Indo-Canadians land top portfolios in Mark Carney's new cabinet

INDO-CANADIANS Anita Anand and Maninder Sidhu have landed important portfolios in the new cabinet announced by prime minister Mark Carney after reshuffle.

While Anand was appointed as the minister of foreign affairs, Sidhu is the new minister for international trade in the new cabinet.

Carney announced the reshuffle almost two weeks after his Liberal Party won the federal elections in Canada. He had replaced Justin Trudeau months ahead of the elections.

Anand, 58, was the minister of innovation, science and industry before the polls and in the past has served in the roles including of defence minister. She replaced Melanie Joly, who is now the minister of industry.

“I am honoured to be named Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build a safer, fairer world and deliver for Canadians,” Anand, an MP from Oakville East, posted on X soon after taking oath.

Sidhu, 41, also took to X after swearing-in and said, it is an “honour of a lifetime” to be appointed as Canada’s international trade minister.

Maninder Sidhu

“I’m grateful to Prime Minister @MarkJCarney for the confidence he’s placed in me to diversify trade, support Canadian businesses in reaching new global markets, and help create good-paying jobs across Canada,” he said.

“I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues as we work together to build the fastest-growing economy in the G7,” he added in the post on X.

Sidhu’s appointment comes at a time when Canada is battling the Trump administration’s aggression towards Canada on tariffs.

Anand, who was a front-runner in the race to be the next prime minister to replace Trudeau, had in January declared that she is backing out from the race and also that she would not be seeking re-election.

However, she had reversed the decision on March 1 saying, “Canada is facing a crucial moment in our nation’s history.” Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Anand moved to Ontario in 1985.

The prime minister of Canada’s website mentioned that Anand was first elected as an MP for Oakville in 2019 and previously served as president of the Treasury Board, as minister of national defence, and as minister of public services and procurement.

Anand has worked as a scholar, lawyer, and researcher. She has been a legal academic, including as a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto, where she held the J R Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance,” it said and listed her other academic achievements too.

According to Sidhu’s website, the entrepreneur has been an MP from Brampton East since 2019 and for over four years, he has also been a parliamentary secretary at Global Affairs Canada “helping to strengthen diplomatic relations, promoting international trade, and supporting international development.”

Among the secretaries – basically junior ministers – is Randeep Sarai, secretary of state (international sevelopment). He is a member of parliament from Surrey Centre.

(PTI)