Maninder Sidhu Gets Trade, Shafqat Ali Oversees Spending in New Cabinet
Two Brampton-area Liberal MPs have landed prominent roles in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new federal cabinet, as the government resets its leadership team following April’s election.
Shafqat Ali, re-elected in the newly created riding of Brampton–Chinguacousy Park, has been appointed President of the Treasury Board, taking over from Ginette Petitpas Taylor. The Treasury Board is a central agency responsible for overseeing government expenditures and operations — a powerful post that positions Ali at the heart of Carney’s cost-control and policy implementation efforts.
Ali defeated Conservative challenger Tim Iqbal by nearly 2,000 votes in a closely watched contest.
Meanwhile, Maninder Sidhu, the incumbent MP for Brampton East, has been named Minister of International Trade, a key economic portfolio as Canada navigates new trade dynamics under U.S. President Donald Trump. Sidhu secured re-election with a narrow margin over Conservative Bob Dosanjh Singh.
Carney’s cabinet shuffle also saw Mississauga MP Rechie Valdez appointed as Minister of Women and Gender Equality. Other major changes included Anita Anand taking over Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly moving to Industry, and Chrystia Freeland shifting to Transport and Internal Trade.
The cabinet, announced Tuesday, reflects Carney’s push to bring fresh leadership into critical roles while maintaining some continuity in core economic and international files.