Justin Trudeau did a significant cabinet shuffle on Wednesday. For our American readers, prime ministers shuffle cabinet members every so often. Like the prime minister, all cabinet members are MPs (Members of Parliament).
Pablo Rodriguez, who has served 2 terms as the minister of Canadian heritage, is moving over to be the minister of transportation. Prime Minister Trudeau has selected MP Pascale St-Onge as the new minister of Canadian heritage.
St-Onge has only been in Parliament since September 20, 2021 representing the Brome—Missisquoi riding in southern Quebec. She has served in the cabinet as Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec since October 26, 2021.
St-Onge is the fourth person to hold this portfolio since Justin Trudeau became prime minister in 2015: Mélanie Joly (November 4, 2015-July 18, 2018); Pablo Rodriguez (July 18, 2018-November 20, 2019 and October 26, 2021-July 26, 2023); and Steven Guilbeault (November 20, 2019-October 26, 2021).
She is Canada's first openly lesbian cabinet minister.
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The CMA would like to congratulate the newly appointed Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge. We look forward to working with her.
— The CMA | L'AMC (@musecdn) July 26, 2023
To read the official release, click here: https://t.co/wRLisOnkEE@CdnHeritage @PascaleStOnge pic.twitter.com/OzKVW270Mw
The Canada Media Fund weighed in on the new minister.
St-Onge does have cultural experience, being the former president of the Fédération nationale des communications et de la culture. She has a lot of her plate with the ramifications of Bill C-11 (Canadian content) and Bill C-18 (Online News Act).
The bad news is that St-Onge is relatively inexperienced with a lot thrown at her in taking on a major portfolio. The good news is she isn't Pablo Rodriguez, who seemed untrustworthy, particularly on Bill C-11.
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All 4 MPs that Trudeau has selected for this portfolio have been from Quebec. That is generally a good sign since Quebec has a better sense of a film and television heritage than the rest of Canada has (sorry).
Our advice to St-Onge is to listen to those who create Canadian content, read our blog, ask Mélanie Joly for her perspective on the portfolio, and don't be afraid to lead.
We wish the new minister bonne chance | good luck in taking on a tough portfolio at a really rough time to be in charge.
photo credit: @PascaleStOnge_
Twitter capture: @musecdn
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