(Ottawa) Two ministers from Ontario change places in the Trudeau cabinet. Filomena Tassi hands over her portfolio of Public Services and Procurement to Helena Jaczek, who in turn gives her that of the Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Posted at 10:05 a.m.
This minor game of musical chairs was prompted by Filomena Tassi’s expressed wish to cede her responsibilities as Minister of Public Services and Supply. The elected Ontario representative asked the Premier to take this step back in order to have more time to take care of her husband, who has been affected by health problems.
In a statement released after the start of the swearing-in ceremony, the minister revealed that her husband had suffered two strokes early last year. “As anyone who has gone through a similar experience knows, post-stroke care can be complex and fraught with uncertainty,” it reads.
She therefore met Justin Trudeau last month to discuss “the balance to be found” between the needs of his family and the job. “I want to thank the Prime Minister for approaching my situation as a challenge to be met and not as a choice to be made between family and service to the people,” she said.
His successor, Helena Jaczek, is an MP from the same province.
She previously held the portfolio of Minister of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario in Cabinet. First elected under the federal Liberal banner in the riding of Markham-Stouffville in 2019, she briefly served as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care in the Liberal government of Kathleen Wynne.
This permutation does not change the number of ministers in Cabinet, nor does it affect parity.
There are still 38 ministers, 19 men and 19 women, at the table. It comes just under a week before the Cabinet retreat, which is being held in Vancouver. The Ministers’ swearing-in ceremony took place at Rideau Hall, hosted by the Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon.