Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a targeted cabinet shuffle Monday following the sudden resignation of Steven Guilbeault last week, reinstating former Trudeau-era minister Marc Miller to a newly defined role. Miller, who previously served as Minister of Immigration under Justin Trudeau, has returned to cabinet as Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages.
Joël Lightbound, currently Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, will expand his responsibilities, taking on the politically significant position of Quebec Lieutenant. Environment and Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin will assume responsibility for the federal nature file, one of the duties previously handled by Guilbeault.
Government sources had signaled ahead of the swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall that the adjustments would be modest, focused mainly on redistributing Guilbeault’s former portfolios.
Guilbeault resigned Thursday from his roles as Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Quebec Lieutenant shortly after Ottawa announced a federal-provincial energy deal with Alberta. In his resignation letter, he wrote that although he respected the prime minister’s attempts to navigate “profound disruption,” he could not support the memorandum of understanding with Alberta, arguing that environmental priorities must remain “front and centre.”
“I strongly oppose the memorandum of understanding between the federal government and the government of Alberta,” Guilbeault wrote, calling the decision to step down one made “with great sadness.”
Carney’s reshuffle marks the first significant cabinet movement since assuming office and seeks to stabilize key policy files while addressing internal divisions over climate and energy strategy.