Let's Talk
Let's Talk

Prime Minister Mark Carney Sworn in with Leaner Cabinet

What you need to know

March 14, 2025

Canada has a new prime minister and a new cabinet.

Prime Minister Mark Carney was sworn in today after securing a landslide victory in the Liberal leadership contest on Sunday. Carney will lead his party into the next election, in which Liberals hope the ballot box question will be Canada’s ability to withstand and resolve trade disputes and sovereignty threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. Carney’s platform focused on his plan to take on Trump, and bring the Liberals, fiscally speaking, back to centre ice. That was our obligatory hockey pun.

There is a distinct possibility that Carney and his cabinet are here for a good time, not a long time. An election call is expected within the next ten days, after which a new government will again be sworn in, be it the Liberals or the Conservatives. This means Carney’s team will have a short runway to make an impact.

Keep reading for a look at all the new cabinet appointments and what it means for you.

Highlights

By the Numbers

New to Cabinet

4

ministers are new to cabinet

New Portfolios

20

ministers in new portfolios

Out of Cabinet

18

ministers are out of cabinet

Total Cabinet Ministers

24

total cabinet ministers
(down from 37)

Ministers in New Roles

Out of Cabinet

Next Steps

The path forward is contingent on a number of factors. At this time of year, the cabinet is usually focused squarely on delivering a budget. Instead, attention is fixed on responding to trade threats from the United States and preparing for the 2025 Election, which could be called at any time. New ministers will not have long to get accustomed to their portfolios.

Transition
Ministers entering new portfolios will be briefed by their deputy ministers and departmental teams who will provide resources to get them up to the speed on the work of their departments.
Staffing Up
Ministerial offices, including the Prime Minister’s Office will need to staff up, and that could mean big moves for prominent ministerial staffers and significant reshuffling. We’re also watching for changes in the senior levels of the public service.
Regulatory Policy
Carney committed to removing the consumer carbon pricing system and cancelling recent capital gains increases in his acceptance speech. Those are two examples of parts of his agenda that can be implemented without Parliament.
Tariff Battle
As of today, Mark Carney will have the final say in the federal government’s response to U.S. tariffs. He will want to avoid upsetting industry expectations based on the direction set by the Trudeau government, but he’s also committed to implementing dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs.
Cabinet Committees
The prime minister will reorganize cabinet committees to reflect the changes announced today. Cabinet committees carry out the day-to-day business of the executive branch, reviewing most major decisions taken by the government.
Election
October 20, 2025 is the fixed date for a federal vote in Canada. It is all but certain now that Mark Carney will call an election in advance of March 24th, sending Canadians to the polls at the end of April or beginning of May. The newly minted prime minister and his team will work hard in the coming days to show they are the best choice to take on U.S. threats.
Caretaker Convention
When an election is called, the Privy Council Office issues guidelines for the conduct of ministers, staff and public servants during the campaign. It limits them to what is necessary from a governance perspective, and circumstances suggest ministers might need more leeway than usual.

Got questions?

We can help.

Connect with one of our pros and get expert advice tailored especially for you.

Navigate

Need help?
Our experts are here to answer all your questions.