Highlights of the swearing-in of the new government
By Jerrison Oracion, Senior Columnist
November 4, 2015 is a day that many people will remember for generations to come. That day is the day that Justin Trudeau was sworn in as the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada. He is the first prime minister who is the son of a former prime minister. The entire day included many historical moments throughout it.
The ceremony took place in Rideau Hall. For the first time in history, the public was allowed to watch the ceremony in person from outside of the hall on video screens, since the hall itself was reserved for officials, the new cabinet, and their families. Crowds filled the grounds of Rideau Hall to witness history in the making, and also try to see Trudeau and his new cabinet. Before the ceremony began, Trudeau; his wife, Sophie Gregoire; his children; and his cabinet walked through the road to the hall. Moments later, Trudeau took the oath of office to officially become the Prime Minister of Canada.
Most of the ceremony consisted of swearing in the new cabinet. Trudeau’s cabinet consists of 15 men and 15 women, keeping his promise of gender parity. When questioned on why this parity was important, Trudeau responded: “Because it’s 2015.”
Trudeau also assumed the roles of Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Minister of Youth. He is the first Prime Minister to do so.
Some of the notable members in his cabinet include: Bill Morneau as the Minister of Finance, family physician Jane Philpott as the Minister of Health, former Edmonton City Councillor Amarjeet Sohi as the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Maryam Monsef as the Minister of Democratic Institutions,
Additionally, three of the cabinet members are from British Columbia.
Vancouver Granville’s Jody Wilson-Raybould (a lawyer and the Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations) is the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.
Vancouver South’s Harjit Sajjan (a former Lieutenant-Colonel and detective for the Vancouver Police Department) is the Minister of National Defence.
Delta’s Carla Qualtrough (a Paralympic medalist in swimming and a human rights lawyer) is the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities.
Some of the other returning MPs who are back in cabinet are former Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion (Minister of Foreign Affairs), former astronaut Marc Garneau (Minister of Transport), Ralph Goodale (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), John McCallum (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship) and Dominic Leblanc (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons).
When the ceremony ended, Trudeau and his cabinet left on a bus to Parliament Hill to conduct their first cabinet meeting.
Leblanc announced that the House of Commons will be back in session on December 3, with a Throne Speech the following day.
