One shuffle leads to another: Trudeau names new parliamentary secretaries

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has added nine new names to the ranks of the Liberal government’s parliamentary secretaries.

"Each of these individuals, from a variety of backgrounds and communities across Canada, bring their own skills and points of view to government," Trudeau said in a statement released Thursday announcing the changes. "I am confident they will complement our current cabinet strengths and help build an even better future for all Canadians."

They include Ginette Petitpas Taylor, now parliamentary secretary to the finance minister and Marco Mendicino, who joins Bill Blair as one of the parliamentary secretaries to Justice Minister Jody Wilson−Raybould.

The other fresh faces are Sherry Romanado, associate minister of defence and parliamentary secretary for veterans affairs, Matt DeCourcey, foreign affairs, Jean Rioux, national defence, Steven MacKinnon, public services and procurement, Marc Miller, infrastructure and communities, Joel Lightbound, health, and Andy Fillmore, democratic institutions.

Many of the 34 parliamentary secretaries — MPs who assist a senior cabinet minister, and can stand in for them in question period — took on new roles, including Mark Holland, who is moving off the electoral reform file to public safety.

There is also now only one parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, as Trudeau moved Celina Caesar−Chavannes to international development. Peter Schiefke remains Trudeau’s parliamentary secretary for youth.

There are also eight parliamentary secretaries who are moving out, including longtime Liberal MP John McKay, who had been parliamentary secretary for defence.

The others who are no longer in those ranks are Leona Alleslev, Randy Boissonault, who does have a role as special adviser to Trudeau on LGBTQ2 issues, Anju Dhillon, Emmanuel Dubourg, Greg Fergus, Michel Picard and Pablo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, however, was recently promoted to chief government whip, replacing Andrew Leslie, who is now parliamentary secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, with a focus on Canada−U.S. relations.

Trudeau has also named Hamilton MP Filomena Tassi as the deputy government whip. The changes are, in part, a ripple effect of the cabinet shuffle from earlier this month.

Trudeau promoted Quebec MP Francois−Philippe Champagne, who had been parliamentary secretary to the finance minister, to become the minister for international trade and Ontario MP Karina Gould, who had been parliamentary secretary for international development, to take charge of the electoral reform file at democratic institutions.

Parliamentary secretaries are paid $16,800 a year over and above their MP salaries.