Prime Minister announces new Ministry

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced his new team, including his 24 member Cabinet, that will lead the government during the second half of its mandate.

"I am proud of what we have accomplished during the first half of our mandate," said the Prime Minister. "We've delivered on key election commitments - creating jobs for Canadians, strengthening economic growth and reducing the deficit. We've also restored public trust in government; I am deeply proud that our Ministry was the first in more than thirty years to be untainted by forced resignations."

"Today, we turn the page to a new chapter, " said the Prime Minister, "with a renewed team that combines proven, experienced Ministers and a new generation of Ministers, enthusiastically committed to Canadian unity. Our focus is clear: to renew the Canadian federation and ensure the unity of our country; to expand job creation and economic growth; to continue our progress in putting our fiscal house in order; and to secure the social wellbeing of Canadians."

The Prime Minister also expressed his gratitude for the distinguished service and the contribution made to the government's achievements by Mr. Ouellet, Mr. MacLaren, Mr. Dupuy and Mrs. Finestone. They are resigning from the Ministry to make room for new members, since they will not be running in the next election.

Mr. Ouellet will be assuming new duties as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Canada Post Corporation. Mr. MacLaren will become a Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on International Trade, until his appointment as High Commissioner for Canada to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in July.

The provisions of the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act will apply to Mr. Ouellet and Mr. MacLaren - as a result, they will not receive pensions as retiring Members of Parliament during their employment in the public service.

Highlights of today's announcement include the following changes.

New Appointments to the Cabinet and Ministry

The Prime Minister indicated that he was very pleased to welcome new members of his Ministry who will strengthen representation In the government from all regions.

New appointments from Quebec include the Honourable Stéphane Dion as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew as Minister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie, the Honourable Alfonso Gagliano as Minister of Labour, and the Honourable Martin Cauchon as Secretary of State (Federal Office of Regional Development Quebec). They will help the government build new alliances throughout Quebec, in efforts to promote national unity.

The Honourable Marcel Massé will also assume new duties as Political Minister for Quebec.

Mr. Dion, a prominent constitutional scholar, and Mr. Pettigrew, a senior executive in the private sector, will bring new impetus to the government's plans for promoting national unity. They will be seeking seats in the House of Commons in the immediate future.

From Western Canada, the Honourable David Anderson will assume new responsibilities as Minister of Transport. In addition, the Honourable

Anne McLellan will Chair the Cabinet Committee on Social Development Policy, while the Honourable Ralph Goodale will Chair the Cabinet Committee on Economic Development Policy. This will place responsibility for key areas of government policy in the hands of Western Canadians.

Other appointments from Western Canada include the Honourable

Hedy Fry as Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) and the Honourable Jon Gerrard as Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification), in addition to his duties as Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development).

From Atlantic Canada, the Prime Minister welcomed the Honourable

Fred Mifflin as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay as Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), in addition to his duties as Secretary of State (Veterans).

They will play a key role in the government's approach to the challenges facing Atlantic Canada.

Ontario's strong representation in the government will be reinforced with the appointment of the Honourable Jane Stewart as Minister of National Revenue.

With today's changes, the number of Cabinet Ministers will increase by one Minister from 23 to 24 Ministers and the Prime Minister. The number of Secretaries of State will remain unchanged at nine.

Organizational Changes

The Prime Minister has decided to build on the successful organization he put in place when the government assumed office, and to focus efforts on meeting the key challenges identified by Canadians, including improved service to citizens. Accordingly, no major changes to the organization of the government are being implemented at this time. The government has, however, decided to consolidate responsibility for the three regional development agencies in the industry portfolio.

The Minister of Industry will be responsible to Parliament for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Federal Office of Regional Development Quebec (FORD-Q) and Western Economic Diversification (WED). This approach will improve service and support the government's agenda for jobs and growth.

The Minister of Industry will be supported by a Secretary of State for each agency.

Specific Portfolio Changes for Ministers by Order of Precedence
(By Order Sworn Into the Privy Council, Years as a Member of Parliament and Alphabetical Order)

• The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.

• The Honourable David Anderson has been appointed Minister of Transport.

• The Honourable David Dingwall has been appointed Minister of Health.

• The Honourable Sheila Copps has been appointed Minister of Canadian Heritage and retains the title of Deputy Prime Minister.

• The Honourable Sergio Marchi has been appointed Minister of the Environment.

• The Honourable John Manley continues as Minister of Industry and will be responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec, and Western Economic Diversification.

• The Honourable Diane Marleau has been appointed Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

• The Honourable Doug Young has been appointed Minister of Human Resources Development.

• The Honourable Arthur Eggleton has been appointed Minister for International Trade.

• The Honourable Marcel Massé has been appointed President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

• The Honourable Alfonso Gagliano joins the Cabinet as Minister of Labour and remains Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

• The Honourable Lucienne Robillard has been appointed Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

• The Honourable Fred Mifflin becomes a member of the Cabinet and has been appointed Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

• The Honourable Jane Stewart becomes a member of the Cabinet and has been appointed Minister of National Revenue.

• The Honourable Stéphane Dion becomes a member of the Cabinet and has been appointed President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

• The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew becomes a member of the Cabinet and has been appointed Minister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie.

Secretaries of State

• The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay has been appointed Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), in addition to his responsibilities as Secretary of State (Veterans).

• The Honourable Jon Gerrard has been appointed Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification), in addition to his responsibilities as Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development).

• The Honourable Martin Cauchon has been appointed Secretary of State (Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec).

• The Honourable Hedy Fry has been appointed Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women).

Biographical notes on new members of the Ministry, a list of the Ministry according to precedence, and the new Cabinet committee membership list are attached.

PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555

Constituency: Bonavista-Trinity-Conception (Newfoundland)

Fred J. Mifflin has served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and Veterans Affairs since December 1993. He was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Bonavista-Trinity-Conception in 1988 and was re-elected in 1993.

A retired Rear Admiral, Mr. Mifflin first joined the Navy in 1954 and assumed his first command at sea in 1969. During his naval career he commanded destroyers at sea and served 11 years in Ottawa in senior positions related to the United Nations Conferences on the Law of the Sea, fisheries protection, procurement of major military systems, and international relations. In the early 1980s he was Head of the National Defence Secretariat. He is a graduate of the National Defence College in Kingston, Ontario, and the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Mr. Mifflin was born in Bonavista in 1938. He and his wife Gwenneth have three children.

Constituency: Brant (Ontario)

Jane Stewart has served as Chair of the National Liberal Caucus since February 1994, and as a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance and the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Brant in 1993.

Ms. Stewart was born in 1955. She graduated from Trent University in 1978 with a B.Sc. in Psychology. She built a successful career as a human resources professional, working with both small and large companies across Canada and in the United States. Prior to becoming a self-employed human resources consultant, Ms. Stewart worked in human resources with Imperial Oil.

Ms. Stewart was born and raised on the Nixon family farm in St. George, Ontario. She and her husband and two sons still reside on the 285 acre farm. Ms. Stewart's roots in Brant are deep: her father and grandfather represented the provincial riding of Brant for a combined seventy years.

President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Stéphane Dion has been a professor of political science at the University of Montreal since 1984. He is the author of numerous publications on politics, public administration and management. He has held many prestigious academic positions, including the positions of Guest Scholar at the Laboratoire d'économie publique de Paris from 1994 to 1995, Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. from 1990 to 1991, Co-editor of the Canadian Journal of Political Science from 1990 to 1993, and Research Fellow at the Canadian Centre for Management Development from 1990 to 1991.

Mr. Dion obtained bachelors and masters degrees in political science at Laval University. He graduated with a Doctorat d'État in sociology from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris in 1984. He is a member of the Aid to Scholarly Publications Committee of the Social Sciences Federation of Canada, as well as a member of the Advisory Council of the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen's University.

Stéphane Dion was born in 1955. He and his wife have one daughter.

Pierre S. Pettigrew was Vice-President of Samson Belair Deloitte and Touche International (Montreal) from 1985 to 1995. He was the 1994 Co-Chair of the First National Forum on Canada's International Relations. From 1981 to 1984 he worked in the Privy Council Office as a Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister. He served as Executive Assistant to the Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party from 1978 to 1981. Mr. Pettigrew also served as Director of the Political Committee, NATO Assembly, in Brussels from 1976 to 1978.

Mr. Pettigrew is a frequent media commentator on the global economy, international trade, federalism, and public affairs. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières and an M.Phil. in international relations from Oxford University. He was born in 1951.

Constituency: Outremont (Quebec)

Martin Cauchon has served as a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources Development, and as President of the Canada-France Inter-parliamentary Association. He also served as Vice-Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee in 1994. He was elected the Member of Parliament in the Montreal riding of Outremont in 1993.

Mr. Cauchon obtained a civil law degree from the University of Ottawa in 1984 and his certificate from the Bar School of Quebec in 1985. In 1990, he completed a Masters degree in international business law at the University of Exeter in England. From 1985 to 1990, Martin Cauchon practised civil and commercial litigation. He has also authored and co-authored articles published in the Revue du Barreau and the Bulletin de la Société de droit international économique.

Born in 1962, Mr. Cauchon and his wife live in Montreal.

Constituency: Vancouver Centre (British Columbia)

Dr. Hedy Fry was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993 and appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health. She has worked as a family physician in Vancouver Centre for more than twenty-two years and, during that time, has been very active in community work.

Dr. Fry has served on numerous committees in the medical profession and has served as President of the B.C. Medical Association. She co-chaired health and social policy sessions at the Liberal Party's Aylmer Conference in 1991, and also served on the Leader's National Task Force on Women.

Born in Trinidad in 1941, Dr. Fry was educated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland. She has three sons.

The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister

The Honourable Herbert Eser Gray
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and
Solicitor General of Canada

The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy
Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Honourable David Michael Collenette
Minister of National Defence and
Minister of Veterans Affairs

The Honourable David Anderson
Minister of Transport

The Honourable Ralph E. Goodale
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

The Honourable David Charles Dingwall
Minister of Health

The Honourable Ron Irwin
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

The Honourable Joyce Fairbairn
Leader of the Government in the Senate and
Minister with special responsibility for Literacy

The Honourable Sheila Copps
Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Sergio Marchi
Minister of the Environment

The Honourable John Manley
Minister of Industry, Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency,
Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec

The Honourable Diane Marleau
Minister of Public Works and Government Services

The Honourable Paul Martin
Minister of Finance

The Honourable Douglas Young
Minister of Human Resources Development

The Honourable Arthur C. Eggleton
Minister for International Trade

The Honourable Marcel Massé
President of the Treasury Board and
Minister responsible for Infrastructure

The Honourable Anne McLellan
Minister of Natural Resources

The Honourable Allan Rock
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

The Honourable Alfonso Gagliano
Minister of Labour
and Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

The Honourable Lucienne Robillard
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

The Honourable Fred J. Mifflin
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

The Honourable Jane Stewart
Minister of National Revenue

The Honourable Stéphane Dion
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew
Minister for International Cooperation and
Minister responsible for Francophonie

The Honourable Fernand Robichaud
Secretary of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans)

The Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew
Secretary of State (Training and Youth)

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
Secretary of State (Veterans) (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)

The Honourable Christine Stewart
Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa)

The Honourable Raymond Chan
Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

The Honourable Jon Gerrard
Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) (Western Economic Diversification)

The Honourable Douglas Peters
Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)

The Honourable Martin Cauchon
Secretary of State (Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec)

The Honourable Hedy Fry
Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)

January 1996

Economic Development Policy

Chair

The Hon. Ralph Goodale

Vice-Chair

The Hon. Douglas Young

Members

The Hon. Lloyd Axworthy
The Hon. David Collenette
The Hon. David Anderson
The Hon. Sergio Marchi
The Hon. John Manley
The Hon. Diane Marleau
The Hon. Arthur Eggleton
The Hon. Marcel Massé
The Hon. Anne McLellan
The Hon. Alfonso Gagliano
The Hon. Lucienne Robillard
The Hon. Fred Mifflin

Social Development Policy

Chair

The Hon. Anne McLellan

Vice-Chair

The Hon. Allan Rock

Members

The Hon. Herbert Gray
The Hon. David Dingwall
The Hon. Ron Irwin
The Hon. Joyce Fairbairn
The Hon. Sheila Copps
The Hon. Douglas Young
The Hon. Lucienne Robillard
The Hon. Jane Stewart
The Hon. Stéphane Dion
The Hon. Pierre S. Pettigrew

Special Committee of Council

Chair

The Hon. Herbert Gray

Vice-Chair

The Hon. Allan Rock

Members

The Hon. David Anderson
The Hon. David Dingwall
The Hon. Jane Stewart
The Hon. Stéphane Dion

Chair

The Hon. Marcel Massé

Vice-Chair

The Hon. Paul Martin

Members

The Hon. Sergio Marchi
The Hon. Diane Marleau
The Hon. Douglas Young
The Hon. Anne McLellan

Alternates

The Hon. David Collenette
The Hon. Jane Stewart

The Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the President of the Treasury Board are ex-officio members of the following Committees:

Economic Development Policy

Social Development Policy

Special Committee of Council

The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons is an ex-officio member of the Economic Development Policy Committee.