Manitoba’s senior Cabinet minister, Jim Carr, was left out of appointments Tuesday in a day where the West came up short and a new Infrastructure minister was named by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Carr, Manitoba’s senior MP in the Trudeau government, had special responsibilities for the Prairies, prior to the election in September, in which he and three other Manitoba Liberal MPs were returned to Ottawa in a successive minority Liberal government.
Manitoba’s only representative at the Cabinet table now is St. Boniface – St. Vital MP Dan Vandal, who continues as Northern Affairs minister, with minor additional responsibilities, including for the Prairies Economic Development Canada.
Cabinet day also saw Trudeau appoint Dominic LeBlanc, who continues as minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, to the Infrastructure and Communities post. The appointment was hailed by some who say LeBlanc is a solid minister and the new responsibility will blend well with the job of dealing with lower levels of government.
“We are very disappointed to see Jim Carr, who has served our province and the Prairies commendably for many years in cabinet, will no longer have a seat at the table,” MHCA President Chris Lorenc said. Lorenc noted that Vandal has been accessible and has had a good ear for the economy and the heavy construction industry in past conversations.
Filomena Tassi was named minister for Public Services and Procurement.
For a complete listing of the cabinet appointments, click here.