the economy.

The second criterion is regional representation.

Since the Liberal Party elected members of Parliament in all ten provinces and one of the three territories, the Prime Minister had a broad base to draw upon. All Canadian provinces are represented in this Cabinet.

The third is a clear definition of the priorities that these ministers are expected to focus on and establish as their department’s priorities.

The Prime Minister is focused on the economy and the impact that U.S. tariffs are having on trade and economic development.

He has divided trade into three sectors, each overseen by a different minister.

Besides managing finances, the Minister of Finance will be responsible for establishing a unified Canadian economy rather than merely overseeing the thirteen provincial and territorial economies in Canada. Furthermore, the Minister manages Canada-U.S. trade, which is Canada’s most crucial and complex trade relationship.

The Minister of International Trade supervises international trade and is responsible for cultivating new markets abroad for Canadian exports.

The Minister responsible for internal Canadian trade will collaborate closely with the Minister of Finance to eliminate provincial barriers to internal trade, a measure that could enhance GDP by $200 billion per year.

Another key government objective is to boost the use of artificial intelligence to improve efficiency and foster innovations in governance and management while safeguarding the privacy and security of sensitive data.

By establishing a Ministry of Government Transformation and a separate Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Mr. Carney has laid the groundwork for significant benefits for all Canadians, provided the government can reduce its size and eliminate the wasteful billion-dollar reliance on outside consultants to assist a bloated bureaucracy. This can be achieved by leveraging emerging technologies through programs that could become valuable export products.

In his quest to reshape how the government conducts its business, the Prime Minister appointed Tim Hodgson, a proven energy leader, as Minister for Energy and Natural Resources. He is a former president of Ontario’s Hydro One and has successfully expanded the company’s production and transmission network through skillful negotiations with municipalities, indigenous groups, and civil society stakeholders. Since the Prime Minister’s objective is to quickly build the energy infrastructure, Mr. Hodgson appears to be an excellent choice for this portfolio.

If Canada aims to expand its capacity to reach new customers as a major exporter of energy and minerals, the entire process of consultations and permits must be streamlined to quickly build the infrastructure needed for timely delivery to global markets. The Minister will need to work closely with his colleagues to create synergies for cross-Canada energy distribution networks that can satisfy both domestic and international market demands.

Additionally, for Canada to meet NATO’s goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense, the procurement process must be completely redesigned to allow for quick and efficient purchasing of weapons and equipment. Establishing a Secretary of State for Defense Procurement could facilitate this by fostering close collaboration with the Departments of Innovation and Artificial Intelligence. Furthermore, the government should consider expanding Canadian industry capabilities to design and produce weapons systems for domestic use and to serve the global marketplace.

The new Cabinet will be a work in progress, as significant development is needed. Artificial intelligence and innovation, as tools of governance, must be carefully integrated to enhance productivity while controlling costs and ensuring a real return on investment.

The Prime Minister is a results-oriented leader and will expect a great deal from his Ministers from day one. I do not anticipate him tolerating incompetence, nor will he keep ministers in their positions who cannot deliver.

However, his directives to ministers must stress the importance of ensuring that all levels of management in government are equipped to meet objectives and implement new strategies aimed at enhancing the delivery of government services.

Canadians could benefit from this cabinet if it demonstrates effective teamwork, meets its stated objectives, and creates an accountable bureaucracy with fewer employees.