Gatineau MP Steven MacKinnon became the federal minister of labour and seniors on Friday, replacing Seamus O’Regan, who left the cabinet the day before citing his need to spend more time with his spouse.
A swearing-in ceremony lasting just a few minutes took place Friday morning at Rideau Hall, in the company of the Prime Minister and the Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon.
Steven MacKinnon officially became the eleventh elected member of Quebec’s cabinet, in addition to the prime minister himself. This is Justin Trudeau’s choice of simplicity, since the tasks of the 37 other ministers in his government have remained unchanged for now.
Moreover, Mr. MacKinnon was already a familiar face around the cabinet table. He was named interim House leader during the last major cabinet shuffle, a year ago. That role saw him negotiate the parliamentary calendar with the other parties in Ottawa over the winter and spring, replacing Minister Karina Gould while she was on maternity leave.
The entry of the Gatineau native into the circle of ministers, however, upsets the geographical balance of the Trudeau cabinet, since the departure of Mr. O’Regan, from Newfoundland and Labrador, reduces the number of ministers from the Atlantic region to five.
Steven MacKinnon was previously the government whip, the person responsible for discipline within the Liberal troops. Perfectly bilingual, the politician has been elected without interruption since 2015, promising in each election a brand new sixth bridge to span the Ottawa River and facilitate automobile traffic between Gatineau and Ottawa. The government launched a study on the subject last month.
Speaking at a brief press briefing outside the Governor General’s residence on Friday, the new minister indicated that his government intends to “continue” in its current direction and not change its approach. “Today is not the election. People will have time to contemplate and consider the political options that are before them,” he said, referring to his party’s fall behind in national polls.
He says he is “confident” that voters will appreciate the government’s record in the next election, and believes the Liberals will benefit from a strong “contrast” between their platform and that of the Conservative opposition. He assures that the entire caucus is aligned behind the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The prime minister has never issued a mandate letter specific to the Labour and Seniors portfolio. Seamus O’Regan’s last mandate instructions as labour minister were in December 2021, shortly after the last federal election. His successor, MacKinnon, admitted Friday that that to-do list is largely done. He sees his job as that of a facilitator between parties in a labour dispute.
The next general election must be held no later than October 2025.