Ottawa, Ontario, (CelebrityAccess) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today (July 18th) made significant changes to his cabinet, bringing five new ministers to the table, creating new portfolios for seniors, intergovernmental affairs and border security, and naming a new minister to oversee the cultural department.
Pablo Rodriguez, who was serving as chief government whip, becomes minister of heritage and multiculturalism. He replaces Mélanie Joly who goes from Heritage to minister of tourism, official languages and la Francophonie.
A statement released by Music Canada Live today (July 18) indicates that the association looks forward to on-going dialogue with the Department, reinforcing live music’s enormous economic, cultural and social impacts and contributions.
“We welcome the Honourable Minister to his new portfolio, and are excited to work together to entrench the value of Canada’s powerful live music industry and the role it plays in the careers of artists and the lives of fans,” said Erin Benjamin, Executive Director. “We wish to thank Minister Joly and her staff for their tireless effort in championing our creative industries and wish her much success as Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie. Minister Joly has left a lasting legacy, upon which we are inspired to continue to build.”
The cabinet shakeup boosts the number of ministers from Ontario and Quebec, where the Liberals need to win more seats in the next election to offset potential losses elsewhere.
Before today’s shuffle, there were 30 members of the cabinet, including Trudeau, evenly split by gender. The new cabinet has 35 members including Trudeau, with 17 women and 18 men.
