Carney to move key carbon tax defender to new cabinet role: source

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will be given a new portfolio in Mark Carney’s cabinet, a source with knowledge of the decision told Radio-Canada.

The Montreal MP and former Greenpeace activist, who has held the portfolio since 2021, will instead be responsible for various files, said the source, who was not authorized to speak on the record.

However, he will no longer be the face of the fight against climate change.

Guilbeault learned the news earlier this week, the source said.

Canada’s next prime minister appears intent on marking a clear break with the Trudeau-era consumer carbon tax, a policy Guilbeault, until recently, aggressively defended. That made him a polarizing minister in parts of the country, and he often faced off against Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

Carney, once a proponent of carbon pricing, campaigned on dropping the carbon tax and repeated the promise in his acceptance speech Monday.

WATCH | Carney, new cabinet to be sworn in Friday:

Carney, new cabinet will be sworn in Friday

Newly elected Liberal Leader Mark Carney will officially become Canada’s prime minister at a swearing-in ceremony Friday alongside his cabinet.

Guilbeault suggested earlier this year that he’s open to replacing the federal scheme (new window) if candidates can propose new measures to help Canada achieve its climate targets. Guilbeault blamed Conservative disinformation for making the measure toxic to Canadians.

He endorsed Carney during the leadership race.

Sources with knowledge of Carney’s plans have said he’s aiming for a more svelte cabinet to confront the trade war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump and the ensuing economic uncertainty.

• UpdatedMark Carney aims for smaller cabinet, team planning to drop over a dozen ministers: sources (new window)

• Mark Carney is no ally of the oilpatch, says Alberta Premier Danielle Smith as she calls for election (new window)

• Environment minister open to replacing carbon tax if Canada can still meet its climate goals (new window)

Those sources said Carney’s team will be in the range of 15 to 20 members — paring down from the 37 ministers in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet

Key players on the Canada-U.S. relations file, including Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, are expected to keep their jobs.

Friday’s transition will begin when Trudeau meets with Governor General Mary Simon to resign and recommend that she ask the new leader to form a government and new ministry.

with files from David Cochrane

This article is republished from RCI.