Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on July 26, with notable ousters including Marco Mendicino and David Lametti.
The stripping of several top ministerial roles was accompanied by the promotion of seven MPs to cabinet and 23 portfolios changing hands.
Arif Virani received the biggest promotion, jumping from parliamentary secretary to the minister of international trade to replacing Mr. Lametti as minister of justice and attorney general.
Mr. Virani, who worked previously as a constitutional lawyer, has represented a Toronto area riding since 2015 and served as vice-chair on the Parliament’s Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency.
Mr. Lametti highlighted his record in a statement on July 26, saying he passed “significant law reforms” as minister, while congratulating his successor. He has not commented on his future, unlike four other ministers who were shuffled out and who announced earlier this week they would not run again.
Dominic Leblanc, minister of intergovernmental affairs, is keeping this role while adding the public safety portfolio. As such, he will take additional responsibilities on the foreign interference file, having been already involved in talks with opposition parties on the terms of a public inquiry into the matter.
Mr. Mendicino’s exit comes after the recent controversy surrounding the transfer of Paul Bernardo to a medium security prison. He said he had not been warned about the transfer, but the Correctional Service of Canada had advised his office.
Mr. Mendicino said in a statement published a few hours before the shuffle that he intends to run in the next election, saying he’s proud of what he accomplished, first as minister of immigration and then at public safety.
Another senior minister to lose her post and exit cabinet is Mona Fortier. Anita Anand will replace Ms. Fortier at the Treasury Board, leaving the Department of National Defence.
Mr. Trudeau did not explain his decision to fire those senior ministers when asked about it during a press conference following the swearing-in ceremony.
